F2 Axis 258
Steve Ramsden
where I rented first the Axxis 258, then an Axxis 260 (last year's
model), then the Axxis 258 again (with 4.5, 4.0, and 4.0 wave sails,
respectively). I believe the 258 had the standard 9.4" wave fin. The
260 had an 11" blade.
Before I talk about the boards I should say that I'm not an expert.
I am comfortable in the straps, I can waterstart no problem, and I can
handle winds as strong as 3.5, but my jibes are horrible to see. I weigh
about 150 lbs. and I normally sail an 8'3" J.Blair no-nose at the Gorge.
Ok, so I really liked the 258. It is very fast for a wave-slalom
board, significantly faster and easier to plane than my 8'3". I was
blowing by better sailors without much effort. It seemed just as fast as
the 260, but felt much nicer in the 4.0-4.5 conditions. It stuck to the
water better (when I wanted it to) and didn't get blown off-course when I was
in the air.
Although it has less volume than the 260, it seems to crank onto a plane
and cruise through the lulls just as well, probably because it has a good
portion of the volume under your feet.
It has harder rails and much less nose-rocker than my 8'3" (flip-tip),
which probably contribute to the speed but make it not quite as turny.
Also, I buried the nose of the 258 and went over the handlebars the first
time I tried it, but it only took one embarassment to teach me that lesson.
Let's see, can I compare it to any other boards? I tried an 8' Seatrend
Bump&Jump once and it seemed to be as fast as the 258, but that was a
few months ago and the memory has faded. I also tried a HiFly 255RX, but
didn't like it at all. It didn't track very well and felt sort of harsh
(or soggy?) in the chop. Anyway, the 258 felt much better in the air
than either of these and I could steer the 258 around much easier with my
feet. I screwed up a few times and spun-out, but the 258 allowed me to
use my back foot to haul the tail back into line. This is more difficult
on my lower-volume 8'3".
In summary, I think the 258 would be the perfect match for my type of
sailing and ability level (3.5-5.0 bump&jump, with a need for some extra
volume to help me through a planing jibe).
I apologize if this analysis is too subjective, or not matched to your
requirements. If this is the case, you could check out the December
issue of "Windsurfing" magazine (can you get it in NZ?). It has a short
review of the Axxis 258 on pages 66 and 67.
Steve Ramsden
Bellevue, WA (USA)
Steve Ramsden
was ok with aqua-socks (or whatever you call them), but with bare feet I
almost fell overboard a couple times.
-Steve