The Mistral Equipe & Pan-Am
December 27, 2007 · Print This Article
Latest Mistral Pan Am
The original Pan-Am boards were developed in 1983 and were course raced through the surf, they were of similar design to the modern mistral raceboards i.e equipped with retractable dagger boards, sliding mast tracks and footstraps and were the precursors that all modern raceboards were founded upon.
In 1989 Mistral Windsurfing produced their first Mistral Equipe which was designed by Rick Naish father of the legend Robbie Naish. This board was approx 3720mm in length max width 635mm and a volume of 235 liters.
Originally supplied in a CHS (carbon hybrid system) basically a fiberglass, kevlar carbon epoxy system over styrofoam core.
This board was also available in an XR version which was 1kg lighter than CHS version as it was a full carbon epoxy wrap over Styrofoam, both versions were fully finished in an ASA skin which rendered the surface quite tough and impact resistant. The Mistral Equipe 1 went on to become the very successful one design Olympic board in the slightly heaver and tougher construction based on the CHS design.
The Mistral Equipe II was released on the market in 1992 aimed at the heavier racer this board had both the CHS & XR construction and also incorporated built in deck pads which some of the later Mistral Equipe I’s also had.
Thus the major differences between the ‘I’ and ‘II’ are as follows:
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The mast track is moved slightly aft to provide higher planning speeds.
Mistral Equipe II XR -
More volume was introduced into the tail to improve light wind planning. A nearly flat bottom profile with only about an inch (12mm) of V on the Equipe II versus a three concave bottom profile with about 1_ inch (38mm) V on the Equipe I
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The Equipe II had a volume of 260 liters. The more recent Pam-Am boards were introduced around 2000 and were now manufactured in Thailand. The board manufacturers had been through quite an upheaval with many amalgamations-For our interest Mistral took over Fanatic and this led to more subtle changes to the Equipe II. The following describes the changes.
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The Equipe II now called a Pan-Am is exactly the same hull shape as the original Equipe II.
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The construction of the hull is now a full epoxy carbon wrap (as per XR ) but no longer has the ASA protective skin and is only painted making it extremely fragile.
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Heavy Wear section of the core contain closed cell foam (more impact resistant and repels water) to try to counteract fragility.
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No more deck pads which is a great shame.
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Smaller Mistral dagger board replaced by larger Fanatic dagger board as used on the Fanatic Ultra Cat
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Otherwise they really are just an Equipe11.
STATISTICS
Mistral Equipe II XR
Length Width Volume Weight - CHS Weight XR Made in.
Mistral Equip 1 3720mm 635mm 235 Lts 16klg 13klg Germany
Mistral Equipe II 3750mm 660mm 260Lts 16.5klg 15klg Germany originally and later Thailand
Pan Am 3750mm 660mm 260Lts NA 15 kg Thailand
The Mistral Equipe II & Pan-Am have arguably been the most successful Raceboard ever.
Mistral Pan-Am
Just a little more history to the “Equipe” Story, the Equipe 2 as it was incorrectly titled was in fact an Equipe 3. There had been two previous incarnations, the original Equipe that followed hard on the heels of the unsuccessful Maui Race around the time of the original Malibu, then the subsequent version that came out in 1989 with the same hull and mould that produced the One Design.
Back then it was me lobbying the Mistral Organisation hard to continue to build long race boards, the length I had to go to involved buying and testing a Stephan Van Den Burgh model then having it shipped out to Hawaii for Rick to Improve on.
The Van Den Burgh, like the current F2 Werner Gnigler 380 were big volume but largely straight or slightly progressive rockered boards. Great on flat water for places like German and Dutch lakes, but next to useless on the sea where I sail.
So the reason the Eq2 & Last PanAm were so succesful was due to a good Naish rocker profile for it to get up onto lift the nose and plane on in iffy winds.
Then they went and fitted a huge fin which made it difficult to come unstuck (Big fins dont always deliver what you think they will on long boards because of the leverage, particulalry if they are a tad on the vert side).
The other reason the Pan Am, as horribly fragile as it is being produced by those monkeys at Cobra, it does use the same blank, but with the additional what 5 mil of sandwich? You get an ever so useful volume increase over the stock Equipe 2.
O.K. that’s it, anyone ever finds a nice new Pan Am for sale, there’s always a customer here waiting for one, lovely board.
Hey Graeme,
I have to say that I certainly agree with you. The final Pan Am was a great board. I would even go as far as to say that this is the best all round shape for a raceboard. Having said that I also sail the final F2 380 Werner Gnigler model and love it. At 90 kg, I find that the F2 380 with its extra width and volume is a great light to medium wind performer (0 – 15knots). But when the wind gets beyond 20 knots it is not as easy to sail as the Pan Am with its more forgiving rails and extra rocker.
Not that I have sailed one, but by the looks of it the Phantom 380 looks as though it is going to have similar characteristics to the F2 380. If only Mistral would make the Pan Am again. Food for thought,
Cheers
Pat
Hello!
Do any one know were I can order spare parts for my Mistral Equipe XR II ?
Roberts
Does any one know were I can get a dagger board for my Mistral Equipe II ? Do any other makes of dagger board fit the Equipe ll ?? Thanks Chris, Newark , Notts
Hello, I sail with an Equipe XR 1 and I join two before questions looking for spare parts, Thanks. Kiko.
Mallorca (spain)
I’ve allways loved the mistral equipe I, II & the pan am ! I’ve still my first equipe I and last summer I bought an Equipe II from the internet just for sentimental reasons. Rigg it big and make trips with it. You know, not just 500 m. at sea and then back again but sailing to other places, other villages for half a day. Old school sentimental windsurfing after a week of really hard work set me free !
By the way, have you see that video on yuoutube or stableroad from Naish and his looping with an Eguipe !? Must see!
By the way…
Getting spare part is really hard ! I’v 2 places (in the netherlands)
A windsurf shop “Kater” has a lot of old stuff now and then. Another way is; Buy an old equipe on the internet, really cheap and easy way to get spareparts…
Parts for Mistral:
http://www.oceanairsports.com/cat/Mistral83.cfm