The Hornet is F2’s freeride/freerace board,
available in either standard construction with a high
resistance skin finish (as the one tested here), or in
a ‘Limited’ version using carbon wood sandwich
technology (the 134 and 144 only). The smallest in
a three-board line-up, the 134 is relatively long and
narrow when compared to the rest in this test
group, with a square tail shape and even volume
distribution throughout. Described as a ‘raceoriented
bottom shape’, the hull sees a
combination of vee and double concaves in the
nose and shoulders progressing to pronounced
vee in the tail. What is more eye-catching are the
bevels that extend from between the straps to right
up beyond the shoulders, being very prominent in
the board’s mid-section. On the topside, the deck
shape is subtly domed throughout, and hosts the
board’s excellent extended deckpad, providing
good adhesion to the board. Supplied with the
supportive straps and a 46cm fin, the Hornet looks
rather conservative in its blue and silver livery this
year, not really matching its name!
Ride and Handling
With a good number of blasting and training strap
options, the Hornet can cater for the low
intermediate progressing into planing conditions for
the first time, right up to the advanced sailor.
Trimming itself level at idle, it cruises up onto the top
of the water as power is provided, requiring little
input from the rider. The deckpad offers a great deal
of support as you advance down the board, the
footstraps being very easy to locate and placing the
rider’s feet in a versatile position, allowing them to
adjust their stance according to their riding style.
Steady and dependable underfoot, the Hornet gains
speed gradually and can be used to cruise around
for long periods, pointing upwind easily and altering
its course smoothly. The tail of the board retains
good contact with the water at all times to assist
control whilst the fin compliments the board’s nature
exceptionally well, providing a secure surface to
push against and never losing its composure or
providing too much lift, even in severe conditions.
When we tried loading the Hornet to further its
speed, it didn’t really respond positively so is not
really suited for expert sailors looking for a lively
platform to make the most of light or variable winds.
Instead the 134 is a safe and practical board for the
intermediate sailor, capable of tutoring them
smoothly into planing conditions, being
straightforward and easy to sail well.
Manoeuvres
With a good degree of tuck in its rails, the Hornet is
not surprisingly very easy to engage into the gybe,
holding its edge in well through a smooth
predictable arc. As such it is ideal for intermediates
learning to get round the gybe, entering in a
controlled fashion and carving instinctively, not
doing anything untoward. For those that can already
gybe however, the Hornet doesn’t have the versatility
to further you’re progression. If you enter
aggressively, ploughing the board into the turn, its
shoulders seem to sink and stall a little in the water,
scrubbing off much of its speed.
For: Practical tutor for the progressing sailor.
Against: Ride doesn’t have the life to captivate the
expert rider.
