Windsurf MagazineGOYA BOLT 4 CARBON 119L TEST REVIEW 2024

The Verdict

Adrenaline junkies get ready, the Bolt is ridiculously fast. Offering superior performance, it provides a ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Sailed with a commanding and confident attitude, the Bolt will get your attention and ignite a new passion for high speed in the flat or open ocean that you never knew you had.

The Lowdown

Straight out of the box, the Bolt grabs your attention – Its appearance, rocker line, concave deck, and volume distribution make for a beautiful board, which is noticeably light in the hands. Its appearance is almost reptilian, layered up from a lightly brushed carbon blue, with fine diagonal detailing, before finishing off with lime green lines, which run the length of the board. The Bolt’s volume has been distributed a little more boldly than some other on tests – with the majority of the volume sitting just in front of the footstraps before thinning out towards the tail. The rear of the Bolt blends beautifully into the front section where a new nose shape has been designed to eliminate the breaking point, resulting in a stronger nose structure, it also looks pretty good too. Staying up front an obvious concave deck is present as well as a recessed mast track, which helps provide control when pushing the limits. Branded as Goya’s Freerace board, the Bolt carries a sportier outline with its straps set on double density pads and generally more towards the rails, there is however some adjustment here to enable you to set them a touch further inboard on the flatter section of the deck. On the underside, a pronounced vee double concave runs the length of the board, shallowing out to a vee in the tail which pulls into a rounded pin tail – where cutouts also sit to help reduce the Bolt’s wetted surface. Available only in premium construction, with a full carbon deck on top of a full Hyper Skin HD High-Density foam sandwich, keeps the Bolt lightweight and stiff. The two larger sizes of the Bolt are foil-ready with a deep Tuttle box, which is a great touch for those wanting a little extra versatility. Overall, on first appearances and set up, the Bolt is incredibly attractive with its design features exuding excitement.

Brand Claim

“The new Bolt 4 Carbon, is our fastest ever Freerace board, and we are excited about its ultimate forward drive paired with empowering open ocean comfort. Its 4th generation puts it all together under your feet, ready out of the box, racing performance to be experienced by everyone.”

Performance

As one of the shortest boards on test, the Bolt requires a little extra precision when off the plane; however, supply it with some power, and the Bolt rises up onto the plane with impressive ease. Straightaway the Bolt accelerates and reaches an excellent top speed with proficiency. Finding the front strap is simple, as is the back when located in its inboard position. With the rear strap set in its furthest outboard setting and being located a little closer to the rail, it requires a smidge more finesse from the rider to locate. The rail, deck shape, and foot strap location on the Bolt place the rider in a positive and committed position, requiring a commanding attitude. The Bolt wants to be pushed and it wants to go fast. The Bolt offers an incredibly thrilling ride and is ridiculously fast on all points of sailing. Off the wind, you get to feel the full force of the board’s thrill-seeking character as the Bolt lifts and you ride the tail… hold on and focus on the water ahead, while enjoying an exhilarating ride. Remaining locked in even when powered up with larger sails, the Bolt is fast and furious. Committed and moving rapidly out to sea, the Bolt remains fast and settled in predictable waters. Meanwhile, with the Bolt’s lively character and desire for rider input, a sprinkling of precision and finesse through the gybes will reward you with exceptional speed, while remaining smooth through the turn. Watch out you might become addicted to gybing this board. The Bolt is a real masterpiece of design and engineering from Goya that will leave your body full of adrenaline for hours after your session.