Messages

16

Downwind and Racing / Re: M20's young hero .... Travis Baptiste!

« on: July 31, 2013, 05:50:17 PM »

Maybe one day I'll have one of those in my quiver.  Congrats Travis and Kathy! Awesome boards Bill!  Gumby is smiling from Hilo!

17

Downwind and Racing / Re: 40knot Downwind fun!!

« on: July 07, 2013, 05:37:17 AM »

Nice race video and awesome downwind video! I miss the wind!

18

Downwind and Racing / Re: Light lay-up on V2

« on: May 18, 2013, 04:46:55 PM »

All this talk about weight got me wondering how much my hollow Bullet V2 weighed.  On the bathroom scale it weighed in at 30.6 lbs, pretty good for a standard layup.  The V2 is a stable, easy to control and steer board, but I'm not convinced that it's much quicker than the V1 in all conditions.  My former V1 was a bit more tippy and sometimes a unpredictable, but the more narrow profile seamed a bit quicker in flat and chops, even with the bigger rocker. In good downwind conditions, which we get once in a while, the V2 is a Cadillac, requiring a bit more foot work, which I'm still learning.

Like JF808, I think a little more narrow V2 might be better, at least for our less than ideal conditions.  If I was doing Maliko weekly, maybe I'd appreciate the extra width and stability, sacrificing speed in chop and flats.

19

Downwind and Racing / Re: SIC X12, X14

« on: May 06, 2013, 03:13:36 PM »

Nice board, I'd love to own one!

20

Downwind and Racing / Re: Starboard Ace 14' x 25"

« on: April 25, 2013, 07:26:51 PM »

Kaihoe,
Thanks for sharing your input on the Naish fin, looks like it would be good for stability.  In flat water or into the wind or with directional swell, the Ace isn't too bad, but we get side wind, side chop, or just all out disorganized stuff and the Ace is very challenging in those conditions.  When I first got the Ace, I was 165 lbs, I put 10 lbs back on and the balancing issues are more noticeable, plus my other boards are very stable.  I'll see if I can find a fin like the Naish one.  I don't know if Naish will sell the fin separately. 

Corlot,
The Ninja seemed to work okay in flatwater.  It's not as stable as the Gladiator Hybrid or the Futures XL, but plenty stable enough for flat water.  For downwind, I would say it depends what kind of downwind you have.  If your swells are not stacked up and a bit more disorganized where you need stability, the Ninja may not be enough, unless you are very light and stability is not an issue for you on the Ace.  The stock fin also works okay for flatwater, but there is more yaw than with the Ninja. 

I wonder if the Ace would be a good candidate for twin fins.  I still wonder how the twin fin will downwind.  People keep saying the twins add stability, wonder if that would be true for the Ace design. 

The Ace is such a fun board, but when it's too windy or too rough, it sucks  having to paddle on my knees.  I'd love to have a bit more stability without having to sacrifice too much speed.  When I'm falling, I'm really slow, haha!

21

Downwind and Racing / Re: Big Island, Hawaii Downwind *Video*

« on: April 21, 2013, 12:48:07 PM »

That was a fun day!

22

Downwind and Racing / Re: Spring Downwinder Video

« on: April 07, 2013, 12:34:41 PM »

Downwinding in Greece, cool! What board are you using and how do you like it for downwind? Thanks for sharing your video!

23

Downwind and Racing / Re: Big downwinder in Cape Town - video

« on: March 31, 2013, 02:26:53 PM »

Those are some pretty crazy conditions! My legs got tired just watching 

24

Downwind and Racing / Re: Howling wind downwinder.

« on: March 26, 2013, 01:26:03 AM »

Great conditions, endless glides! Love it!

25

Gear Talk / Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle

« on: March 22, 2013, 09:33:29 AM »

Awesome Lane!

26

Downwind and Racing / Re: Big Thursday downwinder vid.

« on: March 21, 2013, 03:26:42 PM »

Awesome downwind conditions! Love the slo-mo and the hands in the air! Anyone who has had a great downwind day knows that feeling! Thanks for sharing!

27

Downwind and Racing / Re: Seattle Downwind Video - SIC Bullet 14'

« on: March 21, 2013, 01:47:53 AM »

Cool video!  The SIC boards are simply amazing in downwind.  I love my 17 but wish I also had a 14 and 12. Thanks for sharing!

28

Downwind and Racing / Re: New Downwinder

« on: March 20, 2013, 08:55:39 PM »

Yeah it's good to have a beach at the end when you're a tad tired and have to haul your board up the beach in strong winds.  Rocks don't end well.

That's good advice HM! I always try to reserve some energy for the possibly having to paddle into headwind and carry my board in the wind, up some rocks.  When I first started, I thought downwind was just riding with the wind, now I realize it's much more than that! Being in shape will definitely help any newb.  Also, going on a lighter wind day, say 15-20 versus 30-40!

I just read an article that a man in Florida rented a SUP and was found deceased.  They suspect it was due to the windy conditions that caused him to get in trouble.  Be safe my friends!

29

Downwind and Racing / Re: Starboard Ace 14' x 25"

« on: March 19, 2013, 11:50:24 PM »

Good to see you back JC! Not sure if I asked you before but what fin are you using on your Ace 14x25? Was it a dolphin shaped fin? What length?  I love my Ace in light downwind, flats, small to moderate chop, into the wind, with the wind, but side swells and disorganized swells and chop still throw me in the drink. 

Thanks Takeo, almost ashamed to admit that I've just been using the stock fin! I tried the Jeremy Riggs/Larry Allison  cut out fin on DJ's old style 14' Glide last week and really enjoyed it so I'm keen to try that and also the new smaller Gladiator on my Ace

Have to agree, that messy swell is tough on the Ace, I'm really curious to try the 2013 Ace 25 now, think it might have the speed and swell catching ability of the 2012 but slightly more stability if the 23.5" version is anything to go by.  One of the local guys has one, so with any luck I'll get a chance to try it and report back, the 23.5 was an absolute blast but because racing isn't my focus at all think I prefer the extra stability of the 25.

On the same messy run I tried PT's All Star 14' x 26", very different to the old Race series boards, finer more piercing nose, very stable and really easy to coax onto the messy swells. So stable that I would go the 25 for sure, lovely board, very easy and enjoyable.

I'm glad to hear even you feel the Ace is challenging in the messy stuff! I fell a couple times this weekend and was very disappointed in myself.  But once I hit the downwind, the Ace just took off and I was all smiles till shore! It's definitely a challenging board, not stable like the SIC boards which downwind really well, even is smaller stuff.  I know the stock fin is too little stability for my size, skill, and water conditions.  I"ll gladly give up some speed for stability.  I hate getting back on that board, it's like a tippy kayak in rough water.

30

Downwind and Racing / Re: New Downwinder

« on: March 19, 2013, 02:02:12 AM »

45* is too much! But then again it really depends on your location, and local conditions.  What I mean by that is, my local spot isn't always dead ahead downwind somedays it is, and some it isn't. sometimes we get a little angle I would say 20* in fact, and that is when it can get dangerous.  Especially if your on a rudderless board.  

It's starting to get more common as more people catch on to this downwind craze, several guys have been caught in dangerous situations with winds like that.  45* is a lot, and for us it means your heading out to tahiti! actually more like Fiji now that I think about it

But for others it might not be that bad. you need to consider the wind direction in relation to your local land mass.  What about ground swell? some guys got ground swell to assist or offset the wind angle from a different direction constantly catching that 45* wind switching to a different dominant ground swell to correct that. Not sure how it is where you are, but here underestimating the wind is a big fat negative! It's hard to go against the grain when you have 30+ winds, 90% of the time your pretty much going to head and are at the mercy of the wind direction.  Plan safe!

Good advice JF808.  Winds can change like at our local spot.  Not only can it change 180 degrees and start blowing in your face, but also 45 to 90 degrees and blow you away from land.  Imagine doing a 7 mile downwinder, in 40+ winds and when you get to your destination, tired and exhausted, the wind from shore starts blowing you out to see with a force that puts you to your knees.  What do you do?  My friend who is a Firemen on the Kohala coast said they had to rescue guys on big Naish boards.  When the fireboat picked them up, the boards were left to the sea! There's some guy in Fiji riding a Naish Glide, haha!