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Hypersonic 125 Versus AHD GT 75
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Dornellas
Member posted 17 February 2003 12:50 PM
Sailed it yesterday with 13-16 knots, put on a 9.3 GTX. Board has a good feel of speed but that’s about it. I feel at 9.3 it is already a mismatch. It sails ok, but I much rather be on the gt75 with a 7.5 in the exact same conditions, having fun.
Hands down the gt 75 is a better alround board. It just scores high in everything it does.
I stand by my initial observations on the HS trend: it will open new thinking, new directions, but needs work. And that the GT 75 is a better buy for anyone in search of serious fun. Go ahead hammer me on that. I sell both brands. I can take the beating….And I am not a magazine who has to keep advertizers happy. You must take this into account, they do not have a choice. When their own survival depends on advertizing revenue generated by the companies which products they test, what else would you expect? Consumers have the responsibility of reading between the lines and testing the boards for themselves. Or rely on advise from knowledgeable dealers. And if you get the wrong advice, go somehwere else. This will demand that the dealers that are into windsurfing, do learn about what they sell.
I am unhappy that manufacturers choose to go on extreme tangents with james bond features that don’t work, rather than producing very well tested and designed (fewer) boards that stand the test of time.
This is not directed at Starboard alone, this goes for ALL brands. When I find such golden nuggets, I talk loud and clear.Tinho Dornellas
Member posted 17 February 2003 10:32 PM
Oh and by the way….the other day Damon clocked his top speed on an etrex GPS on an 8.0 gtx winds 18 knots SW, flat water, 33.3 mph on the HS 125.
Today he went on the GT 75 in th eidentical conditions 15-18 knots SW flat water. The sail was a Nitro4 7.0. the speed on the etrex 33.4. I rest my case. -
6 Replies
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Tycker det ser lite märkligt ut att han inte körde samma segel på båda brädorna om han nu vill jämföra toppfart…
Gtx är väl inget renodlat race vad jag vet, vilket Nitro4 däremot är…
Detta är ingen kritik för/emot någon av brädorna, bara en iaktagelse…
Joce. -
Kul med tester..
Synd att han inte använde samma rigg båda dagarna!Undrar hur AB+ 280, Exocet T 75 mfl. hävdar sig mot HS
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Ser ut att bli en “ytskärande fena”, borde inte risken för spinout vara rätt stor med denna lösning?
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Det har du nog rätt i!? + Att den blir nog snabbt för stor, och genererar fenplaning. Det känns lite som dom är åter i början på 80 talet och testar en massa olika lösningar för att kunna kränga mera brädor till oss material tokiga surfare. Men vem vet den går säkert som ett skållat troll.
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Kevin Ozee:
Aloha,
I used the Hypersonic with a new RS-3 7.5 today. Wind was 12 with gusts to 20 knots.The wood version is very light. Nice finish and details, especially pads and straps. Starboard makes a great product.
But in terms of performance, honestly, I am a bit disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high going into it because I want there to be a revival of light wind slalom so badly, and I really want this board to work. It works, just not at the level I’d hoped.
The length is only an issue mentally, I think. The board looks like it can pearl, especially with the mast-track in the front half of the box, but it never does. So, the short length didn’t bother me. But I did find I liked the mast-track all the way back to help trim the nose as high as possible.
I think the concaves do bother me. The board did not plane particularly well. The board did not accellerate especially well. And it does not have a fifth gear in top speed, I suspect because the concaves are so deep. It feels a little too attached to the water, and never really feels like it breaks free to accellerate in the gusts.
The fins may be a part of this, too. Switching the fin to a Tectonics style CNC fin certainly helped the speed and liveliness of the ride. But still, something is holding it back from getting into overdrive. Peter Bijl was on a more ‘conventional’ slalom board prototype and was whoopin’ my butt. I did the same to him when we switched boards.
The rails complicate jibing, I think. That is to say I think how parallel the rails are, especially ahead of the mast-track, make jibing stiff. The rail shape is so extreme from the depth of the concave that it feels like the board wants to run straight mid-turn. Better with the 34cm fin, but still would rather go straight than turn. The rails seem to bite, maybe too much, and want to run straight. Other factors contribute to jibing, but I think the rail shape is the issue on the Hypersonic.
I think the extra scoop out the tail of the rocker line on the rails may make the board unsettled from rail to rail. Watching Jimmy Diaz and Antoine Albeau ride it, I could see the board trimming back and forth between leeward and windward rail. Hard to find the sweet spot rail-to-rail, and hard to stay there. I also think the tail cut-outs should be deeper, or the rail rocker line straighter, as water is released out the tail it hits the top back edge of the cut-outs. That can’t be fast.
I can see where 8.4/9.0 could be the ideal size for this board. Nice flat water. But even then, I would expect planing to be faster for a board targetted to those sizes.
I come to the conclusion that this design went a bit too far to the extreme. Rounder outline and longer nose would help turning and planing. Shallower concaves would soften the rail shape and perhaps free the board from the water for better accelleration and speed. Less tail kick in the rail rocker should help planing. Maybe that’s the way to improve it, maybe not. But it needs improvement.
Of course, like most people, I thought Formulas were a bit too extreme at first, too. So bear that in mind. I’ll get one of these and use it some more in light conditions. But I’ll take a Sonic 95 any day over the Hypersonic. I wish Starboard would make a Sonic 105 instead…maybe that means I’m stuck in the old slalom mentality, but I think that kind of speed and maneuverability are more fun.
I did try another brand’s prototype afterwards (don’t ask me which, I’m sworn to secrecy) that I thought was a much better board. More conventional outline (250 x 72cm), deep tail cut-outs, and flat-to-vee bottom. Fast, lively and even handled an 11.0 as well as a 7.5. Now that’s what a light wind slalom board should do, in my opinion.
Remember, that’s just my opinion after one day of testing. I reserve the right to change my mind should I discover something I’ve been missing…and I’ll let everyone know if I do.
Best regards, Kevin
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Hur som som haver så har ju Starboard gjort det igen!!. dom utvecklar sporten, suget efter en lättvinds slalom på marknaden är stor och nu följer dom andra efter.
Undrar vad det är för prota bräda han prövade. “deep tail cut-outs, and flat-to-vee bottom”
I did try another brand’s prototype afterwards (don’t ask me which, I’m sworn to secrecy) that I thought was a much better board. More conventional outline (250 x 72cm), deep tail cut-outs, and flat-to-vee bottom. Fast, lively and even handled an 11.0 as well as a 7.5. Now that’s what a light wind slalom board should do, in my opinion.
En vild gissning ……
Fanatic och deras thunder tail. eller den här http://www.kineticsports.com/index2.htm 
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