My New Carbon Javelin

[Seattle-Wind]

This week my new 2012 Naish Javelin 14' Carbon came via UPS. I recently sold my SIC Bullet 14' in favor of a faster flat-water board, all around board.



Initial impressions were really impressive - love the bow that slices through anything. It's very light (rumor has it they're around 27lbs). Feels like it's going downhill in flat water. A tad tippy with reliable secondary stability - not nearly as unstable as everyone makes them out to be (although I'm lighter at 165lbs).



Absolutely gorgeous construction - see through carbon fiber on the rails and Naish logo up front. One of the pretties boards I've ever seen in person. Surfed a few large ship waves on a sandy shoal - board doesn't suddenly accelerate onto plane - it's a much more linear acceleration and glides very well when you stop paddling.



Overall I'd give the board a 9.5 out of 10. Absolutely screams in flatwater - easily 25% faster than my old heavy Bullet in those conditions. I just put a LA Ninja Fin on it - it does seem to add a bit of stability without adding any drag. Although the stock fin is nicer looking with the wood IMO

[pdxmike]

Rastaman--the more you use it, the more you'll love it. 

I love the feeling I have on mine, that there's no other board at any price in the world I'd rather be on.  (Not sure I would have said that the last 3 miles of last year's Round the Rock, though). 

[Muskoka SUP]

Beauty, eh?

Harold Iggy is smiling down from that perpetual wave in the sky right now...
Pretty cool that a board design that's a few years old is still the benchmark...
.. Welcome to the Naish (and Iggy) fan club Rastaman.  

I gotta get me a Javelin... (Before they change the color scheme - that way my wife won't clue in that I have yet another board...  )

DS

[Rideordie]

Rastaman, You are right, that is a beautiful board!  I have the 2012 14 Glide and a 2011 Javelin, both in AST.  I love them both for different reasons.  When I first moved up from my 12 6 x 30" Raven to the 14 x 27.25 Glide, I was blown away by the speed and had trouble getting used to the tippiness.  After riding is for a month or two so I settled into it really well.  Got the 14 x 26 Javelin and was also blown away by the even faster speed and tippiness.  After riding the Javelin for a while, the Glide feels so stable that I completely "own" it.  I am getting more and more time on the Javelin in rougher and rougher conditions.  I also raced it 6.5 miles in some challenging conditions at the Carolina Cup.  For me, the Javelin is greatly improving my balance and core strength.  No doubt.  I am bit heavier at @ about 200 lbs and 5 9 tall.  The Glide is more relaxing to ride, but the speed of the Jav is addicting.  The piercing nose of the Javelin is just incredible!!  It slices onto incoming waves with no noticeable loss of forward momentum.  Harold Iggy Magic!!  Sideways to chop is not fun though.  Downwind to me is good, but the Glide is better, IMO.  In flat water, the Javelin is screaming fast!!  In chop, for me, it is still a little harder to put the power down, due to the need for more frequent balance checks.  May get better with more experience though.  The Javelin just translates your paddle power into more speed and glide due to lower resistance that you can really feel when underway.  Stepping of the the Javelin and onto the glide and it feels like you are pulling a plow through the water and the Glide is a pretty fast board.  I agree that when you stop paddling the Jav just keeps on going.  Get that Javelin out on a glassy day and it is Nirvana!!  I hope you continue to enjoy the new ride and the new Ninja fin.  Thanks for the pics.  I will keep riding the Jav until I fully own it too!!                           

[ZooSUP]

Dude, that is one killer looking board. The jealous is just oozing from my desk right now...

[Bean]

+ 1, nice!

[Seattle-Wind]

Rideordie - You're spot on with my experiences so far on the Jav. I'll have this board for years - I don't see outgrowing it very easily. I'm really excited to take it on some downwinders and push the envelope for stability. This board makes paddling flat water exciting again, can't wait to see how far I can go on this board!

PDX, this board could be a nightmare in conditions like the end of last years RTR...I was on a 12' Glide and it just wouldn't cut through the headwind chop, if you could manage to stay on this board it would screeeam though

The Bow actually has a little bit of rocker...

Muskoka - haha you and me both, I've got a 12' Glide for downwind days and am looking into a 10'6 Nalu for surfing - I'm a Naish fanatic, didn't think I would be, but they really are the best I've tried...and I've paddled a TON of boards.

[pdxmike]

Rideordie's comments sound exactly like my experience also.

I believe Covesurfer may have done RTR last year on a Javelin.  I already had mine then but (luckily) used my Bark--last 3 miles took the same time as the first 9. 

The rocker is interesting--in between the Bark and Glide.  Nose is narrow so seems to slice through like the Bark, but doesn't get bogged down plowing through chop--has just a bit of float-over-it feeling. 

The Javelin is addicting. First time I was on one was last year at the Naish Hood River race.  Fell a dozen times, then went to my local shop the next day and bought a used one I'd been eyeing.  Have hardly used another board since, and my balance has improved greatly from that. 

[Muskoka SUP]

You guys have to stop ... Please....must.....resist....temptation 
(To the yellow side...)

First the Glide 14... Now I need a Javelin. 

Blame DJ!

[Rideordie]

Muskoka, I blame DJ too!!  You must embrace the Jav Grasshopper.  Trust your instincts.  (On sale at Ridiculously low prices at California Kiteboarding.)    

[RainWaves]

You guys have to stop ... Please....must.....resist....temptation 
(To the yellow side...)

First the Glide 14... Now I need a Javelin. 

Blame DJ!

  Ha, Ha...^^^ what you said!

 I also went that route, first getting a 14' Glide, then consulted him on whether or not to pull the trigger on a Javelin. Which I did (2011, Carbon) and have no regrets

[Muskoka SUP]

You guys have to stop ... Please....must.....resist....temptation  
(To the yellow side...)

First the Glide 14... Now I need a Javelin.  

Blame DJ!

  Ha, Ha...^^^ what you said!

 I also went that route, first getting a 14' Glide, then consulted him on whether or not to pull the trigger on a Javelin. Which I did (2011, Carbon) and have no regrets

Well I can't Blame Laird.
Maybe we should get some Zoner Naish fan club stickers made up.  "Blame DJ".  

In all sincerity, I think a lot of us owe DJ heaps - both for equipment advice and for his great vids.  I basically learned the art of down winding watching his edits.  I just got my new Aercor fin from Jeremy Riggs - again based on DJ's advice and willingness to post honest opinions and reviews.  (Even if there is a bit of yellow bias ... )

Now I just have to figure out how to sneak a javelin into my quiver.  

David S.

[Bulky]

Great guys. I just got a Glide 14 Carbon and told my wife it's the only 14' board I'll ever need. Why couldn't someone have told me of the irrepressible urge to buy a Javelin?  How long do I have before it hits?

[pdxmike]

Great guys. I just got a Glide 14 Carbon and told my wife it's the only 14' board I'll ever need. Why couldn't someone have told me of the irrepressible urge to buy a Javelin?  How long do I have before it hits?

The Glide IS the last 14' board you'll ever need.  That doesn't mean you can't get her a Javelin.  And what better board for allowing her to experience the joy you get from the Glide?  The Javelin is basically a Glide, but with the lower rocker and slightly narrower width, it's tailored for a woman.  You could use it when she wasn't using it.  

Sort of a reverse-Irish-Spring-soap strategy (if you're old enough to remember that).

[SUPlime]

Is there any difference in design between the 2011 Glide and the 2012 Glide?