Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => Downwind and Racing => Topic started by: PtBobSup on October 30, 2014, 02:25:30 PM
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I have a 14 Starboard Open Ocean and a 14 Carbon Allstar and I like them both but I am not convinced that they are the very best downwind. Wondering if there is something that is a true bump catcher. Are boards like the M14 and Bullet way better at getting the glides? Where I am it is mostly windchop, not ocean swell but if those boards are truly better then it would be fun to add you to the collection. Any others to consider? Ron House Coastal Cruiser? I would never race it so I barely care what happens in flat water.
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Yes, downwind-specific boards are, unsurprisingly perhaps, better to control and easier to get planing than flatwater or hybrid boards.
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Sorry - the hazards of trying to post using a phone...what I meant to say was:
Yes, downwind-specific boards are, unsurprisingly perhaps, better to control and easier to get planing than flatwater or hybrid boards in proper DW conditions. Although the Fanatic Falcon Ocean is quite easy to get onto a bump. The 2015 Naish Jav planes ok too. But when conditions get big and gnarly it's hard to beat a full-on DW board. SIC are pretty much top of the tree there IMO. BUT it depends a lot on your conditions. The Naish Glide 2013 is a very fast board in smaller conditions, and the Coreban Dart is surprisingly fast in big blow, full-on conditions.
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The Naish Glide 2013 is a very fast board in smaller conditions
I just received one but had only the chance to take it out once and in flat conditions.
My appetite is even more whetted by your statement. Regretfully as the winter approaches the predictability of winds are declining.
i.e. I do not mind chucking upwind in light wind to then turn and reap the benefits but I am not looking forward to try to make it back in 15-20 knots head winds.
Luc
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It is often leftovers so the wind has died down a bit. I know that doesn't help but some days you have to work. Big and gnarly is probably not what we see too often. Sounds like there is another board in my future.
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The Naish Glide 2013 is a very fast board in smaller conditions
I just received one but had only the chance to take it out once and in flat conditions.
My appetite is even more whetted by your statement. Regretfully as the winter approaches the predictability of winds are declining.
i.e. I do not mind chucking upwind in light wind to then turn and reap the benefits but I am not looking forward to try to make it back in 15-20 knots head winds.
Luc
Yeah, up to 15 knots is fun for upwind/DW circuits but by the time it gets to 20 knots the upwind section is getting so slow and the DW section so fast that there are diminishing returns per hour.
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I added an SIC F14 to my garage this year. It's AMAZING how small a wave the F14 can catch and glide on. Bigger wind and waves are even better. I have only had 4 good downwinders on the F14, but i feel extremely confident and comfortable on this board. Even light winds around 12-15 mph are fun. Planning to do some wind chasing with it next year so i can rack up more downwind time... :)
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The magic sauce is the new low low rocker on this smokin DW board which makes it very versatile. The many DW wins on SIC boards obviously helped speed up all their boards. Lina proves that SIC designs can also penetrate non DW markets also. Here is video from JR -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ6dzDDR4Ko
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And another innocent is converted to a crack addict. He should save the video so he can explain to his grandkids where their college fund went.
that rocker looks suspiciously familiar -- like the Ku Nalu/Starboard 12'2" rocker. I bet Mark dusted it off again. When you nail it the first time, not much reason not to keep using it. I told him years ago he needed to build a 16 foot Ku Nalu. Looks like we're getting there. Got to be a fun board. I really liked that SIC 11'11" I borrowed at the BOP--enough to bring it home with me.
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http://www.sicmaui.com/f-14-wide-glide-14-0/F-14-G/detail
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Ahh, yes, I see. It's got more tail rocker than the Ku Nalu. I was wrong again. It's OK, I"m used to it.
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I'm sure the F-14 is wonderful if you need the stability of a board that wide, but I've just got a Bullet 14v2, and I'm an instant convert. It picks up any little bump going and is just so refined. So much glide, and such neutral handling. The SIC boards make many of the big name boards feel like prototypes rushed into production before testing was complete. And they look gorgeous too.
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The production boards are great, the hollow custom boards are works of art and priced accordingly. Ya pays ya money and ya gets in line.
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I second that...
the production boards are great, and super durable. I've seen some abused 17' V1's and they still performed awesome.
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The early version of the Dom was notorious for denting just by looking. Ours is the "special" tuff error labelled version and certainly dents by looking.
Our SB Carbon is solid as a rock in comparison - and the SIC SCC very close. For the SIC you do need to handle the pretty gloss finish with care as it is sensitive to small impact blows. Our demo came with a nice star impact that has since been sealed over.
So if concerned about the finish and look - probably good to handle with kid gloves.
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For smaller to medium bumps and wind-blown conditions (what we get), the board that catches bumps better than any other I've tried is the Starboard Ace. Bit of a learning curve but if you stick with it, it pays off. It feels tippy at first but once you get used to it, it has great secondary stability, even in confused chop. I also have a 2013 All Star 14x25 and have tried the Starboard 14' Open Ocean. The Ace is clearly faster in our downwind conditions. Most people of 180lbs or less get the 14x25 Ace.
I've heard the Fanatic Falcon Ocean 14x24.75 is also very fast downwind. I'm itching to try the SIC Bullet 14v2 but none around here yet.
The best board for you will also depend on your size and skill level, as well as your conditions. The SIC is a wider board than the Ace or Fanatic. I have the 14x23.5 Ace so I'm guessing the SIC won't be as fast as my Ace for me. Ideally, I'd like to have 2 downwind boards - one for up to 25mph and one for over 25mph. My Ace would be for under 25mph and something more stable and surfable for over 25mph. One downside of the Ace is that it's tricky to surf from the tail.
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From our experience the 14v2 feels more "sticky" than the Ace due to the single concave until you weight the panel vee tail in higher winds. Your 23.5 Ace is extremely fast and should be much quicker until stability becomes an issue.
You probably have seen this - but this shows others interested what that board can do DW -
http://youtu.be/fQH1-AUP7iY
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Great vid, I like the use of that Ivan Van Vuuren style knee drop.
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He certainly is trying to make downwinders look do-able with the alleged one month SUP grom.
I am pretty sure that if I ever do a downwinder, I will have to be wet nursed through my first couple with GPS alert and somebody who can fish my ass out of the drink if necessary.
Maybe I should rent a downwind type board sometime just to see what it is like. So many boards, so little time.
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For smaller to medium bumps and wind-blown conditions (what we get), the board that catches bumps better than any other I've tried is the Starboard Ace. Bit of a learning curve but if you stick with it, it pays off. It feels tippy at first but once you get used to it, it has great secondary stability, even in confused chop.
...Until you find a faster one!!! but you are right concerning boards currently on the market. I know much faster ones,and much less ugly:D
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From our experience the 14v2 feels more "sticky" than the Ace due to the single concave until you weight the panel vee tail in higher winds. Your 23.5 Ace is extremely fast and should be much quicker until stability becomes an issue.
You probably have seen this - but this shows others interested what that board can do DW -
http://youtu.be/fQH1-AUP7iY
Beau won that race, which is one of the biggest downwind races in Australia. I believe that 3 of the top 5 finishers were also on the Ace. The Fanatic and the NSP were the other top boards - dominating the top 10. All 3 of those boards share quite a lot in their designs.
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For smaller to medium bumps and wind-blown conditions (what we get), the board that catches bumps better than any other I've tried is the Starboard Ace. Bit of a learning curve but if you stick with it, it pays off. It feels tippy at first but once you get used to it, it has great secondary stability, even in confused chop.
...Until you find a faster one!!! but you are right concerning boards currently on the market. I know much faster ones,and much less ugly:D
https://www.facebook.com/Hi.fun.hydroworks/photos/pcb.359195840921371/359184924255796/?type=1&theater
It you try such thing... with that rocker this is a killer in small bumps, just a prototype.
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Bump catching
I had one of mu FUNNEST (not a word but a real feeling) sessions of the year a couple of weeks ago (the first cold Sunday morning (Howling offshore winds. Since I (like a lot of people) are waiting for our 2015 boards The only board I had was my Fanatic Falcon 14FT. So I went out it was mirror smooth in close So I paddled north soon I found there were these "Bumps" So I paddled into them and I found them gliding me along for blocks. When the Bump became a little wave I'd step forward and off I'd go and just cut out before the fin hit paddle out catch another "Bump" and do itagain. Then as things do here on the EC the wind died (even better rides) and switched to NE So I turned around and rode the developing wind swell back to my starting point ... IT WAS SUPER FUN!
I'd consider the Fanatic Falcon as a fun DW and surfable raceboard ... not to mention pretty fast.
JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com