Just popped in to a well known large watersports emporium the other side of the pennines (as you do when work dictates that you go within 50 miles of such a place) and had a quick perv, sorry look at some new boards which I didn't see at the demo days I attended last year.

In the new supercross disipline F2 have the eliminator, very short and wide with a reduced version of the X-rays Thunder tail:- looks fast and a big sail carrier, has a wierd semi custom look skin whereby there is next to no paint / gelcoat and you can see the fibre weave in places, like the new fanatic skates (five kilos!!!!)> should be interesting to do an invisible repair on these beauties!

Also they have the new F2 'stoke' with a more traditional seamless construction and 're-inforced nose' and quite competitavely priced.



Either way I escaped the store before doing anything too stupid, but god help me if we have another summer of marginal winds, (oh no, I've said it.....)



Couldn't get the f2 website to work so if your interested check out www.surfstore.com which shows some piccies of the boards.



Isn't it strange that here we are in February, seeing some of the new '2004' boards, the first of which were on show when? July? August- last year? either way it keeps anoraks like me busy; just wish they'd invent one that could get me planing round a gybe!!

phil, the website below should appeal to your anorak:



http://www.surfspullen.nl/p/archief/archief.php?page=next#results



basically it's all a bit dutch, but if you just tick the manufacturer and click enter it'll come up with the picci and vitals of any recent board. I used it to pick out my board. it includes the 04 boards.

Thanks Suze, that is a really usefull site, especially as it has info on loads of boards going back as far as 1996!

I finally confirmed what I always suspected, that the 1998 AHD freeride 277 I bought as a first short board when stepping down from my pheopix 340; has only 105 litres of volume.

I was told it had about 115 - 120 when I bought it and really struggled with it!

(no wonder)

They still don't have the f2 eliminators or stokes I saw on there though, wonder if they have made it into the pages of windsurf or boards?

phil, I had a similar experience, someone was trying to flog me a board claiming it to be a couple of years old, using the dimensions of the board on that dutch site I worked out it was about 5-6 years old! v. useful site... just need to get one that does the same for sails and isn't quite so dutch!

I'm one of the lucky ones that got chosen to go to Egypt with Boards mag.

It kicks off in a couple of weeks so hopefully I'll have the lowdown on all the new sexy kitby mid March. Feel free to pester me for info as I am a regular @ West Kirby

Fair play Bigpete, hope you have a great time, have you been soaking your hands in surgical spirits to toughen them up in advance? or have you done enough sailing recently that it won't matter??

Also do you know what kind of kit you'll be testing?

Either way, I'll look forward to your appearance in the mag! get some good shades to stop the sun glare from Jem's head affecting your vision on the water!!