98 SPOTLIGHT
Double whammy
AHD SL2 132L x 79.6cm OSS slalom windsurf board
Info: www.ahd-boards.com and www.kaisports.co.uk [email protected] Tel: 02380 840777 Price: £1649 (less fin & foil). Full Select fin
range and AFS Foil package options available from Kai Sports Ltd. Example: SL2 board, Select S1 fin and AFS W85 Full Carbon Foil = £2699
WORDS: WINDSURFING UK PICS: JAMES JAGGER
COMING IN DOUBLE CARBON CONSTRUCTION AHD’S SL2 132L
SLALOM BOARD INITIALLY LANDED WITH US TO BE PARTNERED WITH
THE AFS-2 HYDRO FOIL (REVIEWED ELSEWHERE). WITH IT BEING A
SLALOM BOARD THOUGH WE HAD TO HAVE A STAB AT THAT FIRST.
super technical but for desirable planing
exits attention is needed.
Slalom mode
As a collaboration between the designer
responsible for so many AHD boards,
Pascal Gerber, and World Cup sailor
Diony Guadagnino, the SL2 was always
going to be quick. Aesthetics, however,
aren’t an afterthought either, with
graphics and the shape easy on the eye.
It’s also a robust board that we can
attest to having spent considerable time
on a harsh shingle beach with it. Windfoil mode
Slotting the AFS-2 foil in the box and the
SL2 transforms before your very eyes.
We opened up the straps considerably
for foiling mode. Having had an initial
flight with straps set to normal it became
apparent we were too outboard. With a
small tweak it was good to go.
Paired with a 45cm carbon race fin it was
off to a flying start. To really milk low wind
speeds a 52cm could be used though.
The SL2’s forward rails are soft and
forgiving. Combined with the scooped out
deck the overall ride is smooth. Comfy
MFC footstraps are placed outboard so
sailors can firmly engage the fin and top
speed is right up there. Gybing is a
focused affair with concentration/
commitment needed. It’s in no way As with slalom mode AHD’s SL2 winds
up the revs efficiently. The soft forgiving
nose helps keep momentum in the face
of chop while it’s moderately wide
rounded tail helps induce lift. A little
nudge (pump) sees it take off effectively.
With a quoted width of 79.6cm it’s not
the girthiest of platforms for windfoiling.
Yet there’s enough leverage to control
pitch and roll while the lower width really
benefits counter gain.
uk
WIND
SURFING
During unwanted touch downs the
scooped forward section and soft rails
come into play, shedding water and
helping with follow on take offs. It’s very
forgiving if you should drop, which by
design is a very welcome trait when foiling.
Round corners and foot placement
again needs to be accurate. Wider
boards can be more forgiving. With
AHD’s SL2 you’ll need to focus on
technique, which after a small amount
of time should start to click.
Conclusion
AHD’s SL2 slalom, foil ready 132L
board is good looking and one that
straddles both disciplines with
suitable aplomb. For slalom heads it
delivers an engaging yet manageable
ride rewarding input with satisfying
results. For windfoilers the SL2
delivers a stable flight, relative to its
quoted width, that encourages
progression. Its light weight helps
with foiling take offs and increasing
efficient momentum in fairly choppy
waters. As a multi-discipline
performance toy you really can’t
knock it.