Jason Polakow Boards Tested

As the second smallest board in JP's flve board Wave range, the 250 is a very critical size, because at 72 litres of volume, it is perhaps the ultimate size for serious down the line wave riding. With an overall width of 53.3cms and JP's characteristic constant curve rocker line, the 250 also utilizes the new channel bottom design as seen on all his new wave models. In essence, this is two parallel lines under the front footstep area that provides a flatter rockered section in the middle of the board to help promote speed, early planing and extra grip in the turn and upwind. upplied with a 20.5cm JP Side-shore US Box fin, the 250 does actually manage to get up and planing surprisingly quickfor such a small board and as such, manages to carry fairly large sails up to about 5.2. The extra overall rocker and ore solid feel though, does make it feel a fair bit floatier an the old 250, whilst the flatter channeled area also gives a really good turn of speed. The extra grip provided also ives it a much more solid and reliable feel for control in a straight line and in the tum, which seems to have eliminated ost of the old boards much skatier feel. It is perhaps in Il-on down the line wave riding conditions though that the 250 really shows its colours, being incredibly fast and cure in the bottom turn, no matter how big the wave. In fact in really big waves, the 250 is probably a slightly safer bet an the really loose down the line boards, being quite a lot iffer in the turn by comparison and not nearly so prone to ouncing out or spinning out in the highly critical bctom urn. The deck pads and footstraps have also been vastly improved from last year's models as well, offering excellent grip and security, a factor which we felt let down last year's boards
Overall With a general trend of more rocker and a less skatey feel over last year for all the sizes, the 250 really does feel just that bit more refined than most of the other boards. Having incredibly good speed and early planing for such a small board, it also gives great control in the turn and in a straight line to give it supero performance in side and on-shore conditions alike.

JP 78 Boards March 02

The JP Wave boards now span a range from 66-96L of volume in six models of which the 78 is the third from smallest. They are designed by Richard Greene, a Maui based shaper with much publicised input from the brand name carrier Jason Polakow.
On the water: It feels quite big relative to the quoted volume, so is a good weight carrier. It is fairly well rockered through the tail but nevertheless seems to get going reasonably easily. It is a very well balanced and comfortable wave board all-rounder that offers good control, good jumping and a nice ride. It is loose and manoeuvrable and seems to offer good riding both front- and back-side. Our only minor criticism would be that it doesn't offer the best, bite in really hard fast turns.
Overall: More smooth than snappy, a loose and easy board rather than a real grippy turner but a very good all-rounder which proved popular with the majority of testers.

JP 84 Windsurf Jan 02

JP Australia claims that the 2002 signature boards are becoming easier to ride without compromising performance. The 84 is the latest product from a brand that redefined the performance of production wave boards not only in design but construction as well.
On The Water. When JP boards were first released they had a singular mission - to make the best production wave boards for riders of the highest ability. As time has passed the company has evolved. re-evaluating its philosophy and the specifications of its products. The 84 has metamorphosed from the radical purist board designs of old into a board that, far from being the most specialist, is the easiest board in the test to ride. It does everything you ask of it, virtually on auto-pilot. Mistakes and rough water are brushed over - the 84 just keeps going without even noticing. It is a very difficult board to upset. At full power it is composed if not blisteringly fast. With little power it planes relatively early; and in the air feels competent and light. Riding is smooth, but cannot be described as radical or particularly inspiring. It has to be the ultimate intermediate board, and in this respect appeals to a much wider section of the wave sailing community. Doing everything so easily is not a bad thing, it makes sailing rewarding if you don't get much practice but what the JP sadly lacks is that crisp lively feeling that many of the more challenging boards have. Being so easy to forgive bad technique means you don't get such accurate feedback, which in the long run means you don't learn as much. Although JP claim that they are 'still perfect for radicals' we feel that they just don't have the same raw power and purist ability that they could. This said, they now appeal to a much broader selection of riders, and if you don't get out enough to take advantage of the purist boards then the 84 will give you a rewarding session regardless of how much practice you have had.
Verdict. Incredibily easy to ride the JP virtually sails itself. A perfect board for intermediates, it is supremely confident in any situation. Lacks the raw crisp performance that JP used to be famed for but is still a very capable board.

J.P 255 Freestyle Wave Boards March 2001

Another of the many new JP ranges for this year. Ironically it is designed by Werner Gnigler the ex F2 shaper who actually wasn't responsible for the previous season's JP shapes. like the JP Freestyle boards the Freestyle/Wave is a Josh Stone signature model.
The Ride - Although nothing like as blasty in feel as the Free Move, the F/W255 is still quite fast and will lock in for purposefut blasting. It is one of the smaller feeling boards on test and has a modicum of tail rocker, so it takes a little bit more wind than most to get comfortably up and running. It feels (and is) a shade slower than the Free Move, particularly when heading out into the chop, but is also correspondingly more 'under your feet' and ready to react. A lot of people commented on how much fun it felt to sail largely due to this tight, controllable 'up for action' feel that it gives when sailing along. It was probably the best board on test for jumping real waves as it is quite quick, has plenty of nose rocker, yet is small and controllable in the air.
Range - 6.0m is the recommended max sail size and we would agree totally; it would be pointless to exceed this. If you were buying a sail to suit, 5.5-5.8m would seem like the optimum biggest size. Depending on the water state it remains fun and controllable as the wind gets up and can usefully take sails down to 4.5m. However, despite its wave leanings it is not an out-and-out wave board for control in strong winds and waves; coastal sailors would almost certainly require a small wave board as well. Nevertheless, it is particularly versatile with regard to water state since it is not overly phased by chop, is fast enough to thrive in the flat and loves small to medium waves. It's not particularly demanding of sailor ability, but simply due to having so much to offer was inevitably enjoyed the most by the better sailors.
Manoeuvring - The board gybes relativety tight, half way between freeride and wave board in style. It is well balanced and carves nicely, gripping much better than the Free Move but although a very easy and snappy turner it isn't quite as positive as other boards of a similar size and nature.
Guesters' Comments - The less advanced sailors found it fairly easy and comfortable but otherwise unremarkable, whereas the more advanced sailors all responded very positively to it indeed - it chalked up a couple of outright test favourites. Its 'fun factor', good jumping and wave board style easy manoeuvring were all commonly cited.
Overall: It is remarkable how similar the Freestyle Wave 255 is to the Free Move 261 in terms of measurements, and yet how different it feels. It shares the tight, skatey, easy release feel possibly due to the construction, but differs mainly due to having less volume in the rails, a tad more tail rocker and a fraction less Vee. Although not so quick to get going or so fast and blasty, it is more controllable, more turny and has a wider range of use. It mixes easy blasting with more of a loose and 'fun' wave board-like feel which encompasses good jumping, easy playing on the swell and good response for high speed manoeuvres.
Summary; A beautiful little wave-slalom that is fast enough to be fun in the flat, loose enough to be fun in waves and a perfect little toy for perfecting any planing or aerial moves.

JP 260 Windsurf Nov 99

Having now secured the world wave title for two successive years and seen his own board brand position itself firmly in the thick of the wave board market, Jason Polakow can rightfully feel pretty happy with himself With two new sizes to the wave range last year giving a line up of five models in total, every size has been redesigned for 2000 with the same length measurement, except for the 265 which has been shortened to 262 (although they aIso retain similar volume). Whilst the whole board has been reshaped, wthout doubt the most striking change to all the new JP Wave models is the presence of a channel in the underhull rocker Iine in the footstrap area. The brochure claims that these channels help produce earlier planing, higher speed better upwind penformance, easier tuming and more control can all be fully substantiated, as both the JP models tested really excelled in all these areas. The 85 litre 260 is supplied with a 23cm JP On Shore Wave fin in the classic US Box style fitting and an overall width measurement of 56.5cms. Whilst all the sizes in the range ane shaped with the same even plan shape outline and flat with rail lift to vee with channels bottom shape, the 260's slightly flatter rocker Iine and marginally more upnght fin do give it certain on-shore characteristics. However, the JP range as a whole wth their constant rockers and relatively thin tails are about as cross-shore biased as you can get in a product on board, so the 260 still does both extremes exceptional y well within its size group. Feeling happy with sails up to around 6.0, the 260 really does spring up on to the plane very easily, virtually eliminating that sticky feeling often felt with pure wave boards, which in turn allows it to quicky accelerate to a very fast top speed. Control and grip in the turn is in no way, compromised though, producing a very positive biting arc with a significantly less skatey feel than last years model. In fact, in this respect, all the new models seem much easier all-round to sail for any level of wave sailor further extending the appeal.
Overall - The channel bottom design really does seem to be the secret to this boands outstanding all-round performance, producing great early planing, speed, control and tuming in both side and on-shore conditions. Best suited to heavier sailors of around 75 kilos plus and more marginal wave conditions..

J.P Freestyle Wave 78 Boards March 2002

The JP FSW78 is not and doesn't pretend to be a wave board. It was included in this test to see how relevant all-round designs of equivalent volume can be in strong winds and the true wave environment. Therefore if some comparisons seem a little damning, bear in mind that there are other areas of performance where the 78 would sail a wave board clean off the water! The 78 is the smallest of the Freestyle Wave trio of popular all-rounders. Both of the others have been tested by us this season - the 96 write-up is already published and the 86 should be in the next issue.
On the water: The 78 is slightly wider, has fuller, harder rails and a flatter rocker through the tail than most of the wave boards. It is therefore noticeably easier and earlier to plane and takes a considerably bigger sail. (JP recommend up to 5.8m, which seems a very sensible biggest size.) The JP Freestyle Waves are by nature quite early planing, fast and slalomy all-rounders with a talent for jumping, and the 78 is certainly true to type. By comparison with wave boards though it is noticeably harder to turn either when travelling at great speed or in very rough or choppy water and it offers less grip and control in a straight line - the inevitable trade-offs for that substantially better early planing/slalom/jumping performance.
Overall: The Freestyle Wave is a 'low power' board. It excels in delivering great feel, excitement and control in relatively low wind speeds. It is really lively with sails between 5.0m and 5.8m, offering better jumping than you could expect with almost any other board along with a fast and friendly feel. Its smaller size relative to the bigger Freestyle Waves makes it suit lighter sailors rather than much higher winds - although it is happy enough in relatively flat water with a 4.5m it offers nothing like the control or grip of a wave board nor is it in the same league for riding. The one area where it competes directly with wave boards is for jumping in standard British onshore conditions in 4.5-5.3m, where - although not carving quite as hard up the wave just before take off - it does give extra speed, similarly good release and very good control in the air as well as considerable extra lighter wind range. A great board to have in the quiver.

J.P Freestyle Wave 86 Windsurf Jan 2002

JP Australia claims that the Wave 86 is fast, capable of wave riding, with good freestyle potential. According to JP, Josh uses these very production boards on the tour; describing them as 'so much fun, wrth the range of use being incredible'.
On The Water This is another example of a wave board that is radically different from everything else on test. It is the only board to have a power box fitting wrth a fairly upright freeride type fin. The first time I rode this board from the windsurf centre down to the wave break. wrth feet anchored into the heel cushions and the fin lifting, the board took off like a guided missile. It is capable of holding incredible speed across the roughest water with complete confidence. No surprise then that the jumping ability of the 86 is very good. It tums everyone else on the break into objects to be avoided as you power around at break-neck speed. The smallest ramps give you twice as much air as normal and even under a lot of power the board remains stable and composed, There is one big downside however; in that when you find a suitable wave for a bit of down the line riding you will find it almost impossible to make the 86 bottom turn with any force, if you go in too hard it goes straight on and by the time you transfer your pressure to the back foot, you may be pointing the right way but probably will have stopped. If you go slower and power up in the tum it straightens out and you miss the section. This said, what the 86 looses out in riding potential it gains in straight line fun. It is fast and easy to use, whilst capable of using a wide range of sail sizes, It would make a fantastic freeride /wave crossover. Capable of being sailed by entry-level intermediates it has the early planning ability and stability at speed to make sailing easy. Even if the purist riding capabiiity is not awesome its gybing abiiity and ease are. The control at speed and the lifty fin means that the 86 will take a very big sail, easily up to 6 meters or more, whilst still fun wrth a 4.7 when the wind blows giving an excellent wind range. It is a very different board but retains a lot of appeal to a wide variety of riders.
Verdict An ideal board for people who like to blast around the break and aren't too concemed about riding, Well manneed at speed wrth a large sail range` the F/S Wave is forgiving enough to be used by the most inexperienced of riders.

J.P Freestyle Wave 94 Windsurf July 2002

This new range of boards within the JP umbrella is designed to be a crossover between wave and freestyle sailing that grew within the PWA under the hands of Josh Stone. It has a faster more aggressive design brief to be able to cope with surf as well as the more intricate flat-water transitional tricks. It is also constructed extremely well, being joint second lightest board in test. Having tried the Freestyle/Wave86 in the wave test, we found it to be a blisteringly quick little contender: It could boost air off the smallest, ramps and got onto the plane at the slightest whim of a gust. The only place it was really let down was in the turn. You couldn't bury the rail like a true wave board and as such had a somewhat limited wave potential.
On The Water The Freestyie/Wave is a far gunnier shape than any of the other freestyle boards we have tested so far: Unlike many of the wider hulls, designed to go from trick to trick, the 94 is far happier in sustained runs where you can let its speed build. Once up and on the plane it rides quite low in the water accelerating hard makng for a blistering top end, feeling small and gunny underfoot tt has the stance of a boxy onshore waveboard in many respects, and revels in big floaty jumps during more powered sessions. Its gybing ability is impressive but you have to be quite dedicated, as the narrow tail will soon drop off the plane in comparison to its pure freestyle siblings. Despite its appetite for speed and power it is still light and responsive enough to pull off freestyle moves but everything is done at a more hectic pace, so it's not for the faint hearted. The pure wave riding potential is limited due to its directional speed and stability. However; it comes into its own when pointed at ramps for jumps that normal waveboards are incapable of. Like its smaller sibling, the 94 can charge at the smallest chop and power into any number of inverts, continually feeling light and responsive underfoot it will be the last thing to limit your aerial prowess - it's game if you are!
Overall The 94 is a faster; more gunny style of freewave board that uses a high top speed for long floaty jumps. It's very controllable and user-friendly to sail, cruising at hi speed with a less dedicated nature than anything else on test.

J.P Freestyle Wave 86 Boards April 2002

The successor to last year's Freestyle Wave 255; one of our "boards of the year" recommendations due to its great mix of fun and comfort in an early planing wave/slalom role. Although we haven't been able to match this year's and last year's side by side, the measurements and general consensus (a couple of the guesters are currently 2001 model FSW255 owners!) indicate as follows. The 86 (this year's board) has a wider nose, slightly chunkier rails and a very slightly flatter rocker. Otherwise it is nearly identical. In use it is in essence the same board, although we felt that this year's model is even more early to plane and quick to blast but - being more voluminous, particularly up front - not quite as agile or good for carving. Not exactly an overall improvement then, more a slight realignment of priorities.
On the water: This was THE 'low power' board of the test. It gets planing very easily indeed and is a delight to blast; fast and exciting without being scatty. The deck shape is really comfortable underfoot and the board feels ready to blast but equally ready to manoeuvre at all times. Control is good but as the wind increases the relatively flat tail rocker and higher-than-average volume (almost certainly higher than quoted) begin to take their toll. The lighter and less experienced sailors found it a bit twitchier and more likely to spin out in stronger winds, and in really strong winds it becomes pretty bouncy. Its forte without a doubt is jumping. The speed, compact feel and high nose rocker give it rocket take-off from either chop or waves. It isn't the smallest to control once up there, but is still one of the truly great jumping boards currently available. Manoeuvrability is pretty good too; it feels quite loose and throwabout. However, the relatively thick rails don't grip brilliantly and if you pile into a gybe at full speed you have to trim the board well and you can't take it super-tight.
Range and orientation: It works fine with up to about 6.2-6.3m of sail, but its sweet spot is probably 5.3-5.8m, which is where it really delivers its best performance. It will take still smaller sails and could be used as an 'only board', but it's best suited as a partner to a smaller wave board. It is quite stable and lends itself to most tricks, but the freestyle aspect is not really as strong as the name suggests. Being so quick and comfortable it is fun on flat water but is most at home with some kind of wave or jump able chop, so it's primarily a coastal board. We see it as primarily a board for late intermediates or better. It is easy to sail but lacks the top end range and control that mid intermediates would look for, in what is basically for them a very small board. Whereas for an expert also owning a wave board for stronger winds, it really has a lot to offer.
Praise/gumbles: Nice straps and a very comfortable shock absorbed pad under the heel- ideal for jumping. The 25cm is fine as an all-round size but if it is to be mainly used in its strength area of 5.3-5.8 (or above) then a slightly bigger fin is preferable to match the early planing potential of the hull.
Overall: The moderate to medium wind jumping master. Slightly less all-round than last year's model but still a great early planing wave/slalom, perhaps more suited to average to heavier sailors with the new increased volume, while average to lighter sailors should perhaps look at the 78L version.

J.P Freestyle Wave 94 Boards Jan 2002

On seeking out JP's online brochure for the 2002 Freestyle Wave range we found our own words coming back to us in the form of a large defining misquote from our summary to last year's Freestyle Wave 255 test [10lt smaller]. The gist of it is that the boards are meant to be excellent all-rounders, as indeed last year's board was - even if their subtle and understandable simplification of our text implies rather more complete freestyle mastery than we ceded. Anyway we forgive them on the grounds that they then mention as an afterthought that it was also best in test in German Surf [the biggest selling windsurfing magazine in the world] So the range has been expanded and updated but the all-round performance concept remains the same
ON THE WATER Ride: It has the same light, controllable, 'up for action' feel that had us enthusing about the ride on last year's 255. It accelerates very quickly and easily and doesn't need to be driven hard to make good speed, and is among the quickest on test. And yet it doesn't feel it, partly because it requires so little input or crank from the sailor and partly because it is just very well balanced and well behaved, tracking well through chop Full marks too for a very comfy deck and excellent straps. Gybing: It is quite loose and footsteers easily so feels like a good gyber. It gives no problem with initiation and if you can bank off a swell it turns sweetly. The problem for us came in trying to keep the rails buried in tight, high speed turns in chop since they don't grip that well and are inclined to bounce out. Wind Range: It comes recommended for use with sails up to 6.4m - we found our 6.5's worked well on it as it does plane early. It can take down to around 5.0m but isn't really a high wind board - although by nature very well behaved and well balanced the flat tail rocker and high volume dictate against use of very small sails in tough conditions We see it as best suited to Force 4-5 as a partner to one or more other boards in a quiver. Water States: It is extremely tolerant of all water states, being fast enough to be fun on the flat, controlled in chop and great fun to jump in small to medium waves.
PERFORMANCE STYLE Freeride: For going fast with control in moderate and medium winds with excellent jumping it mixes star quality with 'well worn shoe' comfort. So although the name doesn't claim it, the board does actually offer extensive freeride appeal. Freestyle: Again, despite the name it is certainly not a freestyle specialist, though like the Freeride Carve it is quite serviceable for practising most of the skills. It accelerates well, is buoyant, keen to jump and will Vulcan and Spock well. However, in comparison to a dedicated freestyle board it lacks directness and grip in carving manoeuvres, some overall stability [particuiarly pitch stability), and some fin-first suitabiiity Waves: Although the board is comfortable in a wave environment the chunky rails do not grip like a wave board in the turn. The high nose and throwabout feel counts for quite a lot, particularly in backside riding but the board is simply too chunky to be a good frontside waverider or slashy carver. That said, it jumps brilliantly, using its speed and high nose to get air where others wouldn't. Orientation Summary: Like last year's 255 the 94 is essentially a wave-slalom - it has the quick planing, low drag feel of the slalom linked to the short length and high nose of the wave The stance and sailing attitude is more wave but the speed and sail carrying ability is more slalom Ability Level: The kind of sailing it favours is possibly more suited to advanced intermediates and beyond, but it is an intrinsically easy board to sail.
GRUMBLES We don't really feel that the name expresses the performance. If it is meant to be a '3-style' board as the brochure states, why pick out just two for the name? 'Freeride-Wave' would probably suit it better but 'Wave-Slalom' would be better still.
VERDICT It certainly has plenty of the magic of last year's 255. It is however a very voluminous board and even for our heavier testers at around 85kg still felt extremely chunky. It'll be brilliant for sailors of 90kg+, but lighter weight sailors will almost certainly be much better off with the 86 [255 equivalent) or 78 - watch our for our tests on these later this season

J.P Freeride 130 Windsurf April 2002

With the rapid expansion of JP's range comes a variety of freeride and freestyle oriented boards. Here we are testing the Freeride 130 constructed in a full wood sandwich. It's a very attractive board, extremely well finished with a great deal of detailing. For example, the deck-pads have expanded heel segments - like the contoured inner soles of trainers, they bulge out providing extra cushioning and leverage.
On The Water The Freeride 130 gets onto the plane fairly rapidly and steadily accelerates to a very respectible top speed. As soon as it is up and going you are immediately aware that it sits very high out of the water: It has a lot of nose rocker; accentuated by the scoop line; this lets the board sit on the tail, lifting the rest of the board free. Under normal cirumstances this would give control problems, but the JP manages to marry the stance with complete control. It seems to hover across the surface of the water; feeling alive without ever lifting or getting nervous. The other unique aspect of the JP is the sailing style it encourages due to their new deck-pad set up. Not only does it fit your feet perfectly but coupled with the thick voluminous sides of the board, it allows you to put a lot of power into the board. You really have a solid wall there to push against, making it very comfortable to drive hard. There is a deceptive amount of volume within the JP. At rest it will carry a lot of weight, but at speed it really doesn't feel that big. Comfortable with a 9.0m when it is up and going it feels a lot smaller than a board of similar dimensions. In transitions, the 130 turns very progressively. It does not react as aggressively as some, but steady pressure increases the bite and at full pressure the JP is capable of cutting a very hard, fast all:. This is a good characteristic for intermediates as it doesn't step out of line if you get a wobble, or put a foot wrong. Best suited to freeride sails that are stable and generate a fair degree of power; the JP has more of a blasting, cruising nature than a cross/manoeuvre style. Such is the JP's composure that sails without a lot of structural stability will become overpowered long before this board does.
Verdict A well finished and high performance cruising/blasting board suited to all rider levels. It has a lively controlled nature, riding fairly high out of the water: Performance with a high degree of user friendliness the JP has a lot to offer all weights and ability levels.

J.P Freeride 130 Boards May 2002

Smallest in the line of three Freeride boards. JP have flattened out the rocker slightly in comparison to last year's Freeride boards to make them more "easy planing" and have significantly expanded the widths, as well as adding a new 160L model at the head of the range.
On the Water: Surprise, surprise - yet another JP board which leads the field for early planing and speed! It is also yet another jp that feels quite big and chunky and is basically set up and mainly suited for blasting. It has a very low drag feel and powers up really easily on the decent size fin. You can immediately get into a very comfortable position, with your feet wrapped around the ample rails pushing for performance, gliding through the lulls and pushing hard and high upwind. You feel high up above the water, perched on a thickish tail with the nose riding high. It feels potent and comfortable, although when the water gets choppy you need to commit quite hard and drive off the fin to avoid trouble with bouncing.
Gybing: It is certainly not the quickest to respond to footsteering so the "astonishingly quick reaction to foot pressure" as claimed on the jp website doesn't really stand up to the scrutiny of comparison. It takes a bit more effort and technique to initiate the gybe than most, particularly if the water is at all choppy and entry speed is fast, when the high volume tail is prone to bounce. However, once turning it tracks well and can exit with very good speed. The voluminous tail is also quite a bonus for intermediate gybers, making the board very forgiving of clumsy footwork.
Wind range: In contrast to the previous comment re jp's promo-speak, their claims for the board's recommended sail sizes are in fact too modest - we felt it could take more than the recommended maximum of 8.0m, with 8.5m being a more sensible largest size - pushed to 9.0m at a pinch, such is the impressive early planing performance and feeling of power from the tail and fin. At the other end of the scale, while not really ideal for medium to strong winds, it will take down to around 6.5m or thereabouts before it starts to get too bouncy.
Water state: It's happiest on fairly flat water. It rides a bit nose high and bouncy in serious chop, but can be held down in most water states with commitment.
Sailor type/ability: The style of performance, shape of the rail and positioning of straps incline it more to marginal-mid range blasting performance for sailors of mid intermediate standard and beyond, rather than for early intermediates, stronger winds or more manoeuvre based sailing. It is best suited to those that have the technique and inclination to blast hard and fast with big sails.
Verdict: Above average in the popularity stakes with the guest testers; it particularly appealed to the slightly heavier, more experienced sailors who really appreciated its high performance early planing and blasting with big sails. If you want a reaching board for summer evenings that is not too big to be lively and exciting then this is a serious contender. It is actually a decent all-rounder too, if marginal to moderate wind blasting is your main interest.

J.P Freeride Carve 96 Boards Jan 2002

The successor to last year's Freemoves; a slightly specialisl range of boards that were extremely fast and well balanced and geared tlowards speed and excitement in moderale condtions. This year's Freeride Carve features a wider tail and considerably wider nose but is otherwise largely similar in shape, and despite the name change the emphasis is the same. The brochure talks about "effortless planing" and concentrates on the fact that the boards are not just "extremely fast" but also feel fast"
ON THE WATER Ride: It gets planing very quickly and easily, requiring little pull from the rig. It's geared towards blasling with a committed stance - the ride is definitely exciting and this translates into 'scary' at speed in chop when the board becomes technically demanding to keep flat and level. In flat water however it is exhilarating and fast - everything the manufacturers say about the speed and feeling of speed is spot on. We found that we could make it more controllable in bumpy conditions by pulling the track well forward but this killed the liveliness of the board, greatly diminishing the principal aspect that gives the board its appeal. Gybing: The brochure eulogises its high speed carving gybes but we would disagree - the thickish rails are not that easy to engage or keep engaged and it requires careful set up to take the turn at speed with out bouncing or spinning out. The board pivots round quite well at lower speeds but it doesn't grip well in the turn and will give problems to intermediate sailors who have mastered its easily attainable high top speeds. Wind Range: It is essentially a moderate to medium wind board. It will take a fairly large sail (up to 7.0m) and give rewarding early planing, excels with a 6.0-6.5m but starts to reach its limits at about 5.5m and is not designed for handling excess power. Water States: It is really a board for flat water with perhaps a small amount of chop or swell It also loves small waves for jumping, but is just too hectic for comfort in larger waves and/or heavy chop.
PERFORMANCE STYLE Freeride: This is very much a blasting board, and most of its major attributes are freeride ones Freestyle: The brochure states that the board can be used for "occasional freestyle practice", which seems about right. It has the freestyle 'low drag easy speed' feel, but is not a great carving board and is not super stable, although it's fairly wide and buoyant and can perform aerial tricks. Waves: Less suited to waves and tougher conditions where its lack of high speed control and grip in the tum is a handicap. However, it's an excellent chop-hopping board, featuring a relatively wide and well pulled up nose, so it leaps into the air with the minimum of encouragement! Orientation Summary: Barring the Starboard Fish it was probably the least truly all-round board on test. It is essentially a blaster/jumper for moderate to medium winds. Sailor Ability: Being technical to control in tricky conditions, we wouldn't recommend it for the first time short board buyer. But anyone who is capable of 'balls out blasting' and chop-hopping could enjoy it.
GRUMBLES Just a minor one. The shock absorber deck pads on the heel by the front straps are built up into a small mound, which makes getting into the strap a little harder, and some found it made the board somewhat less comfortable underfoot.
VERDICT Very impressive speed and excitement in moderate to medium winds with fast blasting and high, floaty jumping thrown in. However, the difficulty of saiiing it in chop effectively reduces its useful wind range and suitability for progressors; while the unusually thick rails make it quite bouncy for light and medium weight sailors. So it seems best targeted towards relatively advanced, heavyweight sailors in moderate to medium winds and flattish water.

J.P Freeride Carve 106 Boards April 2002

Four models make up the 2002 Freecarve range, spanning 86 to 116L. "The name explains the program: Speeding and carving..." says the brochure. The 96 that we tested in the Jan/Feb issue fulfilled the first part of the claim admirably, being a blasting rocket ship, but it fell down on the carving. So how would the 106 fare...
ON THE WATER Ride: The 106 has the same easy, early planing, low drag feel of the 96, accelerating very quickly to a high top speed. It is slightly narrower than most other boards here, has a very slalomy feel and goes upwind as well as any. Fortunately though, it is not technically demanding to control like the 96. The feel is similar- as though you are perched above a board that is running over the top of the water. It doesn't have a grippy, attached feel but it does feel stable, with no tendency to tilt and buck about over chop like its smaller brother. And the sailing position is blasting heaven. The outboard straps set your feet wrapped around a nicely curved rail, from where you can control the speed in comfort and really get some power through the fin. Intermediates had a little trouble getting in to the outboard straps but there are inboard positions as well to cater for this. Gybing: It requires slightly better technique on initiation than most of the other thinner- railed boards, and used thus enters the gybe purposefully. The tail doesn't really grip as well as most through the latter stages of the turn, but if you flatten the board off early and get your weight forward it accelerates out of the turn very quickly in slalom gybe fashion. Wind Range It's more of a specialist 10-17 knot board than a 'one board all-rounder', but still enjoys a reasonable range. It will take and reward use of sails up to 7.5m for good early planing, and in flat water can be used with down to around 5.0m with comfort. Optimum size range would be 5.7-7.0m. Water State: It's most suited to flatter water, but handles moderate chop well and is quite fun in small waves.
PERFORMANCE STYLE Freeride: This is really where the board excels. It is fast and comfortable to blast, happy with big sails, and gets great jumps off the chop. If you want to do a bit of informal racing too, then not many boards will give you more of an advantage. Freestyle: It's OK for occasional freestyle, since, while not the widest, it's still quite stable for non- planing and planing tricks. Carving moves are certainly feasible but you have to fight the volume in the rails more than on other boards. It jumps well but is not the easiest to throw around for aerial tricks. Wave: Despite the name and 'program' it is not a natural carving board and is a little flat and bouncy for riding or hard turning. But it does jump high!
Orientation summary: A freeride blaster/jumper with some all-round capability.
Ability level: Accessible, if not particularly easy for intermediates, but better suited to late intermediate to advanced sailors.
VERDICT Much like the Freemove it replaces, the Freecarve 106 is an ideal board for making the most of moderate winds and enjoying some fast purposeful blasting, with very good jumping thrown in. There would be little point buying this board if you don't want to wind it up and crank, but if you, do want speed and airtime in a Force 4, then the design certainly delivers.

J.P Freestyle 95 Boards June 2002

JP boards have a very distinctive feel - it seems as though we have already written this test many times over during the last couple of seasons! There is a very high degree of similarity in style between their all-round, Freeride Carve and Freestyle ranges; the overall differences are relatively small and very much 'in the detail'. Still, if you've got a successful and popular formula it makes sense not to stray too far from it! The 95 is the smallest of Jp's three Freestyle boards - we tested the 105 in the April edition of BOARDS.
On the water: Fast and very comfortable at speed - it gets planing as early as any and thereafter both is and feels extremely quick. It has very much a freeride feel, with a nicely domed deck, comfortable shock absorbed pads and a very blasting-oriented riding position (even with the front straps in the inboard slots). It accelerates quickly and flies upwind. The ride is fairly easy, particularly in moderate winds. It releases eagerly, sits on top of the water and feels responsive. The nose rides high and the board feels alive.
PERFORMANCE Non/marginal planing: Non-planing winds are not its strongest suit; the high nose lift and relatively narrow nose, tail and planing width mean that it is not the most stable at rest, although there is every bit of the quoted 95L of volume to keep you afloat. However, as it is so quick to get planing, sailing in marginal conditions can still be a very productive experience. Planing and carving freestyle: The jp is responsive and manoeuvrable, and pretty good for all carving freestyle. Footsteering and carving is precise and immediate, and the excellent low power planing helps you cram in those tricks and keep upwind. It shines strongest in moderate winds and flatter water rather than high winds and chop, since it is less stable at speed nor as grippy through the turn as some of the other freestyles. Aerial freestyle: The pop master!!! It gets air easily at anytime in any water state. The high speed and acceleration linked to its light feel and very high nose rocker mean that it will take off on almost anything. It can jump either vertically or horizontally as you require, and it has an impressively light feel and low swing weight in the air, which helps loops in particular but is good for all types of aerial move. Slide: It has fairly low vee and a slippery feel in the water so it spins round quite easily, although the low rockered tail prevents it from being super loose and spinny. Freeride: By far the best on test for moderate wind freeride - it handles quite big sails without a problem (up to about 6.5m), gets going early and is really comfortable at speed with a deck that just makes you want to blast fast. It gybes very well and is particularly good for exiting with speed if you get it right. There is definitely a wind threshold above which its excellent release becomes a tendency to get bouncy and a bit frantic, but up uhtil this point it remains very controllable. Waves: Inevitably the flat tail makes it a bit stiffer in the turn than some, and overall it's a bit too; stiff and bouncy for comfortable wavesailing in medium to stronger winds, but it can work very well Ias a good light wind wave machine, with the high nose giving excellent jumping and good wave clearance.
RANGE Conditions: As said, it has a definite upper wind limit, but it revels in marginal-moderate winds from 12-17 knots, where its great low power performance has the most to offer. It loves flat water but also loves just enough chop or wave to give a springboard for its excellent jumping. Too much chop though is definitely to be avoided. So overall, the ideal wind range is focussed rather than broad; we would recommend sail sizes of between about 6.5 and 5.3m. Weight/ability: It is best suited to average or lighter weight sailors, looking for good non- planing or intermediate/progression suitability. It appealed equally to all abilities; intermediates for the easy planing; advanced for the speed and jumping and experts for its great aerial freestyle potential.
OTHER COMMENTS Fittings: It comes with a good sized and reasonable fin, and very comfortable straps and pads.
SAS factor: The website is one of the most descriptive for both the range and an individual board description that we have read. It is largely accurate in all it says, but still doesn't really highlight the board's aerial excellence rather than carving abilities to fully position it against its rivals.
OVERALL For blasting and jumping in moderate to medium winds it would be hard to find a better board. Its freestyle performance is heavily slanted in favour of low power planing and aerial performance, but it is mixed with a willingness and comfort to blast that made it very popular with a wide cross section of sailors. It took advantage of the comparatively lighter winds of the Caribbean to take top popularity honours with the guest testers, and was a hit too with us full-time testers. We can strongly endorse it for moderate to medium wind bump'n'jump sailing, with freestyle leanings. It also makes a good progressor's board, so long as it is not to be used predominantly in stronger winds. And for freestyle sailors mainly interested in the aerial aspects of the discipline, it's a top recommendation!

J.P Freestyle 105 Windsurf March 2002

JP's Freestyle range consists of three new boards for 2002, here we test the middle one - the 105. It is quite a conventional looking board with ample volume and width between the footstraps as well as a fair amount of rocker: Like all JP's they are built to a very high standard, using the latest wood-sandwich technology and finished with extremely attractive graphics. Its weight is impressive, being the second lightest on test, and the fittings continue to be excellent. The JP Freestyle 260 was one of the favourites amongst the test team last year; but would its replacement pick up from where it left off?
On The Water What is immediately obvious from the moment you first step onto the 105 is that far from being a dedicated freestyle board the 105 is every bit a freeride board too. It really crosses the bridge into the 'all-round' territory. It is very quickly up and on the plane, feeling light and yet voluminous underfoot. You can even waterstart in the straps and just wait for the board to gain momentum and get onto the plane. It accelerates with vigour up to a very impressive top speed. The fin continually provides feedback, lifting the board high out of the water; making sure that the shoulders don't catch even in rough chop. To counteract this, the JP maintains a high level of control, even when the board is powered to its limit. Unlike many freestyle designs it doesn't seem to 'hit the wall' where the top speed just refuses to climb as the power in the sail builds and builds. It remains comfortable and fast all the time, which is one of the reasons why this is so much more than just a freestyle board. There are also twin back-strap positions which, when fitted, make for a fantastic blasting board, capable of putting many freeride boards to shame in a straight line: The freestyle ability of the 105 is not in any way diminished by its freeride crossover ability. Such is the weight and poise of the board, it will take a sailor's freestyle technique to another level. With effortless pop, it can be skipped out of the water instantly, lending itself to the new school tricks in the sport. More importantly though, it makes freestyle fun and rewarding. Best suited to rigs that are light, with power and a controllable top end, it blends a perfect compromise between freeride and freestyle suitable for a variety of locations and conditions.
Verdict The Freestyle 105 carries the torch on for JP over and above the performance of its predecessor; being extremely capable in all aspects. Far from a 'freestyle only' board, the 105 is much more of an all-round platform suitable for every ability of rider:

J.P Freestyle 105 Boards April 2002

The middle size of JP's three Josh Stone signature freestyle boards. The brochure emphasises acceleration, top-end speed and upwind performance in medium winds.
ON THE WATER Ride It has a little more width at mid-point and nose, is a bit shorter and rockered earlier towards the nose, but overall the feel is actually not at all dissimilar to the JP Freeride Carve 106. It too gets going very early with a speedy, low drag ride. It is well balanced and not that hard to sail, but compared to most in this test is more about liveliness and release over the water than easy control. It usually feels a bit windier when you get on a JP! It also goes upwind really well [race worthy for figure of 8 slalom) and easily. Gybing: It gybes a little better than the 106 but still needs relatively careful setting up for the turn. Just footsteering round won't get you far as the rails won't grip and turn for you. However, it is quite loose and slashy and keen to turn, particularly on swells. Wind range: While geared mainly towards the lighter end of the scale, the wind range is nevertheless very impressive. It is extremely comfortable with big sails; very happy to hold a 7.5m for marginal wind blasting - but just as happy to fly off in the gusts with a 6.5, depending on your preference. It starts to get a bit hectic in the 5.0.5.5m range, but handles it OK in flatter water. Water states: Again, essentially a flat water board but it copes OK with moderate chop and can be a lot of fun on small waves.
PERFORMANCE STYLE Freeride: More freeride than any of the other ostensibly 'freestyle' boards, and actually more freeride than most of the all-rounders as well! It is fast and has a very comfortable riding position when using the outboard straps, with a chunky rail to wrap your foot round. It has performance to burn in 11-18 knots and will reward good technique by exiting gybes with excellent speed. Freestyle The low power planing is excellent, allowing you to fit in a lot of tricks in a short space of time and get upwind quickly. It is averagely stable both at speed and at rest, but the curve in the deck which makes it so comfortable for blasting starts to get in the way a bit when in trick mode, for which a flatter deck would create a more secure platform. It jumps brilliantly and feels manoeuvrable in the air, though the high nose makes it harder than some for advanced tail first tricks. 360s and carving tricks require more precise and careful trimming from the sailor than on most otherfreestyles. Wave: Not quite enough grip in the turn for true wave suitability, but a lot of fun for jumping in onshore conditions.
Orientation summary: A freestyle with strong leanings towards moderate wind freeride and jumping.
Ability level: Certainly not beyond the reach of early to medium intermediates, but more suited to advanced and expert sailors.
VERDICT For once a manufacturer's advertising can't be faulted. It is indeed a freestyle board that offers really good crossover potential between blasting with big sails or freestyle tricking, giving you great options for those Force 3-4 summer days. It offers real performance and blasting comfort for cranking in moderate winds. This good freeride capability, along with the thicker rails and slightly inferior carving response, is inevitably slightly to the detriment of its all-round freestyle appeal, but for those specifically wanting zest, acceleration, liveliness and good jumping from a freestyle board there are few better.

J.P Freestyle 115 Windsurf July 2002

JP have a strong reputation for building exceptionally well thought out and user friendly boards. Their Freestyle range is no exception, as the 105 reviewed in the small freeride test earlier in the year showed. It was the only board available at the time for the freeride test, and we had reservations about including it. The thought was that it might be too dedicated a freestyle board and offer nothing in the way of freeride. As soon as we tried it on the water however; we realised it was much more than just a board for tricks. It had such a huge range of appeal and was equal!y at home in the freeride category as in the freestyle group.
On The Water So with the Freestyle 105 being one of our favourite boards of the small freeride test, the 115, being its larger sibling, had a lot to live up to. We were not disappointed! It is a prime example that just because it has 'freestyle' written on the tail It does not mean that this is all it does. The 115 is extraordinarily user friendly. As soon as you sheet in it's up and on the plane, accelerating rapidly to a sustained top speed that is no less blisteringly quick as it is stable. The nose lifts high from the water without any tendency to tail-walk on the fin and it cruises over rough water as if it wasn't there. .. To us it felt more like a freeride board than a freestyle board yet when we started to fool about with it we found it also very capable at most freestyle moves too. It has a great deal of pop for such a large board, making flatwater loops and Vulcan-oriented moves easy. Such an easy and fast nature brings a high cruising speed with virtually no power felt in the rig. As such the 115 inspires you to try something new; it's a very motivating board to sail. At rest there is a lot of volume to help out.. whilst at speed you don't even notice it. In the gybe it either carves in hard and fast or under foot pressure alone with no loss in composure. We did play around moving the back straps from single to double configuration which dramatically changed it from freestyle to blasting freeride, and it is definitely one of the fastest of the freestyle/freeride crossovers on test here.
Overall Highly recommended board that is capable of both highly advanced freeride blasting and freestyle sailing. It is a board that will be adored by anyone who wants a smaller lively freeride board, yet will also give a great deal to the accomplished freestyle sailor too.

JP Freestyle 260 Windsurf 2001

Performance - This one of 4 freestyle boards in the JP range and unlike others of this size is aimed right at the freestyler - for light wind/ heavier wave sailors there's a JP wave 261 which fits the bill exactly. The other three in the JP freestyle range are the 255 which has a crossover into waves, the 105lt Freestyle 262 and the 265 with 115lt. this board comes supplied with a Freemove 28 fin powerbox. Construction is epoxy sandwich.
Early Plaining - This dedicated freestyle board is extremely quick to plane and accelerate. A reason for this may be that the domed hull lets the rider adopt a stance more closer to racing which in turn allows them to transfer thier weight to the boom sooner so releasing the hull quicker. This JP shares equal top marks in this category with F2's Air 260.
Speed - Another impressive performance with a very good top speed. Despite it's good top end it remains light and responsive. Although it's quick it is not a straight line board.
Manoeuvres - A very responsive throw-about feel to this JP, JP designed boards generally feel very light when sailed. The degree of board liveliness varies between disciplines but the core feeling over the whole range is onme of energy - it's very forgiving which makes it ideal for the latest style of tricks.
Suitability - With a wide seven to four and a half metre rig range, this is a board with a high amount of versatility. It's perfect for moderate winds for a wide arena of disciplines. Freestyle is the obvious first choice but the JP Freestyle 260 is also fast and controlled enough in a straight line for general freeriding.
Shape - The nose has some V which flows to concave then into V with channels at the tail.
Overall - The JP Freestyle is a highly versatile board. It has the performance of a classic freestyle board - a high degree of control for freestyle coupled with excellent early planing. At the same time it's very user friendly and quite fast which makes it a serious choice for anyone wanting a board for blasting as well as freestyle.

JP Freestyle 265 Boards July 2001

The biggest of the three JP Freestyle boards. With the likes of twice World Freestyle Champion Josh Stone and of course Jason Polakow himself on the JP team, the designs are clearly built to perform at the highest level.
SHAPE: Average width but a narrow nose and tail gives loads of curve in the plan shape which, combined with the chunky rails up around the mast track, mean that the volume is very concentrated around the middle of the board.
FEEL AND PERFORMANCE: It is quite quick to get planing and has a lively feel; fast and quick to jump off chop, aided by its plentiful nose rocker. It offers rewarding and exciting blasting although slightly short of the control and comfort of the best from this test. The strap positions offer a choice of either a fairly committed outboard stance, or a fairly inboard position over a flat part of the deck - a middle position would have been ideal... In very marginal or non planing conditions it has plenty of volume to support weight but it is mostly around the middle of the board so you have to learn to keep your weight fairly centred or the board is inclined to luff up. It is therefore not quite as stable for lighter wind freestyle as some, and the slightly unreliable non-slip meant wearing boots was advisable.
GYBING: The low volume tail grips pretty well to give sharp turning, but the substantial volume in the middle means the board can bounce out of the turn if mis-handled, and is thus best suited to a relatively competent technique.
RANGE: Wind: While it will take the recommended max size of 7.4m, we found a light sail no bigger than about 6.8m seemed more suited to its sprightly agility, and smaller still would be our optimum choice. 5.5m is about as small as you would want to go with this board, and preferably not overpowered. Water: While a bit wide to be really comfortable for extensive blasting in chop it's great for short runs, offering copious amounts of air time, and with its rocker is fun to use in small to medium waves as well. Ability: Despite claims to be a "forgiving board for short board beginners" the 265 was not enjoyed by our less advanced intermediates who found it a little too twitchy and difficult to sail. It was definitely more suited to experts or advanced intermediates.
GUESTERS: It got a mixed response from our Guesters. As said above, our earlier intermediates didn't really get on with it, whereas the more advanced sailors enjoyed its speed and liveliness.
OVERALL: While less suited to lighter winds and non planing conditions than the boards with wider noses and tails in test, the JP 265 is still a perfectly good light-wind freestyle platform for average weight sailors or less if relatively competent. However, it really comes into its own for moderate wind freestyle, offering reasonable performance in the blasting department too. It is quick and agile, jumps quite easily and is well suited as a large freestyle/wave crossover for the more competent sailor.

JP Freemove 261 Boards March 2001

JP currently offer four different small board ranges. The 'Free Move' is essentially '3 style' (ie; freeride/freestyle/wave) range, but as there are also parallel 'Freestyle', 'Freestyle/Wave' and 'Wave' ranges, the precise differences between these various options is relatively subtle. Hence our inclusion of both the 255 Freestyle Wave and the 258 Wave in this test alongside this 261, to try and sort things out...
Ride: All the JP boards share a skatey, low friction feel, and the Free Move definitely has this 'easy release' characteristic, despite moderate Vee in the underwater shape. Coupled with a relatively slalomy tail rocker profile, this easy release means the board possesses plenty of acceleration and speed - it's quick to plane and feels very light and corky. It is very fast and, despite its light and buoyant feel, proved surprisingly controllable even in nasty chop. It's a natural blaster; well balanced and with easily accessible speed, although some might find it too fast and furious for prolonged bouts of drag racing. Being so light, nippy and with so much nose rocker it jumps off almost anything!
Range: This board is principally about maximum speed and air in Force 4-5 and the manufacturers recommended largest sail size of 6.2m seems spot on. It's happiest with around 5.5-6.0m, but fine with down to around 5.0m. It copes OK in chop but is principally for flattish water and small waves. Advanced sailors will get more out of it than intermediates due to its natural high-performance bias.
Manoeuvring: Although well balanced it is relatively flat and chunky and therefore more slalomy than grippy, and not a natural for carving moves. It gybes reasonably well but doesn't really offer a secure feeling of grip in the turn, so it needs a good set-up into the gybe and must be handled carefully if carrying high speed into the turn.
Guesters' Comments: The less advanced sailors found it a bit fast and bumpy, but the better sailors enjoyed its excellent balance, speed and upwind ability. However, for playing in the swell and waves everybody preferred the greater grip and versatility of the JP Freestyle/Wave 255.
Overall: 'Slalom/jump/freestyle' is a fair description of this board. It is light and fast and slalomy with a buoyant, high volume feel and has loads of nose rocker for easy and excellent jumping off small waves and chop. It is wide, stable and predictable enough for all the standard flat water tricks and therefore a decent freestyler for lighter weight sailors, particularly as it is naturally quick to plane.
Summary: Outstanding for maximising speed, acceleration and jumping performance with a 5.5-6.0m sail. A beautifully balanced, lively and exciting board, probably best suited as a bigger partner to a wave board for a competent sailor.

JP Freemove 267 Windsurf April 2001

Performance. The Freemove concept is a half way house between the looseness of a freestyle design and the speed of a freeride. It is in the same group as the AHD MaxxRide and Fanatic Cross where the accent is more on versatility than one particular strength. But this JP also doubles as a light wind wave board as it turns very easily.
Early Planing. Quick to plane in the right conditions. This is a narrow tailed board designed to work in higher winds so must be well powered up. There's a lot of tail volume which contributes to the early performance as well. The light construction and tail volume prevent it from dropping off the plane in lulls and even if it does happen it's an easy board to pump up again .
Speed. The Freemove 267 is seriously fast in straight lines and it gets there very quickly as well. Straight line stability is helped by the channel edges underneath so that it's highly controllable at speed. The channels also generate a cleaner water release at the tail which adds to the top end.
Manoeuvres.. Thin rails and a very rounded outline makes the JP turn with ease. Once you apply foot pressure on the rails the channel edges underneath release and the board turns with a very high degree of control.
Suitability. A medium to high wind board for intermediates and above. Can double as a bump and jump board as well and would be ideal as a coastal board for the speed freak who also likes to play in waves.
Shape. 'V' in nose then channelled 'v' and 'v' in tails. Flat in the planing area wfth slight tail kick
OVERALL. A classic bump and jump board. A round outline and thin rails plus the underhull shape makes this JP an ideal medium to high wind choice for lumpy conditions including small waves. Excellent controllable all round performance.

JP Freemove 267 Boards April 2001

The larger of the two JP Freemove boards. The smaller 261 was tested last month and as the boards are extremely similar in feel and style we refer you back to that test to fill in much of the detail.
Overall: A very light feeling, quick planing board, it is extremely comfortable and easy to sail fast. With loads of rocker through the nose it has a manoeuvrable feel and jumps very well and easily. It is quick and feels both fast and lively. It is quite chunky, high in volume and fairly stable so has reasonable freestyle appeal but the nose is narrow so it is better for planing moves than stationary or tail first ones. Although it gybes reasonably well the volume in the rails means that it doesn't grip well enough to be ideal for those trying to learn the manouevre, and is better suited to those with good technique, for whom it responds well. It prefers a fin of around 30cm or more for best performance and to prevent a somewhat vague feel to the tail. Configured this way it feels positive and will take big sails (up to 7.0m at a pinch) to give fast, exciting blasting in moderate winds, It is happy enough in medium winds and moderate chop but less well suited to strong winds and small sails. We see it as appealing very strongly to fairly advanced heavier sailors (75-90kg) looking for a really nippy board for use with 5.5-6.8m sails, concentrating on going fast and jumping but looking to try a few tricks as well. In the right conditions it is a beautifully balanced and classy bit of kit.

JP Freeride 268 Windsurf Jan 2000

Now in their third year of production, JP have updated their entire range for 2000 including the old Freeride models of 265 and 270, which have now become the 261 and 268. Looking at the larger of the two new models, the 268 has quite a narrow overall width compared to many of the other freeride boards in this group, just under 56cms, but a fairly rounded nose and tail give it a surprisingly large 100 litres of volume. Made in sandwich construction, the 268 is supplied with a 30cms JP freeride power box fin and is shaped with a fast rocker line, zero tail kick and an increasing V throughout the under hull. But tucked rails and fairly high nose lift ensure its freeride appeal. But although board design is obviously extremely important, one hugh factor governing your enjoyment of a board is the quality and comfort of the straps and pads, and whilst JP's have been let down here in the past, the new fittings are fantastic. A new harder pad with diamond shaped grip and firm but soft footstraps make the contact with the board really secure and comfortable allowing much higher confidence for tricks and jumps. And it is this heightened confidence that really sums up the emphasis of the 268 being fast, slashy and manoeuvrable but always with a smooth and controllable feel. In fact, its speed is matched by only two other boards in the group but none of the others with equal manoeuvrability can quite keep up. Early planing for its size also rates well allowing it to be used with sails up to about 6.5.
Overall; The 268's incredibly fast and smooth performance combined with its grippy pads and comfy footstraps makes it perhaps the most controllable and throw-about little board in the group. These factors make it a real joy to use for better sailors in flat water or coastal conditions alike.

JP Freeride 272 Windsurf May 2001

Early Planing. Very good early planing performance helped by good fin design and the lightest weight in the test The light weight also allows it to plane through lulls well.
Speed. Fast in straight lines and easy to control at speed too. The board's acceleration is excellent in gusts. This JP feels comfortable at speed as well, with well placed straps and a domed deck
Manoeuvres. This is a board which feels very positive when you gybe it. It comes out of the tum well in control and it's easy to push it so that you exit planing. It keeps its speed up though gybes as well. It's an easy board to jump and feels light in the air.
Suitability. Medium wind all round board that you can use either for blasting or tricks though you'll be doing those tricks at high speed! This board will have a wide appeal and we think that better sailors will get more out of it as they improve.
Rig Range. Up to 7.0 metres.
Construction and Accessories. Construction is carbon sandwich. JP footstraps are well placed and comfortable to use. They're also open wide enough to accept just about any foot size.
Shape. Light V flows into light concaves and V in the tail.
OVERALL. Handling generally is this boards strongest point both during transitions or in straight lines. It feels free and easy to sail and has wide appeal because it takes so much input from the sailors.

JP Freeride 272 Boards April 2001

This is the smallest of JP's three 'Freeride' models, which range from 114 to 144 litres in volume. For such a high performance brand as JP, it was interesting to see how they were going to orientate their dedicated "Freeride" range - more max performance or something more intermediate in orientation...
The Ride: The board seems long and very buoyant underfoot -the rails are voluminous and you feel quite high off the water. It is pretty stable and gets planing respectably early, enjoys blasting and seems set up for slalom style sailing, accelerating quickly and going upwind well. It feels very stiff (structurally) and quite lively. It has a fairly exciting but slightly insecure feel with a slight vagueness of grip and lateral stability, and has a very high nose that gives it a lot of lift in the chop, but despite this was reckoned easy to sail by everyone in moderate to medium winds. In stronger winds its volume and thick rails make it a bit bouncy, while in non planing winds it certainly has plenty of support and is easy to sail home.
Gybing: It is not a natural carving or manoeuvring board but good balance and distribution of the considerable volume make it easy to handle. In moderate winds it gybes pretty well and the high volume tail helps poor technique on exit. For faster gybes it is a bit low on grip and needs good set-up and consistent pressure to keep it biting.
Range: Wind: It is advertised as taking up to 7.2m which seems very realistic - indeed, if you already have a 7.5m you could just about get away with it on this board. At the lower end of the scale you will need to be quite heavy to get much out of it with sails below about 5.7m as it is a big and voluminous design. Water: While principally for flat water, it likes moderate swell and can handle small amounts of chop. Ability: At this size, and with no specific bias towards freestyle or speed, it is definitely suited most to intermediates. Guesters: It proved quite mixed in popularity. One intermediate Guester reckoned it to be the pick of the bunch, finding it easy to sail and quick to plane - whereas the other found it far too bouncy! One of our more advanced Guesters gave it third place based mainly on high volume and good early planing and acceleration, while another felt it was not up to the standard of the other JP boards in the smaller tests.
Overall: A difficult one to place the target market for. It has the volume and easy planing, straight line performance that appeals to intermediates, but doesn't really have quite the wind range and versatility of the best intermediate boards. Whereas for more advanced sailors it's not quite up there enough in terms of early planing, acceleration and speed. It's very nice for heavier sailors and slalom style blasting with sails of around 6.5-7.0m, but ultimately we'd have to agree with the Guester who reckoned it to be somewhat less of a standout star than many of this season's other JP boards that we have tested.

JP Freeride 275 Windsurf May 2001

Early Planing. This JP gets going very quickly. It accelerates effortlessly in gusts, mainly because of it weight and also planes through lulls easily.
Speed. Quite a slalom bias to this board and so it is very fast on a reach when it feels light and lively. Upwind performance is good too with the board driving comfortably off the fin. The ride is smooth and comfortable and even in high wind and chop this JP remains easily controllable.
Manoeuvres. This is a board that gives well provided you power into the turn. Light handed gybes just don't come off, but speed and commitment as you power into a gybe makes the board go round on rails and you'll exit on the plane. Although more slalom biased this JP could be used for tricks simply because it's so light.
Suitability. A wide wind range board that is aimed at more experienced windsurfers. It's too energetic for the less experienced windsurfer or novice gyber. Could be used for slalom racing. Rig Range. Up to 7.5metres.
Construction and Accessories. Carbon sandwich construction. Very light construction and a bit fragile if you're still wiping out a lot Comfortable straps and pads.
Shape. Light V in the nose flowing to V wrth channels in the board's mid secition then into V in the tail. Negative tail kick.
OVERALL A high performance board on all points of sail. But it's more suitable for more experienced windsurfers rather than first time short boards.

JP Freeride 282 Windsurf June 2001

Early Planing A very light hull weight is the main reason for the JP Freeride 282's early planing and acceleration. This is a 144 litre design, the second largest in the test and yet it planes incredibly early, accelerates away well and picks up on gusts that normally only smaller boards do. For the same reason it glides easily through lulls.
Speed. The fastest board in this test on a reach. The straight line tracking is excellent and the board feels controlled and controllable throughout. Manoeuvrable boards like these don't always go well upwind because of the curves in their plan shape, rocker line and rail shape, but this 282 is better than average in both speed and direction.
Manoeuvres. An easy handling board throughout its wind range. It has a positive grip in power gybes and is easy to handle and controllable across it's wind range.
Suitability. An ideal blasting or, even because of it's manoeuvrabilrty, a trick board. But beware the light construction which enables the high performance also results in a more fragile board than others and it doesn't take rough handling very well. Rig Range. Eight and half metres.
Construction & Accessories. Very light epoxy sandwich construction results in high performance in light winds but you've got to look after it as the hull is susceptible to dings and knocks. A number of hire centres who have JP boards listed are very careful about who is allowed to use them. A high standard of accessories including an excellent fin, comfortable and easily adjustable straps and large deck pads. The domed deck makes long distance blasting much easier on the feet and back
Overall. A full on freeride board built in very light, construction. Excellent performance on all points of sail. Easy handling with good well positioned fittings. Think twice about this one if you're heavy handed or footed or just plain accident prone.

JP Freeride 282 Boards June 2001

The biggest board in the JP range, the 282 is the largest of the three Freerides of 114, 129 and 144 litres. They are marketed as "exciting, fast, early planing boards".
Style: Up until this season, JP hadn't gone in for 'big' boards - smallish (c. 100L) freerides and freestyles being their largest offerings. Usually the specialist 'performance orientated' brands tend to go for race shapes in bigger sizes, but JP have chosen a more 'recreational' approach. However, they are not exactly recognised as an intermediate's brand, so fashioning a recreational 144L freeride faces them with some dilemmas. With a relatively narrow tail and very high nose rocker it is clearly designed more with manoeuvring in mind than specialist early planing performance. In fact it is very much a freeride board with 'excitement' and manoeuvring to the fore.
Feel and performance: Speed onto the plane is good though not exceptional, but once going it accelerates quickly with that very stiff, light feel so characteristic of JP boards. Top speed is also good and the board feels faster than the competition even when travelling at the same speed. Response to footsteering is positive and it feels less ponderous than most of the others; more like a scaled up mid length freeride than a widestyle. The ride it gives is relatively exciting but nervous by comparison with the others. It tends to rail up earlier, despite having the smallest fin and unless you are a very heavy sailor the comparatively chunky rails make you feel quite remote from the water and don't really aid positive grip.
Gybing and manoeuvring: It footsteers in quite an easy and conventional manner and although the thick rails don't give the most direct feel it gybes quite well.
Range Wind: As it really isn't a specialist early planer there is not much reason to load it with more than an 8.5m. It will work better than most with smaller sails (5.5-6.5m) but seems best suited for fast cruising with 7.0-8.5m. Water: Although the slightly flighty ride requires a degree of skill in tricky conditions, the narrower tail and high nose rocker give good performance in quite a spread of swell, chop and small waves. Ability: Although the board is stacked with volume it prioritises speed and a lively ride over control and ease, thus clearly aiming more towards the advanced or later intermediate heavyweight rather than the earlier intermediate.
Overall: Heavyweight advancing intermediates would seem to be the likeliest buyers. While not the best choice for early planing or intermediates, it offers a bit more excitement and 'feel' than most widestyles and is therefore a very good, high volume, big sail freeride/cruiser, for the sailor looking for a high volume board that can deliver fast blasting with sails of around 8.0m.

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