Gear | Roundup: Boat Boards
Looking for a board that excels behind the boat? We’ve got you covered. Since so much emphasis is being placed on cable-friendly boards nowadays, we decided to shake things up a bit and cater to the boat rider for this Roundup. Our list covers every end of the boat-board spectrum: stiff, flexible, foam cores, wood cores, molded fins, bolt-on fins, speed, rocker and so on. And remember, board selection is all based on your personal preferences. There isn’t a bad apple in the bunch, but be aware that you might prefer a Fuji to a Granny Smith. Choose wisely!
Byerly AR-1
53, 55 in.
Aaron Rathy’s pro model, the AR-1 is pretty high-tech and loaded with features — everything from the Strata Track to the Energy Ring sidewall, to the Aero Core and the Cross Link construction. This board has it all. Factor the continuous rocker and squared-up tip and tail into the mix, and you get a hard-charging board with explosive pop at the wake.
MSRP: $555
CWB Dowdy
136, 142 cm
Mike Dowdy’s pro-model CWB board features a center spine for soft landings, lots of rocker for an abrupt pop at the wake, a carbon X pattern underfoot for extra strength and rigidity, and stepped molded-in fins to help the board release quickly and easily without losing traction. If you want to look and ride like Mike, the CWB Dowdy is a no-brainer.
MSRP: $430
Hyperlite Kruz Bio
134, 139, 144 cm
The Hyperlite Kruz is a high-performance shape that features carbon torsion zones for lightweight rigidity; a healthy amount of rocker for lots of controlled, consistent pop at the wake without sacrificing speed; and the Strata Track mounting system for infinite adjustment. We expected nothing less out of Rusty Malinoski’s 2015 pro-model board.
MSRP: $555
Liquid Force Remedy
134, 138, 142 cm
Harley Clifford’s all-new 2015 pro model, the Remedy features a healthy amount of rocker for extra pop at the wake without sacrificing speed, thin profile rails for more responsive edging, a split tip and tail shape for a more sensitive feel underfoot, and more. Take a look at any of Harley’s contest rankings lately, and you’ll see how well the Remedy performs.
MSRP: $450
O’Brien Bruce
132, 137, 142 cm
Jeff Langley’s pro model, the Bruce features a stiff belly with a subtle amount of flex in the tips, a unique five-stage rocker line, stepped delta channels in the tips, and an incredibly durable construction. These features make the board pop hard, release quickly, land soft, and, most of all, reduce unwanted drag for loads of speed both on and off edge.
MSRP: $600
Ronix William
130, 135, 140, 145 cm
The William is Adam Errington’s pro-model boat board for 2015. On the water, this shape is simple, fast, responsive and lively underfoot. The guts of the William feature Ronix’s Intelligent core, blending the benefits of different woods, foams and fibers to create a responsive, lightweight, high-performance core with a razor-thin profile — pretty impressive.
MSRP: $630
Slingshot Response
137, 142, 145 cm
The Response is a smooth-riding flex board with a less-is-more attitude that’s built for the wake. The features include a continuous rocker, a medium flex pattern for a lively feel at takeoff and extra forgiving landings, an all-wood core to keep it lively, a durable construction, and all of the other high-quality components consistent in Slingshot’s 2015 line.
MSRP: $419
