2009 speedboards

[mark h]

Straight linners will be interested in this news:

Cheers

Starboard have just announced the release of exact replicas of Antoine's 3 speed boards.
They will hopefully be in the shop by the later part of June..... (Probably August)





• iSonic Speed Specials:
• Three models: W44, W49 and W53
• Designed by Christophe Fiorentini, replicas of
Antoine Albeau’s boards

MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY – THE FINAL FRONTIER
Competing and winning has been
the drive of the Starboard Dream Team since
day one. Speed remains the final frontier.
50 knots and a new Speed Sailing World Record are
the next challenge.
On March 5th 2007, Dream Team rider Antoine
Albeau takes a Starboard-built custom board to break
the record and set a new benchmark in the world of
wind-powered sports.
For 2009, Starboard is proud to introduce a
collection of three new iSonic Speed Specials, exact
replicas of the boards Antoine used to take home the
World Speed Champion title. Designed by Christophe
Fiorentini, these three speed boards are simply some of
the fastest boards in the World.
Christophe Fiorentini: “I have been working actively
on the shape of these 3 speed boards since 2005.
In the course of events I have improved the design of
each of these boards. To define the ideal
characteristics, we tested boards in the South of
France (a spot with very irregular winds and with
both flat and choppy water conditions) but also in
Fuerteventura (150° angle with light wind) and in
Namibia (square conditions with 100° angle). Under
your feet, the boards accelerate with a great feeling
of ease. The boards have a neutral trim so that wind
lulls and gusts can be coped with effortlessly and
with maximum efficiency. The great special feature of
these boards is that they keep the speed generated
by a gust of wind for a very long time. The double
concave is tailored individually on each model to
blend acceleration on flat water and comfort. See the
next page for our recommendation for what fins and
sails to choose.”


MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY– THE FINAL FRONTIER

iSonic Speed special W44
Sails: 4.0 to 6.5
Ultra flat water: 20cm fin
Flat water: 22cm fin
All-round conditions: 24cm fin
Choppy/lightwind: 26cm fin

iSonic Speed special W49
Sails: 5.0 to 6.8
Ultra flat water: 22cm fin
Flat water: 24cm fin
All-round conditions: 26cm fin
Choppy/lightwind: 28cm fin

iSonic Speed special W53
Sails: 5.5 to 7.5
Ultra flat water: 26cm fin
Flat water: 28cm fin
All-round conditions: 30cm fin
Choppy/lightwind: 32cm fin

Great news that Starboard is investing in speed, but they are not exact replicas, because Anonie's board was 37cm wide, it was a CFC Custom 37, impt not to let hype get in way of truth!!

[Ian Fox]

Also "impt" not to let reactionary comments get in way of reality!! (like, where's the "hype" ???)

What Starboard had written :

"For 2009, Starboard is proud to introduce a collection of three new iSonic Speed Specials, exact replicas of the boards Antoine used to take home the World Speed Champion title."

"On March 5th 2007, Dream Team rider Antoine Albeau takes a Starboard-built custom board to break the record and set a new benchmark in the world of wind-powered sports."

(For those with short memories - or minimal knowledge of the sport of speed sailing, last year ISA conducted a World Championship series, which resulted in the (current) title of World Speed Champion being won by a large Frenchman - irrespective of any WR results in March )

> There is clearly no claim the new boards are WR Canal replicas.
> The WR news clearly refers to a custom board.

Most of the (global) speed sailing community probably relates much more to the boards used in the ISA / World Speed Championship series conditions, than some esoteric canal special for use at 50kts in 50 kts of wind..
So for that reason, presenting (production board replicas of) A2's World Speed Championship boards proven competitive in real world conditions (and from same designer as A2's WR custom) actually makes a lot of sense.

Maybe some guys just can't see that.. Or read clearly.. Or sign their name.. even Aussies..

...and no, I didn't write that SB release...

Cheers ~ Ian

[mark h]

Well said Ian. Unfortunitly some people read with there mouths & not there eyes. The brief clearly states the following:

"Starboard have just announced the release of exact replicas of Antoine's 3 speed boards".

It also goes on to say the following statement:

"For 2009, Starboard is proud to introduce a
collection of three new iSonic Speed Specials, exact
replicas of the boards Antoine used to take home the
World Speed Champion title".

No confussion there, the line up is discribed very clearly & as Ian says, theres no mention of a 37cm canal replica. I think I'm right in saying that this will be the first real speedboard line-up (high, med & light winds) that a manufactorer has offered. Obvisley, SB are taking speed very seriously. Thats a good thing.

Cheers
Mark

[Phill104]

Mmmmmm 49

I assume that will be around the 60-65ltr mark?

It feels like hype to me.

Come on guyz you know you were taking advantage of Antonie's world record by association, you're just getting semantic. It also happened on Seabreeze where a local shop was trying to generate hype from Antonie's efforts.

It's brilliant that Staboard are getting behind speed and introducing these boards. The general public would prbably get less than 1% usage out of a 37 CFC custom, whereas with Isonic customs they'd probably get much more use, and I say "Well Done Starboard".

Sorry, Mark h and Ian F you guyz sound very sensitive on this issue, and I don't mean to offend, but the windsurfing masses don't need to be confused or mislead, and your clarification helps Ian F about what the boards really are, and I would say much more accessible for the masses that the CFC 37 custom, But to say exact relpicas of Antonie's boards after he's done a world record is semantically misleading, wouldn't take a genius to work that one out (Wink)

Originally Posted by Ian Fox

Maybe some guys just can't see that.. Or read clearly.. Or sign their name.. even Aussies..


Cheers ~ Ian

Ps To infer that you will publicly out any anonymous poster who has something critical to say on a "Free Forum" is very very bad form, you jeopardise your own forum with this sort of behaviour!!!!!

The whole idea of the internet and public forum's is to disseminate accurate information and as much as is possible allow the general masses to access the truth, don't shoot yourself in the foot with these sort of tactics.

I post very regularly on this forum and predominantly have 99% positive things to say (I own starboard products), this was the first time I thought to say something that could be perceived as negative and I'm treated in this way, very very bad form, not sure I'll post here again, and watch your numbers drop off.

[mark h]

Post 7, cheers, no need to applogise. Its a big world & there will always be differences in opinions, and I guess where all entitled to that.

Personally I think its great that SB have invested in a 3 x board range, especially as they already have the iS76 slalom (which could also be classed as light wind speed board, like the forthcomming iS speed W53).

Cheers
Mark

Originally Posted by mark h

Post 7, cheers, no need to applogise. Its a big world & there will always be differences in opinions, and I guess where all entitled to that.

Personally I think its great that SB have invested in a 3 x board range, especially as they already have the iS76 slalom (which could also be classed as light wind speed board, like the forthcomming iS speed W53).

Cheers
Mark

Thanx Mark,

Yes I think It's Brilliant what Starboard are doing!!!!!!!

If marketed like F2 do about their missile which is they openly state that they are using the scoop rocker lines (or whatever they copy) from finian a karins boards on their missile, then it's less misleading. Starbaord make a great product, they listen to their market, they don't need to unintentionally mislead with semantics in their advertising. I wouldn't own a starboard if I didn't think they made a great product, I'm too discerning a buyer.