I finally replaced my Starboard Go, which I sold last fall, with an Exocet Cruiser 150. Yes, this is still a beginners' oriented board, but I really want a wide/short board with a daggerboard. That was the problem I had with that Go board. It sailed so nicely, except when I had to go upwind.
Exocet has three models of the Cruiser: the 100 liter KJ (Kids' Junior, I think), the 150 liter M, and the 205 liter L.
The House was having a sale on these models, so I snatched up an M. These are 2007 models, which is fine. There's a good package deal with a sail and rig, which I picked up too in a 6.5 size. You can never have too many sails, especially in those Hudson River workhorse sizes of 6-7 m.
The House has a neat video demonstrating the model. I like the midwestern accent of the demonstrator. Makes me think of Garrison Kieller.
I imagine my experienced friends will laugh at me for buying another wide-style, big board instead of a high-speed, small shortboard. The truth is that I need to practice shortboard skills so I can actually progress to one of these models with confidence. (I also have a couple of old shortboards in the garage, but I don't sail them. Yet) I think this will be fine. Actually 150 liters isn't much bigger than the boards lots of people sail, especially when the wind is 13-22. Plus, I still have the weed fin and board bag from the old board, so I'm pretty much set. Looking forwards to sailing this soon, maybe Father's Day weekend. I'll post pictures of the actual board when it arrives.
This will also make a nice training board when my brood gets old enough to sail. The question I have is: Is this a wideboard or does the inclusion of a dagger board make it a wide longboard? I tend to think the latter, but maybe some of you more experienced sailors can answer that.
0 comments:
Post a Comment