Session Info

Rider:

Robert de Leeuw

SailNr:

NED-118

Country:

The Netherlands

Spot:

Kabbelaarsbank

Date:

11 April 2015

Weather:

High clouds, wind increasing, sailed in 20 to 30 kts

Water state:

Short chop up to 40cm high.

Equipment

Brand

Model

Year

Size

Remark

Board

Starboard

iSonic

2009

101

Sail

North Sails

Warp

2009

7.0

Fin

Makani

Kauila v2

2014

38cm

Report

Dutch competition slalom training with 7 other competitors of the Dutch championships, including: top 10 surfers: Adriaan van Rijsselberghe, Marco van der Leer and Coen Swijnenburg.

We did a full day of training on starts and short-down the wind slalom heats.

I started with the iSonic 101 – Warp 7.0. I wanted to take the Kauila v2 36cm, but found out afterwards I had taken the 38cm instead. First time for me with the Kauila v2 with this setup.

I didn’t test the fin against other fins, just used it during training.

I’m impressed, fin gives a lot of control. No spin outs, non at all. First time with a Makani that I have not had a single spin-out. Conditions were not that easy.  Full speed downwind, over the chop, gybing on it: No spinouts.

Speed? The fin doesn’t make the set feel very fast. Just very easy going. Gives confidence! Gives control. Makes for a smooth ride. But the speed was not bad, looking at my speed compared with the guys I have sailed against so many times, my speed was about the same as with my C3 Venoms.

But I will have to do some peer testing, focus on the fin to find that out.

When the wind became to strong I tested the 36cm shortly, but wind was already to strong for the 7.0.

I switch gear to my S-Type 104 with Warp 5.7. I whished I had a 32 or 34cm Kauila v2

I hope to test the 36cm en 38cm very soon again, they feel really good.