Interview Koen Sonck (BEL 2) about the new Exocet RS Boards
"Maximum speed as early as possible, explosive acceleration."
These words mark the Exocet RS boards in the product brochure. When going through the brochure, the boards look extremely nice, both shape and print design. We've asked Koen Sonck (Exocet/The Loft/Select) if he could tell us about the new RS boards of Exocet. Where are these boards designed for; full downwind slalom, or for difficult long distance races with different courses, or can we use them for GPS racing. Koen will give us his expert opinion about it.
LOCALSAILING: When would you choose to use an Exocet RS instead of an Exocet Warp SL?
KOEN: In the medium and higher wind range, with sails 7.5m² and smaller , the Exocet Warp SL range is without doubt the first choice in slalom and long distance racing.
These boards give in those conditions besides superior speed also great control and comfort. The specific WSL outlines are part of the secret to obtain this performance in medium and high winds.
In the lighter winds, we noticed that speed differences between racers are small, control is often no issue and to win a race, you need esp. acceleration on the startline and after the jibe. To obtain this, some racers are going for bigger sails and bigger fins, even sacrificing a bit the top speed. To balance the bigger sails and bigger fins, you need a modified outline with wider tail.
Since more and more slalom races are now also including some really tight legs (sometimes even upwind), you also want a board that keeps its speed and acceleration under a bigger variety of angles.
Especially in light winds with bigger sails, this is crucial. Since the "PWA quiver rule" changed from" 4 sails-2 boards" to "6 sails-3 boards", racers could now include some more specialized "light wind" slalom boards. This is were the new RS5 and RS6 slalom-race boards come into the picture.
On the RS5 &6, the tail width was increased and the aggressiveness balanced by making a shorter more compact length. Due to some other adaptations, we managed to keep the top speed too.
LOCALSAILING: What would you advise the average windsurfer mad about speed. For example; I am about 98kg heavy and a weekend windsurfer, I want to race with my friends but would also like to do regional slalom races and long distance races.
KOEN: There is indeed an overlap between the WSL range (71 & 78) and the new RS5&6 (73 & 83) . The choice will be made depending what you want to do in the outer end of the windranges and the biggest sail you want to use.
If you favour the upper windrange and like topspeed and control on mainly down or halfwind courses, go for the WSL.
If you favour races with possible some upwind legs (figure 8- style) and also want to be able to load your board with bigger sails and fins, go for the RS5 or RS6.
The windsurfers with a background in formula racing will definitely like the stance and the feeling of the RS boards while the GPS-speed addicts, used of windsurfing with smaller fins, will like the topspeed& glide of the WSL.
LOCALSAILING: Can you tell us about the main design differences compared to the former S and what were the reasons to change them?
KOEN: The previous Warp S (76 &85) were a blend of a dedicated slalom shape with some characteristics of a free-racer, offering a high performance board for a huge variety of people.
It had very forgiving rails and the length was longer for extra stability. Since the introduction of the Exocet Sting, we have the perfect successor for those boards.
So the new RS boards have only the "S" common in the name and I would not call them an evolution of the
Warp S.
RS 5&6 is designed for uncompromised slalom racing. Maybe I need to say that due to its design and wider tail, the RS can be quiet accessible too, esp if you keep it gentle on the throttle by adapting your sailsize. But put the counter in the red and you will be amazed about what is under your feet.
"The wider tail boards will require some more rail pressure during the jibe, but the extra tail surface will keep you planning even with those bigger sails."
LOCALSAILING: Can you explain to us how the RS feels when you are using it? On the straight and when jibing.
KOEN: Having not yet sailed the final production board, but boards very close to it, I can say that the RS5 & RS6 will have a different stance where the front and back foot are much more in line.
Due to the extra width in the rear, you have more leverage (= control) over the fin via your back foot and you can load the boards more.
When racing a WSL78 in light winds and going on a reach or little upwind course, you need to be gentle with backhand and rear foot pressure so you don't overpush the board. With the RS, you can push really hard from the moment you get in planning mode. You get more a feeling of being "on top of the water", some would even say formula/foiling style.
When jibing with +8.5m² sails, it is hard to keep a narrow tail board going esp when you rotate the sail. This is often a "momentum stopper". The wider tail boards will require some more rail pressure during the jibe, but the extra tail surface will keep you planning even with those bigger sails.
Due to the modified rockerline and extra width, acceleration is also more instant.
You could almost say: narrow tail boards will allow to attack the jibe with a really high speed. The board will track a lot, so if you keep the momentum (and the speed) you can exit the jibe fast and continue in the new direction. Wider tail slalom boards will be a little harder to jibe at the same speed, but if during the jibe you loose some of the speed, you will be faster on the plane again and accelerate swiftly to your topspeed in the new direction.
There are many parameters that can make you loose speed. It happens often that your jibe is not perfect and that you are obstructed by the opponent in front of you, or you get bad wind from the racers behind and above you that are starting to jibe, or the "big sail" rotation just stops you, or you rotate just on the back of a chop,…….
Next time you watch a slalom race, just look to the jibes and the different racers and on how many do manage to do a 100% full speed jibe.
I
n addition to the shape changes, there is also a new full carbon construction, extremely light, the center of gravity is very far back giving the feeling of having no weight under you feet.
Some people will recognize this from the WSL78 Honey comb construction, but due to the reduced length, the effect is even bigger.
LOCALSAILING: What fins would you advise for the RS5 & RS6? And can you explain why. Perhaps some details about the new Select fins you use?
KOEN: Fins are something very personal. I still have a quiver of "old" selects, S07 and RS that work really well. When looking to the 2010 Select line-up, the S10 would be my first choice for the RS boards.
I usually use 2 fins for each board depending upon sailsize: for RS5: 40cm / 45cm and for RS6: 47cm / 53cm.
LOCALSAILING: What mast foot position would you prefer with these relatively short but wide boards, is there any different with slightly longer boards, say 240?
KOEN: In general, the wider the board, the more back you can put the mastfoot. A good start point on most of the exocet slalom boards is having the mastfoot almost all the way to the back so the round plate of your mastbase is just not covering the last 2cm of the rail (including the square hole).
LOCALSAILING: In the brochure, Exocet claims the boards can sail on tight reaches to downwind blasting, is that enough to use it for long distance racing or do you need more features?
KOEN: Like stated above, the RS is getting its bonus points due to fast acceleration , performance on tight reaches and blasting in shifty wind. The more jibes you have and the tighter the reaches, the more you will benefit from the RS. In long distance racing you don't have the jibes, but you can have a crowdy start and sometimes tight reaches, so yes, the RS can be your weapon of choice.
LOCALSAILING: Looking at the RS types how would you set up the board, fin, rig combination for :
1. Slalom racing
2. Long distance racing
KOEN: I would not make any difference in set-up. In all races, having a good balanced trim is key for performance. You trim needs to be see you feel comfortable, can ' push the pedal to the metal" and forget about board and sail and focus on the race. If your trim is good for slalom, it is also good for a long distance race.
LOCALSAILING: Koen, you are also team rider for The Loft sails. What sails would you prefer to use on the RS5 & RS6.
KOEN: I have watched Monty his work for many years and appreciate a lot the road he has been taking in regards of sail design and sail construction. Reduction of monofilm; metal caminterface; useage of RDM for extra durability and easy rotation; interchangeable cam's RDM-SDM ; equally loaded mast sleeve; living wing design, promotion of the Loft adjustable outhaul, just to name a few of them.
Also I was fed up with being afraid for mast breakage when racing in +25°c temperatures.
The 2010 blade and Blade FR have really turned out to be beauties and top performers. All the people that have tested them are really enthusiastic.
Loft was already in 2009 a strong contender in the Slalom and Speed arena, but in 2010 they will be competing equally for the podium in formula.
For the bigger sizes, Loft has developed a unique bi-conical RDM mast that starts as RDM in the bottom, goes to a larger diameter in the boom area and back to SDM in the top. A perfect combination of durability and response.
For light to medium wind slalom, I'll keep life simple and go for Blade 9.0 and 7.7 .
LOCALSALING: What is your specific strength, slalom, formula, etc. and what do you still want to achieve in your windsurf career?
KOEN: For 2010, I'll start the competitions at eastern with the Belgian Speedweek in Gruissan (France). The week after we have the Slalom Worlds for youth & Masters at Almenarre.
I will of course defend my national racing title (Formula + slalom) during 5 weekends spread over the Belgian season and in May, I will give my best at the Defi-Wind.
My main goal is to live my passion and that is windsurfing! At the same time, I still want to kick some ass, esp. of those younger guy's.
It is the challenge and the thrill of blasting around the race course that keeps me young.
My strongest points is slalom and formula, but even at 39 and multiple national tittles, I still feel that I'm getting better and better. One of the great things about windsurfing: there is more then physical strength, there is also experience , tactics and motivation and this can make a big difference.
I find it quiet interesting that also in other sports, the age is going up. Lance Armstrong and now Michael Schumacher, both about my age or even older.
LOCALSAILING: Any tips and tricks for our readers?
KOEN: Max TOW and never give up. (TOW = time on water)
LOCALSAILING: Koen, thank you very much for your the lots of info that you gave us. I think the tips are very useful. We wish you lots of wind and good fun.
See you soon on the water.