Mistral Equipe fin

Hey guys, what do you think would be a good size fin for my Mistral Equipe LCS. It has the std one which is 34cms ( its a Power Box) but it keeps losing the tail and spinning out. I have been suggested a 38 but would a 40 or longer slow down the board too much. What size do the new Phantom 377 have? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Regards Steve

I treat it like a slalom board, today I had a 6.7 Severne Code Red in 20 knots, I weigh 70kgs - that's how I roll. Yep it's a II possibly an XR in disguise as it only weighs 12.5 kg. I think I'll try a 40 to start with and go from there, thanks.

Hello, Steve,

While I was preparing this reply, others have replied to you.

The Phantom 377 uses a 50cm fin. http://www.star-board-windsurfing.com/2015/products/boards/phantom-377. Totally different design to the Equipe in the fin area of the board.

“(The Equipe) has the std one which is 34cms (it’s a Power Box)…………..” My Mistral brochures indicate that the Powerbox began to be used during 1993. I have a brochure which says that the fin size for a 1995 Equipe 2 XR/CHS is 38cm. Personally, I wouldn’t go past 38/40 cm fins, as the durability of the fin box in these vintage boards would be suspect, particularly if you are using a bigger sail than a 7.5, which was about the maximum sail size at that time.

“ but it keeps losing the tail and spinning out”. Could be a lot of reasons for this. Fin damage over the years, too big a sail being used (see above), non-genuine Mistral fin, poor design of the 1993 Mistral fin compared to today’s fins. Select fins offer the V Max 3 in a good range of sizes, with a shape similar to the old Mistral fin, so you might care to contact Sunshine Coast Sailboards about Select fins.

“I have been suggested a 38 but would a 40 or longer slow down the board too much”. If you are sailing in a group of long boarders, you might be able to borrow a fin, otherwise it’s a question of Net research, a GPS and (gulp) buying a fin to see how it goes. Also, 38 and 40 cm fins are pretty common in slalom boards these days, so borrowing a fin from a friend who uses one of these boards may also be a possibility

Suggest you do a Google search using Mistral Equipe Specs and also Longboard Windsurfing, to see if they help you.

Hope this helps.

Back in the day that those boards were designed, the max fin size allowed was 38cm. Pretty much everyone raced with the max size fin, typically with the most powerful 38cm you could find for light (marginal planing conditions) with a high wind 38cm for full on planing conditions. Today I still have a Mega Cat, which I use with a 42cm and 9.5m sail - I only use it in very light wind though

why do people think longer fins are slower ??
from what i have seen, tried and read about ... thinner fins are faster
"fatter" fins may slow you down
but length ???
for me length is about lift and reducing spin out - always within reason
a 66 cm slalom fin on my JP SLW92 does NOT slow me down

Big difference between equipe II (actually the third equipe) and equipe I; with 34cm standard fin sounds like equipe I (is it the yellow one with blue footpads, 235L?)

For equipe I, a 38-40 upright fin will be good as your large fin, can go down a bit in high winds (>20 kts)

For equipe II (258L from memory) a ~45 fin is good (I use a 44) with a 38 for higher winds.

Apart from a really bad fin, or a much too small fin, the main thing with spinning out is technique, ie don't drive too hard if you're not fully powered up.

All the best, I hope you get a good combo going.

Listen to what jdemol says. I don't want to blow his cover but I think he's been top 3 in the nats a few times.

^^^^yep windpower is a pretty cool shop.

i was in the area a couple of years ago, Kevin had a large shed full of stuff, some new old stock, even had some original mistral superlights that looked new.

I managed to borrow a 40cm on the weekend and it was a completely different board, had more lift and control. It was a straight up and down style, if anyone has one for sale please message me as they don't come up very often.

Kind Regards

Hey Steve, that was my fin that you borrowed. It was a Curtis 42 in G10 construction. It's quite a thin fin compared to some others that I have used, not as vertical as some of the dedicated slalom race fins (like an S1) but more race than freeride.

its not for sale, but I thought the info might help!

This is the fin that came with my 1994 Mistral One Design. 340mm.

Doesn't spin out unless conditions are pretty extreme.

Clarence