Silver Bullet 64 Review
I have been windsurfing since I was about five years old starting on my old mans wally with a stormsail. I could only go down wind parallel to the beach about 5 metres out and then had to drag it all back up and start again. But I was stoked on the sport.
I sailed whenever the wind was up when I got a bit older and tried pretty much most sail and board brands, getting shop sponsers and doing demo days when I was around 18- 20. I was lucky enough for Neil to build me a custom windtech back in the 90s when I was into slalom racing and competed in state and national slalom titles getting a few decent results.
University, a trade, a business, work and a family slowed the sailing down a lot. I still took it out about once or twice a year.
I saw the new generation of big wide boards and looking at them did not really want to be a part of it so didn't even think of getting a new board as the old windtech would be as fast as pretty much any one out there.
As the gear started to deteriorate I started looking into what was around so I could keep sailing and saw that windtech was back up and running. Having sailed windtech for most of my sailing life I knew there was no choice.
I have always been a minimalist when it comes to gear. Having only ever having one board at a time and one or two sails. You find that the guys with vans full of stuff spend way too much time rigging and rerigging and talking. When you can just tweak your sail and hold on. (unless your racing and need the gear).
So after riding the 64 for the last six months or so ( only once or twice a fortnight when there is wind on the weekend) I have found that one board, one fin (35cm carbon slalom) , one sail,( a 6.2 cammed slalom) works from around 12-25 knots. I weigh around 75 kilos.
It makes it easy. I cant worry about what sail to rig or what board to ride. There is only one. Kinda like the old days.
The board is as fast as pretty much any other board out there. Jumps on the plane and feels super comfortable. Shoots upwind and absolutely flies off the wind.
I generally run the flex plate with close to full flex most of the time unless it is super marginal. The flex acts like the flex in your fin so you can sort of pump and get that power from the release.
The board gybes super well, having the tuck in the rails forward makes it very forgiving and then the flex in the tail gives it that pop on the way out.
So after just getting back into the sport I am super stoked to have one setup that will work 90% of the time.
I just want to go sailing again now!
Check the picture of the old girl and the newy.
