NSP Unlimited 17' 10" by 26 Wide*** Any ADVICE would be helpful

[latitude44]

This is my first post, so hi all.    I am located in Sturgeon Bay, WI: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.848405,-87.3803224,11z   --Where I live is actually an island, a great place to paddle with all the different water choices.

I have a SIC X14 race board, 10' 6" Naish surf (Used in Cabarete, Dominican Republic for the year that I was there.) and a Great Lakes Paddleboard 14 foot touring, and looking for a faster UNLIMITED board for mainly 1-3 hr paddles in 1 foot waves or less, (80%) but also touring of up to 100 miles, and 30-40 mile downwinders in 3-5 foot waves. I'd also like to try to cross Lake Michigan with escort late in the year, and that is about 55 miles. I'll be mostly in the Bay of Green Bay, which is not so rough, but can be very choppy, and also will paddle in Lake Michigan, which does get extremely rough. I do a lot of different sports, am in good shape, 190lbs, lots of time on the water sailing and windsurfing.


What I am mainly wondering is if the NSP Unlimited 26 INCH (not the 24.5 inch) is FAST IN FLAT WATER and CHOP. Hope someone has ridden the board or knows about the board. It has a lot of volume, at around 400 liters, so thinking it would be fairly good for touring?? I'll be crossing a few open water stretches of up to 20 miles, so thinking a board with a bit of rocker would be a good idea if I get caught in higher winds.


I know this will not be the ideal touring board, but if I find I like touring a lot will get a custom board later on that is maybe a bit longer and wider, and designed for mainly flat water. The NSP then could be used as more of a downwind board. Another reason to get the NSP is that, well, we are into the season now, and by the time a custom got here the lakes could be frozen over.    Again, just want to make sure that it is FAIRLY FAST IN FLAT WATER.


If anybody knows someone I could contact to talk to about the baord, that would be great. Does this sound like a good plan?? Thanks!!

[Eagle]

Would suspect that NSP Unlimited to go ok on flat.  Not optimal - but ok fast for a DW Unlimited.

Paddled the SIC 17.4 and found that board to go slowly upwind in chop and ok fast on flat for a DW board.  Cross wind can get a bit tippy.  Once DW in a bit of breeze - that board motors.

If your routes take you upwind - probs expect long tiring slogs.  Was just on our M-14 today and trudging upwind for about a mile and a half was ok in 10-15 kts of breeze.  On the SIC 17.4 if would have been a lot slower and much much more tiring for sure.  Did get some semi-planing action - so the upwind was definitely worth it.

http://www.supracer.com/travis-grant-molokai-2-oahu-nsp-unlimited/

[Area 10]

"30-40 mile downwinders in 3-5 foot waves". Wow. My legs feel like noodles just thinking about that. That's the equivalent of doing the M2O.

I don't suppose you'll get that many opinions about the 17-10 NSP just yet, because they have only just started to be sold worldwide.

I think Eagle is probably going to be right on the money. 400L is a lot to push upwind, and no downwind board is going to give you great speeds in flat water. Even though they are longer and typically narrower, you are still pushing a planing nose and a lot of surface area and weight.

Have you considered the Starboard Ace GT also? Probably not for 3-5 ft seas, but maybe something worth considering for less M2O-like trips.

You can't beat trying a board before buying, especially if you are going to be doing full-on journeys like you are anticipating.

[UKRiverSurfers]

Sounds like you know exactly what you're looking for.

I use a Bullet 17'4 for trips exactly as you describe. Its a full on DW board but it is ideal for open waters, long crossings, upwind, and faster on the flat than my 'fast flat water' board

[latitude44]

Thanks for the replies!!!

Eagle & UKRiver--- Thanks for the info. I'll look at the SIC boards also. Part of the touring equation is WHERE you lash the gear. The SIC looks the best for that.

Area10--- Have looked a bit the ACE. Not the best board to lash gear on, and less volume, but lookslike a fun board. Haha, 30-40 downwinder would be the longest I would go: most of the time more around 20 miles.

I have been rethinking a bit. I have a 14 foot Great Lakes Paddleboard: http://greatlakespaddleboards.com/product/expedition-series/
It is sorta slow, but maybe I can tour on that this year, then get a custom touring board for next season. Then for the 90% of the non-touring I do, for this year, I can get a "rocket ship." The Starboad ACE GT looks like the best candidate, but let me know if there would be other better boards.

[latitude44]

NSP 17' 10" x 26 board coming in a few days!!!  After studying a lot more, searching somewhat hidden forum posts, reviewing pictures and videos, I decided to go with the NSP Unlimited. Seems that there was only one, so was lucky to get it.

I found info that noted the NSP was a bit faster than the SIC board on flat water, and a comment that indeed it is fast on flat water. Also many have said that even the 24.5 is fairly stable, so the 26 should be quite stable. Hoping I can load gear on it to tour.

I do realize that relying on pics and posts is not the same as testing the board, but testing the board would have involved a flight somwewhere. Suppose I should have talked to someone who owned one- too late now.

Being that there are not many high quality pics, after I get the board I'll take a bunch and also give my opinion as to how it rides, although I haven't been on many high end boards and I'm not an expert paddler.

Haha, have been using a 6 year old Werner paddle and just now received a QB Trifecta, so when the board comes I'm all set!!

[Quickbeam]

Haha, have been using a 6 year old Werner paddle and just now received a QB Trifecta, so when the board comes I'm all set!!

Just curious, which Werner paddle have you been using, and also which Trifecta did you get - the 86" or 96"?

[latitude44]

My NSP is coming tomorrow. Wow, from California that was quick. Can't wait.

Quickbeam: The Werner paddle is called the Spanker. It is much bigger than the V-Drive 101 I have, and monstrously bigger than the Trifecta. It must be a 120 or so. The Trifecta I have is the 96. I am, well, more than I want to weigh now at 6' 2" and 215. Eve when I'm down to late summer weight of 190 or so the 96 is still the best choice. The dealer I bought it from said the 86 would be too small.

The Trifecta 96 was soooo nice compared to the monster I've been paddling. I have the strength to get that thru the water, but the old paddle was really way too big. My stroke rate was much slower with my old paddle.

Included some pics:

[latitude44]

Have had the NSP Unlimited 26 inch out a few times. The board is quite fast, maybe .5 mph faster than my 14 foot flat water race board. Most of the paddling has been in relatively flat water. In flat water the board is super stable, and even fairly stable in rougher water. It did take a bit of getting used to in rougher water with initial stability fairly low, but super high secondary stability. Paddling it in a crosswind is a no go. I could not maintain a staright bearing in maybe 18 mph of wind.

Unfortunately they shipped the board without a fin/rudder, so am using a jury rigged fixed old windsurfing fin until the fin comes. Looking forward to using the rudder function.

[iDownwind]

Any updates on how the NSP is treating you? I just recently added an NSP DC Open Ocean downwind board to my stable. I also have an SIC F14 and a V2 with A.S.S. I am finding myself on the NSP more than i ever thought I would be. We had a fun, 12.5 mile open water DW run on June 26th in northern Michigan. One of the guys had a custom Hovie SUP at 16'. It seemed to glide very well in the 3 foot waves we had. I had a bit of trouble keeping up with him on the NSP. It got me thinking about the possibility of getting an NSP like yours, or a custom SIC F16.

[latitude44]

iDownwind:   I have not downwinded much to be honest, (This is my first downwind board.) and I think this person on seabreeze forum may be able to help you more:  http://www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Profile/Details.aspx?member=stimo

I'm not sure if a shorter downwind board would be better in Lake Mich. due to distance of waves?? From the little I know, it seems that a longer board catches even small chop better. I think the length of a new board would make the most difference in your speed/performance. Eighteen feet or so seems to be the standard in "all out" downwind boards.

Just a few remarks about the board. I have seen posted that the NSP seems to be faster in flat water than the similar size SIC boards. This board will most likely be faster than your fastest 14 foot board. It seems to be about .5 mph faster than my SICFX until I get to maybe 4.3-4.5 and over, then maybe .3 faster. The first time I took it out was in totally calm water and it seemed super stable. I have had it out in some confused seas, and then, wow, it is somewhat difficult to balance. Waiting for good downwind conditions to see how the stability will be. I have the 26 inch and would probably recommend that over the 24.5 unless you have very good balance. The primary stability is somewhat low, but secondary stability super high.

One negative of the board I think is the rudder control. It seems to work fairly well, but compared to the SIC boards seems to be fairly
simple. Who knows, maybe simple could be better, but I don't think so. The SIC uses cable while NSP uses string, which stretches, but eventually you CAN get the system to work fairly well. When I steer to port, the assembly does not always automatically reset the fin to center: it sticks, but with the carbon pads provided, I think that can be worked out. It would be really nice if they included directions. None there. In my view the board is awesome, but you need to complete the package and offer good customer service. Adding a short guide on their web site on how to set up the board would not be so hard.

The retail price of the board as quoted to me was $4,600. If you PM me, I'll tell you what I got it for. Don't think the price I paid, even the retail price, is so bad based on some 14 foot board prices I see. Not many of these made. It also seems to be a very light board. I'll have to weigh it and post that.

I wil take pics soon so you get a better view of the board shape and weigh it.