Tribal Boards: my first impressions about Radix 110 and 128
I am a sailor from Italy, riding slalom boards since decades. I am not a racer but I always preferred to use slalom kit on flat water: I started with a Mistral Screamer in the early ‘90s and kept on with fast kit since then, even when slalom was out of fashion and everybody was on freestyle or bump-and-jump boards in the early ‘00s. During the last years I had Carbon Art Slalom boards from 2008 to 2013, then the Mistral SL ‘14 boards designed by Lockwood for 7 seasons ‘14 to ‘20, and lately FMX Invictus ‘21 boards (98, 108, 128) until this season. This is my background and the boards I developed my “tastes” on. I am not a racer and I always had a liking for boards that let me enjoy fast sailing.
This year I decided to get me two Radix boards: 110 and 128. The sizes I chose are supposed to cover the range of my S2Maui Venom sails: 6.7, 7.5, 8.2, plus some use of 6.2. My idea is that if the Radix 110 is controllable enough in high winds, I will not need a smaller board than that (actually 60 – 63 cms wide boards are supposed to be used also with sail sizes that I do not need, such as 5.5 – 5.8, so a waste in my case); while the 128 should cover the 8.2 and lighter 7.5 range and still be enjoyable if the wind picks up to 20 + kts.
On receiving the boards I was impressed by the perfect packaging, the complimentary board bags provided with each board (!!!), and expecially the high quality construction and finish. I set up the straps using the double inserts (4 screws per strap), with the front straps in the second position from front and the back straps all the way back.
I happened to test both boards in varied conditions during the first half dozen slalom sailing sessions of this season, from barely planing up to too much wind to enjoy, but always with a 7.5 sail and 38 cms Tribal Mk3 fin. Both boards behave in the same way. Planing is super easy, no need to head downwind (even if doing so makes things quicker) as with “classic slalom racing boards”, just wait for the wind to fill the sail and you are going. Construction proves light and stiff, as one would rightly expect from a slalom board. Accelleration is gradual, but one can choose to push more on the back foot so to sprint quicker. I totally appreciate the choice to have the back straps positioned well back (about 2 cms further back than on the FMX boards), but not overly close to the rails, making it easy and secure to find and fit them. Once on the go the boards ride high over chop, always quiet and stable: control and comfort are something to be experienced to believe, even for one who sailed other Lockwood designed boards for years like I did.
Expecially my first session was an eye opener about the wind range of the Radix 128. It was forecasted a side-off wind, which is usually very gusty in my home spot Talamone; so I expected light 12 – 15 kts wind and big lulls on the inside of the bay, and the usual strong 20 kts + gusts close to the harbour. I decided to test the 128 board with a 38 cms Tribal Mk3 fin (smallish) and my 7.5 sail: big board to ensure floating and easy planing, and conservatively sized fin and sail in order to cater for the gusts. To my surprise, I found unusually consistent 20 – 22 kts all over the bay and extra powerful gusts, probably up to more than 25 kts, further out. As a result: the sail was an handful, but the board was always under control, perfectly stable and confidence inspiring, showing an humongous wind range that covers with ease a large part of that of my previous medium wind board!
To sum it up, I am more than satisfied with my Radix 110 and 128 boards: I am enthusiastic! Slalom board speed, with (much!) better than freewave board ease and control, not bad! And now, after the first sessions, I know that I will be able to cover the whole of my slalom sailing wind range with just two board sizes instead of three.
