Faster or Slower boards

I have a hard time telling what you people mean when a board is fast or slow.

Does it sit deeper and push more water under where it feels like it has more drag or does it sit higher on the water and have less of a flat spot that contributes to pushing more water thus increasing drag.
I got a new substance and It is a little slower than what I expected but still have to let it sink in

Ringo,

I don't know what you were riding prior, but I demoed the Substance last weekend, and I thought it hauled a$$ for a three stage. Most of the three stage boards I've ridden are too slow for me in comparison to my continuous board (144 Motive).

I'm seriously considering purchasing the 142 after riding it. The pop is huge but controllable, and the landings were definitely softer than any other three stage I've ridden.

I ride the substance and find that its a pretty good blend of speed and huge lift. I haven't ridden a continous board in a while, though. I also think the size of the board has a lot to do with it. I rode the 138 substance for a while and it felt quicker, but had significantly harder landings.

I think the speed of a board is subjective for different riders with a different approach to the wake. Some riders like a board that sits deeper in the water allowing for more line tension, while other riders like a board that approaches the wake fast on edge.

I'd love to get a bunch of riders together to demo different boards and get each persons description of the way they ride. I think a lot of people would have different ideas about the same boards.

I used to ride an 01 byerly and a 136 drifter with doublebump swallowtail for continuous. lIke I said I need to get used to it plus it was choppy when i rode it

I think a slower board takes a little more effort to get moving towards the wake, but on the other side of the coin it offers more of a comfortable feeling when you're cutting in.

A fast board is just gonna take off towards the wake when you put some pressure on the edge. Doesn't take much effort, but it does take some board control.

do you want to TRY to go fast, or TRY to go slow?

i think evan hit it on the head. it really is just a function of line tension. the slower boards create more drag in the water thus creating more line tension. the more the line tension the slower the feel. maybe i just said a whole lot of nothing

Ringo,

I second that. My primary board is a motive but I've ridden a Premier and Byerly lately and they feel considerably "slower" that the motive. That's not a bad thing either, it's just preference.

Thane, thats always been my idea on how a fast and slow board react. I want less line tension so I am looking for a faster board (which dosn't take much effort to get to the wake). Plus you can ride a little slower and get a bigger wake which = bigger pop.

That's interesting that we think the same way but prefer different styles of boards. I like a slower board; reason is, I want the board to go as fast as how much energy I put into it. I want to TRY to go fast.

What's more interesting is that we ride the same board.

squid, return your phone calls!

Thane, I really like the newer style Premier for a slower board. I feel like I can dig it in deep and develop a lot of line tension. Right now my board of choice is the Substance for the fact that I can change my approach based on the trick. I think its a very versitile board. My only complaint is that its tough to take tricks way out into the flats with the pop that it develops. It feels like you are trying to fight it to go out instead of up. One of these days I need to get back on a continuous board just to check it out. I was kind of thinking of trying the LF Litmus.

think about the omega. The litmus is a 3-stage.

I've been riding the substance for, well, since it first came out, and you're right, it is very versatile. I like that about it a lot. I want to try the Omega though. I think it's a spin-off of the substance but it's a continuous.

Yeah, that's the other board I was thinking. It's been a while since I've ridden a center fin board. The molded fins on the Omega look a lot smaller than the Substance fins.

Thane, I am not on the substance I have been horeing again. I am trying to change my style and and riding a longer line and I don't want to be edging like a mad man with alot of tension built up. I think that if I have less tension the spins will be a little easyer. (Joe I have a new cell) check your e-mail I will send iit to you.

if you have less tension, doesn't that mean harder to pull on the handle to initiate rotation?

squid - how long of a line are you riding?

Thane I would say 70 to 80 depending on the boat and wake that day. Joe I would say there is a point when I ride a longer line when its harder to get the handle. I am trying to cook up the perfect soup of riding (Nice big slow grabbed spins)

Joe, I agree with Squid on this one. More line tension makes me wait longer to start my spin. Most of it is an approach thing for me. If I start wide with a progressive edge to build speed, then lay off, I can pop more straight up and start my spin/grab earlier. When I take a shorter/harder cut or try to take a long hard cut to the flats I have to wait on the spin. I really found that on toeside/backside spins the handle is hard to get unless I take a really mellow approach and pop straight up. Heelside backside spins dont seem to matter how much line tension I have because the initial pass is so easy (not as much distance to pass). Anyway, that's just how its worked out for me. I have a very wake to wake style that boards like the Substance works well for. I've been riding 80' lately and find it really easy to go transition to transition. Sometime I'd like to try something faster and change up my style, just to see how it feels.

Squid you need to listen to Joe and everyone else and just ride. How many times a year do we have to see this kind of post from you? You would ride good with a piece of plywood straped to your feet. I thought wakeboarding was your addiction, but I'm starting to think its boards and you just like testing them out on the water. Get over it board whore.

What is so wrong with trying out different boards. Half of the stoke for me from this sport comes from trying out NEW stuff.

he tries boards to "fix" his riding. the problem with squid is that he thinks there's always something wrong w/ his riding and he thinks riding 10 different boards a year will fix it.

fact is, squid rips, 3s, 5s, and a gang of inverts.

ya I do ok out there but I would like to bump it up a notch and find a board I truly wont get off of for a season.

It's in your head. Just get used to the board and ride

ya Blabelmooch I have to many voices in my head. BTW that profile pic is awsome.

Thanks Squid. I just had to update the pic. He's getting up on his own now

Squid.... It's ok man. I'm a board whore, too. The first step is acceptance. ha, ha, ha

I actually finally think I've found the board for me in a 142 Substance. It's kinda funny because I really didn't like the 138. I'm a board size whore, too. Of all the boards I've ridden I've had at least 2 sizes. What a sucker I am, good thing I've got a good chick that allows my stupid board budget.