Yesterday, I went sailing on my Tabou Windstyler, which for those that don’t know, is a board with similar attributes to the Kona. It measures 325 x 72 x 220 litres, and is around 16 kg, although it did feel a touch lighter. It has an Allgeair centreboard and a 30 cm steptail, and is covered from head to toe in soft EVA. I sailed it with my 7.0m Hotsailsmaui Superfreak.
It was interesting, for me, because I was sailing with a buddy who was on a Kona One and 7.4m Zenith sail. I had also recently gone up against my Kona sailing buddy on my IMCO, [ which I sold to buy the Windstyler ]. So between the Kona and the IMCO and the Windstyler, we had some fun non-scientific board testing with interesting results.
I should add that I owned a Kona for two years myself, and sold it for no better reason than to give other board a try.
We found that the IMCO had far superior sub-planing performance, but that the Kona planed earlier and had better planing glide. We also found that when fully juiced, they had similar speed, but overall, the Kona was a much nicer board to sail for all round use.
The Windstyler was a much closer contest. We swapped boards and rigs several times over a two hour session in nicely powered 7.0-7.5m conditions. With similar design qualities, it has very much the same “feel” as the Kona, with a few notable exceptions. The first, is that it feels much more like a big shortboard than the Kona. It doesn’t slog as well, and has much more of a “pop” when it starts to plane. It doesn’t have the “going through the gears” feeling of the Kona.
The Windstylers tail is wider as well. Even though its overall width is only 2cm wider, it’s OFO measured at the planing surface is 59cm vs the Kona’s 49cm. This also added to it’s more shortboard like feel. The Windstyler also has quite low nose rocker so when in powered 7.0 conditions on a broad reach, you had to be careful not to stuff the nose into the back of chop, while the Kona just rode over everything in it’s path. We got the feeling that the Kona could handle more wind.
The other point worth noting, is that you had the feeling that you wouldn’t want to go too far on the Windstyler with the centreboard down. It’s great for getting upwind quickly and blasting downwind, or for getting out in onshore wind, but as for railing it in typical longboard fashion, we didn’t believe it’s suited well for that. And the Allgeair system is known for gushing water up through the deck.
The reason I’m posting this here, is that the result of all this most unscientific but fun testing, is that, in our opinion, the Kona remains king of the all round funboard. It’s design just seems to be right on the money: it’s shape, rocker, tail design etc all contribute to provide just the right mix of glide, speed, and comfort that makes it our choice in all winds and conditions from 6m to 9m.
The last thing I'll mention is that we both felt that the combination of Kona and Superfreak was a natural. They just feel so right.
Interesting post.
I've seen Windstyler once-in my opinion it is ugly (sorry, I do not want to ofend you). I'm glad to hear good things about Kona One whih I own and like.
I have sailed Mistral Pacifico lately and it is a fantastic board for riding not very high, swell-type waves. I bought RRD Longrider lately for my doughter. I sailed it once and it seemed to be faster and easier to pop on a plane than KO.
I would like to try Superfreak with my longboards but they are so costy and difficult to buy in Poland-I bought Aerotech Phantoms instead-also reccomend this combination-Phantoms are light, rangy and fast. I was a fan of Gaastras before, now I'm selling my GTX and Matrix (very good sails but in my opinion for different type of sailing)
Jac
Post: #3
Author :
Thomas
Date : 12/21/2009 3:40:24 PM
Nice post.
I really agree with you that the Superfreak is a treat on the Kona- actually on any longboard. The slight 'delay' works well with longer hulls that react slower.
Post: #4
Author :
AlexF
Date : 12/21/2009 5:59:29 PM
Good post.
We need more of that, since the magazines seem to be a little hesitant in testing the big sticks in another then beginner point of view.
I've got a Tabou Windstyler SMALL 295 x 70, 170 Liters, despite the Kona 11'5 was my favourite, but the killer for me was the length. I just can't store and transport 3m+ boards, so the Tabou was the choice.
The Board did serve me well allready on our lake and also in the waves of normandy, sail and sup.
But i can't compare it to Konas, anyway, big sticks rule for light wind, no more kitewatching/doorriding in these conditions anymore.
Spread the message ...
Alex
Post: #5
Author :
rod
Date : 12/21/2009 9:52:34 PM
Thanks for the feedback guys.
Jac - don't worry about offending me :-). I wouldn't say it is ugly, but it doesn't have the nice classic lines of the Kona.
Sounds like you have tried out quite a few boards of this type :-). I sold my Kona 1 year ago, and have spent the last year trying out all sorts of boards from IMCO to shortboards and a few mid length boards in between. I had decided that I wanted to get back on to a steptail board because for someone like me who only wants one board to use with sails from 6m to 9m, the steptail concept is unbeatable, IMO. To be honest, I would have bought a used Kona if there had been one available, or the Longrider, but the RRD importer does not bring in that model....I have heard the Longrider is lighter and earlier to plane.
Thomas - yes, the Superfreak allows the big board to catch up with the sail without too much of a jolt....and of course the colours are great matched to the Kona.
Alex - the importer here did not bring in any of the smaller model. he said he tried it out at an importers meeting and he felt it didn't have enough of a longboard feel to make it a good seller here.
A few more thoughts.
In hindsight, the Windstyler could probably be seen as more of a hybrid. It does provide much more of a big shortboard feeling when on the plane, and funnily enough, we both liked it better when it was paired with the Zenith mono sail rather than the Superfreak. Because of this, it might actually appeal more to shortboards looking for a family board, who are not so concerned with using it with the centreboard down.
When it was fully powered with the Zenith, it also felt relatively quick, and had better planing glide, so my belief is that in medium to light winds, say 7.5 to 9m, it would probably outperform the Kona. But in more wind, it did not handle the chop as well as the Kona and my sailing buddy commented that it seemed to "top out" as the chop acted against it to slow it down, whereas in similar conditions, the Kona mowed everyting down.
Lastly, the Kona seems able to be used with smaller fins. My buddy had in a 39cm slalom fin and I have used down to a 36cm fin with no spin-out problems. The Windstyler comes with a 48cm fin, although mine, being an ex demo, came with a different brand 44cm fin, and it really felt like it needed it, and could have had bigger, and it did spin-out a few times for both of us....but that may be the fin. It's another indication of the more shortboard feel of the board.
Post: #6
Author :
John I
Date : 12/22/2009 1:14:31 PM
Zenith is not very good on a short board. Better than nothing, but I'd much rather have the Phantom. Trying stuff is part of the adventure for some folks. rod, Kona 11'5 would be the best bet for you. Sandy Point Progressive Sports has a TT model for $1695 slightly used.
www.progressivesports.com
Post: #7
Author :
AlexF
Date : 12/22/2009 2:43:05 PM
Rod,
"longboard feel" is something i can't define for myself. I gues this means "Glide"? Shortboard feel for me sounds rather positive, if meant for handling/turning.
For me the decision was "windsurforiented, as small as possible, but still supable with 90kg", so the whole daggerboard thing is no matter for me (i'll close the daggerboard insert on the Tabou with carbonplates). Without the "supable" requirement my board would have been another board, something like the Minitanker or the 10'5 or another waveoriented big windsurfboard.
I think this is the essential question in choosing a big-/longboard for wave application, if you want to SUP and therfore need the size/volume.
But that's little bit off topic now.
Alex
Post: #8
Author :
rod
Date : 12/22/2009 11:45:30 PM
John, a little matter of the pacific Ocean is all that stands between me and that 11'5" :-)...I'm waaaay down here in New Zealand.
Post: #9
Author :
rod
Date : 2/2/2010 4:08:11 AM
Just an update on the Windstyler / Kona thing.
I have sold the Windstyler, with the intention that after a year of not having a Kona, I am now buying another one.
The Windstyler was a nice board for its type, but the combination of shorter length and wider tail made it feel not like a longboard. In fact, it felt too much like a shortboard, to the extent that I was asking myself....whay am I not on a Go or something similar.
Funnily enough, it probably has more planing potential than the Kona, but it just doesn't have the "feel". Other things I wasn't too crazy about;
1. The Allegair centreboard and the whole spouting water thing...man what a nuisance.
2. It seemed to have very low nose rocker and just the right length to often stuff the nose into the back of chop on a broad reach.
3. The rear footstraps were either right on the rail or right in the middle...I had come to really like the inboard set of holes for the rear on the Kona.
Post: #10
Author :
John I
Date : 2/2/2010 11:21:39 AM
However yo are getting Kona Ones shipped to NZ, one could order and wait for the next container for your importer to hold an 11'5. Worth the wait.
Cheers.
Post: #11
Author :
rod
Date : 2/10/2010 7:58:22 AM
John, my wallet says K1 right now but the 11'5" looks pretty darn good. For purely flat water apps with sails 7.0 to 9.0...no real need for a cb or racing....do you recommend it over the K1?
BTW, had my first real sesh today in good planing gusts....very happy to be back on board the K1. It just has a certain feel that no other like minded board has provided for me over the past year while being Kona-less.
Post: #12
Author :
John I
Date : 2/10/2010 9:52:46 AM
K1 is fab. It is the jack of all venues and the master of fun. The same bottom sans the dagger, and rails meant for turning on waves, it free rides very well. Only issue would be fin choices. The A box slot is the weakest foundation and has the least amount of after mkt support for larger fins beyond the 32 it comes with.
Do you have surf close by? Take the K1 out in it with a 7.0 and see how good it is. Then you'll know. It's great in the waves, but the 11'5 is another world beyond. Pretty amazing.
Post: #13
Author :
jerri
Date : 2/11/2010 3:56:52 AM
When is the Kona 2 coming out? Never? Happy with my Longrider, love it much more than my K1, which I do not miss... But always looking for new gear to try & before you say it John I, I have no interest in the 11'5" or any LB with no dagger, let alone a US fin box...
Post: #14
Author :
rod
Date : 2/11/2010 4:55:17 AM
jerri
I know you have been vocal about your RRD compared to the K1......after my Windstyler experience, I would be looking at how the RRD centreboard system, more rounded rails and shorter length affected the ride compared to the K1.
The Windstyler had all those things that the RRD claims, including being lighter, but I just didn't like the ride, particularly the low nose into chop thing which I also heard the RRD suffers from a bit. Comments?
rod
Post: #15
Author :
John I
Date : 2/13/2010 12:30:08 AM
RRD's dagger is the killer for me. Gasket sucks, and the dagger itself is a noodle, even if I did want to use it. 0-20 knots kinda dayz in the surf, that's what I get the most. Dagger oriented boards are needless in my world. RRD, the hull is great. Fill the dagger slot with a pool noodle....
Post: #16
Author :
jerri
Date : 2/13/2010 7:11:36 PM
Rod the RRD is fine in chop to around 3-4 feet, you might slap/skid the front bottom of the board once in awhile, but there is no issue with pearling the nose. I'll take the board slap over the dramatic rocker of the K1 as you get planning on the RRD much sooner than the K1, making for a much funner ride IMO and the RRD is MUCH more manuverable & when the waves normally get over 3 feet I want to be on a smaller board (whether I had the RRD or K1) anyway.
& while John I thinks the dagger on the RRD sux compared to the RRD I disagree, while not perfect at least the dagger on the RRD doesn't go into lockdown (non-movable) mode, which is much worse IMHO than some water coming up thru the box once in awhile only when on full screaming plane... In John's world he doesn't need a dagger in mine I do at least on my LB.
One thing I have been doing more of is SUP on my LRder when there is no wind, flat water, which the K1 was never really very comfortable doing, thickness, length & weight made SUP not very fun on the K1, but just my opinion. Riding 6" to 1ft breakers has become fun, even though it sounds incredibly lame...
Post: #17
Author :
jerri
Date : 2/13/2010 7:14:47 PM
might have been obvious but meant to say...
"...while John I. thinks the dagger on the RRD sux compared to the K1 I disagree..."
Post: #18
Author :
jerri
Date : 2/13/2010 7:21:04 PM
Hence my question when K2? Merging the K1 pros with the RRD pros for a win win LB model???
Is the ONLY new Kona model this year this new behemouth K380 monstrosity? Looking at an extremely selective market versus the masses, thought this goes against the whole Kona concept, oh well see you again in 2011 hoping for advancements in the LB for the common sailors out there...
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