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Topics - Luc Benac

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16
Gear Talk / Battle of the clogs
« on: November 19, 2017, 05:49:17 PM »
Has anybody paddled the "new" generation of clogs from an all-around point of view?
  • One-Sup Storm 14x26
  • Sunova AllWater (blue nose) 14x25.5 or 14x27
  • 2018 Ace 14x25 or 14x27
  • 2017 Ace 14x25 or 14x27
  • 2017 NSP Sonic 25.5
I should have access to the first two but not the others.

17
Gear Talk / 2018 Naish Maliko Carbon or no carbon?
« on: November 18, 2017, 05:16:27 PM »
Does anybody know the details of the  new construction? Videos say full carbon but web page seems to say glass.
Just comparing the 2017 schematic with the 2018 one....

18
Gear Talk / Mistral 17'6" downwind and flat waters boards
« on: October 25, 2017, 03:16:51 PM »
There was a little bit of info on SeaBreeze but does anybody has the goods on these:

https://www.facebook.com/mistralsup/photos/pcb.1715795885106332/1715794621773125/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/mistralsup/photos/pcb.1715797208439533/1715796265106294/?type=3&theater

Beautiful looking boards but not as exciting as Mistral Sup is not distributed in Canada and USA so far.
The downwind board with no rudder would be a very yummy board.

19
SUP General / SUP brand ambassadors?
« on: August 14, 2017, 06:00:03 PM »
Hello,
This topic has come up today on a thread on a different subject.
I was curious to learn what this involves and experience from fellow paddlers in that regards.

This is what was on a Starboard website:
Who are Starboard Brand Ambassadors? They are unique individuals who show a passion for stand up paddleboarding and embody the Starboard tiki-life culture. They are active members of their local SUP communities who love the Starboard brand and can engage an audience on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. These ambassadors will be encouraged to participate in local “Tiki Tour” events and spread their passion and enthusiasm for the sport of stand up paddleboarding.

I have trouble making up my mind if being an ambassador involve spamming every SUP forums and FaceBook pages about greatness of the brand and regurgitate marketing materiel or if there was a more balanced and honest approach or if I am totally missing it altogether. I was approached once but did not even consider it at all. Now I am curious about this.

Thank you for your input.

20
Gear Talk / Infinity new downwind board
« on: August 10, 2017, 04:58:32 PM »

21
I was blessed this Canada Day long week-end with THREE down-winders including one with friends. I was also using a brand new Larry W. Allison's down-wind fin - the Spartan - and the old timer Aercor.
I forgot my GPS watch on the first down-winder with the Vapor and Spartan but I had it today.
First thing first regarding the Spartan is to leave preconception at the door. It is a big MOFO of a fin at 50 sqi. It it was not from Larry, I would never even have tried it.
Straight to the highlights, get the board on a glide and the Spartan is rock solid and you can link the bumps. Reminds me of the feeling of windsurfing. Coupled with the Vapor that likes to stay high on the bump and it feels like having improved my down-winding technique, impossible....
The fin is quite reasonable to handle in side-wind, side-chop which stays a mystery for me based on it size.
I really want to take this fin on higher winds.

22
Took my new Rastaplash for the first time out.
Britannia to Blind Channel - the usual.
Sizeable chop and funky inflow. Bit of a down-winder on some parts and just bit of churn on others. Thankfully I did the crossing all the way to the cliffs so could come back at a good angle in front of the Spit.
Not the flat water first day that I had envisaged :-)

Well Rastaplash and I, we are going to get along just fine.

1) Even in chop and wind at the back, it has some healthy predictability and with some footwork a light down-winder is not a chore but would not be my first choice outside of a down-breezer with groomed clean bumps. The Blackfish works a lot better for that.. If you weight the rails too much and gets lazy,....that was my only time in the water :-)

2) It is stable. I was in cross chop against the cliffs and no major panic. The only time I went on my knees briefly was in front of the spit where there was some heavy funky chop between wind, tide and river. When water started passing overt he deck, I decided it was time for 2 minutes of kneeling - chicken....

3) It glides. The low rocker definitely put the board on the flat water camp. Different from the Blackfish and complementary in my books. I could see myself with a 2016/2018 Blackfish in addition to the Rastapash and would consider myself well covered. the stock fin is also more of a flat water track fast fin. Not a first choice for these conditions.

4) Chop.Harder to take on cross chop cross wind than on the Blackfish but easier than on the few flat water boards I have tried. When it gets choppy, the reversed bow nose, works like a charm (Dave definitely knows his stuff)

5) Volume/design. Perfect for my 170 lbs. The board feels compact and put me low to the water. I like that very much. I would think that the weight limit is like 185 lbs or 190 lbs, not because of stability but  I think that the board would sink too much and more volume would be needed

6) construction. Flawless, stiff and light. Gives confidence.
The deck with its slight recess is the perfect balance between knowing where you are, taking some support from the side but having almost full space. My Vapor has a little bit too much borders and allow really only 20" of space.I am glad that this deck has made its way to the new Blackfish.

OK time to cut it.... This is way more than a first date, this is the start of a good relationship :-)

23
SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Used Bark Vapor
« on: April 09, 2017, 04:59:36 PM »
Stoke to say that I got locally a used Bark Vapor.
Could not get one new last year as too $$$ but should be the perfect down-wind board for our local conditions.
First paddle today taking delivery of the board. Flat water and some light side chop crossing back the inlet.
Summer should bring the down-winders....
noticed the same than for my Bark Downwinder before. The paint layer can flake under I guess impact and the underside show various small pressure depression. Other than this the board itself feels pretty solid.
Like the "sidewall" to push the feet against even if it makes the board feels narrower than it is.

24
Gear Talk / Flat water board with deep recessed deck
« on: March 14, 2017, 08:20:43 PM »
I started paddling an Ace-GT which has a fairly deep recessed deck probably about 3 inches from the waterline.
Outside of the Ace, I thing that the Sprint has a similar recessed deck.
The new NSP Ninja might also be similar.
Is there any other flat water sup that you know of with a  deck very low above the waterline?

25
SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Going to the Dark side
« on: February 28, 2017, 08:13:02 PM »
I got a used Ace-GT from one of my friend.
I think that it will be a nice distance/touring board.

26
SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Riviera RP-Downwinder
« on: July 23, 2016, 05:52:44 PM »
Just got a used Riviera RP-14 Downwinder from a friend.
14'x26" Carbon Innegra less than 24 lbs.

This is a big banana like a Glide V1.
Just tried the board for the first time on the chop created by tide and wind on a local sand bar.
So far so good. Managed to get some good glides even without wind which is quite an achievement for my limited skills.
Board fits nicely in the through.

27
Gear Talk / Kings Downwinder and Infinity Blackfish DW (not ST)
« on: May 23, 2016, 06:23:33 PM »
Hello,
While everybody talks about the 2016 Starboard Allstar, there are plenty of boards that it is impossible to find any user's information or review about.
I was curious about a few Made in USA downwind boards like:

1. Kings Downwinder
2. Infinity Blackfish DW
3. Blackbox DW

If anybody has tried any of these board and would care to share their views, it would be great.

Cheers,

Luc


28
Gear Talk / 2015 Rogue Race 14' x 27"
« on: February 27, 2016, 01:24:18 PM »
Hello,
I could not find anything about this board.
Has anybody paddle one and can comment on handling in flat and choppy conditions and so on...?

Cheers,

Luc

29
Gear Talk / 14' boards with clean lines?
« on: February 09, 2016, 06:49:36 PM »
Yesterday I was looking at my Bark Downwinder on the top of my truck and once again noted how the clean lines and regular rocker made it so nice (at least in my eyes).
This is pretty much the opposite of my Starboard Race with "progressive" rocker and contorted shape.
The Boardworks Eradicator is also a board with somewhat clean lines if flatter and more angular than the Downwinder.

I was curious if you guys could think of other boards for flat water or open ocean that would have similar clean lines and shape as an attribute.



30
The Shape Shack / 2015 Starboard Paint?
« on: January 22, 2016, 09:36:15 PM »
Hello,
Where could I find either some paint to touch-up a few sqi (the carbon is fully visible after sanding) or does anybody knows what Pantone or other colour code is required to purchase paint?

Cheers,

Luc

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