Fanatic Viper 75 with centreboard
Fanatic is where extremes meet. With the longest board (Viper) and the widest board (Shark) of the entire test group, all conceivable wishes of beginners and intermediates are catered for in the maximum range. With no other brand are the differences as noticeable as between the two Fanatic boards. And while you can still find comparable models with a different brand logo to the Shark, the Viper is almost unique in the shop. Viper - successful swordsman
On land: With its full-length EVA soft deck, front carry handle and rear carry strap, the Viper offers the most important features for taking even the youngest family members to the beach on their own. You won't find more versatility in the strap equipment anywhere else, even for fast displacement riding with the centreboard unfolded, there is an option for the foot holders far forward. But the advanced planing surfer has also been catered for, with loops at the back and outside, the first speed rush is guaranteed. A larger fin is recommended for even more balanced trim when planing.
On the water: You can feel the difference to all other boards right from the first few metres. With a length of 2.75 metres, the Viper runs so straight when the daggerboard is unfolded that you get a real "longboard feeling", and going upwind is much easier than with the Shark. The board shows hardly any tendency to turn with the nose into the wind (like some shorter candidates) and can therefore be kept on course quickly, even by absolute beginners. When a stronger gust comes, the board lifts smoothly and unstoppably over the planing threshold with a leisurely rising nose.
On the longer board it is less important how far forward or back you stand, the Viper is insensitive to millimetre-precise weight trimming. And if you are not yet ready to slip into the loops provided at the very rear end and go full throttle, you can also start by gliding across the lake on the Viper at a brisk "three-quarter glide". With the feet just behind the folded centreboard, the Viper masters this gait like no other board. This allows you to experience the first real gliding sensation in a controlled and, above all, very stable manner, even at half power ahead. This harmonious transition into planing also ensures that the holding forces in the sail always remain pleasingly low, in contrast to the more difficult, explosive start on pure freeride boards, where a lot of pressure builds up in the sail before the board shoots out of the starting blocks.
Volume*: 162 L Weight**: 12.7/15.0 kg Length*: 275.5 cm Width*: 74.0 cm Price: 1159 euros
* = surf measurement; **hull/incl. straps, fin, centreboard
Web: www.fanatic.com
