4/27/2021 0 Comments Mistral Windglider Manual
Bottom line: the rider who wants shortboard performance but worries about poor upwind ability has a friend in the Phoenix 320.Only a few sailors are lucky enough to have the wind or the job for that kind of existence.
Everyone else needs boards that will work when the wind is light, but are still manageable in a big blow. Generally, they are about 13 feet long, and most have a centerboard, which enables the rider to float with stability and sail in virtually any direction. They incorporate features borrowed from both shortboards and sailboats. Theyve always been fairly wide; the original windsurfer was 26 inches wide and the Olympic One Design is 25 inches wide (only recently have shortboards gone to such widths). But, beginning a few years ago with the 31-inch-wide Hifly 335, greater width has been the direction. Board-makers are taking advantage of the benefits that width offers, in quick planing and sub-planing stability, while maintaining control at speed. Were catching up here with notable new entries into this category: the Hifly Maxx and Hifly Magnum, at 27.5 and 28.7 inches; the F2 Phoenix 320 at 27.6 inches; and the Mistral Malibu 335 at 28. Whether more width would help a big race board like the 380 is an open question. For now, however, IYRU Funboard Class rules limit conforming boards to a maximum of just over 26 inches, which dictates the width of the Race 380. Picking the right one is easier than picking the right shortboarda field where there are a daunting number of options, meaning more chances to make a mistake. After you decide how much you want to invest in an all-around board, and choose a size based on your weight andor intended use, you might have just one or two contenders. But maybe best of all, since they work in all conditions, you can demo them without waiting for just the right day and just the right wind. The hydrofoil effect that tips the windward rail up is caused by the large wooden centerboard. In light subplaning conditions, this is a forgotten form of sailing that is fun and functional. But the centerboard brings some interesting performance versatility to the Bic arsenal, and makes the 310 intriguing. Most manufacturers wouldnt put a centerboard on a board this size, because upwind mobility can be achieved with a larger fin. But Bic has listened to what consumers want: a centerboard for those who sail with a board this small on inland lakes and bays, or who might not be quite good enough to make it home without one. Any increased drag from the centerboard gasket is erased by the smaller fin; it wont carry you upwind, but the beauty of this board is that the centerboard can. For those seeking a high-performance transitional board with the added safety of a centerboard, this is it. Its shorter than the longest of the F2 shortboards and its mast track is not foot-adjustable, but its tremendously wide, at 27.6 inches at the widest point. It also has an unusually wide and effective planing surface two feet from the tail. Still, it offers the liveliest ride of any longboard on the water, and can jibe either very tight or very wide.
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