Will it downwind? Yes or No?

[Off-Shore]

Okay, so here is the "Will it Downwind? Starboard All-Star 12-6" Vid, in marginal downwind conditions, and also tested alongside my buddies Laird Carbon Race LXR1 12-6 on the flat. Hope you enjoy it...

http://youtu.be/kkGiozvMeNw
Head-Mount + GoPro 4 Silver

[yugi]

Nice bubble footage. The cooler the nose peelage the harder it is not to get caught looking at it.

I’m always surprised how far back you stay. Especially in light conditions.

I tend to want be up near the handle for maximum glide to launch a plane, then move back to accelerate it as it lifts on a plane. Especially on a board like a race 12’6, even if tuned for beach race. Even in our short period wind swell (which doubles up as we move down the lake) I prefer to move up for the launch. I’ll hang maybe a foot back as of 30+ kn but not before. Even over 30 kn I'll get up near the handle plenty, and stay back only up near 40kn.

A Bullet is a board which lets you ride it a tad back from the handle without much penalty but other boards, especially race, seem more sensitive to proper trim for build speed. At least to me, and I'm just 165 lbs.

Maybe it’s just gopro funky perspective but I still see the handle in clear view most of the time. Maybe it's the edit.

[Off-Shore]

Nice bubble footage. The cooler the nose peelage the harder it is not to get caught looking at it.

I’m always surprised how far back you stay. Especially in light conditions.

I tend to want be up near the handle for maximum glide to launch a plane, then move back to accelerate it as it lifts on a plane. Especially on a board like a race 12’6, even if tuned for beach race. Even in our short period wind swell (which doubles up as we move down the lake) I prefer to move up for the launch. I’ll hang maybe a foot back as of 30+ kn but not before. Even over 30 kn I'll get up near the handle plenty, and stay back only up near 40kn.

A Bullet is a board which lets you ride it a tad back from the handle without much penalty but other boards, especially race, seem more sensitive to proper trim for build speed. At least to me, and I'm just 165 lbs.

Maybe it’s just gopro funky perspective but I still see the handle in clear view most of the time. Maybe it's the edit.

Yugi... No, it is not the edit, it is me. Near the end of the run, you can't really see, but there is a big ground swell which comes in from the left hand side, and so I find I have to stay back, otherwise I end up ploughing into the wave in front or the bottom of it. I will try standing forward next time..

I have just finished the RedPaddle 14' Elite Race vid in awesome conditions today, and it will be uploaded in next 12 hours.

Next up is the Starboard Race 14', and then the Laird LXR1 - 12-6.. Hopefully get them in both tomorrow while we still have 20knot winds..

[yugi]

that's a pretty nice quiver you got there

[Zooport]

Ignorant question from someone who has never downwinded:  Wouldn't any board with sufficient glide be able to downwind to some extent?

[SUPcheat]

I think you are becoming the supthecreek of downwind and racing board reviews. Very nice, makes me want to go out and try one.

I gather Hong Kong is tropical and the water is generally warm?

[SUPJorge]

Zooport ... it's obvious to anyone familiar with OS's stuff that your comment is way off-base (and impolite).

He was alluding to the "Will it blend?" videos and indulged in appropriate poetic license. If you read the post you'd see that he was surveying "non-specific downwind boards" and asking "So will it downwind, and if it does, how will it perform?" Any reasonable (civil) reading of the thread would understand what it's about. Frankly, I understood exactly what he was getting at.

[Bean]

Ignorant question from someone who has never downwinded:  Wouldn't any board with sufficient glide be able to downwind to some extent?

Some boards are more suited to certain runs (on certain days) than others.  The question you have to ask yourself is, are you being blown across the body of water by the wind or are you actually surfing the swells.

[yugi]

^ errr.... ahem... if you're looking for the iceboating discussion you're in the wrong forum.

 

[Off-Shore]

Okay, so here it is, The RedPaddle 14' Race Elite... Will it downwind surfing the swell, or is it, as Bean suggests, just a board being blown downwind?

http://youtu.be/ICKPQqAblbM
Head-mount + GoPro 4 Silver in drizzly conditions

Hey, and no offence taken Zooport.. I think you could be right.... but let's see which ones get blown downwind and which actually downwind..

[DavidJohn]

Great vid.. 

[Zooport]

Zooport ... it's obvious to anyone familiar with OS's stuff that your comment is way off-base (and impolite).

He was alluding to the "Will it blend?" videos and indulged in appropriate poetic license. If you read the post you'd see that he was surveying "non-specific downwind boards" and asking "So will it downwind, and if it does, how will it perform?" Any reasonable (civil) reading of the thread would understand what it's about. Frankly, I understood exactly what he was getting at.

Holy cow!  What an unduly nasty response!  If you read my post carefully, you will notice that I stated upfront that I have never downwinded before and was offering what was probably an ignorant question.  I know nothing about it.  I would like to downwind someday, and wonder if any of my bigger boards are capable.  I asked because I wanted to understand, not to criticize.  You having a hard day or something? 

[Bean]

Zoo, I think you're spot on, any board will do, its just a matter of degrees. 

On a windy day, I could downwind across my pool on my 7'10" (not now because it's frozen), on another day I could be blasting up the coast on a SE wind and swell on my 14 footer.  If it's flat water paddling with assistance from the wind and/or waves I would call it downwinding.

[TN_SUP]

Looking forward to seeing the Starboard Race, everyone says they are very tippy, thinking it might be a dud and a redesign for 2016.

[Zooport]

Okay, so here it is, The RedPaddle 14' Race Elite... Will it downwind surfing the swell, or is it, as Bean suggests, just a board being blown downwind?

http://youtu.be/ICKPQqAblbM
Head-mount + GoPro 4 Silver in drizzly conditions

Hey, and no offence taken Zooport.. I think you could be right.... but let's see which ones get blown downwind and which actually downwind..

Thanks, OffShore.  Your vids are making me think that one of my biggest boards might work, at least a little.