Surfladle

Within the context of my comments I’m a 95k windsurfer with 20 years experience and this is my personal and subjective review of the new 122 Futura against my old 2006 Carve.

I’ve now used the new Futura in very marginal winds, overpowered 5.5m weather and perfect 7.0m conditions. On each occasion the board has sailed differently to my Carve. In marginal conditions I would actually say that the Carve is the slightly easier board to use. It’s a little bit better for light wind water-starts and I’ve generally found that the Carve has two planning phases…slow and fast, so in marginal conditions you can still plane at the slow setting and get somewhere. The Futura does not respond in the same way and needs power to drive it on the plane. Once there though it will glide through the lulls much better than the old Carve. In more overpowered conditions it is much better than the Carve, mainly due to its foreshortened length and extra width – it does feel a bit like sailing a tea tray! I’ve certainly been out in weather that I would not have dreamed of taking the Carve and still felt pretty comfortable.

Where the Futura really scores for me is in the 7.0m conditions. Fully planning you only have to think of the direction you want to go and the board goes there. It is effortless to sail, points & turns beautifully and keeps accelerating until your ankles hurt! I do however recommend that you set the foot strap position in-board unless you are speed sailing or on flat water otherwise you will just never get into them but, by the same token, it will stop your ankles from hurting when you’re totally maxed out - I wouldn’t mind betting the in-board settings on the Futura are wider than the out-board settings on the old Carve.

All of the magazine reviews that I read so far have generally been about right so enjoy your new purchase knowing that you will have a great board.

Reviewed by Guy Curtis