Raceboard

For those of you who don't know, a Raceboard is basically a longboard, 380cm long, 65-70cm wide, with a centerboard and a mast track that allows you to adjust the position of the mast step while sailing.

The Raceboard class is a perfect continuation of the Techno and RS: x youth classes. The skills learnt in these classes transfer very well to the Raceboard.

The great thing about the Raceboard class is that anyone can compete and have fun racing. There's no age limit, and whether you're in the lead, in the middle or a little further back in the fleet, there's always going to be a good fight on the water!

Here are 5 good reasons to convince you that the Raceboard isn't as strange a board as you might think:

1. Cost of equipment

Affordable! Many top riders have replaced their old boards with the latest Starboard or Exocet models. You'll find boards from the 90s that are still competitive for next to nothing!

2. So what sail sizes do I need?

Maximum sail size 9.5 for men, 8.5 for women. You can use up to 3 sails in competition, but 2 sails cover 99% of sailing conditions. I would recommend a 9.5/8.5 or 8.5/7.5 quiver.

3. I'm young and racing in Techno where I only use a 7.8 or 6.8 sail. The 8.5 is too big and my parents don't want to invest in a new rig and float!

The Techno 7.8 is a very good sail for light sail sizes. When used correctly, it can be sailed just as well as a larger sail.

Some racers are returning to regattas with their old 7.5 m² sails, and they're far from ridiculous in competitions.

4. I'm too heavy/big/ to race in light winds!

On boards with a volume of over 250 liters, there is little difference.

5. Raceboarding is boring. I'd rather go kitesurfing or SUP or wait until there's enough wind to sail my big freeride board.

Think of all those moments when you went to the beach, looked at the conditions and spent a lot of time talking and complaining about the lack of wind ... then you rigged your biggest sail and spent an hour sailing glued to the water with no planning.

Well, if you had a Raceboard, you'd have had an hour of pure fun! With the volume up, Raceboards have an incredible gliding feel and glide very early on. With the daggerboard down, they come up very hard on the wind, and as soon as they start to "ride the rail" (the daggerboard acts as a foil and lifts the rail to windward of the water), going upwind becomes really exhilarating, and all this from 5 knots upwards.

When the wind picks up, Raceboards remain super-controllable, even with big sails. Although the volume is big, the board remains light underfoot when planning. They have a huge sailing range.

.... the board to be sure of sailing and returning to port no matter what.

More information on www.raceboard.org