Flatwater Design Trend

[ChesSUP]

Is a new trend for Flatwater boards to have higher riding (non-cutting) noses?  It seems they have a slight vee and typically the first 12"-18" is out if the water.  The seems to provide a relatively quiet ride but is certainly a departure from the cutting/piercing bows of a few years ago.  I have noticed this trend from Fanatic and Infinity.  It could also be a transition to a new method/location of standing by the paddlers.  Thoughts?

[pdxmike]

It sure has been seeming that way to me.  It seems like all the new models from different companies are doing that, plus some other similar things.  No more sharp, pure-displacement noses--they are rounder, higher and with lots of volume.  Tails are often wider than before, and decks that were recessed are still just as low, but the rails that bump up alongside the recessed deck have been shaved off. 


Barks to me were the quintessential piercing/displacement bow boards, and at the Gorge course (flatwater) race, I hardly saw any of them, whereas they seemed like the most popular board at every race around here a couple years ago. 


My Javelin has a nose like that, and I prefer it to the Bark--seems about as fast in flatwater, but turns better, and nicer when there's some chop or boat wakes.  Gives a combination of popping through and over water, vs. pure cutting through or pure popover, which both can slow you down in comparison.

[ChesSUP]

I also think it has to do with the interpretation of Flatwater.  At a recent race in the Chesapeake Bay there was wind and a slight chop.  The first leg was "downwind" and my Coast Runner performed admirably even with me on top.  The story changed when we switched directions, as expected.  Guys with cutting bows were slow and fighting to control the direction of their boards on the same Leg.  This was very much a Flatwater race but current Flatwater designs were not ideal for some legs.  I do imagine the Fanatic Flatwater would have been much easier to control and probably would have outperformed the Coast Runner on all legs.  I for one am intrigued.

[TN_SUP]

Is the Boardworks M&M still relevant? It was the holy grail of flatwater just 2 years ago.

[ChesSUP]

I can't imagine why it would not still be a monster in flatwater, but I would not consider it versatile.  However, I have never paddled one.  I the race I spoke of, I cannot imagine how it would have performed on the downwind legs.  Wind can come out of nowhere and can effect almost any race, so I would guess the goal is to design a board that is not so specialized for certain conditions that it cannot handle any others. 

[supsurf-tw]

Is a new trend for Flatwater boards to have higher riding (non-cutting) noses?  It seems they have a slight vee and typically the first 12"-18" is out if the water.  The seems to provide a relatively quiet ride but is certainly a departure from the cutting/piercing bows of a few years ago.  I have noticed this trend from Fanatic and Infinity.  It could also be a transition to a new method/location of standing by the paddlers.  Thoughts?

I do this on my SUS boards. Very fast paddle speed and great in chop

[pdxmike]

Is the Boardworks M&M still relevant? It was the holy grail of flatwater just 2 years ago.

I didn't remember seeing many in the Gorge course race.  Could be because most people also did the downwinder the next day, and if they brought only one board there'd be much better choices than the M&M.  I do know a couple people (both around 200 lbs) who've switched from it to other boards.  I've only demo'd one, and it didn't seem too tippy to me, but that's a criticism I've heard.  It does seem like after the Bark, then the M&M was the hot race board in the NW, and now I see a whole mix of different brands (with big rounded noses) with no clear favorite. 

[PonoBill]

I think what is going on is an attempt to make 14' boards work for a wider range of riders. The board I bought today--Amundsen 14 TR-X--trims with my 245 pounds at the handhold. The only 14' board I've found that does that. But the Riviera board I saw Thomas Maximus on was clearly built to trim flat with his considerable muscle mass on it, and give him a reasonably wide sweet spot. If manufacturers don't do something like this then open class racing will plateau quickly as the boards become suitable only for 140-180 pound paddlers.

Piercing noses work best with a very narrow hull behind them. The M&M's are out of favor because they are such a specialist board. If you weigh more than 200 you'll be standing on the nose to get the tail to release. Beautiful design, but only for skinny guys with great technique paddling exclusively in flatwater--all twelve of them.

Naish is oscillating between Javelin being a flatwater board and Javelin being a do-everything board. 2015 is flatwater. Be interesting to see how that goes. All the fast guys I know are snapping up the 2014s.

[cnski]

Pono you caved!!! WTF? I thought you were done with 14's? I loved that comment you made awhile back. And being your exact weight, I used that as my decision to not buy a 14. How many liters is the Amundson? I talked to some well known racesup shapers who told me I need a board around 310 liters at 245 lbs. Let us know how it rides and if it glides.