//freerideThe Futuras: the pure freeride boards that combine stability and ease of use with the widest wind range and the highest top end performance in its group. Blurring the lines between free-slalom boards and freeride boards, the Futuras are also, astonishingly, the most easy freeride boards in their group. This thanks to extra width and their ability to automatically deliver peak performance across a wide sweet spot.
for 2010
New cutaway shapes that reduce the wetted surface area without losing width under your back foot: a more efficient planing surface that delivers more speed and quicker acceleration, but without loss of control, stability or power. .
New wingers that create more width between your feet, less width in the tail: a more efficient planing surface for a higher top end speed and quicker acceleration. .
New nose shape on the Futura 122 and 133 that have been tweaked to offer improved balance: the 122 has a slightly narrower nose and the 133 has a slightly wider nose. Both are a touch longer than last year.
The Futura 141 has also been thinned down further compared to last year, to provide a more responsive, sporty and controllable ride with the same levels of ease, stability and comfort.
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WoodCarbon offers the lightest weight of all with a stiffer construction that offers quicker acceleration in lighter winds. Unidirectional, ultra light and flat woven carbon is used for maximum stiffness and minimum weight.
Special note on the Futura WoodCarbons - they are staggered into two groups: the Futura 122 and smaller are built with a carbon deck and a wood bottom to achieve a blend between stiffness and control, as these boards are used mainly in medium to high wind strengths. In high winds, control is more important than stiffness.
The Futura 133 and larger are built in carbon both deck and bottom, as these boards are mainly used in lighter winds. In lightwinds, weight and stiffness are the more important factors. All WoodCarbon boards feature a wood spine on the deck to add structural rigidity and shock-absorbing and vibration-damping effect.
Wood offers the best control, the highest level of dynamic shape stability and increased comfort at a very light weight. The unidirectional Australian pine wood sheet of 0.6mm thickness wraps the entire board, deck and bottom, to form a stiff and rigid shell that is also tough and impact resistant.
TechnoraTM offers the best balance between strength, weight, stiffness and affordability. The 2010 Technora models also now come in a custom look, for a custom board effect but more importantly, to save a hundred grams of weight in paint.
The Tufskin models are the toughest option and also the most affordable with the highest weight. The Tufskin 122, 133, 141 and 155 also include additional intermediate footstrap options.
Maximum durability and value. Tufskin technology uses layers of 3-dimensional 400g glass mat wetted out with an expanding epoxy resin system that creates volume within the skin as it cures under pressure. This creates a thick, stiff, and durable sandwiched laminate. The fine plastic skin that wraps the entire board adds scratch and impact resistance (Start, Rio models). The Tufskin AST variant loses the outer plastic skin to be replaced with a half-deck wood layer to improve rigidity without a weight penalty.
The Futura 133 and larger are built in carbon both deck and bottom, as these boards are mainly used in lighter winds. In lightwinds, weight and stiffness are the more important factors. All WoodCarbon boards feature a wood spine on the deck to add structural rigidity and shock-absorbing and vibration-damping effect.
Starboard Futura 111 Wood, Windsurf UK Magazine, April 2010
Stats
Volume(L) 111
Weight(KG) 7.4
Length(CM) 240
Width(CM) 68
Construction Wood
Fin(CM) 380
You'll like... The exciting and controlled ride
You won't like... Nothing. Does exactly what it claims to do.
BACKGROUND
The Futura has been in the Starboard line-up for 3 years now, after
replacing the popular carve and S-Type boards to create one high
performance pure freeride range. For 2010 the 111 has undergone a few
slight tweaks to improve its top speed and acceleration.
AT A GLANCE
The Futura has a compact, short and wide out-line shape, with its width
extending forward to the rounded off nose. The tail tapers in very narrow
and features cut-outs on the underside to reduce the wetted area. The hull
design has a subtle double concave into vee for early planing and control
at speed. It has all of the usual quality fittings, such as, fish scale
footpads, comfortable straps and a Drake fin.
RIDE & HANDLING
The Futura is very stable under foot due to its width and even volume
distribution. The double concaves in the mid section respond rapidly, lifting
the board quickly and efficiently up onto plane. From the footstraps the
deck shape and dome fit your feet superbly. It offers a comfortable and
great riding position to allow the rider to push and drive hard off the fin. The
harder you push, the faster you'll go. It is very easy to make this board
perform and it never feels out of control but at the same time it does give
you the thrilling sensation that you are close to the edge. Tiesda You,
Starboard designer, says this is his Futura favourite, "This board has a
massive wind range so make the most of it by having a quiver of three
fins".
MANOEUVRES
The Futura rewards any style or level of gyber. With the thinner profile and
narrow tail you get lots of feedback through the turn which enables you to
go in as hard or as fast as you like and you should still come out the other
side planing. It also handles rougher conditions well and can be a lot of fun
to get airborne. Tacking is also easy with the wide nose but beware, it's
not very long.
SUMMING UP
A great freeride board with performance that can hold its own on the race
course, in the right hands. It is fast, user friendly, manoeuvrable and
exciting, what more can you ask for!
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