The battle of the Fanatic Pro Waves, 8’2” 2012 V 8′ 2013.
The first thing I must say is that both boards are great. Jumping between the 2 boards was fun.
I thought the 8’2” was light, the 8′ is “Stupid” ! So light. Make sure you place it on the beach correctly, as a slight gust of wind will send it down the beach.
You can see the outline shape is very different, the 8′ has a much rounder outline. Combine this with slightly more tail kick, gives you much snappier turns.
The rocker lines are similar but you can just see subtle changes. The most noticeable change is in the rail shape, the 8′ having much thiner rails.
So not only are the rails thiner but the nose and tail on the 8′ are narrower.
This makes it easier to dig the rail in, meaning your back foot can stay nearer the center line of the board. This makes it much easier for fast transitions between bottom turn and cutback.
The fin options are the same, I do like the change to future box for the center fin on the 8′ and that you get slot covers for when you are not using the boxes. Nice detail. However it is also nice having the US box on the 8’2” to change fin position, changing the ride style. Noah likes smaller side fins, so the photo has custom fins shaped by me. We are always playing around with size and shape. The quad setup is using my North Kite board fins as I love these fins.
The concave are very similar, the difference being that on the 8′, they are deeper. This creates more drive and I found the 8′ faster.
So the dimensions are:-
Pro wave 2012. 8’2” x 27.5” 98L
Pro wave 2013. 8′ x 28.25” 92L
So onto the water with Noah, and the first surprise.
The 8′ is so much more stable, even with,thiner rails, nose, tail, 6L less volume, but that extra width makes all the difference.
I like the 8’2” as you have to drive the board giving nice smooth turns, you can make it snap but you must work to keep the speed. The acceleration of the 8′ is amazing as you snap, point it down the line and it just takes off.
With the wide point being in the middle of the board on the 8′, makes it easier to do the new school maneuvers, 360ºs, reverts, slides. The board really does rotate around the center.
The ‘V’ double concave from the middle of the board, back, really helps with the speed. They are slightly deeper on the 8′ in the middle of the board which gives it that extra speed. It is so easy to pump down the line.
The weight of the 8′ is impressive but you have to remember that this is a true competition Pro model. The deck is very strong but the bottom is very fragile. I would suggest always placing it down bottom up.
As you can see from the photos, the 8’2” has had some punishment. It is very strong.
Having the mast foot option in the Pro Wave is great. It sails very nicely, true straples riding. I also use the skate 89L a lot, so when it is flat it is a great board to train and work out things with out straps getting in the way.
So in conclusion:-
Both boards are so much fun but I have to say the 8′ is my new favorite.
Check out these videos of Noah playing on both boards.
Belar Diaz shows what the 8’5” Fanatic Pro Wave can do. I tested it and it works great in small waves as well. Just a bigger sister of the 8′.
http://www.fanatic.com/fanatic_sup/public/content/media/sup_surf_channel/index_eng.html#.UL5FIBzuujQ
As you see Noah just has to be active.
Thanks Noah for letting me jump on your boards and to Chris for giving me the photos and the 8’5” Fanatic Prow Wave 2013 to try.
thewavehobbit 
As I get more and better photos I will add them to the article, but for now enjoy watching the videos. It shows we have a lot of fun on these boards. I really look forward to finding out how the 8′ behaves, windsurfing and kiting, light wind I know. Now give me some wind. The 8′ is the best SUP yet. Now waiting for the Falcon race…………………..
How has the 2013 prowave held up? Looking to get the 8’10. Any experience with that board? I have an 8’6 allwave now, but looking to move to the lighter prowave. Is the prowave HRS much heavier? Thanks.
Hi Matt. The pro Waves are great. At the moment I am running mine as a quad and it is sweet. They are fragile but so far not a mark on mine yet, (no visits to the rocks yet) just be careful. Definitely get a bag. The weight is amazing, so easy to throw around but be careful on the beach if there is some wind. Noah’s board has impact damage on the rails but he really does throw his around. No serious damage though. I have tried the 8’10 hrs and it rides really well. I would say it is the same weight as last years pro waves, so not bad. It is a bit more resistant to ding damage but a little bit more flexible. I only noticed it a little when pumping but this may not be a bad point. Both constructions are great, it was a good idea to build such a great board in a cheaper construction as the lighter model is expensive.
Thanks for the insight! I pulled the trigger and ordered the 8’10 LTD. Couldn’t be more excited. Hope getting this board doesn’t jinx Florida. May never be waves again.
Great Comparison review.
I just snapped a bargain (mk1_2012) 8’6 ProWave after two years on Jimmy Lewis Hanalei 10ft x 28″.
Its my first dedicated surf Sup, thou the Hanalei has been a great learning board and might keep it as a bigger flat water board. I cant wait to be in the ProWave, but…
Can you share some tips of how to best get on with the prowave? Where and how to start finding the sweet spot? . I mainly have rocky reefs and know intimately my local rocks. Im regularly on mushy waves on brown water in Kent.
Perseverance is my middle name, but i’ve never had a shorter board under my feet thou i surf and i am the local strapless maniac with areal new school trics…
Im more worried about getting to and catching waves than the pleasurable part of riding…
What experience can you share?
Can you remember the first time you rode a ProWave?
Cheers,
Ed
Hi Ed.
The Pro Waves are great boards, I have had the 9’9” for big waves and it is awesome, 8’6” as an all-round board and now I am on the 8′ as I only ride small waves now. I have always been a long board surfer and started SUP on a 10′, I still love that board for long board style.
Finding the sweet spot. First for your body weight, find the perfect stationary balance position, this is normally with the nose up a little. To catch a wave, get the board moving in the square position. I always take off goofy but ride regular so this technique may not suit you. As the wave arrives I step forwards a little with my right foot to get the nose down. As the board increases speed I move my left foot to where it will be for riding. As the board catches the wave, I then just rotate and place my right foot where it needs to be for riding that particular wave. It can be a bit tricky on steep late take offs.
On a short board you do not need to move around the board so much and the front foot can almost be stationary. Your surf-stance should be with a large spread of the legs if the wave has some power.
The 8’6” catches waves really easily so have a lot of fun.
Hi wavehobbit & prowave guru!
Many thanks for the key positioning advice. Great wisdom, i can clearly see the move forward from goofy start to point the nose down… I already do that on my Jimmy Lewis and Im quite used to walking forward and backwards on my 10ftx28′ Hanalei. I realise that i quite enjoy that and i might miss it as the 8’6 seems to be a lively, drive me hard, feet locked kind of board, but your advice is great and will be keen doing so.
We’ll see on the late, bigger steeper drops what happens… What can you share on the faster more powerful drops? How does it work with off shore wind and winds in general… Whats your cut off point…. kiting speeds?
Loving the beard, beard envy too.
Warmest!
ed
Hi Wave Hobbit, I am looking to get a pro wave to windsurf strapless in proper winds 20mph and up! I ride strapless kite surfboards too and am looking for advice on what size board/your experiences is/are in windsurfing them in proper winds. I am 80kg but wont be paddling it and ride mainly x on winds 2ft to logo high when its windy.
any help you can give would be great.
cheers
Mike
This is a very interesting Question, Please give me time to think about this. You are using a wind/SUP at the other end of the spectrum to me.
I must look at the specs more closely on the 2015 range. I have paddled the 7’6”@ 82L. Very hard to paddle but on a wave…… amazing.
Thanks any insights would be good, its either a Fanatic or a small Starboard Pro in Electric blue which comes with a mast track. I reckon I can make them work with my strapless kiting and windsurf experience, but need to make the right choice when it comes to width, rocker, rail thickness etc to ensure its controllable in small sail weather. Mike
Hi Mike.
You have an interesting project, but why would you want to windsurf waves without straps on a short board?
So your main consideration should be volume, at 80 Kg is the 7’6” to small at 82L?
SUPs are not windsurf boards so do not plane at the speeds of a windsurf board but on a wave go the speeds of a surf board. A windsurf board is much faster on a wave than a surf board.
The new Fanatic pro waves are full double sandwich now so a must if you are going to windsurf them, do not touch the 2013/14. They will not be strong enough for high wind windsurfing. I would still have a ? mark on any SUP in the conditions you want to use them in, as they do not have the extra reinforcement of a windsurf board.
So have you ever tried using you windsurf board without straps?
I mentioned that I have paddled the 7’6” and for me it is to small for a SUP, I would rather be on a surf board. So I am happy to stay with my 8′ and maybe I have to go back to having a 10′ fly to sail and go back to long board style.
Thanks for your thoughts. I windsurfed 1980 to 1992 to a good standard, then kited from 1999, the last 6 yrs solely on a strapless surfboard, where I move my feet constantly. I got some windsurf gear as well a few months ago and feel constrained by the straps, combined with them aggravating some ankle and knee ligiment problems. Am not really bothered about jumping and want freedom on the wave. I will be trying my waveboard strapless just thinking after seeing the Fanatic sup 2014 video that a small sup might give the right float, width and speed to make it work.
The new school of windsurf wave boards, is to use higher volumes. In the past we used lower volume than our body weight in strong winds. Now the smallest board we ever use is around our body weight. So for you that would be around 80L.
So the 7’6” would work but I think the 7’11” may be a better choice and give you more options. One being that you can use much smaller sails.
I understand ankle and knee problems and windsurfing strapless does work.
See if you can test some different sizes and have fun developing a new style.
Thanks will do.