Another nice afterwork tuning session. Oliver was out on his 3.7 wave sail so I figured I'd rig 6.3 as you do. I was keen to try my new Black Project X45 so I put it on the isonic 50l (46.5cm). Although the fin at 21cm is designed for smaller sails it was well able to take the 6.3 without having to worry about spin out. I was way too overpowered tho so changed down to 5.0 after a few runs.

Unfortunately another completely square and choppy day with lulls on the course so didn't get to put the pedal to the floor but did a comparaison between the Black Project X45 (21cm) and the Type S 21.

The X45 was incredibly stable and safe. So safe in fact that for the first time I felt almost in a trance running along the sand bank - very focused and relaxed. One thing to note is that the fin generates a got bit of power on the back foot so a little position adjustment is required on a square course. I'm sure that if allowed to go broad the pressure will ease but unfortunately I didn't get to try this. Although an assymetric fin it was very easy to go upwind even reaching 35-36 knots on occasions. Top speed with the X45 was 38.2 knots on the GPS. I'm sure that with a more SW direction 42-43 knots peaks would have been easily achievable in the same wind strength.

The Type S feels completely different. It likes a lighter back foot in square conditions and feels very lively and accellerates very quickly in the gusts. Got to do a couple of downwind runs in the heavy chop back to the beach and it really comes to life in open water. It accellerates like crazy and gives full control in the chop. I found it very addictive and again the top speed potential in broader reaches is insane. Let's hope for a more SW session to test its true potential. I was about 1.5 knot slower than with the X45 along the sand bank but much faster in the chop.

Next I'm hoping to test the XLS 19cm proto against the X45 on a broad day fingers crossed.