Author Topic: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon  (Read 16988 times)

balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #30 on: February 25, 2012, 02:28:28 PM »
My first video of the ACE in my local spot. An olde GoPro, narrow field of vision...should i upgrade ?

Choppy waters and winds in the 10-15 knot range. There's clips from 2 sessions, see if you can tell !

Being the 5th time i take the ACE out, i feel quite confident in it's stability for this conditions.

ACE DOG 1.wmv
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DavidJohn

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #31 on: February 26, 2012, 02:57:05 AM »
Jeez it gets dark under those bridges..  ;D

DJ

pdxmike

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #32 on: February 26, 2012, 11:46:55 AM »
balance_fit--thanks for posting.  It's nice to see another part of the world.  Still morning here and I feel like I've already been to Puerto Rico, and Australia from DJ's thread.  Saw Sweden last night.  And LaPerouseBay's bathroom sink. 

balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #33 on: February 27, 2012, 08:56:12 AM »
Hi pdxmike

...you're welcome ! Will be posting videos more often in the future, to share the stoke !
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balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #34 on: February 27, 2012, 09:04:47 AM »
Hello to all

The following is for all curious about the footwells and pivot turning the ACE and for the sake of sharing my opinion with the other ACES.
This is part of a reply i wrote to a paddler in response to the above video in youtube. He inquired about my thoughts on the footwells and if i had problems pivot turning the ACE.

I like the footwells very much for several reasons: they allow me to feel the deepest part of the well, which is also the center of the board and it's most stable point; they raise as one slides back, increasing the leverage on the board fore and aft (handy when doing downwinders);they keep my knees and feet aligned while paddling, eliminating knee pain caused by unknowingly twisting one leg while paddling (also allowing a straighter catch);they also help to brace the feet against the outer well when in chop.
The footwells fade into a flat area aft of the "cockpit" without a center ridge. This spot allows one to place a foot sideways for surfing a swell or, pivot turning. Not that I need to go back there, because this board, with counterpressure and a slight angling of the blade, is able to draw a wide turn, even against the wind and chop, by just sliding back 6 inches from center paddling stance. For pivot turns, a full one foot back from center stance is all you need: why? It's a very narrow pintail, so the stern sinks easily as you weight it and, the fin is located almost 2 feet forward of the stern.
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Argosi

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #35 on: February 27, 2012, 07:24:25 PM »
Thanks for the video balance_fit. Hey, I was staying at a hotel right by that lagoon for a couple of days on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. I called around trying to see if I could get a board rental but wasn't able to find one due to the holiday.

I've taken a couple of videos on my NEW and I prefer the view when the camera is mounted on the front of the board.  When viewed from the front, I can see the swells more clearly - at least when I'm using my camera, which has a narrow field of view like your camera.

I've already posted it before but in case you didn't see it back then, here's a video I took last August on Lake Ontario:
Downwinder TWC to Centre Island Pier (21 mph NE wind)
I was on my 12'6"x23.5" NEW.


« Last Edit: February 27, 2012, 07:32:01 PM by Argosi »

balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #36 on: February 27, 2012, 07:39:23 PM »
Excellent video Argosi !

I do remember having seen your video once, before i even became interested in the ACE. If i had seen it again, i would've bought the ACE even sooner ! Quite good swells at the lake...I see you have excellent balance, and you're on a 12'6" x 23.5" !

For me, paddling the ACE reminds me of when i used to inline skate a lot. Quite a bit of play in the ankles but always in balance. I feel that's the cue for paddling these designs, let it roll !

Next time you come down here, contact me, i'll set you up and we'll go for good paddling sessions.

I'm going to install another clip for a bow mount on my ACE. Let's see how it goes. This saturday promises good winds if the high pressure stays around  ;D ;D ;D

Thanks for the video, be well
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Argosi

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #37 on: February 27, 2012, 08:05:15 PM »
I'm small and light so I have a reasonable chance to stay on my 23.5" board. If I get to San Juan, I'll let you know. Sure wouldn't mind paddling there now as we still have quite a bit of ice where I paddle.

Look me up if you're ever in Toronto as well.

Kaihoe

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #38 on: March 07, 2012, 10:39:27 AM »
Balance_fit

Did you manage to do the GPS trial on your foot position? I find myself moving backwards and forwards and not getting as far back as you mentioned.

Also have you tried taking long (way past the feet) strokes on this board? The pin tail seems to like them

Cheers

PT Woody

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #39 on: March 07, 2012, 03:35:34 PM »
I see you have excellent balance, and you're on a 12'6" x 23.5" !


Funny you should mention that.

Have any of you taken the time to actually measure the width of your Ace/New? Curious thing, I currently have on loan from the distributor a 27" Ace demo for the time trials we are doing and it felt really wide compared with my 25. I measured the 27 and sure enough, the outer edges of the board at the widest point come in at an even 27". So I measured the 25. At the most, this board is 24" wide. WTF?

JonathanC

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #40 on: March 07, 2012, 03:58:52 PM »
I see you have excellent balance, and you're on a 12'6" x 23.5" !


Funny you should mention that.

Have any of you taken the time to actually measure the width of your Ace/New? Curious thing, I currently have on loan from the distributor a 27" Ace demo for the time trials we are doing and it felt really wide compared with my 25. I measured the 27 and sure enough, the outer edges of the board at the widest point come in at an even 27". So I measured the 25. At the most, this board is 24" wide. WTF?

Its the BMW nomenclature thing....call a 1.8 engined car a 320 because it 'goes' like a 2 litre car. Anyway if the called it a 14 x 24" no one would buy it ;D

balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #41 on: March 07, 2012, 04:37:27 PM »
Balance_fit

Did you manage to do the GPS trial on your foot position? I find myself moving backwards and forwards and not getting as far back as you mentioned.

Also have you tried taking long (way past the feet) strokes on this board? The pin tail seems to like them

Cheers

Kaihoe !

Just coming back from a rather wild session. Only 2 paddlers braved the conditions today at our spot. The ACE was brilliant, allowing me to paddle against 23 knot winds to setup for the short dw and repeat the circuit some 10 times.

Haven't been able to do the test. It's been blowing nonstop here for several weeks now. But, i got some info.
The toes flush with the aft drains now has become my downwind running stance.(My balance has improved, actually)
 I have migrated forward to toes flush with the fore drains for flats and catching bumps. Once on the bump, if not steering, a hop back to flush with aft drains. If steering is needed, opposite side foot goes flush with aft drains. If the bump becomes scary steep, a little hop further back is all i need.
If i try to catch bumps with my toes flush with the aft drains, the board just won't go or requires more exertion to take off. Hop forward to the fore drains, and fly.

Regarding paddling, i try to pull the blade out ahead of the feet, actually pulling it at the feet. I use a Werner Fuse, and if i pull further back it sounds like i'm lifting buckets..

Still got that GPS test in mind for when the winds subside....

Be well !
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balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #42 on: March 07, 2012, 04:55:54 PM »
I see you have excellent balance, and you're on a 12'6" x 23.5" !


Funny you should mention that.

Have any of you taken the time to actually measure the width of your Ace/New? Curious thing, I currently have on loan from the distributor a 27" Ace demo for the time trials we are doing and it felt really wide compared with my 25. I measured the 27 and sure enough, the outer edges of the board at the widest point come in at an even 27". So I measured the 25. At the most, this board is 24" wide. WTF?
I did the measuring too, while my wife looked at me and rolled her eyes ::) in disbelief....yes, it never gets even close to 25 inches wide ! No wonder it flies ! If someone ever told me that i would be paddling a 24 inch wide board i would have never believed it... this ACE won't cease to amaze me.
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balance_fit

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #43 on: March 07, 2012, 04:59:20 PM »
Its the BMW nomenclature thing....call a 1.8 engined car a 320 because it 'goes' like a 2 litre car. Anyway if the called it a 14 x 24" no one would buy it ;D

True indeed, no one would dare climb on a 24 inch wide sup...the trick here is that this one is called a 25 inch wide but it 'goes' like a surfski and has the stability of a 28 inch wide...
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PT Woody

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Re: Starboard ACE 14' x 25" first impressions in brushed carbon
« Reply #44 on: March 07, 2012, 07:35:45 PM »
You're probably right Jonathan, they learned their lesson with the discontinued K14, which was 24" wide and no-one bought it. You'd have to be crazy to paddle a 24" wide board.  ;D

 


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