9'0" Naish Hokuai

[wavehobbit]

Anyone ridden one? I've had my order in here
Stateside and I've been waiting for months.  Starting to
Wonder if I should jump ship?  Onlya couple more
Months leftin the Caribbean wave
season. Ugggg

[Dwight (DW)]

Cancel and go for the 7'8

I'm the same weight as you. No problem.

I'm glad now I passed on the 9'0.

Have you read Steve's review? http://www.csx355.blogspot.com/ 

Steve and I both owned the 9'3 so knowing how its going for him on the 9'0 versus the old 9'3 tells me a lot.

The 7'8 has width forward that makes it much easier than you would think. It smokes.

[tautologies]

Anyone ridden one? I've had my order in here
Stateside and I've been waiting for months.  Starting to
Wonder if I should jump ship?  Onlya couple more
Months leftin the Caribbean wave
season. Ugggg

I've had about 3 sessions on the 9'0'' in up to about head high...maybe a little overhead..so not too much impression of how it rides. I rode it thruster as far as I remember.

Board paddles easy, breaks through the whitewater easy enough. Feels stable while paddling and riding. So far (I'm 180lb 81kg), I can paddle into waves pretty early the board turns really well. Feels stable, and movable.  I'd say compared to the 7'8'' the 9 will go earlier.
Even if it is agile, 7'8'' will naturally turn more like a shortboard...BUT the 9 moves too... I think the 9'0'' seems to have more range....but again I don't really have a ton of experience on the 9'0''...the things I do like...the tail, skinny as hell. They have really taken that design a step further this season, with volume in the middle and narrow and skinny tail. I though the v would make the board unstable, but I was very wrong.
Both the 9'0'' and 7'8'' are super light..I weighed my 7'8'' to about 20lb...give or take a few lb...the 9' has the same feel.

Both the board looks killer IMO...very sleek with the wood deck. The handle has really nice grooves for your hands...feels light and stable under your feet. Can take off on both the steep and not so steep waves....

[eeck62]

My wife surprised me with the 9'0" for Christmas.  It has been a super cool present.  I had to sell my dirt bikes earlier this year so I think she felt bad.

I love the board.  I am 165 lbs and I have been out of standup for a couple years so keep that in mind with my review.  I have eight or ten solid days on it now.  The construction is good, it seems like it will last.  It does come with a board bad which is cool.  I had to cut the fin slots, in the bag, longer so the fins would fit.  I have ridden the board as a quad only and it is fast and maneuverable.  I will switch it up the next time I try it.  I am guessing the thruster setup will have a little more drive.  I was at the shop the other day and noticed the rails are fatter than the nice narrow rails of the 9'3".  I think narrow rails are the way to go but I haven't noticed them being a problem.

One of my criteria is can I paddle it to an offshore wave while there is a little wind and not be pissed off.  The answer is yes.  It is big enough and stable enough for me to be out offshore in the lumpy stuff and not fall all the time.  Although, I wouldn't want to go smaller at least at this time with my current skills.  Also, the distance paddle is not that bad.  It's not a fast paddler but it's not slow.  That was key as I don't want to be surfing crowded line-ups all the time.  I find that I stand a little farther forward when paddling distance and put my feet back on both sides of the handle when in the waves.

Small waves-I have had no problem catching small waves.  Actually it did better than I expected and I have had fun in the small stuff.

Head high to overhead mushy waves-It was harder to catch these waves than I thought and it didn't have the glide that a longboard shape would have.

Good shaped waves or head high to overhead clean good waves-This is where the really board excels.  It is fast and maneuverable.  You can stand in surf stance and not have to move your feet much like a short board.

I haven't tried the 7'8" although I would like to.  I do intend to get in the bigger stuff and I don't know if the 7'8" would be able to get into early enough compared to the 9'0". 

Overall I have always come in with a smile on my face and I can't wait to get out for more "testing". 

[tautologies]

My wife surprised me with the 9'0" for Christmas.  It has been a super cool present.  I had to sell my dirt bikes earlier this year so I think she felt bad.

I love the board.  I am 165 lbs and I have been out of standup for a couple years so keep that in mind with my review.  I have eight or ten solid days on it now.  The construction is good, it seems like it will last.  It does come with a board bad which is cool.  I had to cut the fin slots, in the bag, longer so the fins would fit.  I have ridden the board as a quad only and it is fast and maneuverable.  I will switch it up the next time I try it.  I am guessing the thruster setup will have a little more drive.  I was at the shop the other day and noticed the rails are fatter than the nice narrow rails of the 9'3".  I think narrow rails are the way to go but I haven't noticed them being a problem.

One of my criteria is can I paddle it to an offshore wave while there is a little wind and not be pissed off.  The answer is yes.  It is big enough and stable enough for me to be out offshore in the lumpy stuff and not fall all the time.  Although, I wouldn't want to go smaller at least at this time with my current skills.  Also, the distance paddle is not that bad.  It's not a fast paddler but it's not slow.  That was key as I don't want to be surfing crowded line-ups all the time.  I find that I stand a little farther forward when paddling distance and put my feet back on both sides of the handle when in the waves.

Small waves-I have had no problem catching small waves.  Actually it did better than I expected and I have had fun in the small stuff.

Head high to overhead mushy waves-It was harder to catch these waves than I thought and it didn't have the glide that a longboard shape would have.

Good shaped waves or head high to overhead clean good waves-This is where the really board excels.  It is fast and maneuverable.  You can stand in surf stance and not have to move your feet much like a short board.

I haven't tried the 7'8" although I would like to.  I do intend to get in the bigger stuff and I don't know if the 7'8" would be able to get into early enough compared to the 9'0". 

Overall I have always come in with a smile on my face and I can't wait to get out for more "testing". 

I'm considering coming over to your part of the Island this weekend...looks like there will be some nice ones coming in...are you going? Or are you going up north?

Btw. I'd agree with your estimation on the 7'8''...

I think for the mush i you go into a really deep surfstance..I'm sure you do...but that would work IMO...

[eeck62]

I really enjoy the 9'0".  I got out last night in some small waves.  I was experimenting so I only ran the 6" center fin.  There was just not enough fin area in the water.  The yaw was so bad I could only take about two paddle strokes per side and it was definitely not as stable.  The quad setup provides a lot more fin area compared to the small center fin.  It was fast and loose though even in small waves.  I will put in the full thruster setup and try that.

As for this weekend I will probably be staying on my side.  I am working all weekend so it looks like a couple sessions after work.  Let me know if you want to go.

Mushy waves-I have been able to paddle myself into a couple bigger mushy waves.  I was quite surprised.  It took a lot of effort but I was able to keep myself on the peak long enough that I finally could get into the wave.  Other times I fall from all the effort.

I will have to try your 7'8"...