2 Boards for Slalom

[Koray]

Hi Ian

I would like to use just 2 boards for slalom but I feel always something missing. I own 105 and 125 Isonic and 6.7, 7.8 and 9.0 RS6 and 34-38-42-46 Deboichet SL2.I'm 80 kg. The big problem for me in 20 knots I can't use 105 with 7.8 RS6. This sail is to big for this board. The feeling is so bad and doesn't go fast. I always use 7.8 with 125 and I lost this range of wind. 6.7 - 105 and 125-7.8,9.0 are good combinations but 105-7.8 combination is big problem for me. Maybe I do something wrong. If less wind no problem, hi wind no problem but mediumwind (18-22 knots) I can't find any solution. In this condition I try 7.2 with 115 and it's so fast.But I'don't want to buy a third board. As you know you have to choose 2 boards for the competition. This year I will change all my boards and sails . Can you help me for choosing board and sail combination?
Thanks

Koray

[Erik Loots]

I weight 80kg

If I could buy 2 slalomboard for this year:

I would take:
isonic 87
isonic 111

Is 111

with 7.5 6.9 6.3
In 12-25 knots wind

Is 87

with 6.9 6.3 5.7
In 18-40 knots wind

I have now only isonic 105 and its good from 12 knots but not really nice ride. I just like real hard wind. I train on the isonic 105 all the time for getting good feelling. I am sure that I master the isonic 105 and than hopefully new boards.

[geo]

Koray, not Ian here, but since you are waiting for a thorough answer from him, here is my idea.
I do not race: i just like to blast around. I have a Sonic 95 and just can't thing how a racer using two Starboard boards could possibly do without one (or a new iSonic 94 which should be similar) Point is the wind range into which that board delivers terrific performance is so huge. It can handle a 7,6 TR-2 (not the lightest 7,6 around, I guess) with total ease and it can hold on the water with an overpowered 6,6 so nicely that makes me think that the board's wind limits are far beyond. All this to say that such board can cover effectively the strong wind range, say 7,6 to 6,0 or whatever small it takes, leaving one able to choose a much bigger board to cover the light wind range and therefore be fully competitive across the whole range. I think a 95/94 could team perfectly with a 122 or even 133 and 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.5 sails.

[Ian Fox]

Hi Koray,

It's a bit puzzling to hear your experience with the iS105 / RS6 7.8m combo, as mid 7m's in powered 15-20 kts are really quite a sweetspot for me with that board (in fact, powered 7.6m SSR/7.7CodeRed are close to my ideal sails on iS105). even on testing other (not production) iS protos like 95 and 90, that sail size was OK (good ok)even into winds well above 20kts and in rough chop..
(actually pretty funny ;a friend with iS105 asked me the other day "what's your favorite size for iS105?" - Answer : 7.6m. Then he asked " what about iS125??" Answer : 7.6m !!)

Did you have a chance to try the 7.2m (or some other model of ~7.6m) with your iS105, that would have been a very good comparison - and also a reference in case your RS6 or tuning is causing excessive loading onto the iS105 as the sail overpowers into the 20 kt range ??( Same trim/tuning would not be so obvious overload on iS125)
Also another good test would be iS105/6.7m RS6 vs iS115/7.2m RS6.
Especially in well powered conditions, it might be interesting.

As .g.e.o. commented, the iS94 (Sonic 95) is also very ideal with 7.6/7.8 range, despite it being a smaller and narrower board (and thus less suitable to being sailed overpowered with big sails than iS105).

You definitely should be able to get good range and coverage with only two boards - and iS105 + iS125 would have to be almost the dream 2 board combo for covering the 15-20 kt range.

Anyway, let us know and we will get it sorted.

Cheers ~ Ian

[Koray]

Hi Ian

You definitely right because I'm using 105 with 7.2 RS6 and it's perfect. I think I have to use my 7.8 RS6 with 460 mast. Because normally recomended mast is 490cm and I think that is too heavy for 105.

Thanks a lot
Koray

[o2bnme]

Ian Fox wrote:
Hi Koray,

It's a bit puzzling to hear your experience with the iS105 / RS6 7.8m combo, as mid 7m's in powered 15-20 kts are really quite a sweetspot for me with that board (in fact, powered 7.6m SSR/7.7CodeRed are close to my ideal sails on iS105). even on testing other (not production) iS protos like 95 and 90, that sail size was OK (good ok)even into winds well above 20kts and in rough chop..
(actually pretty funny ;a friend with iS105 asked me the other day "what's your favorite size for iS105?" - Answer : 7.6m. Then he asked " what about iS125??" Answer : 7.6m !!)

Cheers ~ Ian

I agree. At this point, I have had amazing days using almost any sail on my iS105, but my 2004 7.7 V8 seems to be my favorite.

But I must admit I've been pretty happy with using this board with my 2005 6.0 V8 too.

If you haven't tried a 4.8 Hucker on your iS105 give it a try. It is an amazing combination. Next opportunity, I'll get a GPS reading with this combination. I'm in the process of getting a 5.6 Hucker (and will get a 2007 6.6 this winter). The powered-up feeling you get with a Hucker seems to be a great match for the iS board design, IMHO.

I guess I'm just loving this board and wishing I could afford a iS122. ;-)