WC 85 "Excellent Allrounder" Boards Mag March 2008

6th Mar 2008 @ 08:52:22 PM

RRD WAVE CULT 85
The all-round waveboard of the RRD range, designed to perform well in as wide a range of common wave conditions as possible. It is available in four sizes from the very popular 75 we tested in August up to 90L.

On the water
The Wave Cult 85 is very similar in style and quality to the 75L version but it’s possibly even more moderate in terms of rocker, giving it a faster rockerline than a few of the 85L freestyle-waves from our Nov/Dec test. It is therefore very quick to plane and easy to sail for a waveboard, and you can simply blast around on it without it feeling either a bit too slow or pitchy in the chop.

Although we were able to enjoy some good waveriding on this board in smaller waves and moderate winds, it isn’t a specialist for this – its strength lies in making average wave conditions accessible and exciting for medium to heavier sailors, allowing easier, higher jumps in moderate winds and providing plenty of speed and float when riding. It’s a sort of halfway house between stubby and trad and has very moderate vee to give it quite a
loose redirectable feel whilst retaining enough grip to make control no problem.

Top end control seemed good but it’s not a ‘radical’ high wind waveboard unless you weigh in excess of 90kg.

Fittings
The G10 fin, straps and pads were all of good quality.

Overall
A very sensible and appealing choice as an all-round waveboard for most UK venues for sailors of between about 83 and 93kg where its ease and versatility will make it deservedly popular. It will do a decent job as a moderate wind waveboard for lighter sailors but a more specialist riding board or faster freestyle-wave may fit the bill better.

The Cult 85 is now quite similar in performance terms to the RRD Freestyle Wave 85, but the Freestyle Wave retains the edge for speed to plane, jumping and blasting while the Cult seems better for windier weather and faster waves. There doesn’t seem much to choose between them for riding smaller waves in medium winds.

Recommendations :

It’s no surprise, given the weights of the sailors doing the testing and the conditions mostly sailed in, that the RRD Wave Cult is a very fast, versatile and easy waveboard, not exceptionally loose and radical or a control master but an excellent all-round waveboard geared to the needs of most UK or European wavesailors.

WC 85