Great test on the new Tribal MK2. In conditions like today I love my Z-SLM fins as they are designed for chop. But, the new Carbon Tribal MK2 is at least as easy to sail and I can feel the speed potential. The design differs a lot from the consensus now in use at the PWA. The fin also has got a clearly different flex character compared to the S- Z SLM fins and I was wondering if I would get the foregiving feel I love so much. As it turns out it's as forgiving but clearly more powerful underfoot for the size. The power doesn't hit like the staggering horse type of power. You just feel it's there. It gives a very reassuring feel and It's as easy to stand upright as it is to push the fin. I need more tests to feel the speed potential, but if I am not mistaken some serious mid wind sessions are on the horizon in spring time in which the fin will prove itself if what I felt today turns out to be right... In the wind we had today I could have easily gone 2cm smaller.

The slalom potential (it's specifically designed for that by Chris Lockwood so I am told by Peter Weitenberg) is super easy to understand. It drives upwind like crazy, gives a very neutral board angle which makes it relaxing to drive and it's just super secure.

Lateron John and I swapped boards and he sailed my combo back to the shore. He got a bit tired and I tested some super high wind settings for the 5.0 Venom 2019. The sail can be trimmed with way more outhaul than the 2018 model. It slices through the wind at ease in this setting and is suprisingly fast. It was fun to feel John's PD 49 with the Sym Speed 25. I'm not familiar with the board, but the fin felt as if it was designed for it. To top all off I ended with a few runs on my trusted 2007 Falcon Speed. All in all a great day.

I didn't expect to be able to sail as just shy of a week ago I was afraid I could never walk upright again. During a Viking Week in the North of Sweden with lots of booz and crazy sessions on snowmobiles I was mistaken my snowmobile for a windsurfboard and forgot I only had three days behind me. Of course I couldn't hold myself back and had to go more and more extreme on the carves. This resulted in a summersault over the handlebars and as a follow up a snowscooter running over my spine. A good lesson taught and a reminder I'm not 25 anymore.....all good again but the musclepains all over my body tell me a few days back my body was a wreck.