There is a new raceboard registered in the official ISAF list since the 2009-11-02.

The name is KONA 380.
Weight : 13,5
Length : 3780
Width : 655
Volume : 290

This is the confirmation of what Patrice Belbeoc'h was saying on the exocet forum.

Let's hope that this board will really exist, unlike the ghostly Mistral Equipe III...

Hi Hemo!

I found this on the swedish Konasite

http://www.konanordic.com/News.aspx?newsID=640&nPi=0

It really looks nice. We can only hope for good tests and an affordable price!

Hi Hemo!

I found this on the swedish Konasite

http://www.konanordic.com/News.aspx?newsID=640&nPi=0

It really looks nice. We can only hope for good tests and an affordable price!

Yes. A beautiful board.

The specs are different from the raceboard official list.

The tail is very narrow.
This board could have a double set of reaching footstraps, like raceboards designed before the years 90 (MOD, etc).

This is what Patrice say on the Kona Forum:

Author : Patrice (Kona)

The new Kona 380 is an evolution of the Warp X380, the volume of the board has been increase by 15 liters, new bottom shape as well, for the outline specification the board has the same measurement, no adjustable plate under the board also, this has allowed us to bring the fin box, dagger board and mast track more for back, the board has gain in term of speed upwind and ease to use in choppy condition, having the Box far back gives a better ability to the board for very broad reaching legs that is currently commpent in most raceboard races, On the reach compare to a Warp X380 the board will not carry as much power because the back fin has to be smaller being more far back, The dagger board is also new, wider in the base and to the max lengt(h of 85 cm, the dagger is thinner than our previous one , giving the board great potential and acceleration upwind, will send more pics soon of the board

I hope that we soon will get a comparition with the Phantom 380

I dont understand, these guys at exocet are fooling us.

After some years talking about the advantages of step tails, and having developed a full range of step tailed longboards, they develop a traditional longboard and start telling us about all the improvements they made now, all because there is no step tail !!

I say again: I dont understand it.

It would have made more sense to me to develop a Kona Mahalo Raceboard, WITH its step tail, and WITHOUT tail-piece, but in a lighter construction, race straps and carbon fin and dagger fitted.

The board looks good, thats true, but if something works, and I think the konas have received an almost universal praise for their step tail and how it aids the board to keep planning, permitting carrying bigger fins and rigs, just DONT CHANGE IT, work on that idea, improve it!. Otherwise people will start doubting...

That was just IMHO.

Good winds folks

Magnum
I already commented on the Kona 380 article.
The step tail is a concept that works perfectly for a board designed for all-round performance. However, if you want max speed in lightwind for racing you need max waterline length and a clean release. If you sail the X-380 with and without tail in sub planing conditions the glide and speed difference is noticeable and the reverse in strong wind, where taking the tail off, the board is significantly faster.
Raceboard design is always a compromise and it is necessary to find the right balance of lightwind, highwind and up-wind/down-wind performance.
In this case eliminating the step tail and moving the fin, dagger and track back is the correct decision.
The Kona One is the perfect board for fun and one design racing in all winds. The Kona 380E is designed to excel in the raceboard class which is not one design.

Kona is all about longer boards and not stepped tails.

Even lighter, the Kona Mahalo could not be a raceboard with its rounded rails. Upwind is not good enough.

I think that there were two issues with the X-380 :
- Putting on the same board a step-tail AND an adjustable mast-track.
- The removeable plate. Changing the geometry of the shape could have been a good thing if possible in navigation : but if you have to make the choice before racing on the water, I don't think so... Weather conditions can change.

The Kona 380 solves those issues.

The Kona range is not completely coherent :
- Minitanker is a shortboard with a step tail
- Link is similar to the Cruiser "Match" : a hybrid board for beginners

The Kona 380 could have been named "2010 X-380" and stay in the Exocet range.

E-mailed the U.S. distributor (Aerotech Sails, Inc.) but no word yet about pricing or availability in the U.S.

Anyone heard anything beyond late January 2010 date?