Update on FreeFormula 158 Wood

[<Andrew>]

Sukhdev, your earlier review on the this board is very helpful. Can you provide some further comments since I assume you now have more TOW? I am an experienced sailor (75kg or 165lbs)and would use with 9.0 Retro and also buy a larger sail. How about a recommendation on the larger sail and fin upgrade? Thanks.

[<IJ>]

Not Sukhdev, but possibly sailed the FF158 more than most.
For your weight i think 10.5, max 11.0 would be more than big enough, put this with a good 70cm fin and you will be planning in the lightest winds and this will easily take you to winds when the 9.0 would go.
Sukhdev might be more specific on sail type but 10.5 retro, GTX or Nitro would all do the job.

[sukhdev]

Hi Andrew,

I'd go with IJ's advice, he's been on that board the most locally. A 9 and 10.5 retro would be a great match for the board, or any sail of that ilk. re fin as ian says go 70cm for the lightest air. If you havent bought the sails then I would suggest a 2sq m  spread say a 10.5 and a 8.5 and you are covered for about all the wind range the board would properly work in.

[<Andrew>]

I appreciate the suggestions. I have some experience with the Formula 147. How well does it point upwind? I would really like to expand my sailing area beyond the mainly back and forth sailing with my AHD Free Diamond 70.

[<andrew>]

Sorry, I should have stated how well does the 158 point upwind compared to the 147? Thanks.

[<IJ>]

Andrew
With a Drake 70cm fin and powered up i found the board very competitive up-wind. Only when it was marginal did i find that it lost out to true formula boards. This may be due to the softer rails, a better fin would certainly have helped.
The FF also has easily obtained speed, both up and down wind. A good sailor on the FF will, in my opinion, be faster than a poor sailor on an F