Hi all, on a recent visit to El Cabezo I contacted Dany Bruch and asked if he could lend me a Madness wave board to try. For the ever accommodating Dany this was not a problem. On arriving at his 'office' he was already setting up his 94l Madness for me. Looking at the board, it's long at 234cm and wide at 61.5. This makes it quite thin compared to what I'm used to. The conditions were firing, so armed with a 4.2 I hit the water . First impression was that for a full on wave board it was very easy to sail. The length and width provided a well balanced platform, the upside is it is quick to release in the shore break . Speed and acceleration are fantastic so big air is definitely a lot of fun on this board. General sailing is comfortable thanks to the single-double concave into V, making light work of chop. Up wind pointing is really good, the supplied fins , 20 centre and 12 sides really help here. However, it's wave riding where this board really excels. The bunker wave at el Cabezo with the cross on conditions is a real test of both board and rider. I'm pleased to report that I scored my best top turns of the trip on the 2 days I sailed the Madness. Whether the board is maxed or comfortable, it carries speed with control on the bottom turn meaning max confidence hitting the lip. It really is a board that responds to input but at the same time allows for less than perfect technique so lower level sailors and expert alike will reap the rewards the Madness has to offer.
I would love to have a go on the Madness in cross off conditions as I think it would be awesome. Overall, congrats to Dany Bruch for making a great board. The Madness is definitely worth considering by any level of wave sailor.
Ps many thanks Dany for the chance to try out your board. bruchboards.com/madness/
Can you make a comment about your impressions of build quality? They are made in Thailand, but not at Cobra.
Hi, as far as I'm aware Dany recently moved production to Europe, not sure where. But they are well put together, attention to detail is good, footstraps, fins , and even the screws on the fins are better than what a lot of the common brands supply. Rigging at El Cabezo is tough on gear, however looking at the general condition of boards in the two main rigging areas the Bruch boards definitely hold up compared to other brands. Another pointer is quite a few local sailors are on Bruch boards, definitely a good sign as they get a lot of full on conditions and need gear which will stand up to being sailed hard, and general off water wear and tear. cheers
Thanks Rob. I am done with Cobra boards. I am too heavy, and have just had bad luck. My last board, I went with Flikka and it has lasted wonderfully. I would definitely go with them again, but Dany has a board in the Happy range that looks great for my conditions and body size. I would be happy to support him, but cannot deal with a disappointing built board again. I need it to last.
Select to expand quotewsurfn said..
I am done with Cobra boards.
I have Flikka, Quatro, Fanatic and Starboard waveboards. Flikka is by far the best strength to weight ratio. But Quatro and Fanatic are both really good for non custom boards. Only Starboard completely sucks / would never buy again.
Yoah Rob great review on Maddness. I recently purchased a HAPPY 115 as float and ride wave board. This board has been a game changer for me. For those of us who tend to become a little portly at times, the board is awesome. First thing people say is oh 115 lt wave board to big.
Huge, Massive, Extra large mistake this board does what it says on the tin. The Happy makes mince meat out of chop, carries you through lulls, over white water, rips on small waves, rips on medium waves and you guest it rips on logo high waves. I used it on a 4.5 m sail and a 6m sail. Dont ask me about V and tailkick pooh cause I have'nt got a clue, but I do know the
construction is excellent and I have put her through a few good rinses. She now proudly has the signs of use. Check out the 125 Happy for big wave guys on Dany Bruch's website Julian Salmon rips. For those wanting a big wave board do yourself a favour and buy a HAPPY. Yeah baby Yeah.
Select to expand quotewsurfn said..
Can you make a comment about your impressions of build quality? They are made in Thailand, but not at Cobra.
Just an update, I think you're correct, production is still in Thailand but not at Cobra. I believe Dany is trying to move to Eastern Europe to reduce shipping costs. I don't have any further information on this.
on build quality, the board Dany gave me to try is his personal go to board. When the Red Bull storm chase came to Maheroraty in Ireland a few years ago it was the same exact board that Dany used. I went up to view the action and it was full on. The sailors on who took part really pushed windsurfing to new extreme levels. As a recommendation on build it doesn't get much better.
I pulled the trigger after a video chat with Dany. Now the wait. They are produced in Thailand in the factory where Smik, Ensis, and a few other brands are made. CNC, not molded Cobra boards. We will see. truth is it is tough to not go with Flikka, but I am kind of pulling for Dany and his brand to make me a winner board. Fingers crossed.
Select to expand quotewsurfn said..
I pulled the trigger after a video chat with Dany. Now the wait. They are produced in Thailand in the factory where Smik, Ensis, and a few other brands are made. CNC, not molded Cobra boards. We will see. truth is it is tough to not go with Flikka, but I am kind of pulling for Dany and his brand to make me a winner board. Fingers crossed.
Can you explain the main advantages of CNC over a molded board?
Computer numerical control shaped boards would have a truer shape over moulded. It is also easier to tweak the shape according to the requirements of the rider. It's generally accepted that moulded boards are more likely to have small imperfections in the hull shape, this will result in a poorer performance. cheers Rob
Got my Happy board delivered last night. I have not sailed it, but the fit and finish is top of the line. I have owned a lot of boards, both production and custom. Impressed so far.
Select to expand quoteRob0104 said..
Computer numerical control shaped boards would have a truer shape over moulded. It is also easier to tweak the shape according to the requirements of the rider. It's generally accepted that moulded boards are more likely to have small imperfections in the hull shape, this will result in a poorer performance. cheers Rob
No, not really.
The implementation methods of both are critical.
If either or both are done well then they are good, done badly...well they are equally as ****.
Select to expand quoteRob0104 said..
Computer numerical control shaped boards would have a truer shape over moulded. It is also easier to tweak the shape according to the requirements of the rider. It's generally accepted that moulded boards are more likely to have small imperfections in the hull shape, this will result in a poorer performance. cheers
Moulds as they get older are more likely to have the integrity of their shape compromised through repeated use. This won't be an issue with CNC production. Sorry if I didn't make this clear in my above comment.
Select to expand quoteRob0104 said..
Computer numerical control shaped boards would have a truer shape over moulded. It is also easier to tweak the shape according to the requirements of the rider. It's generally accepted that moulded boards are more likely to have small imperfections in the hull shape, this will result in a poorer performance. cheers Rob
this is a myth. CNC has its own problems as does "in to out" building (typical custom) vs. "out to in" (production by cobra) has.
The 2 main issues of "custom boards"
- CNC indexing, and I have seen plenty of badly indexed boards.
- spring back of sandwich. Creating excessive rocker and twist in the bottom.
Select to expand quoteRob0104 said..Rob0104 said..
Computer numerical control shaped boards would have a truer shape over moulded. It is also easier to tweak the shape according to the requirements of the rider. It's generally accepted that moulded boards are more likely to have small imperfections in the hull shape, this will result in a poorer performance. cheers
Moulds as they get older are more likely to have the integrity of their shape compromised through repeated use. This won't be an issue with CNC production. Sorry if I didn't make this clear in my above comment.
Again, not really.
But maybe if the implementation is bad. Has the mould been designed for the numbers to be pulled from it? Has the mould been designed to be rigid enough to not twist, have the staff been trained adequately to use the mould? Badly done moulding can be **** but
Same for NC inside out, staff training, referencing, rocker jigs etc, can be just as **** if done badly.
neither system is inherently superior to the other. It is all about the implementation.
Select to expand quotewsurfn said..
Got my Happy board delivered last night. I have not sailed it, but the fit and finish is top of the line. I have owned a lot of boards, both production and custom. Impressed so far.
Hi , just curious as to how you have been getting on with your Happy board
cheers
Hi Rob:
Sorry for the delay to your question.
I have been reluctant to share my experience. I really like Dany. He is a very nice person. He has a child with special needs. He has created a board brand in a time when windsurfing numbers are in decline.
Immediately, after my post, I further inspected my board, and there was damage to the tail of the board which was a bummer. The board was shipped to me in the USA from Spain in the included board bag with zero padding (just wrapped in light brown paper from the factory). No Box! Just the DHL shipping information zip tied to the bag handle. Also, no fins, straps, or hardware was included. I later found a second area that had a hairline crack from impact.
Dany was sad when I contacted him. His distributor was unreliable and apparently did similar to several boards.
I had to repair it myself. Then, I had to wait for the fins and hardware to use it. More delays, since these had to come from Holland. When the fins finally arrived the pin that is used to anchor and ride in the track was drilled at a funny angle and not square for all of them. They are usable, but not good QC to say the least. Dan offered to send me a smaller back fin for higher wind days, but instead sent me a sweatshirt and some stickers.
How does the board sail? It is an awesome design. The two tone red pigmented finish is just beautiful. I love it.
If I had to do it over, I should have gone with Flikka. Luka earned my business when he made my freestyle board 10 years ago. I went with Dani because he had already designed a board in my size and he is a nice guy. These are too big of purchases to put up with poor customer experience. Flikka has set the bar very high IMO.
