Messages

1561

Gear Talk / Re: Jimmy Lewis Stiletto 14' - Good, Bad, Ugly?

« on: January 13, 2016, 07:19:37 PM »

2014 model year, in pretty good shape. Couple of little paint chips, paddle scuffs, but no dings or repairs that I could see.

How'd I do?

Very nice. I am a sucker for orange boards with clean lines.
How heavy it is?

1562

SUP General / Re: Did you start off 2016 the right way?

« on: January 03, 2016, 08:56:34 AM »

They say what you do on the first day of the year is what you will be doing the whole year.  So, did you start off the right way by going for a paddle today?

Yes, yes, yes - walked our dog and then a very quiet paddle in the fog with nobody around. Nice glides in the receding tide - January 1st, 2016, thick the box.

1563

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 SB all star (14x23) fin box to short for d.ching fin

« on: January 02, 2016, 05:00:56 PM »

VMG TT used by "Winner of the 2015 Lost Mills “Fastest Paddler on Earth”. Just guessing it's not as big and slow as some believe....it has a 230 mm foil base...

That is the one. It is a very nice shallow fin but with a long base.
The funny thing is that plenty of elite competitors in Oz are using these fins on Starboard boards. I am curious to see if in 2016 they will drop the fins or if STarboard will put a longer fin box on their custom boards anyway.

1564

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 SB all star (14x23) fin box to short for d.ching fin

« on: January 01, 2016, 03:09:38 PM »

Are you saying 3 of your fins are going to be obsolete if you bought a new Starboard?
I guess no new Starboard in your future.

Yes and no :-)

Now, I know that if I was to have CAD $5,000 lying under my mattress and I decided to buy a new Starboard full carbon, I would be able to use only some of my fins.
If everything was considered equal between two boards, my choice would be to buy the one that allows me to use the fins I want to use.

That said nothing is ever equal. The US box is so much lacking in terms of standard specification. I have three boards and the three fin boxes have slightly different dimensions.
i.e. my Mako fins have been sanded to fit the Bark and the Race but once sanded would require a lot of tape to fit the Eradicator box. Not as radical as a shorter fin box of course but still not really an option to use these fins with all three without tinkering.

The other think, is that one could also be interested in an Infinity board with Larry multi-fins set-up and in that case you would of course be using only the specific fins designed for it. So not so much different except that it would be an informed choice before purchase (actually likely a major purchasing factor in fact).

To me the issue is not so much the choice of the fin box but the lack of information for the potential buyer which will be taken care off for some of us reading this thread and similar.

I quite frankly do not see the need to argue about a short fin box or a long fin box.I would rather see manufacturers agreeing to use fin boxes with precise size so that you know what you get based on the model. After that it is up to each one to decide what they want or don't.

1565

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 SB all star (14x23) fin box to short for d.ching fin

« on: January 01, 2016, 10:10:20 AM »

A quick survey of a few fins. Base measurement including screw:

Don't
VMG Mako 44, 37 and TT 9 in.

Do.
Makani Kawa 7.5 in.
Gladiator Pro 7.5 in.
JP Australia Race 8.4 6 in.

1566

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 SB all star (14x23) fin box to short for d.ching fin

« on: January 01, 2016, 08:57:55 AM »

As for the fin box, I'm sure it's more drag for all the folks who now need to re-invest in new fins... because buying a new board isn't expensive enough.

:-) :-) :-)

Not loosing my fin collection to a new board.....I better start taking measurement on the base of my favourite fins.

1567

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 SB all star (14x23) fin box to short for d.ching fin

« on: January 01, 2016, 08:56:32 AM »

As for the fin box, I'm sure it's more drag for all the folks who now need to re-invest in new fins... because buying a new board isn't expensive enough.

:-) :-) :-)

Not loosing my fin collection to a new board.....

1568

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 SB all star (14x23) fin box to short for d.ching fin

« on: December 31, 2015, 09:42:58 AM »

It is done on purpose to eliminate the fin box "gaps", which are viewed as slowing the board. Obviously in doing so some long base fins will no longer work. Win some, lose some.

Is that really true or is it just a myth or is that has only an effect of 0.01 km/h and should be considered immaterial?
Just curious as there has been a gap like this for years on thousands of boards.
I noticed that Infinity is providing "plugs" for their multi-fins Blackfish model for fin boxes not in use.

Cheers,

Luc

1569

Downwind and Racing / Re: Downwinding - Looking past the bump in front - Vid

« on: December 29, 2015, 07:47:03 AM »

The vid is set for private and it won't play.

Ditto

1570

Gear Talk / Re: Paddle Comparisons - Konihi versus Trifecta

« on: December 28, 2015, 05:34:22 PM »

It seems people must have some sort of E.S.P or something; the topic of a 90 Konihi has come up with me quite a bit recently & actually we are working on something in that range but it won't be a Konihi, but rather the Konihis more "aggressive" brother. That's about all I can say about it for now but we're planning on it's release this (N. America) spring. I've taken what we've learned from the Konihi & tried to expand on it a bit. It'll probably come in a 90 sq. in & (roughtly) 82 sq. in. to both compliment the Konihi line but also since there's some other things going on that will make the smaller sizes (hopefully) work better. I'll keep you guys filled in as things progress. Currently the blade design is done but we haven't done much in the way of testing yet, hopefully very soon though.

A 90 sq. in blade that would keep the top speed of the Kohini 84 at higher cadence while also maintaining speed with a longer slower stroke would be a total winner in my books.
Hopefully that is what is coming and we know about it soon, I am somewhat in the market for a fast paddle at middle cadence.

Cheers,

Luc

1571

Gear Talk / Re: 2016 Infinity line up

« on: December 28, 2015, 10:32:45 AM »

The updated designs look very nice specially the updated Blackfish and the DW and the Whiplash.
Is it me or the boards look thicker?



Cheers,

Luc

1572

Sessions / Re: Boards and Days

« on: December 27, 2015, 07:56:53 AM »

Videos like this one and DJ's, nice clean set, no line-up, plenty of space to move around are the best incentive to start sup surfing (or to promote boards sale :-) ).
Gives me an hitch that will need scratching at some point.

Cheers,

Luc

1573

SUP General / Re: What did Santa leave under the tree Merry Christmas

« on: December 26, 2015, 01:39:54 PM »

Boardworks Eradicator 14' x 25" US carbon (Used) and a taste for a new challenge to improve my paddling abilities.

Looks like a speedboard. Probably acts like it too. Not the world's best downwind board, but maybe a little better than the graph shows. Just get back on that tail and stay there.

Hey Bill, the graph does not rely the ability of the board but the ability of the paddler on the board :-)
I know the two previous owners and they could downwind and surf that board.
Me I am like an elephant on a pole. It brings me back to my old Naish Javelin high up on the water but it rolls a lot less....
I have not taken it on open water yet. Just on our nearby lake due to cold temperature and no desire to take a plunge :-) but I will work on it.
Reasonably I should have gotten the 27" but this board was available used and at a good price. Here in Canada the used market is more limited than in the USA.

Cheers,

Luc

1574

SUP General / Re: What did Santa leave under the tree Merry Christmas

« on: December 26, 2015, 08:29:30 AM »

Boardworks Eradicator 14' x 25" US carbon (Used) and a taste for a new challenge to improve my paddling abilities.

1575

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: Makani Fins Kawa, Loomo and Me

« on: December 23, 2015, 12:07:40 PM »

CNC foiled and much smoother surface than other fins I have seen and tested.Lighter this year as available in honeycombed carbon.

Thanks Ed.

Regarding the Kawa, the new carbon/Honeycomb model outside of been very good looking (Carbon/Orange as my vote) all the specs are the same compared to the original G-10?

Cheers,

Luc