Author Topic: High Aspect starboard paddle  (Read 20816 times)

supgreece

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High Aspect starboard paddle
« on: April 01, 2013, 10:39:56 AM »
any review about high aspect starboard paddle ??

Easy Rider

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2013, 12:17:45 PM »
Paddled them all last Fall in Spain at the Distributor meetings.

It is a great race paddle.  The shape combined with the flex allowed me to go quite hard for a 10 km paddle with less fatigue than normal. 

I liked being able to get the blade closer to the board (narrower) - which allowed for better stacking of the shoulders.

Easy Rider is the name of my store in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
My name is Warren Currie . . . and we SUP Surf indoors . . . in a shopping mall!

PT Woody

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2013, 07:38:55 PM »
There's an excellent review on Seabreeze:

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/2013-Starboard-High-Aspect-Foil-Paddle/



I added my thoughts to that thread and will post below but you really need to read Goochi's review.




Okay I bit the bullet and ordered the 500 - the smallest of the range, which is consistent with my previous paddles, the Kialoa Pipes and the Ke Nalu Wiki. Got it wet for the first time over the weekend and again this morning.

First session was in the surf - a bit of BOP training on the 12'6". I liked the feel of the paddle but it really didn't seem to work any better in that situation than my previous paddle. Not surprising as Starboard isn't marketing it as a surf paddle.

I then took it into flat water and noticed it come alive in my hands. Wow! This blade and shaft combo is awesome for high cadence paddling. The oval shaft is ideal for choking, which I find myself doing a lot. In fact, I was so comfortable with gripping the oval shaft, I was a little reluctant to use the handle at all. The flex on the oval shaft is also surprisingly good - if you like flex. That was one thing about going from Kialoa to Ke Nalu - I gave up an oval shaft in order to get something a little loose with a decent springy release which is so much kinder on my shoulders. This new Starboard combo gives me back an oval shaft but with flex, and it's also lighter overall than either Kialoa or Ke Nalu.

Easy Rider

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2013, 12:48:48 PM »
^^^ Yup - it is NOT a surf paddle.
Easy Rider is the name of my store in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
My name is Warren Currie . . . and we SUP Surf indoors . . . in a shopping mall!

Wood_Ogre

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2013, 12:52:58 PM »
Reminds me of the dragon boat racing paddles. Selling paddles has become very competitive. There are a handful of very good paddles and a lot of mediocre paddles. To remain in the market every year the paddle makers have to come up with something knew or different just to stay  in the market.  Have we reached the point where it all is a bunch of marketing hype or are paddles improving every year ? Are we going to start playing with words just to sell paddles ? High Aspect, low aspect, starting to look like what happened in wind surfing. We get to the point where the product is over engineered then start reverse engineering and use fancy words that are just words. I am going to market a new back to the future, organic green paddle that is a old piece of driftwood plywood nailed to a tree limb. If I can come up with the right marketing hype, I am sure it will be a good seller !!

jdmotes

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2013, 01:44:26 PM »
  Have we reached the point where it all is a bunch of marketing hype or are paddles improving every year ? starting to look like what happened in wind surfing.

 Yes and Yes, Wood... We have to make sure we keep the newer "entry to mid-level" paddler from becoming "disenchanted" with the sport and its tendency to  change equipment just for the sake of change...
 Just yesterday, I threw a wind-sup rig on my 8'11 when the wind got up to around 10-12 mph side-shore. Its such a simple rig that puts you on the water in around the 2 minutes it takes you to swing the boom down, out-haul the sail and walk to the water... I'm on a 5.8 square meter rig in the pic below and it retails for $499 (and that's everything- sail, mast, boom and carrying bag).
 I wasn't setting the world on fire as the wind was barely enough to push and the waves were super-small... But: "I HAD A BLAST"!!!   Paddle on,   JD
JD Motes/Water Bound Sports LLC
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DavidJohn

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2013, 03:24:30 PM »
Here's PT's new paddle next to my Kialoa Pipes.

Very similar shape and size except for the squared off base.

DJ




Easy Rider

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2013, 03:26:32 PM »
I would tend to say no and no.  

I would agree that there are a few great paddle companies and a lot of "okay" ones.
I receive 3 to 4 emails a week from china asking if I want to start my own paddle company.  

Companies like Quickblade / Werner / Kialoa are leading the charge.   After going to Spain last fall and talking with Andrew from Starboard (head of the paddle program) I would now put Starboard in with those leading.  
Easy Rider is the name of my store in Edmonton, AB, Canada.
My name is Warren Currie . . . and we SUP Surf indoors . . . in a shopping mall!

catdailey

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2013, 04:20:53 PM »
I would say that most of the "info" about paddles is nothing more than marketing mumbo jumbo. I prefer to buy from companies (like Ke Nalu and Quickblade) who actually do research on how a blade behaves in the water. I'm not saying that Starboard didn't or doesn't, it would just be nice to have see of the scientific research to make an informed decision.

I took a lesson a few weeks ago from a Starboard Rep. Super nice, knowledgeable guy and he used one of the new paddles. I wish I had thought to try it out, but I was more intent on learning at the time. A few things I noticed...it's light. The shaft is very thick (and I have big paws for a girl and it is thick!) and the wide carbon weave on the shaft is kind of lumpy; something that he hadn't even noticed. It's got a big offset at 13 degrees.

These are the kind of things I'd like to know...

As a DB, OC1 and 6, C1 paddler, I know that the max offset in paddles is usually 12 degrees and it was stopped at 12 for a specific reason (if the reason for bigger offset is more upfront catch, there has to be a limitation before water slippage and other bad things happen). I'm pretty sure Werner and/or ZRE did a lot of testing on this with marathon canoe. Why 13 degrees for this paddle? I have a particular bias against anything greater than about 10 degrees. On 12's, I feel as if I'm plonking (taking too much air down with the paddle).  Some people love 12 degree offset. There may be very valid reasons for doing greater than 12 in SUP, but I'd like to know the research.

Also, the blade is very long, but since the whole blade should be buried at the catch, presumably you'd still want the same length shaft, effectively ending up with a longer paddle. That length, even though in the blade, has to come at a cost (maybe not negative, but again, where's the research). Either I have to lift my top hand higher on the exit/recovery, or drop it farther in to clear the length of the blade. Is this a good thing or a bad thing or neutral?

Do I have too much time on my hands  ;D ;D ;D???

Cat
Cat

paddlestandingup

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2013, 04:32:51 PM »
It looks similar to a Werner Nitro to me.  Probably a bias on my part but I stay away from any paddle from a board maker and stick to those guys that are in the business of making paddles.  Just to disprove my point, I have a paddle from a paddle only manufacturer that is just terrible.  :)

I have to hand it to KeNalu (even though I've yet to paddle one), it looks they were a few years ahead of the curve: complex blade shape, ferrule hot glue set up, super light weight. 

Beasho

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2013, 08:03:47 PM »
This forum, and Amazon feedback, are shaping the future.

I bought a KeNalu sight unseen based upon feedback from a handful (well maybe 30+ people's reviews).

Either this thing can weather the storm of public opinion or it falters. 

The only blades that can boast this type of following are 1) KeNalu 2) Kialoa  and a distant 3rd) Quickblade.

Outside of this I keep wondering who out there is supporting the various products.  Transitioning from my Kialoa Methane to KeNalu Maliko was like going from a Surftech soft-top to custom Stretch gun.  No comparison. 

I have converted multiple people from the Methane and the opinion is 100% consistent in favor of KeNalu.  Thank you Pono Bill and Lane for the cajones to market and incorporate such a potentially caustic environment into their business plan.

supgreece

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2013, 08:29:19 PM »
The biggest problem is that we don't have easy  access  in Greece in paddle like QP, KENALU or KIALOA.
The shipping cost  and the tax makes the paddle too expensive all most 650 usd or more.

supgreece

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2013, 08:33:51 PM »
the choice i have is only  NP, Trident and Starboard for racing - distance paddles

Strand Leper

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2013, 08:59:38 PM »
This forum, and Amazon feedback, are shaping the future.

I bought a KeNalu sight unseen based upon feedback from a handful (well maybe 30+ people's reviews).

Either this thing can weather the storm of public opinion or it falters. 

The only blades that can boast this type of following are 1) KeNalu 2) Kialoa  and a distant 3rd) Quickblade.

Outside of this I keep wondering who out there is supporting the various products.  Transitioning from my Kialoa Methane to KeNalu Maliko was like going from a Surftech soft-top to custom Stretch gun.  No comparison. 

I have converted multiple people from the Methane and the opinion is 100% consistent in favor of KeNalu.  Thank you Pono Bill and Lane for the cajones to market and incorporate such a potentially caustic environment into their business plan.

Plus one... that's why I became such an insufferable evangelist... like the different between a purpose built time trial bike, and riding a midrange crit bike... for a time trial.  Just a precise instrument.

SL
American Saltwater Angler Magazine's Seven Time Angler of the Year.* Founder and former CEO of "Fishstrong" an organization devoted to the fight against fishbait-hands-smell discrimination.

* subject to revocation due to a pending investigation by the FDA (fisherman drug association)

TWsup

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Re: High Aspect starboard paddle
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2013, 09:02:46 AM »
The biggest problem is that we don't have easy  access  in Greece in paddle like QP, KENALU or KIALOA.
The shipping cost  and the tax makes the paddle too expensive all most 650 usd or more.


same in Sweden
Bark Competitor 12-6
Fanatic Allwave 9-2
Naish Keiki 9-0

 


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