2008 Isonic 101

[delta]

Hi everybody,

I am an advanced San Francisco Bay Area windsurfer. I use 93 liter JP freestyle wave and 76 liter wave board with freestyle wave sails. Winds in bay area tend to diminish by the end of August from 20-25 mph average to 10-15mph. My gear is too small for this wind range. So I am thinking about getting a slalom board and a slalom sail so that I can extend my season or make the season year around as long as conditions permit.
I want to get your opinion about the 2008 Isonic 101. I weigh 160 lbs and I want to use the board in 12-16 mph range. I have never used a slalom board. I am used to FSW boards with big wide footstraps on the center for jumps and tricks. I heard that Isonic is a technical board. I was wondering if this board might be somewhat difficult for me to ride. Would Futura be a better option? And interns of volume I heard that 101 is actually 96 liters. Is that true? Should I go bigger? And what sail size would suit best for 101 and for my weight? I am aiming for either a 5.8 or 6.2 Neil Pryde RS mk3.

I will appreciate any comments and recommendation.

Cheers.

[davide]

Originally Posted by delta

Hi everybody,

I am an advanced San Francisco Bay Area windsurfer. I use 93 liter JP freestyle wave and 76 liter wave board with freestyle wave sails. Winds in bay area tend to diminish by the end of August from 20-25 mph average to 10-15mph. My gear is too small for this wind range. So I am thinking about getting a slalom board and a slalom sail so that I can extend my season or make the season year around as long as conditions permit.
I want to get your opinion about the 2008 Isonic 101. I weigh 160 lbs and I want to use the board in 12-16 mph range. I have never used a slalom board. I am used to FSW boards with big wide footstraps on the center for jumps and tricks. I heard that Isonic is a technical board. I was wondering if this board might be somewhat difficult for me to ride. Would Futura be a better option? And interns of volume I heard that 101 is actually 96 liters. Is that true? Should I go bigger? And what sail size would suit best for 101 and for my weight? I am aiming for either a 5.8 or 6.2 Neil Pryde RS mk3.

I will appreciate any comments and recommendation.

Cheers.

Hi Delta, I am your same weight and sail in the Bay Area. I have an Isonic 2008 111 and this is my suggestion for the board. Around 110 is a volume that at our weight gets you a margin of floatation that, especially in fall or late Winter, is important in the Bay Area, and in addition you can really use the board in marginal winds, something that a 95/100L will not do. For the sail go bigger, I use regularly 6.6 and 7.3 (and getting a 8.0), and cannot count the times, even during the season, that I am zooming around when people are slogging or waiting on the beach.

The Isonic is a technical board but after a while you realize how easy it is and rewarding.

[Ken]

I agree with davide. I too have an '08 iS 111 (108 liters SB said at the time). I also weigh 167 lbs. The 111 has enough flotation to make slow slogging or uphauling very easy. The wider tail compared to a Futura will help with early planing, but once moving, the Futura will be closer to what you have been sailing.

My favorite sail with the board is a Maui Sails TR 7.6. (14-18 knots) Next is the 6.6 (15-22 knots) and then my 8.4 (12-16 knots). All work well on the board. If you get the iS, the Drake fins that came with the board are junk. Got to have a custom fin.

The technical aspect of the iS is more about footstraps than anything else in my opinion. They are outboard and the back strap is a little difficult to find and get into without stepping on top of the strap or sticking your foot into the water. Once in the straps, no problem, but chop hopping & tricks are probably out because of the outboard straps. Gybing is a different on the iS, but it is something that can be learned quite fast.

My issue with foot straps is a result of sailing three boards interchangeably, all with different set ups. My body is a little slow to adapt to the different strap locations when I change boards.

[delta]

Thank you guys for your comments. I appreciate it. I will look into finding a board around 110 liters.

[IRL-250]

Have tried the iSonic 101 and own a iSonic 111 myself and agree with the comments here that the 111 will be a perfect board for you and with my 8.3m, 7.3m and a 6.4m covers me from 13/14 knots right up to 30 knots if needs be although i usually change down to my iSonic 86 at around 25ish knots.