Starboard Ultrasonic review?

[mcross19]

Thanks MOP for sending me the link, my dealer needs to know the North part numbers so he can make an order, can you find these out for me? Alternatively does the shop owners speak english?

[MOP]

This is the shop

http://www.srfsnosk8.no/

[mcross19]

Here is my first review of the Ultrasonic. Finally got out on it this morning, it started off as a force 3 but rose to a 4 by high tide and I only had my 11m Overdrive with me so that is what was used on it. I weigh 88kg's at present and I fitted the max size fin a 62cm NR13 Drake. I would say that it planes nearly as early as a formula board but not quite but once up on the plane it no only feels very quick it actually feels alive. The water state was pretty flat so no problem there but what chop was thrown up by passing speed boats it handled quite well although due to the width the wind did get under it which unsettled it for a second before powering back along. Personally I wouldn't use anything bigger than an 11m although I would say that if you weigh around the same and have one of these boards and are going to use it with an 11m then get yourself maybe a 60cm fin as the 62 was a smidge too big as I had trouble holding down the rail when the wind gusted.

The nose does sink a bit if tacking but much less than on my isonic 133 which I used to own. All in all a cracking board and well worth the 4 month wait for it. I will write another review when I have tested it with my 8.6m Turbo.

Martin

[mark h]

Thanks Martin, its good to know the US147/11m is working in 7k to 10k.

[BelSkorpio]

Hi Martin,

Finally a review of someone as heavy as me and also with the sail size 11m2 in which I am particularly interested. It's nice that you can compare it with a Formula board. With what formula board do you have experience ? According to you, can the US147 replace a Formula board if one is not interested in racing, but just early planing ?
Concerning the low end, if I'm planing on my F161 with my 11m sail, only ugly lulls ( < 5 knots) get me off the planing. Is the US147 as good as a formula in these kind of lulls ?
Concerning the high end, how much faster on a reach do you think the US147 is compared to a Formula ? When I encounter gusts to 15 knots, my F161 gets very difficult on a reach. How about the US147 ?

Originally Posted by MOP

I sailed the ultrasonic and turbo 9.2 yesterday in 7-9 m/s wind.
The board planes really easy, has a very low planing thresfold and it is really a fast board in light winds and points very high. The gusts were up to 11 m/s and that caused me no problem(88 kg). The place I sailed has a lot of big chop and it just flies over. That impressed me a lot.
I did feel the size of the board though, so I am looking forward to try my friends isonic 117 to compare the fun factor.

MOP,

With 7-9m/s (13-17 knots) wind, do you need a 140ish board and a 9.2 m sail to plane? Wouldn't the real test for the Ultrasonic be in conditions like 7-10 knots?

[mark h]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

MOP,

With 7-9m/s (13-17 knots) wind, do you need a 140ish board and a 9.2 m sail to plane? Wouldn't the real test for the Ultrasonic be in conditions like 7-10 knots?

????That's what Martin said. He started the session in force 3 (7-10k), and was planing nearly as early as a formula. Martin was not using a 9.2m either. He only had his 11m with him, wind picked up to a force 4 and this combo still worked fine.

[MOP]

Unregistered; yes a 140 board would be fine in those conditions. As I posted earlier; that day I had the chance to sail it in more wind and I was surprised by the control in more windy conditions.
No problems on a reach in 15 knots Belscorpio. I used the R13 drake 58 standard fin.
I have never tried a formula board so cant compare.
Weight 88 kg.
I think the board is very easy to sail and very fast.

[BelSkorpio]

Hi MOP,

Also no problems with a 11m2 sail on a reach in 15 knots ?

I know from another guy that the US147 is very comfortable with smaller sails, all the way down to 6.5 m2 sails and in rather high winds over 20 knots. Not really the conditions I would use it for, but OK it's nice to know.

Again, I'm really interested in the combo US147 + 11m sail in winds 8-12 knots with gusts up to 15 knots.
Often it happens that when you start to rig up you only measure an average of 10 knots, which I find is very good for formula, but then when you're sailing for an hour or so it picks up to max 15knots

[Ken]

The real test will be the full range of the 147. What will it be like in stronger winds compared to a formula board. Upwind and downwind with big sails, reaching over powered, etc.

The board will appeal to many that only want a couple of boards in their quiver, so its full range (in control) will be good to know.

Could one be out in 20 knots with a 9 meter and stay in control (at least upwind and downwind)? I am guessing that it will do as well as a formula board in these conditions, but confirmation would be nice.

My hope is that it will be more stable and faster than a formula board fully powered on reaches. Upwind and downwind is less important, but will be good to know.