Hi Jim and Bouke,

I got a few pictures on the Spartan website as well as the local shop Surfladle.
I'll keep working on promoting the boards, we now have 3 on the beach which isn't bad considering Rrd and Fanatic are on the doorstep...it's a start...

http://www.surfladle.co.uk/news/news.php?NID=257

http://www.spartanwetsuits.com/2012/01/09/phil-dobner-windsurfing-at-shoreham-beach/


Thanks for the centre fin Bouke it arrived just in time.
Your boards are definitely pretty special, it was so nice to be out in that amount of wind and not even having to consider the boards ability to do what was needed.

Cheers guys,
Phil

Hi Bouke

I've now had some serious time on the chakra 100 over the last few months and I'm seriously very impressed with it....it really is quite a special board. It just revels in wavey on-shore conditions and the suggested 4.5-6.7 sail range is absolutely spot on (I've now used it with a 4.5, 5.0, 5.7 and 6.7 and it exudes performance across that whole range...really quite incredible, especially without a fin change!). I am really loving the mix of early planing, looseness (riding) and bump and jump potential that this board delivers. Two things that I particularly
like: 1) the chakra is a joy to jump big as any slight mistake is forgiven (not punished) and the exit is almost always clean and fast....
Serious fun. 2) Those fast, silky smooth turns... oo la la ..that rounded rail at the front and the sharp rail at the back is an awesome combo. I am really enjoying exploring it's potential and it continues to surprise me every time I take it out.

The chakra really seems to be the perfect board for our local beaches.
So much so I am thinking about saving up for a smaller size. I usually find an 85L board (~58-59cm wide) works well as a smaller board for me
(80-82kgs) in local conditions that are usually always onshore (sometimes big waves) and gusty. I would typically use an 85L board with either a 4.5 or 5m (but about once a year we do have a good 4m day.....these days are pretty scarce though so really not a priority). I see your sizes (82 and 88L) straddle my usual 85L size so what would you suggest? Go up to 88 or down to 82L (considering I already have a 100L chakra)?

Cheers, Neill


Hi Neill,

Thanks!

Hmm, yes ideal would be right in between. Still probably the 82 seems big enough for 5.0 to 4.5 but if it´s gustier the 88 may give more security and less of a gap with the 100 so you can change down quicker. Still the 82 does not have too much of a gap either and the 100 has a good top end.

What board was your 85L? Width and tailwidth?

Happy new year!

Bouke

Hi John,

Was surprised to find the Chakra 100L works surprisingly well with a 4.5
sail today. I sailed solo at quite a remote spot today and wanted to
know the 4.5 was the right size before going out on a smaller sinky
board..... i.e. the spot is right at the end of a long peninsular (so is
great for clean side-shore wind) but the next stop is Chile if you
find you're badly underpowered offshore! Anyway, the 4.5 was perfect and
the chakra remained really composed. I did change down to an 85L quite quick but the chakra was certainly holding it's own. Pretty
amazing range on that board (i.e. 4.5-6.7 as exactly quoted by Bouke!).

Cheers, Neill

Hi Bouke

Just thought I'd send you a quick email to say how impressive I thought the Chakra 100L performed after its first decent testing (I've used it 3 times already but only the session today was anyway near ideal). Anyway, we eventually had wind from the right direction today meaning I could take the chakra out in small onshore wave conditions with a 5.7 sail....
a perfect combo it would seem. First impressions were really, really good:

1. Quick early planing...absolutely no problem there 2. Great float/punchiness through waves 3. Really settled ride and no sign of railing when overpowered. The fins work perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing. (I'm also really enjoying the fact that I don't have to change fins for different sails anymore too!) 4. Nice compact feel in the air (easy to nose off) and really easy, soft landings (no spin out etc).
5. The upwind drive is just phenomenal. No one out could outpoint the chakra today (including my mate who I can rarely follow upwind).
6. The board is phenomenally loose for a 100L board (or at least any I have sailed).... backside smacks were really easy and great fun! This board has definitely yanked me out of back and forth sailing with bigger sails.... I found myself hunting down lumps and bumps to carve off ...
really good fun!! I;'m sure this will continue with sails right up to 6.7!
7. I love the way the board gybes. It just seems so easy, fast and silky smooth. Gybing around off some sizeable faces has always been something I enjoy but this board just does it so well. It definitely feels a lot smaller than it really is and I'm looking forward to exploring its full potential with more use.

Something else of interest:
1. You were absolutely right about the footstraps. I opened them up quite big so that my feet were well through. This setting is definitely very comfy and must have helped with the loose feeling of the board (i.e. back foot over mid-line etc). But, here's something interesting.
When I first tried the board with the footstraps small and my feet not fully through I really noticed a lot of face splashing (I remember others reporting this on forums). However, this effect completely disappeared when the footstraps were big and my feet fully through. I've always sailed the board with the mastbase fully back so that has nothing to do with it. I just thought I mention this in case you've ever wondered about the face splashing and want to offer a useful suggestion on the forums in the future.

Anyway, thanks very much. This is an awesome board and it's going to get heaps of use here.

Cheers, Neill

Hi Bouke. My report is on a V3.0 80 lt HDD. I’m about 180 cm x 74 kg. My level in waves was (then you will understand why I used the past tense) in second position on five between intermediate to expert. “Don’t buy that board, you can buy a lot of cheaper multifin boards” said a friend of mine, local in Canary island. But I’m a mule and when I think that something is the best, I don’t believe in anyone. I needed a wave machine specialized in frontside waveride. I thought Witchcraft would be the best board I could buy, so I ordered my board before going on Fuerte for my holidays, without trying it. Now I have used it a lot of time in Fuerte and in Italy, in various situation from flat water till 5 mt waves, from 16 to 40 knots with 5.7 to 4.2 sails. The board need a little period of setting because it curves extremely tight, but after few sessions it is only pleasure. The board planes early but is incredible how it continues to plane in very light winds. In these conditions It’s very similar to single fins but, unlike single fins, it keeps an amazing carving ability and accelerates during bottoms, also in little waves. In high winds there is no comparison, it’s always controllable and don’t jump outside the turns, like quads . Better than quads : It’s not curbed in early planning and stiffer in bottom like quads. You have a lot of versatility with it. Softer in chops, compact and balanced under your foots in jumps, stable in high winds and controllable in overpowered conditions. It flies upwind and real shines in waveriding. You can make tight turns and sprying top turns in an extremely easy manner. Yes, the board is easy and radical. I prefer 2x13,5 and 1x14 cm fins setting rather than 2x12 and 1x15. The board is looser and more radical. I don’t feel any difference. It’s not curbed in early planning and stiffer in bottom like quads. You have a lot of versatility with it. between Ocean and Adriatic waves, the board is awesome everywhere. My level in wave steps forward only by the board. All my friends notice it and want to try my board. What could i also wish? “Don’t buy that board If you don’t want to step forward in wavesailing !” Now I’ve understood the sense of those words. Thank you Bouke. Ciao Tommaso Petitti

Hi Bouke,
Just back from a week in Brandon bay in Ireland. I had some amazing time on the 74HDD...Couple of jumping session, the board is amazingly easy to control, I had my biggest air ever and for the first time was feeling totally in control allowing to try few backies (no landing yet!). Then couple of days of pure side-off conditions with nice 8-9ft slow peeling wave. I never had that feeling of being driven where I want on the wave. the narrow tail make the board so snappy but in the meantime I had amazing grip from the tri-fins. It allowed me to get more turn than ever on a wave but more important to go for more harder lip hit where before I would have chicken-up my turn top...
anyway I am more satisfy than ever with the board and would recommend it to anybody. looking forward to adding a bigger one to the 74 in the future!!

Cheers
Nick

Hi Andreas
it was nice meeting you here, and so cool to finally see some Witchcraft brothers
indeed the board is perfect for our rocky shores
I couldn't imagine having anything else here
when I see all the other guys gives constantly repairing
I'll admit still having psycholigical left overs of my old days when I see the board getting a hard beating on the rocks ,
I thougth many times , this time it's gonna happen, it's gonna get repaired, but not yet.
as you say I might take it in for a paint job this year too :-D

cheers to you all, and Bouke keep the innovation coming !!!
Tibor

Witchcraft- a superb construction


Hi Bouke,

I have just returned from a 3 week trip to Reunion.

A fantastic place but unfortunately the tradewinds had decided to play games with us so the first 2.5 weeks were windless (first time in more than 15 years according to the locals).

We managed to get a taste of the famous Ravine Blance though - and what a rush! :)

One og the locals told us he also had a Witchcraft (a xhdd) - and it just seemed unbreakable. 2 years of wavesailing on one of the most insane rough breaks of the world and still no holes or breaks - just a few scratches in the paint!


Cheers

Andreas

PS
-also only scratches on my 3 years "old" HDD 71 series after a really rough trip on the corals;) I think this board will last so many years - I probably just get it repainted during the winter if it gets as cold as last year.

Just wanted to say, that the decision to buy that 105 Ltrs "Big Boy"- Waveboard was the best, I ever had. 100% satisfaction! Thanks and regards

Hi Bouke,

I wanted to get rid of some feedback on the 78iger and once again much to read for you. You will need soon a secretary for my mails. Unfortunately we can not recommend your boards, otherwise everyone would suddenly be riding better and we would not rip like the Kings. Just kidding, but you automatically sail better through your boards! One does not believe it, but after the first turn all agree.

78iger:
Everyone, including me, who sees the board, picks it up and especially sails it, finds it sexy. As mentioned earlier, the finish is very good and the weight is also super sexy.
The board is very well balanced and is therefore feels very good underfoot when jumping and feels nice and directly on the wave through the stiffness. You notice a significant difference to my older 83. In sailing it feels nimble and pleasant, but it still planes early and through lulls. The board turns super and still has grip. It turns like hell but it´s not as skaty as a Twinsers.
The board is very well balanced. You get on it and love it immediately. It's going off despite its size and works great. Right now I would not know what I would want to have differently.The combination of weight, stiffness and ride characteristics makes the board in tune.
On the wave, it feels good and everything is possible, both narrow and wide radii. If the wave does not want to break, then you can take a wide turn to the lip, without having to come off the plane in front of the wave. However, tight fast turns are also possible. The cutbacks may be driven with style. It re-grips right away after the turn and can start the next immediately. It feels very fast all the time and everything can be done in "Mach3".
Super cool! Get on it and have fun!


Hallo Bouke,

ich wollte und möchte ein Feedback zu dem 78iger los werden und wieder einmal viel zu lesen für Dich. Du brauchst bald ne Sekretären für meine Mails. Leider dürfen wir Deine Bretter nicht weiter empfehlen, da ansonsten jeder plötzlich besser fahren würde und wir nicht mehr die Kings beim rippen wären. War ein Spass, aber durch Deine Bretter fährt man automatisch besser!!! Das glaubt man nicht, aber nach dem ersten Turn stimmen alle zu.

78iger:
Jeder,inklusive mir, der das Brett sieht, in die Hand nimmt und vor allem fährt findet es geil. Wie bereits erwähnt ist das Finish sehr gut und das Gewicht ist auch super sexy.
Das Brett ist sehr gut aus tariert und liegt dadurch sehr gut am Fuss beim Springen und schön direkt beim Abreiten durch die Steifigkeit. Man merkt einen deutlichen Unterschied zum 83iger. Es fühlt sich vom Fahrverhalten klein und angenehm an, jedoch gleitet es trotzdem sehr gut an und durch. Das Brett turnt super und hat trotzdem Grip. Es turnt wie sau und fährt sich nicht so loose wie ein Twinser.
Das Brett ist sehr sehr ausgewogen. Man steigt drauf und liebt es sofort. Es geht trotz seiner Grösse gut los und funktioniert super. Momentan wüsste ich nicht was ich anders haben wollte. Die Kombination aus Gewicht,Steifigkeit und Fahreigenschaft macht das Brett stimmig.
Auf der Welle fühlt es sich wohl und alles ist möglich, sowohl enge als auch weite Radien. Wenn die Welle mal nicht brechen will, dann kann man einen weiten Turn zur Lippe fahren, ohne dass man vor der Welle aus dem Gleiten kommt. Jedoch sind enge schnelle Turns möglich. Die Cutbacks können mit viel Elan gefahren werden. Es hat sofort wieder Grip nach dem Turn und kann sofort den nächsten ansetzen. Es fühlt sich alles sehr schnell an und alles kann man mit "Mach3" fahren.
Super geil! Draufsteigen und Spass haben!!!