On the beach:
The Starboard Carve is the classic Freerider by Starboard and is supposed to be the board all windsurfers should own who want a plug-and-play board. The 141 is the 3rd largest board in the six-board line-up, and has been renewed together with the 111, the 121 and the 131 for its 2012 season, which is why no changes were made for 2013. To get planing earlier, the boards received a little more length compared to their predecessors in 2011, and cutouts were added to the hull. All straps have two rows of inserts, with four different options to choose from. The board comes with a 48cm G10 fin.

On the water:
The board range Starboard produces is the biggest on the market and yet you instantly feel that typical Starboard feeling when you mount the Carve. Compared to the other boards in the test, the Carve is exceptionally wide. Even when it is one of the bigger boards in the test, the 80cm is still very respectable, so it comes as no surprise that the board belongs to one of the most stable platforms in this test. You'll instantly catch on that the 9.5 recommended sail size is not an exaggeration. Freeriders who want to progress will love the secure feeling this board communicates to its rider, and in terms of planing, this board is dead serious. Someone farts, and the Carve planes. Full stop.

Acceleration is surprisingly quick, as is its top speed, especially in the lower wind range. The Carve rides composed and has no tendency to lift its nose, contributing to its safe feel. In short, the Carve deserves a solid presence in this market. When the wind increases, things don't turn bad; the Carve only accelerates even more but because of its width, it isn't as lightly composed as some of its competitors. This is mostly due to its width of 80cm. Yet at top speeds, you will feel confident and secure.

In maneuvers, the Carve certainly lives up to its name. Like a knife through hot butter, both rails will cut through the water, making its rider look like a grinning maniac. The Carve prefers wide arches.

The verdict:
The Carve is named apply; it is a planing machine and a fantastic freeride board.

Length: 251cm
Width: 79.5cm
Weight: 8.08kg
Volume: 141liters
Fin: 48cm/G10

To go to the Carve product page, click here