SPOTLIGHT 97
Abra cadabra
JP Australia Magic Ride 130L 2017
Info: http://jp-australia.com/2017/products/boards/magic-ride/ Price: FWS: £1549 PRO: £1699
WORDS AND PICS: : WINDSURFING UK
LOOKING STUNNING IN PRO CONSTRUCTION JP AUSTRALIA’S MAGIC
RIDE RANGE IS NOW INTO ITS SECOND GENERATION. AS YOU’D
EXPECT WITH A HIGH END BRAND LIKE JP ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND
LEVEL OF FINISH IS EXEMPLARY.
A Ride 44cm fin protrudes from the tail
which is made from G10 material and
more than capable of taking knocks
and scrapes. You’ll have to be careful
with the board’s pro construction as it
does pick up chips – precise handling
is needed. We also need to mention
the top notch footstraps of the Magic
Ride. Stiff, yet cushioned, and with a
superb fit blasting on the brine has
never been so comfy.
Paired with Neil Pryde’s Ryde 7.5m (see
review elsewhere) the Magic Ride 130L
is a proper low wind efficiency machine.
A few pumps has the board fully planing
and then it’s away you go…
We set up the Magic Ride with inboard
and outboard footstraps and found
best results with the latter. The MR
130L likes to be locked down and
driven hard – almost like a slalom
board so outboard is best. This isn’t to
say performance is tricky to unlock yet
a ‘drive it like ya stole it’ approach
yields best results.
Top speed is admirable, when you stop
and think this is a freeride board. On a
few occasions we ended up drag racing
mates on perceived faster craft. JP’s
Magic Ride 130L more than held its own.
As is widely promoted with this style of
board gybes are fulfilling and super
smooth. Biting hard the Magic Ride
carves a progressive arc and keeps
impeccable manners through the turn.
So much so that those looking to plane
out of exits for the first time may
accomplish this whilst riding the MR.
If you’re a progressing rider then the
Magic Ride is a good tutor, forgiving
clumsy footwork, and delivering
windsurfers onto each new tack
moisture free (on most occasions). And
the board’s width is good for learning
those tacking ropes.
But it’s not just carve gybes the JP
accommodates. It’s also a fun sled for
some old school downwind 360s and
small hops. We’re certainly not
suggesting anyone head out searching
for the biggest ramps but the MR does
cope with a certain amount of low level
altitude fly boying (or girling).
Conclusion
JP’s Magic Ride 130L is a highly
desirable freeride machine that looks
the business. Efficient to plane, in the
lightest of winds (when paired with an
appropriate sail) it delivers straight line
speed that can rival supposed faster
boards. With footstraps set outboard
riders can lock the MR down, eking out
every last bit of performance possible.
Round corners it’s a joy and even
allows for some old school carving
trickery and moderate air time. The
Magic Ride 130L would have a home
in most sailor quivers, ready and
waiting for those summer/light wind
blasting days.
uk
WIND
SURFING