Fanatic | Windsurfing board tests

July 30, 2015 By Bill Hilow Leave a Comment

97 Fanatic Hawk 2013 – User report: Bill Hilow

If you need a board for 35-50kph wind the Fanatic Hawk will do nicely. I wouldn’t call it loose. Jibing takes total commitment. The tail is narrow and somewhat flat. The concave runs nose to tail and loses hollowness toward the tail.

Fanatic Hawk 97 – Needs to be fully powered

Not really an easy board to sail. The conditions you would sail a 97 liter board are not the same as a floaty 120lt. Not to say that an intermediate wouldn’t love it but to get the most out of this shape you need to be fully powered up and ripping. Shines with a 5.5 and a 26-28 freeride fin. // Bill Hilow

July 22, 2015 By Bill Hilow Leave a Comment

Fanatic Hawk 100 L Wood Sandwich 2012 – Test report: Bill Hilow

In over 20 years of sailing in San Fransisco this is the preeminent freeride rocket. My main board in any conditions including open ocean blasting. Not since the Mistral Electron of yore has there been another board with this competence and versatility. It gobbles chop, lofts airs like a 88lt.

Fanatic Hawk 2012 – Two gear board, waterstart or fullspeed

Takes commitment to ride. Basically has two gears. Waterstart or full speed. There really isn’t any in-between. As soon as you step on the back strap the board jumps and keeps accelerating until you hit top speed or stuff it. I sail most often with a 5.5 and and 26cm FinWorks Wave Blade. All carbon.

Fanatic Hawk 100 L – Great speed potential, yet an really good allrounder

Top speed is of course limited to fin, sail and bottom shape. Jibing takes commitment and a flat area to initiate. I try to scrub speed by sailing a bit upwind then overcommitting to the lee rail. The board is short and wide but never plows. Upwind performance better than average, off wind performance it’s forte’. If you’re fully powered in chop or big rolling swell no freestyler will challenge you. I guarantee it. Exciting ride with slippery feel. // Bill Hilow

The old- USA Haute 86lt, Glass board circa. 1988 The new- Fanatic Hawk 2012. 100lt

October 6, 2011 By Claes Leave a Comment

Fanatic Ray 115 – Test 2011 and 2012

Fanatic Ray 2011 and 2012 has been developed side by side with Fanatic Falcon, Fanatics slalom board. The Fanatic Ray 115 scores really well when it comes to early planing and is considered to be one of theeasiest and most comfortable boards within the freerace segment. There are a few boards that are slightly faster but the Fanatic Ray is one of the fastest, if not the fastest, in rough conditions. As its predecessor the Fanatic Ray offers excellent high end performance, and will offer you slalom performance that is quite easy to unlock.

More into Freeride?

If you are looking for a board that is less hard core, have a look at the awesome Fanatic Hawk 2012.

Hard facts – Fanatic Ray 115 LTD

Manufacturer: Fanatic, fanatic.com
Length: 240 cm
Width: 67 cm
Volume: 115 L
Weight: 6,6 kg
Sail range: 6,2 – 8,8

Boards (UK) May 2011 – Fanatic Ray 115:

Fanatic Ray is a very lively, fast feeling board to sail, and it doesn’t just feel fast – it is fast! On flat water the Fanatic Ray was one of the fastest boards on test, and as soon as the water chopped up a bit it took the lead, thanks to its active ride off the tail.

The Fanatic Ray definitely isn’t as easy to sail as some of the other the boards, and needs to be locked down to keep it in control, but its active ride does give an advanced rider opportunity to squeeze a bit more speed when required. At the top end the Fanatic Ray takes the most skill and technique to control.

In the gybe the Fanatic Ray felt one of the bigger, more technical boards of the group. On flat water the Fanatic Ray gybes fine (albeit not as tight as some), but in the chop it required more technique. The Fanatic Ray is a board for speed freaks who not only like to go fast, but also like the feeling of going fast! The Ray was the fastest board of the group in choppy water, but also one of the hardest to control when things got realy rough.

Windsurf (UK) May 2011 – Fanatic Ray 115:

The Fanatic Ray is a direct development of Fanatic’s Falcon, used in PWA racing, designed ta offer easy and controllable performance. The Fanatic Rays hull design features double concaves in the front section into a vee in the tail. New for this year are in the tail where the vee has been altered for better control at high wind speeds and thinner rails.

The Fanatic Ray 115 lifts quickly up onto the plane and accelerates smoothly towards maximum speed with ease. The ride from the straps is also very comfortable and the hull shape works very well to smooth out any bumps while you blast along.

The Fanatic Ray 115 is extremely fast on all points of sail and this is most prominent when the conditions start to get rough. In the gybe, the Ray holds its speed very well, exiting quickly and accelerating rapidly back up to top speed.

The Fanatic Ray is suitable for any level of rider from freerider to slalom racer looking for a-little more comfort around the race course or for just burning your mates at your local spot.

Fanatic Ray 2011 and 2012 – The shaper Sebastian Wenzel tells us about the board

April 6, 2011 By Claes Leave a Comment

Fanatic Ray 125 LTD – Test 2009 and 2010

Fanatic Ray 2009 and 2010 have been developed side by side with Fanatic Falcon, Fanatics slalom board. The Ray has got a narrower tail and center widths as well as rounder rails for improved freeride, freerace and jibing performance.

Fanatic Ray 2009 vs 2010

The chape remains the same for 2010, but Fanatic have made the Ray 2010 lighter and more stiff compared to last years modell.

Slalom performance easy to access

Together with the JP Super Sport and RRD FireRace the Fanatic Ray is really fast in mid-wind conditions and when it comes to top-speed the Fanatic Ray is comparable to the Super Sport 127 and the Starboard Futura 133. The RRD FireRace is slightly faster… if you are skilled enough that is. The RRD FireRace is one of the most techy boards within the Free Ride /Free Race segment. The Ray is not the fastest board on to the plane but offers excellent high end performance, and will offer you slalom performance that is quite easy to unlock. Boardtests.com

Hard facts – Fanatic Ray 125 LTD

Manufacturer: Fanatic, fanatic.com
Length: 245 cm
Width: 70 cm
Volume: 126 L
Weight: 7,5 (2009) 6,7 (2010)
Sail range: 6,5 – 9,0

Surf (Germany) no 5, 2010 – Fanatic Ray 125 LTD

Fanatic Ray 125 LTD remains, especially at top speed very calm, relaxed and easy to drive. The Ray is certainly not the best climber board for very inexperienced surfers, but in relation to the performance potential the Fanatic Ray is very easy to drive. In light winds the Fanatic Ray is slightly slower than some of the wider boards, whilst powered up the Fanatic Ray is a top recommendation for any amateur race.
If you compare the Fanatic Ray with the Shark the Ray loses in light winds by only a breath, really powered up the Ray wins clearly.

The Fanatic Ray delivers what it promises: Control combined with a lot of speed.
Beginner ** Freeride **** Freerace *****