Product Review: 2023 Goya Nitro 3 Pro 89

Pros:

• Great upwind capability

• Early planing

• Turn diversity

• Construction, deck pads, attention to detail

• Playful overall character, scalpel like precision

Cons:

• Not suited for XL sized waves

• Requires more attention in bumpy waves

Intro

When I first heard that Goya was developing a new board that would help Brawzinho compete in World Cup conditions, I was excited. As a Goya dealer, I have been impressed with the range of their boards--if you windsurf, or windfoil, there is a good chance you can find a board that can fit your needs. The Goya Thruster Pro 3 and The Goya Quad Pro 4 are popular wave board choices here in the SF Bay Area. Designed specifically for their fin configurations, they both blend user friendliness and pro-level wave riding ability in their lineups. And each size works very well, Goya does an excellent job scaling the boards to match volume with changes in rider size and user conditions.

But when I first read the release, if I am being honest, my heart sank just a little bit. I have tried other "stubby" type wave boards in the past, but they were typically somewhat limited in their ideal use case. They worked well in a quiver of other boards, but didn't fit in very well in a 1-2 board quiver.

Pushing my past experiences aside, I initially ordered 89 and 98 Nitros to put into my demo fleet. I was glad I did! Here is my full review of the 89 and some notes on the 98.

Spoiler alert, the Nitro 89 was my most used board in 2022. It comes stock with a 20cm center fin, which works very well, especially if you prioritize early planing and upwind capability. I swapped the 20cm for a 19cm fin which felt like a good compromise between looseness and early planing and upwind ability. I tried an 18cm fin, which worked, albeit with a sacrifice of early planing and mobility. Therefore, I opted for the goldilocks option of 19cm fin. Fit and Finish

The board itself is painted a brilliant red (with perhaps a little orange in it), with flouro yellow highlights. The board's construction out of the box is outstanding and the paint looks super nice on the water. The strap is place further aft on the board, closer to the tail (similar to other "stubby" type boards). The nose is a little fuller, the tail has what I would describe as a diamond swallow tail. The deck is somewhat domed, and the rails have a surprising amount of curve to them (as opposed to parallel rail design). The duo density pads are grippy and plush. if you have sailed a recent model Goya, you will appreciate this detail on the water.

On the Water

The board is surprisingly stable, given it's compact length. I can power slog and uphaul this board if needed. It is quick to get onto a plane once you hit the windline. I was immediately impressed with it's mobility within the lineup. I was able to get back upwind to my ideal spot after my first wave, which is not always easy especially when the current is strong.

What felt different about this board is the variety of turns it is capable of doing (as opposed to other "stubby" boards I have used in the past). It is very capable of doing tight, snappy turns in the pocket. But it is also capable of doing more drawn out bottom turns with the board on its rail. You can gouge a nice top turn, but it really likes to do a slightly flatter, more pivot-y, and sliding top turn. I suspect this is by design, as this board was built to shine in onshore conditions with shorter period swell (typical summertime conditions here).

I sailed this board in a variety of wind and wave conditions: 4.5 to 5.3 wind, and small onshore playful waves all the way up to longer period mast high reef break swell. The combination of board shape and rear footstrap placement make it very playful and maneuverable on waves. The thruster configuration makes it versatile enough to work in a variety of conditions. It also helps the board plane up quickly and go upwind pretty darn well. This added mobility helped me increase my wave count, especially in a crowded lineup.

The 98 liter version has very similar character to the 89. The extra volume obviously gives it a little more float, and with the appropriate fin, it planes up a little quicker than the 89. The 89 felt a little more dynamic, whereas the 98 felt a little more flowy. I suspect the bottom shape is slightly different, so that it helps accommodate the added volume.

Limitations

No board is perfect, and the Nitro does have it's limitations. I used the board in mast high waves, but that is not where the board truly shines. Riders will get the most out of this board in waves waist to logo high. Beyond that, I would reach for a different board. When the wind direction is more side-off and the waves are pumping, I would likely reach for a different board.

Summary

I do think this board achieves what it was meant to do--make less than ideal conditions more fun! If you live in a place where conditions are perfect all the time, you might choose another board. For the rest of us, this board will make some of those average days more fun.