GOYA CARRERA CARBON 118 2022 TEST REVIEW
VERDICT
With an emphasis on control and manners, the Carrera sits well amongst the Goya range, being the board of choice if you’re an experienced pilot and want a blasting partner for all conditions.
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- GOYA CARRERA CARBON 118
THE LOWDOWN
The Carrera remains in Goya’s Freecarve series, but has had a significant makeover for the 2022/2023 cycle. With just three sizes in the range, this 118 is the middle sibling and is solely available in the brand’s carbon construction, using “the very best composites” in a full carbon deck to provide “a sensation that up until now only racers could experience.” The board’s outline has been updated, with more parallel rails and more volume in the tail, working in unison with a refined rocker-line for improved efficiency and control. There are inboard and outboard strap positions offered, including a single back strap option if desired. Interestingly, there are three screw hole plugs for the back straps, but much wider four screw footstrap plugs used for the front footstraps, allowing the rider to adjust the gait of their stance accordingly. The fittings supplied are up to the brand’s usual high standards, with MFC’s excellent straps sitting above some diamond grooved dual density pads. The fin supplied is also MFC, being a G10 Liquid Pro, but of Power Box flavour, so there’s no foiling potential recommended with the Carrera.
BRAND CLAIM
“The new shapes are shorter with a wider tail, yet narrower than the Volar Carbon, giving the new Carrera Carbon a wonderful touch of new school single fin feel. The perfect board to fit between the One 3 Carbon and the Volar Carbon. Very fast to plane, yet easier to gybe than the latter.”
PERFORMANCE
This is the first chance we’ve had to try the Carrera, a very different prospect to the freeride Volar. As power is delivered, the board releases smoothly, encouraging the rider rearward, the straps easy to locate. It has a narrow, gunny feel, most familiar to those that have been windsurfing for a good while, and it dances over the water, reaching a very respectable speed easily. Fast, particularly off the wind, the tail of the board always feels connected, enhancing the sense of control and practicality for coping with challenging conditions. This is enriched further by the wide stance the Carrera’s footstrap plugs naturally encourage, helping the rider adopt a lower centre of gravity and play the weight distribution between their feet. Less of an asset when trying to drive upwind positively, but off the wind, the Carrera really encourages the rider to lock in and push, the fittings providing excellent comfort and security. In the gybe, the Carrera does its ‘freecarve’ tag justice, really biting in well as the rider commits to the rail. In flat water or rolling swell, we found you can really commit assertively and the 118 responds, but in short sharp chop, we found the Carrera’s low shoulders do have a tendency to catch at times. To cope, we found ourselves backing off a little before entering the gybe, tightening the turn mid-transition, and relying on the width and volume in the tail to help maintain speed through to the exit. Comfortable to use for long periods and blasting over great distances, the Carrera is all about control and easy accessible speed no matter what the conditions.
WEBSITE – www.goyawindsurfing.com
GOYA CARRERA CARBON 118 2022 TEST REVIEW
VITAL STATS
Price: £1799.00
Volume (Quoted): 118 L.
Length: 235.1 cm
Width: 68 cm
1ft off: 45.2 cm
Bottom shape: Vee with double in the nose, the vee becoming pronounced by the shoulders, before the double concave diminishes to become straight vee by the front straps.
Weight (Naked): 7.6 kg
Fin: MFC Liquid Pro G10 38 cm (PB)
Sail Range: <8.5m
Sizes Available: 108, 118, 128.
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