Bic Alto specs??

[bshea]

Hi all-
After getting blown off the water at least 5 times this spring on my
Vivace 290, I bought a mint condition Alto (with the "James Bond" style
graphics). I know its old, but does anyone know the specs? Volume, max
sail size, etc.. I'm 6'1" /220 lbs. solid intermediate sailor-
waterstart easily, make about 50% jibes, etc... I also sail a
Superlight II, and the 290, so please don't recommend that I buy some
other board.

I hope to use it for 20 knots and up on 6.0 - 4.5 sails, primarily flat
water with little chop. Thanks for the help- B

[Nic Pillinger]

well perhaps someone will correct me on this one but i believe that the
board is a wave oriented board, very light on volume for a Bic of it's
time. Probably about 80 - 85 litres and 260 ish long. From what I
remember it's got loads of rocker and very soft rails (i.e. not very
flat water oriented). I don't expect that you'll have a problem sailing
in the conditions you mention but I guess that it would lean more
towards the 4.5 sails rather than the 6 meter.

cheers
Nic

[Philip Mann]

B-

The alto is I belive 8'4 and about 80l.
I would probably not try to sail it with a 6.0
Its really more of a 5.0 and down board.
It tend to take a lot of wind to get it going but it should sail
nice when you get it going.

Have fun

Philip
Inland Sea Windsurf Co.
http://www.together.net/~inlandc
888-inlandc

[Tom Rentschler]

> I bought a mint condition Alto

> does anyone know the specs? Volume,
> max sail size, etc..

1992, 8'2", 80 liters, wave board, sail sizes 3.7, 4.2, 4.7
(The specs are the best I can remember.)

> I'm 6'1" /220 lbs. solid intermediate sailor-
> waterstart easily, make about 50% jibes, etc

> I hope to use it for 20 knots and up on 6.0 - 4.5 sails, primarily
> flat water with little chop.

Have owned an Alto for 3 years. It is a wave board for an advanced
intermediate, requires high wind and it loves waves/swell. I use it
primarily in Cheney, Corpus and The Gorge, as north Texas seldom has the
conditions. At 5'11"/165lbs, never have sailed with larger than a 4.7.

Watch out for the plastic Bic fins, have broke two of them. Once on a
very powered reach and once after landing a jump. You may want to
consider buying a decent fin. Also consider deck pads for jumping and
applying redek to the board to make the deck less slippery.

A couple of weeks ago in the gorge, had a sailor comment how he used to
have an Alto and missed it. It is a decent board.

-Tom

[wndsurf]

I own 2 Altos. I bought the second one because I was afraid that if I broke
the one, I would never find another board that sails as good. Its a 260
with 82 l. I also own a Vivace 290 which I just replaced with an AHD 297.
If you can sail the 290, you will sail the hell out of the Alto. For your
weight, I would go about 5.5 for sail size. I have sailed a 5.5,5.0,4.3,
and a 3.5 when it was blowing 50 in Hattaras last year.

Have fun, and sail the shit out of it.

PS - Its fine in sound or lake sailing conditions.