The RRD Firemove in action. Image credit Nic Botha.

The Clone getting down to business!

Despite what some sceptics say, there is no doubt that windsurfing equipment continues to improve for the better.  Having tested my fair share of boards over the years, I will happily admit that most years progress is small and occasionally static or simply a sidestep into another direction, but I can guarantee that when you take a snapshot of say a five year period, you will see marked improvements wherever you look.

Most changes are evolutionary; small and incremental.  Sometimes however they are more dramatic.  Multi-fin wave boards would be a fine example of where within one product release, the turning performance of wave boards made a huge leap forward.

As with most developments however, there are usually associated drawbacks.  Multi-fin boards may have improved the turning capabilities of wave boards overnight, but five years later and they still can’t really match the straight-line performance and excitement factor of a single fin.  It’s referred to as a trade-off; and almost all design developments have trade-offs.

Within the freeride board market, the last major step forward was arguably the concept of more compact, wider and shorter boards.  Now RRD have introduced their Firemove, which pumps up the width even further, but more notably thins the board down, giving less volume and size to the rails.

RRD Firemove, one of the easiest boards to gybe of it's size!

They claim the result is a board that can plane quickly, even with a wave rig on it, manoeuvre like a freestyle-wave board and still match freeride boards for speed and upwind pointing.  Oh and they also mention that it’s ‘the ultimate carve gybe platform’!  That’s a tall order to live up to, so we decided to get hold of one and see what all the fuss is about.

The Firemove is offered in five sizes 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 and three construction options to suit your budget/ requirements.  We were supplied with the 110 Ltd, which is 236cm long, weighs 7.58kg and measures a whopping 75cm wide (10cm wider than many boards of this size).  It comes as standard with a 36cm fin and is recommended for 6-8m sail sizes.  Because of the extra width, the board sails bigger than its volume would suggest, making it more comparable to say a 120 litre board. Although it’s worth bearing in mind that volume is still critical when it comes to uphauling.

RRD Firemove

We tested the Firemove with a 7.3m no-cam sail in a range of conditions from shoulder high chop to flat water and also underpowered right through to overpowered, so managed to get a fairly good handle on its performance range.

The first thing you notice is how easy the board is to plane.  Not only does it plane early, but perhaps more importantly, it planes easily.  You don’t have to bear off the wind much to get it going, the width gives great stability and the short length means that reaching the footstraps is simple.  Once in the straps, you will appreciate the very soft, comfortable feel of the pads and straps, which really match the character of this board.

Acceleration is good and once up to speed the board has a very comfortable trim and stance.  It has a stable feel to it at speed and rides comfortably off the tail, yet with the nose remaining locked down and in check when flying over pieces of chop.  Short, wide boards have proven themselves for blasting performance and ease of speed, but can often lack a bit of excitement, with their less responsive characteristics making the rider feel a bit like a passenger on a skim board.  I’m pleased to report that the Firemove has managed to keep agreat balance of comfort and excitement.  This could really have been the make or break of this board.

Boards of this nature should be fun to sail and it’s a credit to RRD that they have managed to retain this fun, lively sensation within such a wide shape, yet still kept just the right amount of control to make its full performance attainable for most abilities.

Point the board upwind and it flies, as you would expect from such a wide shape.  The 36cm fin suits the board well for all-round performance, but if you want even better planing and upwind performance then you could definitely go bigger.  As conditions get rougher the control is pretty good with the board staying trimmed down in the gusts and chop.  However, as with all boards of this style (wide), when they do eventually lift i.e. the wind gets under them, they do it very suddenly and you have to react quickly to bring them back into line.  When you point the board right off the wind for a full speed run, the width does start to become a bit more noticeable making the board harder to ride right off the tail keeping the nose high.  To be fair, this is only really noticeable when well powered up, pointing right off the wind and in chop.  But in these conditions, you may notice the shoulders catching a little when going over the backs of waves.  We found that the mast track worked best a little behind middle, which helped keep the shoulders riding high.

RRD Firemove

When it comes to gybing, the Firemove is arguably the best gybing board we have ever sailed of this size.  You can bank the board really hard in to the turn with no risk of catching.  Most impressively however, where many boards of this size tend to set a line and turn on it, the Firemove remains manoeuvrable and can be banked in even tighter at any point through the turn.  It’s no wonder that there are claims about this boards wave riding potential as it really does turn unbelievably well for a board of this size.

So, here we have a new style of freeride board, which planes early, goes upwind well, is comfortable and easy to sail at speed, doesn’t take an experienced rider to get the best from and gybes fantastically.  Of course as we discussed above, there are always trade-off’s and in this case it’s mostly to do with absolute top end control in chop. But the truth is that the gains on offer from the Firemove and the style of board that this model has brought to the freeride market, far outweigh the drawbacks and from where I am sitting that’s called progress. The Firemove has created quite a following over the past 12 months or so and having now sailed it, I can definitely see why.  Give one a try!

For more on the RRD Firemove and other RRD products head to the RRD website here or the home of the British importers for RRD, Seasprite, here.

We hand over to Phil Plume for a little more inspiration -

Right! If you’re out there reading this and have never entered the NWF before because you don’t think you’re good enough, read on…

I was in your position in 2008. I could just about sail in a straight line in powered up conditions, but was a million miles away from the elusive gybe and I thought a tack was used to hold two bits of wood together. However I took the plunge and registered.

That year saw strong winds pushing me to my limit but was the most unbelievable fun! And friendships were forged in those first 5 minutes alone.

I managed to get off the beach and completed the race by swimming around the gybe mark. The next day was calmer and perfect for my ability. I competed in all the races without completing a single turn.

I have entered every year since then and have competed in the freeride, pre ’85, and wind-SUP fleets on equipment ranging from normal freeride gear to an ex-Olympic eBay special costing 99p! I have also raced at night by getting into the top 50 on a SUP board last year, and taken part in the Tag Team Challenge twice with pro riders such as Ben Proffitt.

And don’t forget the awesome parties!

The National Windsurfing Festival is organised for the ordinary sailor like you and me and what you get out of it is directly related to what you put in. I would encourage you to sign up and give it a go. As long as you can sail in a straight line you’ll be fine – and the smiles on the way home are guaranteed…

The NWF takes places on Hayling Island from 7 – 9 September – get your entry in here

Phil Plume

National Windsurfing Festival

This is a question asked by many a windsurfer, as each board has it’s own characteristics making it slightly more suited to certain people.

Key member of team Tushingham, Sam Ross, investigates…

Starboard Carve vs Futura?

These boards incorporate the typical Fire Move lively feeling of great speed and top end control, along with the gybing sensation of a much smaller board. It is the closest freemove board to a pure freestyle-wave and the wide body of these new shapes allows for a better earlier planing capacity by keeping a relatively short compact shape, and with the boards reduced thickness you further benefit from a very stable platform throughout your gybes and tacks. Having a choice of three footstrap positions also allows aspiring improvers to grow with the board and use it from first time in the straps to full speed planing gybes!

The Fire Move 130 and 140 are the perfect boards for those looking for great early planing performance, easy top end speed and fun in light to medium winds and choppy waters without sacrificing manoeuvrability and will definitely put the Fire back into your sailing.

More details on www.robertoriccidesigns.com – the FireMove is available now from your nearest legendary RRD dealer and now in 3 constructions including Ltd, Wood and the New E technology.

Check out http://seaspritesports.com/retailers.html for your list of retailers.

John Skye putting the Fire Move through it's paces

Jem Hall regularly uses the Fire Move, we found out more on why the the range working is so well for both himself, and clients:

“I have used the FireMove for coaching on my clinics and in flat water to small waves where it is actually quite responsive, and even for a big board it jumps and rotates very nicely.

I use the 110 mainly, for coaching and freesailing back in the UK, as it feels around 125 litres, planes like a 135 and gybes like a 110 – so versatile, fast and fun.

I use it as I can have fun going fast, plane early and really crank into gybes. With the middle strap setting, not too far outboard or inboard, I can also do carving 360s, jump and loop it. A huge benefit that I love, is that I can use a smaller sail which is easier to move around, as the board planes so early. My main sails used on the 110 FireMove are 5.8 to 7.5, of which the 6.5 Freeride Ezzy Cheetah, is the most used for coaching and freesailing in the UK.

People who want a fast board that is fun and really gybes well will love this board. It is a fabulous progression board as you can improve your stance and blasting on it, and then learn to gybe on it and keep it to really perfect your carve gybes and get those elusive planing ones. It is so versatile as you can treat it as on oversized freestyle wave or lock it down and blast away with the outboard straps in place. I love it and so do all the customers who have purchased one.

CHECK THE THREAD ON THE FORUM

John Skye is also riding the Fire Move, although he tends to go for a smaller one in the range:

“The Firemove is so versatile I have used it in loads of different conditions. Everything from small waves, bump and jump style, through to flat water slalom style blasting with big sails. It’s so much fun to sail. It’s quick to plane, fast enough to be fun, has great pop for jumps and manoeuvres really well too.

You always have to consider the width of the Firemoves. As they are wider than normal, you have to basically add about 10-15L to the volume to get an idea of its relative size. For example the 100, which is the board I used the most, is actually much closer to a 110-115 board.

I have used the 100 with everything from 4.7 wave sail in waves, through to 8.0 Evolution freeride sail, and it has felt really balanced with everything. It has such a large useable range in both wind and in terms of conditions.

Everyone I think! I can see a big appeal for a wave sailor to have one of these as a light wind fun board for summer sailing. Also for someone like my dad who predominantly sails big freeride/freerace gear, the Firemove would be a perfect step down board. Also it gybes so well, that for anyone trying to master gybing, I dont think you could find anything better.”

Nowadays consumers tend to have an innate sense that if something is complicated or difficult, it must be better than something that is simple.

Take food, for instance. Sat at a table waiting for your jus-drizzled ensemble of painstakingly designed food to arrive, you might believe that you’re at the absolute pinnacle of gastronomic delight. But really, can you honestly say that it gave more satisfaction than the fried egg sandwich they serve at the local cafe after a cold day’s windsurfing? Possibly not.

Empirically, simplicity is often the key to happiness. Keep things simple and they generally work well. Complicate them and even with the best intention and design in the world, more often than not they end up a disappointment. So what’s that got to do with freeride sails? Well, many people make the step to cambered sails because they want a new challenge. They want to go faster and be able to hold on to a bigger sail in stronger winds. Whilst rotational sails have many strengths and virtues over cambers, there’s no doubting that cambered sails offer a sense of glide, stability and speed that rotationals simply can’t match.

Once you’ve resolved to make the step to a cambered sail, you need to decide how far to go. Looking through most brands’ ranges, you’re likely to see a thoroughbred, wide luff-tubed race sail, which will have around five cams. One step down from this and most will offer some kind of ‘detuned’ version of this sail – still sporting that wide luff tube, but trimmed down on the camber inducers to around three. And then at the bottom rung of cambered ranges, most brands offer a narrower luff-tubed ‘entry-level’ cambered sail, most of which are twin-cam.

Whilst it’s easy to be seduced by the full-on race designs’ promise of ultimate top speed, stability and kudos, there are some serious warnings that need to be considered…

Read the full test on our sister site, Boardseeker.com

The Fire Storm line is the latest addition to our great freeride family. Based on the scoop –rocker line of the hugely successful X-fire boards, the thinner volume configuration and narrower tail allow these designs to be highly competitive with burning acceleration after gybes, yet also fantastically comfortable freeriding machines! The real Gran Turismo line of windsurfing!

The FIRE STORM LTD features:
Each board has a different length and width to accommodate the appropriate balance of the average rigs you are going to use on them. A simple V with double concave bottom, and a slight flat vee tail release, simplifies the water dynamics and creates a very effective, sharp feeling, compact and fast board in all conditions. Thick 8 mm deck pads with extra moulded grip smoothen up the ride. The Firestorm Limited Edition is equipped with a fast G -10 CNC RC 2 Maui Fin Company fin with a Power Box base and superior Da Kine Primo straps to complete the package!

LTD Technology:
EPS/ Full PVC 3mm top and bottom/ 80 grams UD 80 on Deck + Glass / 160 grams glass Bottom / Custom Made technology

Sizes: 111l, 120l, 138l

Download the PDF here – www.robertoriccidesigns.com/WOL

Keep up to date with their news on facebook here – www.facebook.com

RRD Fire Storm Ltd

RRD introduce their sporty new Fire Storm Ltd Edition freeride board…

“Enthusiastically fast and fun”, the Fire Storm line is the latest addition to the RRD freeride family. Based on the scoop rockerline of the hugely successful X-Fire boards, the thinner volume configuration and narrower tail allow these designs to be highly competitive with burning acceleration after gybes, yet also fantastically comfortable freeriding machines. The real Gran Turismo line of windsurfing!

FEATURES: Each board has a different length and width to accommodate the appropriate balance of the average rigs you are going to use on them. A simple vee with double concave bottom, and a slight flat vee tail release, simplifies the water dynamics and creates a very effective, sharp feeling, compact and fast board in all conditions. Thick 8mm deck-pads with extra moulded grip smoothen up the ride. The Firestorm Limited Edition is equipped with a fast G-10 CNC RC 2 Maui Fin Company fin with a Powerbox base and superior DaKine Primo straps to complete the package. Available in 111, 120 and 138L with widths of 68, 72 and 77cm respectively.

TECHNOLOGY: EPS. Full PVC 3mm top and bottom. 80g UD 80 on deck and glass. 160g glass bottom. Custom Made technology.

Available from all good dealers – check www.seaspritesports.com for a full list of outlets, click www.robertoriccidesigns.com for more…

Fanatic Ray 2012, by John Carter

Fanatic introduce their new Ray 2012 range of freerace boards…

More at www.fanatic.com

More at www.fanatic.com

Fanatic Ray 2012

Fanatic Shark, by Tom Brendt

Fanatic introduce their new Shark 2012 range of freeride boards…

From smooth, graceful cruising to lightning speed super-tight turns. Forgiving to intermediates, the Sharks lack no bite in hard-carving or top-end control. A CAD-proven scoop rocker, comfy domed decks and compact outline offer a sweet sensation that’s both easy to use and push to the limits. 5 durable shapes supply awesome value in High Resistance Skin (HRS) with Powerbox fins, and the key 135 and 150 LTD models are also available bio-friendly Carbon/Kevlar Basalt Sandwich light construction.

More at www.fanatic.com

Fanatic Hawk 2012, by Tom Brendt

Fanatic introduce their new Hawk 2012 range of freeride boards…

This pedigree predator’s redefined the Freeride category and wowed testers worldwide. Derived from our best Freestyle and Slalom shapes, a unique blend of jibing heaven, top-end speed and sporting style are yours. Fast rocker lines on compact shapes and thinner, tucked-under edges mean you’ll never catch rails in any carving or sliding moves. Super comfy deck doming in the tail and strap areas guarantee you’re always in control in flat water, swell or chop. Select 100, 110, 120 or 135 sizes (all Power Box) in either Wood Sandwich Light with visible wood finish, or eco-friendly LTD construction with Carbon Kevlar/Basalt Sandwich Light and G10 foils.

More at www.fanatic.com

Fanatic Hawk 2012

NWF mass-participation racing

With this year’s National Windsurfing Festival on Hayling Island fast approaching, we asked event organiser Allan Cross for his top 10 of what this year’s NWF has to offer the UK’s freeride community… Of course, he gave us 11!

1. The biggest windsurfing festival in the country with the largest trade exhibition within the UK with the latest equipment on show.

2. A fleet for non national sailors, which is supported and sponsored by the windsurfing industry. Each race sponsored by an importer, after each race prize giving, prizes galore: for gender classes, pre millennium and pre 1985 equipment so you don’t need the latest equipment to be competitive. Prizes for fancy dress, even longboard and wind supping category.

3. Windsurfing gurus giving clinics throughout the weekend, Peter Hart, Simon Bornhoft, Jem Hall, Ant Baker, Jim Collis, Sam Ross and FLOW windsurfing.

4. Free event rash vest

5. Free Parking.

6. Watch the in unique Spartan sponsored night windsurf or take part in the night freeride or night windsurf.

7. There will be a BSA Turbo 15 fleet for all those sailors under 16 and their own night event.

8. The sponsored Tag Team event whereby 1 x freeride sailor will form part of each sponsored team.

9. Free entry into the Spartan NWF & NSUPF Hawiaan themed party with the live band The Heathrow Jets

10. Sunday NWF Freestyle event.

11. Plus this year there will be the first National SUP Festival which will complement the NWF and giving the option for sailors to decide on what discipline they want to enter.

This festival is all about like minded people coming together in a non intimating format celebrating our sport of windsurfing in a friendly fun environment. It’s obvious to me after 6 years we must be doing something right…

This year’s NWF takes place on Hayling Island, 3-4 September 2011 – enter now at www.nationalwindsurfingfestival.com