At first look the Thommen 265 Glide seems like a easy, clear dedication to the previous, with its longer define, flat rocker and well-defined chines via its underside. The thruster fin setup is a novel contact but appears to fully contradict the route of up to date freeride board design. And while its look might not appear notably interesting within the eyes of the progressive rider, on the water,
its efficiency might flip the top and thoughts of even probably the most important and vociferous pilot.
“A easy, clear dedication to the previous”
With practically 40 years of shaping historical past below his belt, Peter Thommen has provide you with a design that he describes as “leisure windsurfing revisited”. Having been the person behind Bjorn Dunkerbeck’s boards throughout his decade of dominance on the World Tour within the nineties, Peter has spent the latest previous solely within the customized board shaping enterprise. But with the invention of a “new windsurfing miracle” it turned time to revisit the manufacturing course of and mannequin. Working alongside the Cobra Manufacturing unit, Peter is now producing a brand new vary of windsurfing boards that features the Glide 265 (examined right here), Trip 255 and the Windsurfer LT to take a seat alongside his very personal vary of customized designs.
“leisure windsurfing revisited”
The Glide’s distinctive design incorporates a thruster fin setup, consisting of a Gasoil 34cm central fin and two Gasoil 12cm tracker fins. An odd idea for such a giant board, it’s nonetheless in a position to present the required drive and traction to go with a big highly effective rig, with the added bonus of being useable in shallow areas!
Having a look on the fittings, the Thommen Velcro footstraps provided with the board are double screwed to stop twisting when on the water. There’s a carry deal with located between the entrance straps and mast observe, completely situated for transporting the board to and from the seaside, which may then be plugged up with the provided foam insert, in order
to stop your ft from discovering the outlet when on the water.
The prolonged mast observe is ample in size to accommodate sails of most sizes, and if the trip wasn’t comfy sufficient, the prolonged deckpad within the rear is a very nice contact. The board’s white color is easy and fashionable … however we expect there’s an excellent greater story right here, and one which we’re all too accustomed to right here within the centre. Even when we don’t prefer to admit it to ourselves, everyone knows that when studying, accidents occur … the probably being a catapult and the rig coming into contact with the nostril or rail of the board. By being white this Glide can simply be repaired and touched as much as restore its look in all its glory. Sufficient stated … we’re offered! And one final candy addition – the Glide comes with its personal complimentary board bag, as normal, to maintain it tucked up after a session.
Taking the Glide onto the water for the primary time, we had been greeted with a buoyant, directionally secure platform that immediately shocked us with its tremendous low planing threshold. A lot so, in actual fact, that we had been planing earlier than we even realised it! Your ft naturally gravitate to the outboard footstraps the place they’re met with a gently domed deck, including much more consolation to the trip, albeit the choice of the inboard strap positions are current too, for the progressing rider. As soon as on top of things, this Glide requires little or no enter from the rider and cruises with ease, supplying the time to trim your sail and focus by yourself stance positioning and efficiency. On land it’s noticeably greater than up to date designs, however as soon as on the water its added measurement is much less noticeable … particularly while you push into some carving transitions and realise it may be turned on a six-pence!
In a straight line this board might not break any pace data however we expect that’s justifiable when the trip is that this simple! The thruster setup means the Glide tracks upwind effortlessly, however greater than this, the three fins actually imply that the convenience of entry and added drive is a really noticeable attribute via the carve. Associate this sensation with the lengthy flowing rails of the Glide and you’ve got a constantly-planing carve gybing machine! Carve as exhausting or as gently as you dare; it can simply preserve going! It’s these qualities that may’t assist however have even probably the most proficient rider come off the water beaming the most important smile, which let’s face it, is what our sport is all about.
Redefining ease of use within the planing stakes, the Glide is such a user-friendly platform. So passive in nature and requiring subsequent to no enter from the rider to launch, it actually lives as much as its designated identify. Coming in at a really aggressive worth of £1380.00, together with straps, fins and even a board-bag, this board makes windsurfing tremendous accessible for the progressing rider, and with the clear look to masks over many mishaps. An ideal tutor into the world of planing windsurfing and carving transitions, we additionally cherished simply getting on the Glide for its feel-good issue – when life is getting nerve-racking, it’s the proper tonic.