FANATIC JAG LTD 125 2020 TEST REVIEW

FANATIC JAG LTD 125 2020 TEST REVIEW

VERDICT

As close to slalom performance as you’ll get, with the added bonus of a fin, extra durability and strap adjustability, plus genuine foil compatibility. And all at a reduced price tag, mean the Jag should rightly be a bit of no-brainer for most recreational sailors looking to enter the realms of real world slalom sailing.

F20_13200-1003_JagLTD

THE LOWDOWN

The Fanatic Jag in its new guise, is in its second season in the Fanatic lineup. It’s a model name first used back in the early nineties, when slalom board design was very focussed on straight-line speed and performance, giving little room or interest for user-friendliness. And the original Jag was spearheaded this path of progression, synonymous with the dedicated journey. Jump ahead twenty seven years (!) and the new Jag has a very different remit, designed to provide accessible performance with the added bonus of being compatible with foiling. Available solely in LTD construction using a biax fibre and PVC sandwich layup, it is said to perform with all rig types, from rotational to fully cammed, and comes supplied with diamond-grooved deckpads, the brand’s premium straps and a ‘Black Pearl’ carbon fin from Choco. It retains ‘committed slalom’

features such as a recessed deck around the mastfoot area, yet has smaller two-tier cutouts compared to its Falcon slalom sibling, and inset footstrap options on its wide, chunky and heavily domed tail. Clean and uncomplicated in both hull design and overall appearance, it is available in four sizes, from 94 to 135 litres, with all bar the smallest size being compatible with a Deep Tuttle headed foil.

BRAND CLAIM

“Essentially a slalom board you can live with, the Jag is designed to blast over distance in total control, and will excel with any style of sail.”

PERFORMANCE

Buoyant and balanced underfoot, as soon as power is delivered, the Jag actively releases and accelerates, feeling alive and purposeful from the off. Whilst there are the inboard strap positions available, the outboard straps are easy to locate and lock the rider’s feet in the ideal position to push against the rail, the thin deckpads ensuring a real sense of connection with the board and fin. The ride is involving, the board feeling flighty and thriving on rider input to keep the pressure on the fin, and the hull skimming cleanly over the water. Which leads us to one of the more noticeable aspects of the Jag – it is undoubtedly the board in this test group most influenced by the fin it is partnered with. The Choco fin supplied works fine, providing the drive and feedback to keep the rider involved. Change it to a high-performance blade though and the Jag’s virtues can really be enhanced, particularly in top end control when conditions become challenging. We used an F-Hot Fins RWS3 and the Jag’s full potential was instantly realised, continuously accelerating in the gusts without a hint of tail walking or misbehaving. It’s not that the supplied carbon fin is poor, far from it, it’s just that the Jag responds more than most when you charge it with a precise blade. In the gybe the Jag’s wide plump tail is noticeable and demands a commanding riding style to keep driving through the turn, particularly when entering at full speed or in choppy waters. The addition of inset strap positions is a real bonus for the ambitious progressing sailor, or those looking to partner the Jag with a foil and enter the realms of flying. We used the board with a variety of foils and have to say it was impressive, the wider tail and various strap positions complimenting its application in the sport’s latest discipline. And if you’re new to foiling, the Jag’s natural early planing capabilities undoubtedly help the learning stages too.