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POWER WAVE 257
Length: 251cm Width: 55.5cm
Volume: 86 Weight: 14.5/6.6kg
Upwind: 3.90 Planing: 3.90
Speed: 3.90 Handling: 4.20
Jibe: 4.20 Overall: 4.06
Price: $1,499 Includes: Straps, Pads, Fin
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AHD POWER WAVE 257
The Power Wave line, including a 253, 257 and 262, is new for 2000. The design focus was on acceleration and handling. AHD describes these boards as a “no-compromise design for top-level wave riding,” which to us says “expert.” Of course, AHD also says the boards will ‘’extend performance beyond existing limits in any type of wave condition.’’ How you can shape for any condition without compromising the design is beyond us. We tested the 257 and 262, and found them to be fairly different animals, which is unusual for sailboard siblings—like close brothers or sisters with different personalities (but surely sailboards are feminine, like ships). In this case, the little sister is the fast and loose one, which made her more popular. Maybe that was because she’s the slim one, with stiletto-like features. Her concave bottom probably has something to do with it, too, although that trait runs in the family. (AHDs were the only concave wave boards in our test.) She was also more challenging to come to grips with. We’ll stop stetching metaphors here, and not wander toward gripping girls’ bottoms, not to mention stiletto features.
SCORE: (10 ratings)
Upwind 3.90 Planing 3.90 Speed 3.90 Handling 4.20 Jibe 4.20 Overall 4.06
COMMENTS:
“Comfortable! The footstraps & fin complement the board.”
From our very technical and discriminating lightweight sailor, “Outstanding. So easy to sail, and great all-around performance. Underpowered or overpowered, it was a blast.”
From a non-lightweight, non-expert woman, “In light wind I was still able to get on a plane with this board. It seemed very smooth, and the footstraps were really easy to get into. Definitely a possible purchase choice for me.”
Two similar, surprising comments came from expert medium-weight sailors. “It seemed slow, very slow, but had good control,” said the first. The other: “The board turned well, but was SLOW to get planing, and sluggish upwind (pushed water).”
For some reason, this board had more varying opinions about its speed than any other. Remember, the Speed rating number is merely an average.
“In overpowered conditions, it handles as well as anything. Would be a great Gorge bump-and-jump board.” This is a stunning comment, considering it came from a dealer in the Gorge whose competition across the street sells AHDs.
To those who said this test would be totally tainted by having dealers as testers, we say: Take that!
STAFF:
Upwind 3.33, Planing 3.33, Speed 4.0, Handling 3.67 Jibe 3.33, Overall 3.53
COMMENTS:
“Very loose and lively, good for surf but not flat water,” said Mark Archer.
“The footstraps are too big for small feet, and the fin is too big for lighter people,” said Hedy Gurtner, our light staffer with small feet.
Hedy gave it a 5 in Speed; Mark gave it a 3. Which doesn’t really state the obvious, that any vehicle is faster carrying less weight. Testers are supposed to factor relativity. Presumably, Mark did. So, like with any single rating, it doesn’t really state much.
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