Got this board for a very good price and had been using it for a month now, with 4.7-5.5-6.5 sails, wanted to give a small review of it;
Two things i like the most are being very early planing and very comfortable over chop. Its quite user friendly in general, stable at non planing conditions and easy to tack non planing. It was good with 6.5 gator, I guess it will be ok with a 7.0 too (i am 62kg). Top speed is very good but not at freerace level. It has a lot of nose rocker for a freeride board, nose flies over chop and no nose diving while jibing on a wave. Only used it with outside straps, which are not all the way out, still enough to play on onshore waves. Jibes are smooth and fast but not so good at keeping speed at tight jibes. It jumps really well, feels light on air, handles hard landings too. Build quality is good in general. Only thing i am not happy about is the footstrap bindings (footstraps themselves are very comfortable, soft and snug), there are plastic parts with teeth to go between pads and bindings, they are not very effective and bindings unscrew by time. Plus i see rust at vent plug after only one month.
This board has been my favorite freeride/b&j board so far, pushing fox to second, i like the look of its shape too :)
I've got the same board, 2016 V4, different colour, but same shape. The graphics look nice at first but rub off. They seem to have taken feedback onboard and now dont tart them up and they use plain colours.
Otherwise, I've had the same experience as you. I dont use the plastic anti-twist tabs, but tighten the footstrap tight, use the metal plate and they dont twist.
Longish planing flat and no tail rocker gives early planing and speed, but as you say, you cant crank it around tight off a wave face on the way out, it requires a more moderate radius turn. I've got a wavier 85l board for when there are actual waves.
I'm 78kg and use 4.5m wave up to 6.5m 2 cam. Great all rounder.
I bought this one to replace a 90l V1 2005. I've also got a 2009 V2 106l.
2020 there is a V5, which looks more modern at 230cm long, but hope they haven't cocked anything up. I doubt they have as its their best seller.
I have the same board. Just brilliant. I use it in rough coastal conditions with 5.5 and 6.5m Ezzy Cheetahs. I leave the stock fin at home and use instead Select slalom fins 29 and 33cm. Beautiful rough water blasting boards with fantastic gybing attributes. I have a number of Exocet Crosses from a range of years and they are all magic for coastal sailing/blasting.
Edit: I wouldn't hesitate to move the straps to the outboard positions and use double straps at the rear. This will wind the speed up a bit and plays to the strengths of the board as a blaster. It's not really a wave oriented board.
Sounds like one of those special shapes that come along from time to time I'm a massive fan of the RRD FSW 106 v3 it's fast with out side strap setting with a fast fin but set inside straps and wave fin is brilliant in small waves and bump & jump it's so smooth at all points of sailing it is my one board for all conditions and with my 80kilo will take 7mtr (blasting) down to 4.5( bump and jump).
I also have to say it has replaced the fox as my favourite board too it's not a free race board but is a fast all rounder l prefer the RRD v3 to the v4 .
Question: do the Cross's take Powerbox or Tuttle fins?
Have looked for specs online but couldn't see it mentioned anywhere.
I also have an Exocet Cross 84 liters equal to Shifu's, I use the straps in the outermost position and double rear strap and I also did 32 knots with a no cam sail. Definitely the most versatile and funny board I have had in 35 years of windsurfing
hi
anyone else has tried the 2020/21 new shape
was very tempted by a 2019 at a very good price but latest reviews for 2021 are excellent and basically state that kept all the benefits from previous shape but with much better maneuverability especially in small waves
I'm more oriented B&J right now but seems to me be the 2021 would more future-proof if it can ride small waves
alternative option would be the 3s+ at this stage...
I've ridden the 2021 114 L. Fast as &$@!. Like a slalom board but with better manners. But still not really a FSW. You can do big carves on an open wave face, but nothing as good as a wavey FSW. I'd say it would be my number 1 choice if I only wanted it for B&J sailing. But if you're serious about getting into waves then one of the FSW boards with a thruster option would be a better choice.