New 404 V3 Mini Report

[mrbig]

The Fifth Annual Shark Paddle in Orleans went off without a hitch last Sunday.

Matt Rivers from the Pumphouse Surf Shop crushed the field in the six mile elite on his new 404 12'6" V3.

Jamie Rivers from Pumphouse Surf started late and still buried everyone in the two mile on her 404 12'6" V3.

Hummingbird Heart borrowed Matt's board as he was not looking forward to trying to stay upright on his 2015 Starboard 12'6" Race. I managed to finish third, with a max HR of 191 and actually touched 7 mph at the start.

The 404 V3 was really sweet. Now Matt and Jamie own a dog 🐶 Tilly, and the board I borrowed was the wide Tilly model. Perfect for Tippy Wan Ken Obi.

Very fast, but without any of the nervous twitchyness that makes the Starby annoying in anything other than perfect glass (what the heck is that anyhow?).

Primary stability ok, with a much softer overall feel than many of the other boards I have owned or borrowed. Secondary instability was really excellent as there were some boatwakes which the Starby and I do not do well with to say the least.

Brushed carbon, light - no scale sorry - and if you like green you will love it!.

404 also makes an LTD which is new this year, with more rocker, and the prone style nose which has become very popular on open ocean boards. A 14' was also available for me to borrow, but both Matt and Jamie convinced me the V3 would be much faster.

We will never know! But, I actually led the field, to the first buoy, until Jamie flew by, and repassed my honorable opponent at the finish to finish third.

No shocks from the ICD thank God!

[Eagle]

"I managed to finish third, with a max HR of 191 and actually touched 7 mph at the start."

Very good bigs!  Anything 7+ is quite reasonable for middle aged types like us.  The Race is no doubt excellent to improve balance -> if not the optimal race board outside of dead flat conditions.  Sounds that makes race day easy on the V3 comparatively.  Your HR at 191 is about the same as the Olympic rower that was on Team NZ!  Impressive. 

[yugi]

Why 12'6 boards?

[mrbig]

 Pumphouse is a very small shop. The 14' LTD's are definitely slower than the 12'6" V3's. Would I have preferred to have borrowed a 14' V3 if one was available? Absolutely, as I  have loaned my 14' Bluefin to PDLSFR as his Nash Glide is being repaired and he is training for the CCBC.

And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

.  .  . 

[PDLSFR]

Great Job buddy and nice write up, wish I could have joined you but surf was calling me!!

Here's a few good pics from that race .

[yugi]

Pumphouse is a very small shop. The 14' LTD's are definitely slower than the 12'6" V3's. Would I have preferred to have borrowed a 14' V3 if one was available? Absolutely, as I  have loaned my 14' Bluefin to PDLSFR as his Nash Glide is being repaired and he is training for the CCBC.

And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

.  .  . 

Stylin'!


A friend just got a 404 14' V3. I think it's 25'5" . I like the shape, the looks and the [lack of] weight.

We both have access to a Bluefin 24.5". I look forward to side by side  comparison w/ the 404. I like the bluefin, especially upwind and DW. It's just a bit heavy.

[mrbig]

Yup! My 14' Bluefin is as stable as a fishing dory and excels in crosswind, upwind disorganized chop. Also fun in short period down breeze conditions. But definitely a little on the portly side.

Mine is the wide 26" variety. It would be interesting to do a comparison between the 404 V3, LTD, Bark Vapor, Turbo Bluefin, and Infinity Blackfish!

Luc and the BC boys can handle it!

[warmuth]

  The V3 is the odd man out in that bunch. It's similar to a Whiplash. Not going to be the board to reach for when conditions start to rev up.

[yugi]

^ not so sure about that.

it's cutting bow is slightly above [pure flat] waterline. It's much like the 2014 Naish Javelin which is a very all-round board. Even good in DW in the experienced hands. Just has a bit more flat section in the bottom up front.

I think all 4 boards are pretty good allround. I haven;t been on Blackfish or Vapor. I just know their reputation. The Bluefin is grat in choppuy upwind and almost mroe fun in DW than Naish Maliko (IMO).

I like very much the simple styling of the 404 V3. Nice low flat deck. A bit of nose but up and out of the way of race chop.

[Luc Benac]

Yup! My 14' Bluefin is as stable as a fishing dory and excels in crosswind, upwind disorganized chop. Also fun in short period down breeze conditions. But definitely a little on the portly side.

Mine is the wide 26" variety. It would be interesting to do a comparison between the 404 V3, LTD, Bark Vapor, Turbo Bluefin, and Infinity Blackfish!

Luc and the BC boys can handle it!

Luc is too old to test anything under 25" :-)

One of my friend has a V3 (older 2014 or 2015) in 14x25" or 14x26" and he finds it more stable than a single fin Blackfish 14x24". He is a lot bigger than me like 6.1' and 190 or 200 lbs and I am 6' and 170 lbs.

This week-end I have been paddling the Vapor in choppy and downwind conditions (first real down-winds of the season), and it is difficult to fault that board (on two down-winds I only fell twice on the first one. Once when I was really heavy footed and did not adjust when the board stalled after a small glide and once when I tried to carve across a little bit too much and managed to bury the leeward rail enough to throw me in the water)

[JEG]

I have the whiplash 14x25 and a while back I thought about the 404 V3 14x25.5. Never seen the V3 in real life but they look similar in pics online view. Can anyone compare the two boards (apology to hijack the topic)?

[warmuth]

  They are similar. The 404 has better primary stability, less secondary than the whiplash. The whiplash is a tippy board, the 404'is not. Once the 404 starts to go though there's no saving it. I've had some "how the f did I save that" moments on the whiplash because it'll hang on the rail a bit before it goes.  The 404 has a bit more rocker to it. The whiplash is probably a little bit quicker due to it. Neither board is particularly good in chop. Paddling the 404 is about as comfortable as it gets if the water is calm. It's great for eating up miles provided you have clean conditions. The whiplash is probably a little better in rough water overall. The 404 is the worst board I have ever paddled in side winds. It's great up/down in "downbreeze" conditions but pretty much all race boards are.

 

[Luc Benac]

I have the whiplash 14x25 and a while back I thought about the 404 V3 14x25.5. Never seen the V3 in real life but they look similar in pics online view. Can anyone compare the two boards (apology to hijack the topic)?

If you have CAD 1,500 to send to my friend in Squamish BC (and a letter of explanation for my wife regarding a sith board getting into our garage), I can help with the comparison :-)

ps: I take this back, I cannot stand a board not good in side wind/chop.
> The 404 is the worst board I have ever paddled in side winds. <

[warmuth]

   I should add that I am comparing a 2016 25.5" V3 and a 2017 24" Whiplash.

[mrbig]

My Starby 2015 Race is hideous in cross wind and chop. Much more difficult than the V3.

I am wondering if there was a change between the 2016 and 2017 V3's as I paddled one last year and it was not fun at all. Either all of the balance training on the Starby has increased my skills or the 2017 V3 is different and much improved in cross wind chop.

Can't wait to borrow a friend's 2017 Blackfish with many fins - hehe!

I will also take a 404 LTD for a spin on Pleasant Bay with the waterskiers and voodoo chop when all of the water is trying to get back to the Atlantic on a tide change..

404 also makes a new model called the Go-Go (honest). Anyone know anything about it? I called HQ and did not get a clear response..