It's early days but straight into test pilot mode , with first run straight out to sea, none of this hiding behind sand bank stuff :)
What i was looking for could probably be described by this magazine preamble www.facebook.com/windsurfmagazine/?hc_ref=ARTBSToS1YayFY0gxebEqDC7GyCTPk79aYLo7nqN9thSYWvOoRkM4g0ALE_j5dpEJaM&fref=nf
With exception of one size down for me and this board is that and also the 'magic 230/235 x 65cm 100ltr' dimension, think that's a proven set of numbers now for a 80-90kg person , (if you want to get out into some bumpy stuff and not get smashed to pieces'
It was quite windy (16-25+ in the gusts) both test runs and I gave it some welly, what my fear was and what i need to be sure about sailing off shore is no nose burying tenancies, especially at speed and control ability , a smooth ride along with it actually liking to turn!
It flys! and is easy to control and loved to be pushed out there. It has an in/out strap set up along with 4 sets of holes to adjust to your liking a big plus IMO. I had it set 'in' on the front and out on the back for the ocean this seemed to be nice set up, flat water I'd move the front back out. When you look at the back straps its easy to think they look too far out, but this isn't the case at all they felt really nice here.
I could control it in the air over the backs of swells, and had some nice gybes coming in through the waves, pretty sure in flat water its going to gybe really nice, and will be a 30+knt board easily.
When i first saw this board elsewhere It looked a winner, the shape, the bottom, the volume distribution, rails all looked fast but forgiving, and the paint job is just sexy as!
So far really impressed, it is all its supposed to be , first run launched into some nice air, controlled out the back in the swells, gybed in between the waves smoothly and fast,straps and pads are nice (proper thick comfy straps! remember those!?)
Build quality is seems noticeably high ,the ride is smooth no jarring yet feels lively and fast (feels actually faster than what you are doing)
Tested on a 6.5 , with some new 'tectonic fins' which also seem really nice, fast, powerful and control, no spins outs in some petty rough conditions today.
I'm hoping it will hold a 7.5 in flat water , I think you could go down to a 5.5/6m no probs. Looking forward to some flat water test runs soon.
The board that I used to do a lot of this type of sailing with was the SB AtomIQ 100, and it was a corker at this stuff, except i often found the nose a little big and flat and in the way when it got really big, i think this board is better on the front, the SB more comfy on the ride with its lower profile in the back, think they will be fairly similar on a flat drag strip for pace.
They are worth a look, if you can find one.
PS, 2nd pic paint isn't coming off the board, was goofing around with a photo editor!
R
I've had for 2016 and 2017 the V3 101liters Wood. I must say that even in wood construction the board is not heavy (7.3 kgs with 4 straps) but really fragile. Comparing with my actualy board, Exocet RS3, the early planning and top speed are almost the same but the exocet is better in jibeing and most of all is easy to use, I' found the Firestorm not really gentle with my knees, after a couple of hours in hard choppy conditions I was quite tired instead now with the RS3 in the same conditions I was easy able to improve my 1 hour PB. It's seems that the RRD is the slalom board and the RS the freerace and not the opposite.
Good review ...Nice looking machine ...I'm looking at one a bit bigger at the end of the year .
but this one looks like it would have a great top end speed 
i bet your hanging out to getting it in some flat water .
you need a orange cheetah now .
