Is Simsup considered a fragile SUP

[IRideYellow]

i just bought a production L41 SimSup 3 (I love the ride) and it already has 4 dings, after 4 sessions.  Two appear to be the result of the rail hitting the wooden handrail on the stairs exiting the surf spot.  These were not hard hits.  I have a Naish SUP that is indestructible compared to this new board.  I know the Niash weighs quite a bit more but even my long boards were not this fragile.

Is "easy to ding" just to be expected with lightweight SUPs?

Thanks

[TallDude]

You can't compare the durability of to many boards with that of a Naish. I have a 6 year old Naish Nalu and only a repaired nose ding. It's been through shore break beatings, fallen off the car racks, and dragged down the beach by a mob of kids, and still looks great.  The older Naish boards were made in a mould. Then the mould was heated to sort-of cook the surface of the foam to give it a hard shell. Then they vacuum bagged them with premium composites, and paint. A new Naish Nalu is $1,500. ($2,000. retail). The L-41 is about $300 to $ 500. cheaper. If Kirk charged $300 to $500 more for his boards, he couldn't compete. I think of the L-41's as a custom board. All custom boards are light on glass to allow them to perform better. My custom  SUS board is all dinged and patched, and that's the way it is. Any board used in the surf is going to get beat. I would say, enjoy the board, don't worry about the dings.

[Dwight (DW)]

Is "easy to ding" just to be expected with lightweight SUPs?

Thanks

Impossible to make general statements on this and have it be true for all.

Custom can be tougher than production, and or less tough than production......

With production being new to Kirk and L41, I'd contact Kirk direct with some feedback.

Assuming its overseas production..........I'll say from first hand experience, as an engineer who's been to China many times for work, it can be a bitch getting them to do what you ask when you're not there to watch them.

[pguidry]

I crunched my back corner rail on the walkover too.  I'm not sure any board would have made it through that hit though. 

I have both a custom (S glass) and production L41's.  Not much weight difference (18 vs 20.5 lbs).

The production board has held up better to paddle nicks but nothing significant on the custom. 

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Don't get me started with my eggshell Exocet.

[JimK]

Personally I don't think it is fair to compare durabilty between (hand built) custom and production. Production boards are made with strict tolerances that they are tested too (but can be heavier) Hand laid up "can be lighter & stronger" but have the human/atmosphiric variable which can not be controlled

jimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

[Old School 213]

I have an L41 with carbon in the rails and so far after a year it's holding up really well. Getting "foot wells" on the deck but that's about it. By comparison to my starboard I can't really say it's that much less durable. Sure it's different, it's not a sandwich construction but it's eight pounds lighter.

Based on my experience versus yours, maybe you had a different glasser or might want to consider a board bag? Not using your SUP as a centrifugal reciprocating device or just being a little more careful?

[IRideYellow]

Ah no carbon in rails on my board, as far as I know. 

I emailed Kirk and he said there are no other reports of fragile SimSups.  Perhaps the years of dragging around a Naish and not being to concerned with what it hit has made me careless. 

I'll put some "Fragile" stickers on it to remind me to not bang it on stuff. 

Thanks

[lunchbox]

I've got the 8'8" S3 Production model. I put some rail tape on it and after 2 sessions all is well. I am very careful when carrying my board to and from the water and also play it safe in the water (i.e. get out before the wave closes out, avoid surfing too close to rocks, etc.).

The construction IMHO seems  pretty good, but having said that, it is definitely no Starboard and Allwave....now those boards are tough!

[PonoBill]

I've whaled the crap out of mine and it looks new, but it's a custom with a bamboo deck. I have a Naish 11'6" Nalu that got run over by a bunch of local girls in a car at the beach. Minor damage.

Ditto on Chinese workmanship. They can do fantastic quality work, and then the next batch is crap. There a lots of Ke Nalu blades that will never see the light of day. first 300 were perfect, next 300--not so much.