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Freestyle Wave

Goya One Aqua Series 85 (2008)

Unchanged from the board we tested last year and the bigger brother of the 77 tested in the wave test last month. Goya have sensibly seen little reason to tinker with what has deservedly been a very successful shape for them.

On the Water:The One 85 is essentially a big, fast waveboard. It feels like a waveboard when you get on it, with a relatively flat deck and inboard-only straps, encouraging an upright stance. It isn’t the earliest to plane and really works best with sails no bigger than a 5.8m. However, it’s far from slow to get going and while it always feels more ready to turn than blast, is extremely comfortable to sail in a straight line. Sailing it is pretty simple; there are no special techniques to learn and not much to go wrong. It just sails nice and smooth and controllable and turns when you ask it to. Upper wind range is good, as you might expect. Its strengths are mostly to be found in the waves where it’s both controlled and loose. It is extremely easy to bear away, bottom turn and redirect and as such makes a very good and very accessible onshore riding board with 5.2-5.8m sails.The relatively flat rocker (for a waveboard) allows it to keep going really well while the width and flattish vee keep it loose but not skaty. It’s also extremely secure on the rail, carving and gybing with ease and security.

Fittings:The Powerbox 24cm G10 fin seemed excellent and the straps and deck were comfortable, although the straps pinch wide feet.

Popularity:Very popular with both testers and guesters, although considered by a few to be not quite fast and exciting enough in flatter water for their FSW needs.

Overall: It is important to make the point that those who buy a freestyle-wave to get them out on a small board as early as possible may find the Goya a bit slow. However, if you want your freestyle-wave to be fully wave capable then the Goya comes into its own. It is a remarkably comfortable and friendly board whatever your needs, particularly good for making the most of ordinary waves in 5.3-5.8m weather but with a very wide usable wind range. It is much faster, easier to sail and more allround in performance than most proper stubby waveboards of around this size, but doesn’t give much away to them in the waves until faster boardspeeds are reached and their more rockered hulls start to shine. It can also be strongly recommended for first time waveboard buyers or occasional wavesailors who want the control of a waveboard with greater accessibility.

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