Exocet RF 71 AST in the test
Despite its favourable design, the foil board is impressive on the water and in the air. Thanks to its voluminous nose, the small Freeracer is still easy to turn even at 80 kilos and bobs along with good stability. The very solidly screwed and very stiff foil with aluminium mast and carbon main foot needs a little speed for the take-off, but it accelerates well on a light space course and feels very "light" on the water even when half planing. In cruising flight, it is faster than pure freeride foils, but is very easy to control, the height control is good and the long mast offers sufficient room for manoeuvre even in wavy conditions.
In jibes, the Foil favours faster, tighter turns. In wide radii it goes down a little earlier, but in turns almost like on fast planing boards it is nice and stable and with a little more practice - after all, the board is only 71 centimetres narrow - it can be jibed well and quickly in the air. This characteristic is probably also due to the slightly shorter fuselage with a fairly large rear wing. The soft, well-padded light straps can only be adjusted in width by screwing them over, the dowels are quite sporty on the outside (only one row at the front), but the fit and standing position are very comfortable. On an upwind course, the combi is easy to edge and the wing produces a lot of lift for pushing upwards at increasing speed despite its small surface area. If the edge touches down, it "pops" up again on the beefy rail without braking.
SURF conclusion
Inexpensive freerace device for advanced foilers who want to fly comfortably and quickly, with more lift than you would expect from the small surface area. Absolute foil beginners are probably more challenged by the compact dimensions.
Further information on Exocet is available here
Interview with Markus Müller, dual importer of Exocet and I-99
What exactly is your position at Exocet, XO Sails and i-99?
With Tecno Unlimited Germany, we have the international warehouse for i-99 and DUO based in Straubing. We also distribute these brands in Germany. With Funsport Trading, we are the importer of the Exocet and XO Sails brands. We are currently building up a stock in Straubing in order to be able to supply the shops in Germany, Holland and Austria as quickly as possible.
Which models are "identical", are there any other differences apart from the design?
The shape of the iI-99 AERO+ corresponds to the Exocet RF (Red.: The current foil boards, as also tested here). The shape of the Exocet X-Wave corresponds to the i-99 Style Pro Wave and the i-99 C5, depending on the size. In terms of construction, graphics and design, both brands have decided freely and individually.
Who is responsible for further board development?
Both brands - Cesare Canatgalli at i-99/DUO and Patrice Belbeoc'h at Exocet/XO Sails - are independent in their research and development and work on their own dreams to test developments and ideas. This is an important point. Only the two board models mentioned above are produced together.
What do you expect from the collaboration?
Sharing moulds means optimising the number of boards built in a mould. It also saves the purchase of an additional mould for each board model. This allows both brands to produce more economically.
How does this benefit the customer?
Customers can be sure that they are purchasing a product that has been optimally developed and tested. Customers can also choose freely between the different designs of the two brands. Some customers also have a certain brand affinity and would not normally buy a board from the other brand.
Where will the brands be available?
The brands will be and are already available in surf and SUP shops in Germany and Austria. As these are not new brands, but well-known ones, we have a relatively good network of shops.
