Is this the best "cheat pack" of the year? The Carve is a blasting machine, a freerace rocket, the sportiest freeride board with guaranteed power jibes. We would take the Starboard Carve to the Défi Wind - the race where you have to hold tight in 30 knots of wind for ten kilometres in one direction and then survive the jibe. The shape offers everything you could wish for and more: an extremely comfortable stance in the outer straps, extremely free planing in strong winds, dampening on rough chop and, in the power jibe, the directional stability and grip of a 911 on the Indie 500 circuit.
If you follow the built-in radius, the Carve planes through the turn with a lot of speed and outstanding stability - a radius that, not coincidentally, should suit 90 per cent of all jibes and duck jibes. On the other hand, if you want to turn much tighter or carve over the whole rail with the sail down, you will feel the built-in steering angle. The Carve is just as much a specialist in the jibe as it is on the straight: If you like a variety of manoeuvres, you're in the wrong cockpit. Medium gybe radii can be done perfectly and blind, but extreme carving over the rail is mainly found in the name.
The rather short Carve wants to be brought up to speed with a little more technical finesse, even when planing with a sensitive load, with a slight drop and then an early step back into the straps, and from then on simply let go of the leash. Throughout the wind range, the Carve then races at the front of the pack, with body tension and a measured yet powerful load on the fin, the board flies high and free over the water like no other in the group - for long downwind runs that are addictive. You can hardly wait for the next gust, the Carve becomes increasingly agile and challenges and inspires the advanced "freeride freeracer" in equal measure.
surf verdict of the Starboard Carve
Depending on your point of view, the Carve is either the sportiest freeride board or a comfortable freerace board: perfect for long runs at top speed for advanced riders. Classic power jibes are a breeze, but the Carve offers more performance than manoeuvring potential.
Speed, control, power jibe
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Very firm hold in the straps
Technical data Starboard Carve 129 Wood Sandwich
- Length: 238 cm
- Width: 76 cm
- Weight: 8.0 kg
- Price: 2538 Euro**
- Info under star-board.com
Starboard Carve: Available sizes and specifications
* Wood Sandwich/Starlite; ** Prices Wood Sandwich: 2533 to 2634 euros, Starlite: 2111 to 2148 euros
