The ultimate Nano guide

Bringing you the most comprehensive guide to the Severne Nano board to date. This time from the perspective of 3 Severne riders. All who have different needs and sail different conditions.

In this guide, we’ll go into the details of how each of them set up each of their board sizes depending on the conditions.

Timon Mullen, Lina Erpenstein and Dieter Van der Eyken all sail in various parts of the world and use the Nano board range to cover all of their needs ranging from down the line wave riding to onshore north sea conditions.

At the end of the guide, you can also find a Q&A session which covers some of the most common topics in terms of tuning your Nano and getting the most out of it.

The test team

Timo Mullen

Weight: 85kg
Height: 180cm
Quiver: Nano 102/92/87/82

Timo is among the UK’s most addicted wave sailors who put all his energy into searching and riding the best waves UK & Ireland have on offer.

Lina Erpenstein

Weight: 65kg
Height: 170
Quiver: Nano 77/72

Lina is a fast improving talent and spends her winters in Western Australia. She is European women champion. At home, she lives in Kiel, Germany and combines studies and windsurfing.

Dieter Van der Eyken

Weight: 77kg
Height: 177cm
Quiver: Nano 82/77/72

2015 Freestyle World Champion and always a top player on the wave sailing scene. Dieter is an integral part of the Severne team with intricate knowledge about all product.

The Nano  board range

SIZELENGTHWIDTHWEIGHTSAIL RANGEFIN BOXTHRUSTER FINS (SUPPLIED)QUAD FINS
722155463.0 - 5.0SLOT BOX+2 x 100 + 1 x 1702 x 100 + 2 x 140
77216556.13.0 - 5.0SLOT BOX+2 x 100 + 1 x 1702 x 100 + 2 x 140
82217566.24.0 - 5.3SLOT BOX+2 x 100 + 1 x 1902 x 100 + 2 x 140
8721857.56.254.4 - 5.7SLOT BOX+2 x 100 + 1 x 1902 x 100 + 2 x 150
92219.5596.34.7 - 6.0SLOT BOX+2 x 110 + 1 x 2102 x 110 + 2 x 150
102219606.55.0 - 6.7SLOT BOX+2 x 110 + 1 x 2102 x 110 + 2 x 160

Nano 102

Timo

Sail sizes: 5.7-5.0m
Wind: 6 – 20 knots
Mast track: as far back as possible.
Fin setup: Quad for wave sailing, great for all kind of conditions from hollow to fat waves & big to small.

Thruster for bump & jump conditions/cross on 5.7 weather.
I use this board in any wind from 6-20 knots, I can float and ride this in pretty much 6-8 knots.  It works fine in very hollow waves, big waves, small waves, sloppy waves, I feel 100% confident using this board in ANY conditions, absolutely love this board!

I actually use this board in the summer on flat water with a 5.7m Blade, I actually sold my Dyno 105 as I found the 102 worked fine in the same conditions I used the Dyno but obviously worked way better in waves!  I love using the 102 in light cross onshore wind with a 5.7m but I do change to a thruster set up for this if I have time to change from a quad.

Mast track at the back. Set up Quad for waves, thruster for bump and jump

Nano 92 

Timo
Sail sizes: 5.3-4.5
Fin setup: Mostly quad
Conditions: Go to board in gusty, typical European conditions.
Mast track: As far back as possible

This is my go to board for gusty, typical Euro conditions, again I ride mostly as a quad, I actually like using this when it is windy 4.7 but gusty as I can plane through the lulls. Mast track at the back. Set up Quad

Nano 87

TIMO

Sail sizes: 5.3-4.0
Fin setup: Quad
Mast track: As far back as possible
Conditions: Most used board for the widest range of conditions (perfect 1 quiver board). The extra volume guarantees I get on the plane quick.

My favourite board, I use this board probably the most, especially if I have just got an hour to go sailing, even if it is very windy, I find the extra volume guarantees my session will be full power planing. The board is so good for wave riding and jumping but I find the mast foot must be at the rear. At the rear, it adds an extra gear on the board and allows me to drive the rail harder in onshore and plane faster. The perfect 1 board quiver, perfect travel board.
Mast track at the back set up Quad

Nano 82

Timo

Sail size: 5.0-3.5
Fin setup: Quad and Thruster
Mast track: At the back, ride as a quad and a thruster.

Conditions: Can work till light winds up to 12 knots but in general use it more in stronger winds. To get on the plane it gives me the feeling it’s a bigger board than an 82-liter board but on the wave, it feels like a 78.

In an ideal perfect world, I could use this board every day, it actually feels a bit bigger than an 82 but only in early planning and float, what it doesn’t feel is big when wave riding, it feels more like a 78, really loose and loads of speed and drive.  A great board to take on a trip to Cape Town, Maui, West Oz or anywhere that is usually windy as even on the light wind days I could breathe in and still float and ride in 10-12 knots

Dieter

Sail Sizes: 5.2 – 4.8
Fin setup: Quad, 14 & 10
Mast track: ¾ back of the mast track

Conditions: 10 – 20 knots 

In general, I use this board mainly on lighter wind days, mostly on my 5.2 or when I’m sailing on a place with a lot of current on the 4.8 to get going quicker. 

I have the footstraps as far back as possible and move the fins quite close to each other to loosen it all up. The back fins all the way to the front of the box, the front fins halfway the box.

Nano 77

Dieter

Sails size: 5.2 – 4.0 (3.6 if needed)
Fin setup: Quad 14 & 10 for bigger sails, 14 & 9 for 4.4 & 4.0
Mast track: 1cm more to the front than on my 82
Footstraps: All one whole from the back

Conditions: 15 – 30/35 knots

This is by far my most used board size. I will have this for 80% of my sessions. If there is no current I can still sail this board with my 5.2 and even in stronger winds I can sail it with my 4.0 or 3.6 if needed. In the Canaries, I switch to the 72 from of 4.0 but in Europe (places with more current) I usually stay on the 77 with the 4.0 as well.

If I can only take one board on my trip it is this one.  I use the boards always as a quad as it works the best for me.

Lina

Sail sizes: 4.8 – 4.4
Fin setup: Quad 13 – 10

Conditions: most all round, I can use it in all kind of conditions. From float and ride till onshore Pozo. I also can use it with smaller size’s than 4.4 but prefer the 72 more than.

I use this board in all kinds of conditions. From floating side off wave riding with 4.8 to onshore El Medano. I have also sailed it on smaller sail sizes than 4.4 but then I enjoy a smaller board more. I am always surprised how versatile that board is, for me, it literally works in all conditions. Also, in general, the Nano2 is for sure the best board I have ever owned.

Nano 72

Dieter

Sails sizes: 3.3 – 4.0
Fin setup: Quad 14 & 9
Mast track: 0,5 cm back from the middle of the mast track
Footstraps: All one whole from the back
Conditions: 25 – 45 knots

Amazing board for strong winds, combined with my 4.0 this is probably my favourite setup in El Cabezo Tenerife when it’s pumping! Amazing turns on the waves and a lot of speed for jumps to go as high as possible. I put my fins a bit further apart to get extra grip if the wind picks up I also put my base plate more to the front to get extra control, especially for jumping.

Lina

sail sizes: 4.0-3.0
Fin setup: Quad 13 & 9’s
Conditions: from 25 knots till 45 knots, thinner rails allow me to turn even tighter & hold a lot of pressure

My favourite board, especially together with the 4.0 S-1. The thinner rails let me turn it even tighter and it can hold a lot of pressure. On bigger sails than 4.0, I would always use the 77. I usually use it in onshore with 25kn+, but I really enjoy it on the few side offshore sessions we get in Denmark every now and then. I use it as a quad with 13 and 10s or 9s.

Q&A

What is the ideal fin position setup for my Nano?

Timo: Use the standard fins and set up rear quads 5-10mm from the front of the box, side quads at the front, if using thruster set up same on side thrusters at front of box rear single thruster 5-10mm from the front of the box.

Lina: I have the side fins about 5mm from the front of the box and the back fins about 1cm from the front of the box. When the waves get bigger I mainly put the back fins a bit further back. Also, in onshore I like to go one size bigger in the back fins (14) whereas I found that with side-off conditions the 13 seemed to work better for me. Smaller side fins helped me turn easier, but I was missing a bit of grip so I am sticking to 10s on the 77 and 9s on the 72 now.

Dieter: I always use my Nano’s with a quad setup. As a starting point, I usually put my fins all the way to the front in the boxes, if I want to loosen up the board a bit I start by moving my front fins a bit more to the back. When I want more grip I start by first putting both my front and my back fins more back for about 5 – 10 mm and than after that start putting the front fins more forward. On the smaller size’s I have my fins more spread out on the bigger closer together.

I spin out easily. How can I resolve this?

Timo: Use a bigger rear thruster or bigger quads. Do not use too soft fins.

Lina: Spinning out is in most cases a problem of your sailing position. Because you have too much weight on the back foot the board spins out quicker. Try to improve this by bringing your front hand a bit closer to your harness lines, use a bit longer harness lines (to have the sail more upright) and try to bring as much pressure as possible on the baseplate to have less pressure onto your back foot. Turning your hips into the sailing direction may also help. If all of this still doesn’t help, try bigger back fins and move them a bit further back, to have more grip.

Dieter: Move your fins further outside of each other, try to put more weight on the front foot. If this doesn’t help put in bigger fins and make sure they are stiff enough. Flexy fins are great for turns but will get your board on the plane slower & allow it to spinout quicker in a straight line.

My board rides slow. How can I make this better?

Timo: Move the mastfoot position as far back as possible, footstraps 2nd or 3rd hole from back on the front strap, back strap 1 hole from rear. Do not use too soft fins.

Lina: I Haven´t really tried this out, because I don’t seem to have that problem, however, if you have it use a bit stiffer fins and put the mast base further back.

Dieter: Make sure you have big enough and stiff enough fins. Put the base plate as far back as you feel comfortable with and do the same with the straps. Make sure you work actively when you get on the board and it will get you on the plane quickly & generate really fast speeds.

What MAST TRACK position is the best?

Timo: Right at the back for all boards, 82, 87, 92 and 102

Lina: I have my baseplate positioned so that the plate exactly covers the thinner part of the mast track. (Plate starts where the square part of the mast track, where you put the screw in, ends.

Dieter: It depends on the size of the waves and the board. The smaller the board the more I move my baseplate to the front, this gives me more control and pushes the board down a bit which especially in choppy conditions helps me to stay in control. In the bigger size’s I put the base plate more back, this to make it looser and get on the plane faster.

What foot strap position is the best?

Timo: Anything from front straps 1 hole from front to right at the back, never at the front unless you are very tall, rear strap I ride right at the back but for average sailors 1 hole from the back.

Lina: I try to have my back footstrap as far back as possible, while still having the side of my feet touched by the strap (I have pretty narrow feet). Meaning I put the front part of the back footstrap in the hole most back and the back part just adjusts to the size of your foot. In the front, I can only have the middle in the front and the outer ones in the back, so the strap is narrow enough to have the guide on both sides of my foot.

Dieter: I always have my straps quite far back on the Nano boards, it makes them faster and you still have great control when riding.

What is the best setup for onshore conditions?

Timo: In my opinion it is quad, I find as a thruster it can release of whitewater too easily and is harder to bring back under control. For side shore and side-off quad and thruster standard set up works equally well.

Lina: I put the baseplate even a bit more back when the waves are smaller and use 14 and 10 fins. The straps I always have in the same position as mentioned above.

Dieter: Fins a bit closer together to make the board turn tighter & the base plate further back. Also when there is a lot of current I tent to use bigger back fins, while still keeping the back and front fins quite close together.

What is the best setup for side/offshore conditions

Timo: My preference quad for more grip and drive.

Lina: I move the baseplate a bit more forward, the bigger the waves, the more forward. When the waves are smaller I went on 13 and 8 fins, when the waves got bigger I sized up to 14 and 10 max. Also, I move the back fins further back the bigger the waves. The front fins are always in the same position (5mm from the front).

Dieter:  Move the fins a bit further apart than in onshore conditions. I also tent to use smaller side fins here but keep the back fins the same. The bigger the waves get the further I put my fins apart and the further I move my base plate forward.

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