Jan Sleigh: "This is a super fun board to ride. But get ready - it's small!!"

It’s small!!! That was my immediate thought! It’s small and it's rad because it is so small, and it is different because it is so small. The graphics are cool and the board just looks like something you want to use.
Now that I’ve established the fact that the board is small, the main thing I like about the board is it is fun to use in the conditions I sail in most of the time: the English south coast. For example Hayling, Pagham, and Bracklsham. All venues that can have great conditions on their day but usually get onshore, slow, mushy, small waves. The board actually makes the conditions I sail in even more fun, especially the wave riding. The board wil noticeably carry speed going down the line in onshore conditions where a normal wave board would slow down. It also helps you make super tight, slashy top turns. You could say it's like trying carving skis for the first time over the traditional shapes.
When I first sailed it at Pagham a couple of my friends who saw me sail said they were amazed at the turns I was making on the board in the onshore conditions. I know in my heart it wasn’t that I had made some huge leap in ability, especially with my ankle braced up to the point of immobility.

Brilliant! I did a couple of forwards at Pagham that I would have probable under-rotated, but because of the short board I went round quickly and landed cleanly. Basically, it compensated for my mistakes. Table tops are easier as well as you haven’t got as much board to kick around.

Not quite. If people live in locations where they are getting proper waves, like in Ireland or Cornwall, then they should get a traditional wave board. If it was real windy, down the line and big waves, I’d use my 78 litre wave board.
The Hybrid will work to a point in mast high conditions. The volume is concentrated in the middle so it might be difficult to bury the nose in a long, full speed, bottom turn compared to a narrower board with a long water line and thinner rails. But I'm talking mast high, real windy and in the hands/feet of someone who knows how to bottom turn at full speed and who regularly goes out in mast high waves! Any other condition and ability and this board will only improve your sailing, especially in crappy, onshore conditions.

I use the 23cm Naish fin that comes with it. I position it about 2cm from the front of the fin slot.

I put the mast foot three quarters of the way forward and I have left it there for all sail sizes.

If this is a roaring success then won't this effect the sales of other boards in the Naish range?

I don’t think the other boards will suffer. Some people are only going to buy one board so it’s better to give them the board that has the most range.
Sailors into freestyle will want a bigger, trick orientated board anyway. Remember the majority of people sail freeride kit like the Titan. They don’t freestyle or wave, they blast!

The Hybrid Freewave is the board I want to use. If I only had one board, this would be it. I can also now travel with just one board that will cover me for all wave conditions.
I know that Michi Schweiger (Naish Board Designer) is using this board in Maui for every condition other than when it is mast high at Hookipa. Then he swaps to a traditional wave board.