On land:
The Ascan WindSUP comes out of the box without a bag, but a pump and a repair kit are included. The board has a centre fin as a drift inhibitor, which is quite small in terms of surface area. Both fins can be mounted in a plastic rail and fortunately no tools are required for mounting. The board has a comparatively large amount of flex in the nose area and a soft deck in the standing area.
The Ascan Pro rig package is available in different sizes - this includes a monofilm sail between 1.5 and 5 square metres, including a divisible mast, boom, extension and ropes, all packed in a bag. The divisible RDM mast and boom make a very good impression, the sail itself looks quite "slimmed down" - made of light monofilm, with unprofiled battens and, in comparison, with a fairly long boom. At 196 to 339 euros, the price for the rig package is extremely attractive, while the board is available separately for an equally reasonable 665 euros. But what can the Sparfuchs package do on the water?
On the water:
The WindSUP is very stable when bobbing, with a volume of 320 litres and a width of 81 centimetres, even inexperienced adults and their families can stand safely on deck. In light winds, the board runs well in a straight line, the performance on the cross is acceptable with sails over 4.5 square metres, with smaller sails there is simply a lack of fin area to effortlessly head for windward destinations even in light winds. The manoeuvrability is impressive, and with a firm kick on the stern, the Ascan board can even be jibed reasonably tightly. When tacking, however, you literally stumble over two ill-conceived features: The soft deck is quite tight in the area in front of the mast foot, so if you don't stay close to the mast, you will end up on the slippery rubber skin of the board. The luggage net is also attached unusually far back on this board and quickly becomes a tripping hazard when changing sides. According to the manufacturer, this will be changed in series production.
The Pro Rig can be rigged quickly, all components fit together well and the aluminium boom makes an absolutely solid impression. The profile of the sail is surprisingly flat, with hardly any visible belly, especially at the front of the mast. You should therefore only tension the boom a little in order to create at least some profile in light winds and generate propulsion accordingly. The problem: With the first gust above wind force three, the sail is already overtaxed in this trim - the pressure point shifts and the sail top begins to compress. Retrimming brings only a slight improvement, which is a shame because the manoeuvre handling and batten rotation are at a good level.
surf conclusion:
If you're looking for an affordable complete package for paddling and windsurfing in light winds, the Ascan set is a great choice. Apart from the small weaknesses in the details, the board is suitable as a light wind fun board for intermediates and families. The rig set is primarily suitable for children, teenagers and light adults (<60kg). As soon as heavyweights pull on the boom or the wind picks up to planing strength, the sail concept noticeably reaches its limits.
Info under www.ascan-surf.de
