Report on New RRD Firemove 122

If you’re like me, you love days when whitecaps cover area lakes. Steady, strong wind makes sailing easy. But light and gusty conditions are far more common. Rather than complain about the lack of good wind, I recently upgraded to a new board that turns many marginal days into fun days on the water.

The board is the RRD Firemove 122 liter. The Firemove captures the excitement of short-board sailing in lower winds than I previously thought possible. It works great with both my 8.5 and 7.0 meter Ezzy sails. In Bonaire I rented this RRD board and thought it was also a good match with a 6.5 meter sail. The 122 liter Firemove handles a wide wind range and smooths out chop. A big advantage of the design is that it stays on a plane, coasting through lulls, without sacrificing turning ability. This board is extremely easy to jibe and effortlessly turns to ride small waves.

I have to credit Alain Ciclet for introducing me to the Firemove. He’s an experienced windsurfer who learned on the south coast of France where Mistral winds create epic conditions. He wanted a board that preserved the excitement and feel of short-board sailing in lower winds. Alain brought his new Firemove to Nags Head where I saw him sail in a variety of conditions.

The Firemove is made in a range of sizes between 100 - 135 liters focusing on all-around freeride performance. The new 120 liter and last year’s 122 liter board come with a quality 42 cm Powerbox fin. JP makes a similar line called “Magic Ride" of wide, short, thin boards. An extra-wide Formula, or Super lightwind board will plane in even lower wind, but can’t match the sheer fun and turning ability of RRD’s new design. This was the most popular board in the rental fleet at Jibe City in Bonaire. I’ve found it’s equally at home on Lake Lanier or the Outer Banks.