Exocet Wave Series

This has got to be the earliest planing wave series from any shaper yet. I can get through the impact zone, planing or not, in the lightest winds ever. The 85 and the 105 offer an absolutely astounding performance in all aspects of a wave board.

[Brian M.]

Funny, the new Windsurfing mag said the Exo 85 planed okay, but not spectacular. Wonder what they meant? It either planes or it doesn't. :-) The French magazine, Planchemag, said it was number one in planing, acceleration.....

In the Windsurfing mag review, they used words like: controlled, well-balanced, forgiving, and etc. I wonder if a board that they felt was so easy to ride, did that play a part in their perception that it didn't plane spectacularly?

Bri

Bri:

When did you get your copy? I am still waiting for mine.

I did read the bonus coverage online.

http://www.windsurfingmag.com/article.jsp?ID=40756

I thought it was a mixed bag of comments for all the boards. To Eddy's credit he had a diverse groupof reviewers. Maybe more review is available in print. I still thought it was favorable (I am bigger).

To be honest, magazine reviews are not that helpful to me. If there is a standout it may be worth demoing before buying. If there was a dog, it may make me think twice. Word of mouth from somebody who has sailed it, is my size, and sails in the conditions I want to sail the board in, is helpful. Demos and previous experience on similar/different boards helps shape my decision as well.

I did just pick up a ExoWave 105, but I have not sailed it yet, so I cannot give anyone any feedback yet on its performance.

I did weigh mine out of the box, and it was on the heavy side. Pro model is only about $100 more. I will be sailing mine in higher winds, so I went with the standard construction. The deck has a few minor cosmetic issues ( a elevated kink in the nose graphic decal, and a sanded thin paint spot just inside the rail on board's nose...both overlayed with non-skid ), but the board is true and the bottom/box is perfect. I have little doubt this board will be perfect for me. I will give some real feedback when I get a chance. I trust what John I, Wardog, and Steve have said already. My experience with my Cross is what really made the sale.

Was it a fair test? Why did it differ from other reviews? What makes early planing a determinant feature on a 85 liter day in Maui?

[Brian M.]

I got my copy of the magazine the other day (North Carolina). By all means, no disrepect to the mag or Eddy P!!! I know they are doing their best and you can't please everyone, especially with equipment reviews!

Most testers were on the lighter side of the scale, so I thought they would've said it planed up sooner. Thus my thoughts about having a board that is easy to ride, giving the impression that it's not a top performer. Lots of people associate easy with beginner or intermediate equipment, but we know that is not true (well for me anyway!) Like you said, it was a favorable review and I agree.

I also take the advice Wardog gives (and John I and Steve). He has not lead me wrong yet! It's interesting to read the tests and I don't take them as 100% as we don't know everyone's true skill level (well some of the well known riders we do), plus you have to translate to your skill/weight level as well. So I tend to listen closely to the guys who are around my weight range and then factor my local conditions in.

I have the Cross 117. I would also like to move into the 105/85 at some point (got to sell some current gear first!), so I did read the Exo 85 review with a little more interest.

Bri

[Steve]

Overall the test in windsurfing magazine was pretty good. It hard to believe that there is 85 liter wave board out there that plans earlier than the Exo 85.I do not understand their comment about it planning just OK. This is the earliest planning 85 liter wave board I have ever sailed. I guess when it turns great and rides smoother than any other board in the test you have to criticize something. Planche scored it at the top of the test for early planning and Windsurfing says it planned OK. Well somebody is wrong and after spending a lot of time on this board I can guess who.

[WARDOG]

Mag tests are usually one guy at one point in time on a given day, with a given sail, and a given stock fin...put anyone on nearly any board during the best session of the week-long test, and chances are it will get glowing reviews by whomever rode it in the best conditions...especially, the best conditions on Maui...anyone ever had a bad 5.0m2 sesh on Maui?...;-)

It usually takes me several sessions before I really get the feel of the board...that's not to say that first impressions on the stock fin aren't a data point...but, let's get real...
I bet if I finned those review boards (not just the ExoWave 85) with my *real* G-10 wave fins, it would have altered the reviews...

I use my 9" WD Wave as my baseline board testing fin...
http://www.surfingsports.com/wardog_fin_designs.asp

Maybe the reviewers should have tested the boards with the stock vs. their fav wave fin...that would be work...and we all know that board tests are basically boondoggles...;-)

The German mag "Surf" did a baffling review of the UW II 78...there is a thread on the Exocet forum...

"beginner freestyle board"..."an excellent ability to be used in shallow water for freeride and freestyle"..."performs as well in the shore brakes as in shallow water"..."The Exocet is spot on and particularly suitable as a learning platform for less advanced sailors at 80 kilos plus."

A 78 liter waveboard is a "suitable learning platform for less advanced sailors at 80 kilos plus."

SMOKE ANOTHER ONE!!!

Those guys are on drugs...
Sounds to me that whoever wrote the review is a shallow water freestyler...
Their review makes me wonder if they've even ridden it in waves...they definitely didn't ride it in good waves...it sure seems to "fulfil the radical needs of pure wave riding" for us...BTW, is there "pure wave riding" in Germany?

The French mag had it closer to reality...as it does on the ExoWave...

Anyways...here is the review that Windsurfing mag did on the OWave I 85 back in '03...

http://surfingsports.com/images/exocet_m85.jpg

"Pleased everyone"..."early planer"..."smooth all around performer"..."don't ride it if you aren't prepared to buy it"...

Anyone who has ridden the new ExoWaves, knows that they plane up early...and anyone who has ridden both the ExoWaves and the previous OW I & OW II versions, knows that the ExoWaves plane up earlier still...

Like John says, the volume distribution , rocker, and planing ability make getting out through difficult surf easier...there have been several big days where I was the only one to make it out...using the ExoWave 105 , and I was bigger and using the same sail size, or smaller, than the lighter guys...

http://www.surfingsports.com/cali_november/index.html

Warm winds and waves...{:~)

WARDOG
http://surfingsports.com

[Brian M.]

Tell it brutha, W! :-) I agree. Lots of variables there. Fin size, sail size, etc, etc. Did they take too small a sail so they wouldn't be juiced too much on the wave? On and on and on. Wonder how much time each tester actually spent on each board?

Bri

Just had another 1 1/2 hour sesh on 6 foot waves side off with the Exo-Wave 105 and the 7.0 AirX. Playalinda beach is setting up great for windsurfers on all tides. Down the line rides were fantastic. Pops an aerial just fine. Too light to do much planing out, but grabbed waves with elan. Planed in 13 or so knots of swirly side off winds from time to time. Surfers cheered me on today.

O.K. Guys, lots of great discussion on the Exocet 105 and 85 but no comments on the 95? In your opinions are there any significant differences in performance in the 95 compared to the 105 & 85 other than just volume?

Thanks

Chuck