Quad GDS / TE:
Board: Fanatic Quad TE 2012 (87 and 75)
Riders: Bruno Erbani (FBC Moulay), Jean Seb Lavocat (FBC St. Martin) and Russell Groves (FBC Lanzarote)
This month, we push our testing further than ever by offering you reviews from 3 of our wave pro’s at different FBC ’s, all testing the 2012 edition of the Fanatic Quad TE on their home spots and in varying wave conditions.
Whatever wind and wave conditions you encounter on your home spot, the Quad vintage 2012 is truly an exceptional shape – let’s see what the guys have to say …
Why is it Your Favourite Board?
Bruno: Let’s make it short and clear: Light weight / good planing / good speed / good upwind / good carving / good design and graphics / very good board!
JS: It’s one of the very best boards I have ever used since I have been windsurfing in waves (approx 20 years), the perfect synthesis of all the winning shapes I have tried before, whether single, twin or quad boards. The volume distribution is perfect, the tail reminds me of a pure surfboard, and the bottom shape offers all the qualities you can dream of in terms of planing, glide and reactivity. A true wave riding machine, stable, comfortable and offering super clean trajectories. You just have to decide how radical and vertical you want to get!
Russell: It planes so early, is fast overall and when jumping you feel nothing under your feet! In wave riding it carries so much speed even when turning tight. Lovely.
Best Wind:
Bruno: 20 to 30 knots
JS: 15 to 25 knots
Russell: 15 knots up
Best Sail Sizes:
Bruno: For me Neil Pryde Atlas 5.0 and 5.4 - I’m a big guy who likes to be powered up.
JS: North Sails ID 4.7 and Hero Code Mad 5.0.
Russell: I am pretty light and only use it with a 4.0m North Sails Hero.
Your Favourite Moves:
Bruno: Full carving bottom turns and explosive top turns on the lip of the wave.
JS: Fat aerials, goiters, rodeo flips and down the line aggressive surfing. High back loops.
Russell : Aerials and tight turns in the pocket of the wave. Also back loops.
Trimming Tips :
Bruno: The front and back straps as far away from each other as possible, again because I am pretty tall (1,92m for 92 kg). As for the fins, I first tried the board with front and back fins positioned in the middle and found the board was reacting fantastically in terms of carving, turning in a pocket with a very healthy foot control. I then moved the front fins completely forward and discovered that the board was planing even earlier and had a better end speed. The most expert pure wave riders might find that the board needs a bit more foot pressure when carving, but overall the board feels so stable and predictable in all types of curves that I kept this trimming.
JS: I have put the fins as far back as possible and it gives me the highest response from the board. My mastfoot is right in the middle with 5.0 and a tiny little bit further back with a 4.7.
Russell: Most important for me is to have the front foot strap right forward. I have the mast foot right back as I am short. I position my fins as close together as they will go,
never having problems to get planing even in marginal winds, while looking at the highest reactivity in turns that I like to make as tight as possible. If you want to get into true radical
turns on a wave, that’s just the right board.
General Impressions of the 2012 Quad Compared to the 2011 Edition:
Bruno: Basically the 2012 performs a lot better in all domains, and there is no comparison with the 2011 edition. It planes much earlier, feels incredibly light, the top end speed is also good and it also points very well upwind which is a plus on many wave spots. Overall a very well achieved shape. But the best is when you start riding waves! You get a lot of control and grip in all radius of turns, even in full speed down the line bottom turns. The top turns are simply magic, you can get the rail to grip or you can slide & slash and regain control with total ease, so you decide what the ride will be and the board just delivers. For me and with my level it is the best board ever produced by Fanatic since I started the center in 2000. I think that says it all?!
JS: In 2012 the Quad simply benefits from all of the small and big corrections that the 2011 needed. The work done on the tail and on the overall weight have had amazing results. It is now a pure Chef D’oeuvre, combining the very best of single and twin fins shapes. The potential in light wind is great and the board remains totally controllable yet radical when very powered up. You really now just need one board that makes it all in your quiver, whatever your style is, by all wind directions and on all spots around the planet. Again, bravo to Seb (Wenzel – Fanatic shaper) and the riders who developed it, it has brought me incredible sensations and pleasure!
Russell: The most important change is the speed, it planes much faster so getting back up to the peak is so much quicker and you can catch one wave after the other. The tail is smaller so it feels like a much smaller board, lively and overall super fun.
View more information about this board.
Review By:
Name : Bruno, Jean-Seb & Russell
Job :
Nationality : 0000
Languages : 0000
