I'm in contact with Patrik Windsurf, because I'm in process of order a new foil board.
Here's the details of the new boards:
Patrik Foil Slalom 85: 209 x 85, 160l
Patrik Foil Slalom 80: 209 x 80, 149l
I have a Patrik AEON foil Slalom with 375-450-550 front wings. At this moment I have a Patrik Foil Race 145(for light wind), and Severne Hydro 79(high wind), and sails 5-7-8. I'm 172 cm tall, and weight 80 kg. My sailing preferences are to sail on a beam reach and downwind, with wind from 10 to 30 knots. My idea is to replace my two boards with one. Control is very important to me, because I often sail between 28 and 30 knots of speed. And I hope that soon I will reach 31 knots. There's no information of these boards, except the video of Christmas and the info of the boards from 2024. On the web, the 85 could be the best option because it has a big range of wind. But I'm not an athlete of 195 tall and I not weight 95 kg, and I feel very comfy with my Severne 79 because the footstraps are very centered with 7 and 5 sails. With these preferences, what size do you think would suit me best?
Tough choice!
I've got similar sized foils in F4's latest foils which are very comparable.
I'm very comfortable with the 366 and 540 on the 91 and more recently got an 85 phantom that is absolutely great. I also have an older 76 wide that I find too narrow.
FWIW I think too narrow like the 80 might work better if you are heavier on small front wing but if you are lighter the leverage to push rail down is still helpful from the 85.
I recently did 32.5 knots on 85 and 366. Then 31 on 540. And 29.5 for a NM!
30 Knot Speed Run F4 GP95 Wahoo 540 170L CHS 7 Phantom 85 GS010576
Saw the new 85 board in person. Looks good! The cut outs are extreme and the rocker is prety flat as well. From what i have been told though is for the average rider the takeoff is much harder on these boards. The pros have good technique to get them in the air but for normal riders the old design might be more forgiving.
That said touchdowns are suposedly not an issue att all anymore, and the board is super stable in the air. Again, this is what i have been told.
Best of both worlds is usually not ideal for most conditions.
I would replace the one you use the most. Then see if you are willing to part with the other.
Most likely if you use a bigger front wing you can get away with a smaller board. Especially if you are not 195cm x 95kg.
I am 190 x 85kg and can go with 81 board and 6.7 at 11 knots. But I am more comfortable with 11 knots with 91 and 8.0.From 14kn I prefer the 6.7 and 81 because ease of handling.
If you are comfy with the 79 why replace it and waste 2-4k?
You can also consider a foil clinic to improve your speed.
Something like this:
A wider board gives more leverage and control. A smaller board (good design) will take off easier than the bigger one.
Takes much less effort. Especially with your Patrik foil.
You can get away with for instance: 650 wing and 80 cm wide with a 7.0m sail and fly at almost the same time as a 91cm board with a 8.0.
Downside is you loose some comfort (especially for bigger guys). I like to have a bigger board in low wind so I go for a 8.0 and 91 in 8-14 knots, 6.7 and 81 in 14-18 with wings 880 or 650 (less efficient than the Aeon). But some really like the feeling of flying with small gear in low wind.
I think it was Niels Back on his channel was sailing in 8-12 knots on a 85 wide and 6 m sail with the patrik 650 wing.
You have the best foil for lighter wind with smaller wings. Other foils with similar lift are min 150 bigger in size. This allows you to sail with smaller gear, perhaps 1 size up in wing to compensate for smaller sail size.
You probably saw the video Patrik posted today showing Justine Lemeteyer on the board. Looks like a very innovative concept. Will be interesting to see what boards the pro team riders use and how they perform.
No I did not, thanks. Boards look very nice! I am very interested in the first user reviews.
There is something to say about having a set of gear that was developed together.
Thanks a lot for your replies!
The reason I need to make a change is that the idea of using only one board for all conditions in the PWA is very appealing to me. With two boards, I have to adjust different settings for fine-tuning, and switching boards during the same session is uncomfortable because I need time to adapt to the different reactions of my very distinct boards.At the same time, I love freefoil. Three boards would be too much for my brain! The Severne Hydro is an ultra-stable board, perfect for high winds (for sails from 7 to 5), and I feel very safe in strong conditions. However, it needs 14-15 knots to start due to its shape and weight (10.4 kg), but I can sail it in 30 knots of wind. On the other hand, the Patrik Foil Race 145 is the board I usually use in light to medium winds, from 8 to 18 knots. When I go faster in choppy water and waves, it becomes more nervous and harder to control. The setup of the new Patrik Foil Slalom 80, with its different rear footstrap settings, allows it to be configured similarly to the Patrik Foil Race when using the external footstrap position. When the rear footstraps are in the internal position, the setup is very close to what I have on my Severne.This means that in summer, with light wind, I can use the external footstrap position for 7-8 sails. In winter, with high winds and choppy conditions, I will switch to the internal position to feel more in control in strong winds.I just ordered the 80. At 1.71 m and 80 kg, Patrik thinks it is the perfect choice for me. I hope to share in April my first impressions.
Best regards!