Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => Downwind and Racing => Topic started by: robon on July 23, 2018, 10:45:27 PM
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I took out the Kahuna brand, Mako Molokai for an hour or so today. Conditions were not favourable for downwinding, but I got a general idea for how it paddles in the chop and on the flats. For comparison, I paddle a Naish Glide V3 14 x 29.25 and a One SUP Evo 14 x 26". I'm not an advanced Downwind paddler in the least, but have been wanting to get this board out on the water for over a month now.
Dimensions for the MM are 14 x 27.5 with a slight drop deck in the standing area, that becomes more pronounced in the rear of the board. The Molokai has a weight limit on the website listed at 275 pounds. Not sure what the actual volume is. The rails are thick at 6" and rounded at the standing area and taper in front and rear with a more squared off edge in the rear. There is no mention of a double concave on the website, but starting approximately 4 feet from the tail, there is a noticeable ridge and concave on either side. The deck pad is quite comfy but could stand to be .25" wider on both sides. The actual standing area is considerably less than 27.5" with the width also coming from the bulbous rails at the widest point. The carry handle is a ledge style and it was easy to carry this board, and it was centered well.
The weight is listed at 30 pounds +/- 10% and I would say the board I paddled was no more than 26 pounds. My Evo is 29-30 pounds, and the MM is noticeably lighter.
There is pronounced nose rocker with a pointed planing hull, and a healthy amount of tail rocker as well. The stock fin is huge at 11 inches deep, and I noticed the pull when turning in the chop. Most would change the fin right away, but the depth helped the board track straight, so for lined up conditions it would probably work ok.
I'm not totally sure where the board is produced, but it is designed in Canada. Kahuna inflatables are produced in China, so I would guess the composite boards are produced in China as well, which would help explain the price point, but it seems to be well constructed. At well under 30 pounds, I would rail tape this board and be very careful with it.
I never got this board out into DW conditions but was hit by some motor boat swell and cross chop, and it was stable. The nose slaps into incoming swell and it would need to be 2 feet or more higher before the nose would pierce going upwind, and for short period lake swell, I think the rocker would work well. I couldn't really tell coming back how it goes DW from chop that was only one foot high, but the board did seem to catch glides quite easily, and it moved out under power well on the flats. The MM felt fairly stiff going up wind in the chop, with a bit of resonation when it slapped, but it wasn't disconcerting.
I would say this board is more suited to a heavier paddler with the thick rails, and seemingly high volume but with the slight drop deck, a lighter paddler might like it.
https://kahunapaddleboards.com/en/boards/down-wind/14-0-molokai
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Mel, did you purchase the board or just a demo?
I am curious as to why the deck is dropped more at the back than in the standing area. It seem strange for a DW board.
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I was just taking it out for demo. I think the deck probably drops a bit more in the rear to keep water from pooling on the deck and funnel it out the back. It could help with stability when you catch swells and are steeping back. Not sure.
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I like it.. The first thing I壇 do is put a dolphin fin on it and remove the deck bungee.
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The price is certainly right! And with the brand been based in Whistler it is a question of going to a local shop or to them directly. Weighting the board and get the one that is 26 lbs and not the one that is 30 lbs....Would be interesting to try one in Howe Sound a day of strong inflow.
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Robon, can you compare the rocker to others' that we might be familiar with?
It looks pronounced. Maybe a Bullet V1?
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Robon, can you compare the rocker to others' that we might be familiar with?
It looks pronounced. Maybe a Bullet V1?
Hey, more nose rocker than the V3 Glide and less rocker than the original elf shoe
Glide.
I知 more familiar with the newest version of the Bullet and the Kahuna has more nose rocker and would have a more similar rocker line of the older version.
I知 around 215 pounds right now and standing just a bit forward of the carry handle, the board settles into its overall rocker, but the nose will not pierce incoming swell and chop until it gets to that two foot high range. It paddled upwind ok, not great, but is quite responsive to sprinting bursts of power, and seemed like it would get on glide well. I知 more used to a squared off tail rather than a pin, so it takes some getting used to moving back.
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That is a very nice looking DW board. Looking forward for your report on your first DW session with good wind and water conditions.
BTW, thanks for posting all of the photos. She's a beauty.
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The price is certainly right! And with the brand been based in Whistler it is a question of going to a local shop or to them directly. Weighting the board and get the one that is 26 lbs and not the one that is 30 lbs....Would be interesting to try one in Howe Sound a day of strong inflow.
I would like to know your thoughts on this board if you ever get a chance to get it out Luc. Getting one on a scale would be good. From owning a few boards that are 29 to 35+ pounds, I can say the Molokai I paddled is well under 30 pounds, so getting one on the scale might answer some questions for the weight variance.
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The price is certainly right! And with the brand been based in Whistler it is a question of going to a local shop or to them directly. Weighting the board and get the one that is 26 lbs and not the one that is 30 lbs....Would be interesting to try one in Howe Sound a day of strong inflow.
I would like to know your thoughts on this board if you ever get a chance to get it out Luc. Getting one on a scale would be good. From owning a few boards that are 29 to 35+ pounds, I can say the Molokai I paddled is well under 30 pounds, so getting one on the scale might answer some questions for the weight variance.
Well lately I have been paddling only dugout (Ace) and boof nose (Vapor) on DW and come to really enjoy their versatility. I just tried a JL Rail 26.5" on light wind and while the speed was actually quite decent when checked on the GPS, I did not enjoy the ride as much as I do on my Vapor. Either I need some retraining, or I cannot help thinking that high rocker, planning boards are really best when there are strong conditions i.e. they still are very specialised boards.
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Just paddle the board and give me feedback ;)
I wasn稚 looking for a full on Planing DW board either but the price is good and it paddled not too badly on the flat but still a noticeable difference upwind.I would like to have a go on a Bullet for comparison as well. I知 hesitant to get a carbon board and the TWC construction holds up quite well. I like the responsiveness of lighter boards on the water and transport, but I知 hard on gear. If my Evo was the carbon version, I would have had to have it repaired 5 times or more by now.
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Just paddle the board and give me feedback ;)
If one is around when I launch, I will :-)
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I知 hesitant to get a carbon board...
This construction has a bamboo sheath under the carbon. Could be strongish.
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Sounds like it's infusion bagged. I've played around with infusion a bit, and gave up on it because I was throwing away so much stuff for every part I made. Perhaps they've figured out a more economical approach.
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note that add for the carbon version says 'stiffer', not stronger ;)
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I get the impression that Kahuna boards have carbon for show, not as a technical material. I would think that if carbon is being placed on only one surface, that the choice would be the bottom, not the deck, and certainly not the standing area. I have an older Kahuna 12-6. The carbon version, but again the carbon is only on the deck. That criticism aside, it looks like their quality has come a long way. And Robon, thanks for a good critical review.
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Yes, I wondered about Kahuna's description of it's carbon construction:
"...wrapped with a biaxial carbon fiberglass cloth, with 3k carbon in the standing area."
What is "carbon fiberglass cloth"?? Is it glass... is it carbon... is it marketing...the internet does not have a ready answer...
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Yes, I wondered about Kahuna's description of it's carbon construction:
"...wrapped with a biaxial carbon fiberglass cloth, with 3k carbon in the standing area."
What is "carbon fiberglass cloth"?? Is it glass... is it carbon... is it marketing...the internet does not have a ready answer...
Could be the cloth that some canoe builders use: fibres running one direction are carbon, cross fibres are glass. Maybe?