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STARBOARD FORMULA 155
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FORMULA 155
Length: 271 cm Width: 85 cm
Volume: 155 ltrs Weight: 19.5/8.9kg
Upwind: N/A Planing: N/A
Speed: N/A Handling: N/A
Jibe: v Overall: N/A
Price: $1,550
Includes: Straps, Pads, Fin
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So confusing. Now the name refers to the volume, not width—and in the Starboard pamphlet it's called the Formula 270, referring to the length. Whatever. But try on a width of 85 cm for size!
It's Starboard's attempt to make sailing fun and easy again. Svein Rasmussen recruited Jim Drake, whose original Windsurfer still draws sighs of nostalgia for the good old days when you went down to the water and sailed, period. Drake was invited to apply modern technology to his original concept of one board for all. Both wood and Dyneema are part of that technology in the Formula.
The result, according to Starboard, is an ultra-wide board that planes earlier, accelerates quicker, points higher, and is faster in light wind than any other board of its kind. It also tacks and jibes with ease, planes straight downwind, makes learning easy, and last but no way least, accepts sails from 4.0 to 12.0 meters! And now Rasmussen reports that it's winning races in Europe, in the Formula Windsurfing class.
Whew. Can it rig your sail for you, too?
No, but it can "warp your perception." At least that was John Chao's comment. "Amazing speed!" he said. Nevin Sayre was less impressed with its speed, or maybe his perception was less warped. He only rated it a 3 in Speed. Go figure.
In ratings by four sailors, it got higher marks in Upwind, Planing and Speed ((4.42 average) than in Handling and Jibe (3.19). An intermediate guest tester said that it "didn't like to turn." Yet Mark Archer found that it jibed very well for a board so wide. Both comments could be true. Once again, it only goes to show that it's all relative.
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