How good is this?

[robon]

With all this talk about downwinding, I really have to try doing it more. Sometimes we get some crazy northerlies or southerlies on the Hudson, and the swells are just rolling.

The problem is since I'm alone so much, it's tough to arrange a pickup at the other end. I'll have to figure this out.

I have the same problem. I'm usually by myself, so I try to plan for the wind. Sometimes works out. Very few people around here paddle for any real distance, let alone downwind, so arranging a car drop isn't easy.

[PonoBill]

Drop a bicycle. Before the Southside runs got popular I used to do this all the time. I even towed a F18 behind my bike until a gust of wind flipped it once. But the plan is drop the bike, got to the top and do the run, leave the board and ride back, drive back and pick up the board. I didn't bother locking the board, but locked the bike to a tree.

[Eagle]

I do notice that feeling Pono talks about of sometimes feeling like a passenger on my Bullet, it can really get going and almost surf away from you! ..... the Bullet 17 just pulls away as gives me more a grin-fest. It seems to have it's own momentum which I found really surprising for such a long board. No wonder Livio who as Pono puts it, "Weighs less than my legs" just flies along.

That was my impression as well when I tested that demo 17.4.  As a light paddler probably similar in weight to Livio - was barely giving it any gas and just glided along getting into swell after swell with the rudder alone.  Easily kept up momentum with insane glide - and was really much different than the plane really  fast then slow down pace of 14' DW boards.

Once I started to feel more comfortable and put down the hammer - the board planed a couple of times and became more exciting like the 14s.  It did however require more horsepower to get all the extra wetted surface area to unstick - and the feeling of being a passenger is accurate.  Needed much more practice - but stayed dry very comfortably and did not break a sweat.  In big breeze that board just hums along with not a care in the world.  An awesome DW board - even with our fairly short period ocean wind swells.

[UKRiverSurfers]

The larger point I am trying to make is that I think the "UL in Maui and 14' everywhere else" paradigm is a bit off.

Me too - In my universe bigger is ALWAYS better on the sea, period!! 

The point about WW is not really accurate - Have you seen a Wild Water Racer Area 10?

Or for that matter - Corran on his Dusi?

[UKRiverSurfers]

#2: From everything Cove has said over the last few years, it sounds like the F16 and 17 foot bullet provide totally different experiences.

This is totally true.

I have the only Hollow Bullet 17v2 in the UK I believe.

Its basically a totally different discipline to non rudder paddling.

You use a combo of foot steering from the very tail, to rudder steering to connect the bumps.

The last few DWs Ive done have been next to the JL Rail and Sidewinder and the other two paddlers had a stoke rate at least twice the rate of mine.

[PonoBill]

Actually if you paddle too much with a Bullet it slows you down. The big Bullets require that you manage their position in the swell to go fast. And then they go so fast that it's of concern. In some of the big drops yesterday I was braking with my paddle and turning across the face to keep the speed down because I know with my compromised balance that I'm not going to be able to turn quickly enough to avoid hitting big crossing swells at max speed. Can't handle those sudden stops. Made me feel like a sissy, but it was necessary.

When I see someone flailing along on a Bullet, paddling constantly and running out of the swell, I know that either I can beat them on the run, or they're really powerful. There was a skinny guy on yesterday's Maliko run that must be solid muscle. He was paddling hard while he was in big glides, pushing himself to the bottom where there's no power. I figured he'd poop out before Camp One, but he got away from me and caught up to Headmount, which is no small thing for someone not connecting bumps well. When that guy figures it all out, or takes a lesson from Jeremy, he's gonna fly.

[UKRiverSurfers]

Yeah I guess thats what I was trying to say..

Same rule applies to my swimmers.. To travel faster they must slow down their actions to get 'freestyle glide'...