DW'ing on the Javelin.

[DavidJohn]

While talking to Randy Naish in Merimbula I was surprised when he told me that they are using the Javelin on down-winders and only use the Glides when things get very rough.. I thought jeeez.. I'm very wobbly on it on flat water let alone take it out in the rough water on a down-winder.. Anyway.. today I took mine on our down-winder and found it hard work.. tippy.. but very fast when you can stay on it..   .. It cuts through the water like a hot knife through butter.

We only got about 15-20 knots of wind.. and I took this vid.. Has anyone else used one on a down-winder yet?

DJ

[Dangerous Dan]

Looks like you got some pretty good glides DJ.  I love the start of the video watching your shadow dodge traffic crossing the road to the launch point.  We're all excited and running like eight year old kids when you have water and a board waiting on you! 

[Pureadrenalin]

I tried it once in some rough conditions out Kailua,Hawaii and for the life off me I struggled the whole time trying to stay on the damn board. I felt like a beginner all over again. I see guys on our local Hawaii kai run come in and they say the board is great for downwind if you can stay on it.

[Lobes]

Its a good idea if you have the balance I reckon. Wasnt Camo trying to do some DWs on one?

[PT Woody]

Cam did one DW on his Javelin and had a lot of trouble staying dry. But he rocketed along in between swims.

[JonathanC]

I swapped with DJ for the last couple of miles of the downwinder in the video.

I was really impressed with the Javelin but I'm only 145 so that's probably cheating! It felt tippy but perfectly manageable. Tried heading back up wind for a while and stepping forward put the nose into the water so it tracked up wind beautifully.

The overall speed and acceleration of the board meant that I could easily chase down the small runners we had that day and that sleek nose just pierces beautifully.

Great moderate down wind board for lightweights IMO, and of course fast on flat water too.

I'm fast becoming a fan of lower rocker boards for down-winding in anything but really full on conditions, once you become reasonably comfortable turning the board to minimise pearling I think they are much faster and actually more fun. Forces you to be more dynamic, compared to just standing there and letting big nose rocker get you out of trouble. And once you get into turning mode instead of 'ploughing' mode the speed you can generate trimming on even a small face means that the next trough will be that much easier to drop into. Ain't downwindin grand 

[greatdane]

I sold my Javelin, due to it's instability (& my poor balance).  But it was one of the fastest boards I've owned when I could stay on it.  It was as fast as my 18' Bark.  But to me the speed it had didn't make up for my swim time.  I know Robby said he doesn't want his boards "to look like boats" but if they simply dropped the deck a couple inches, they would have a winner. 

[JonathanC]

I know Robby said he doesn't want his boards "to look like boats" but if they simply dropped the deck a couple inches, they would have a winner. 

Totally agree! To get the shape so right but have the thing so tippy is a real shame, had this naughty thought of getting a second hand one in a year or two and doing some "mods"

[greatdane]

I know Robby said he doesn't want his boards "to look like boats" but if they simply dropped the deck a couple inches, they would have a winner. 

Totally agree! To get the shape so right but have the thing so tippy is a real shame, had this naughty thought of getting a second hand one in a year or two and doing some "mods"

Jonathan... the same thought crossed my mind!  But I don't have those kind of shaping/mod skills. 

[Scotty Mac]

I have not rode the javlin yet but it looks fast. I have been riding a Lahui Kai 14 in downwind conditions for a few months now and its great except when the conditions are really rough and the rocker does not fit into the swell like i assume the javlin struggles. I hot tip, next year all three naish race boards come out with sunken decks. Would be a huge improvement on already great boards. I loved the 17, take off 4 kg and sink the deck lower across the range and you got it all.

[1paddle2paddle]

Our winds have been so lame here for so long I haven't down any downwind runs for a number of weeks.

I had been thinking about trying the Javelin in light downwind conditions.  I might check to see if I can demo one and give it a go.

[Seattle-Wind]

Nice vid DJ, that looks really quick downwind. Anyone have any downwind experience on the Catalina? Seems it would be fast too as i've heard the Jav. and Catalina are based on the same hull...

[Nemo]

I did'nt get it, is the javelin easier to get going on small runners the the glide 14 if you can stay on it? I have the glide 14 ast and i think it is a super board, but if the javelin works in downwind conditions as well or better (apart from beeing more tippy) I will swapp it for the Glide javelin 14 limited edition wood...if not for the looks. Generly here in sweden we just have windswell so I recon you could managed with less rocker and still get going.

[JonathanC]

Nemo, in the conditions we had for the down-winder in the video I'm absolutely convinced the Javelin would be faster than the Glide 14 if you had the balance for it. The thing I found is that the Javelin is such a fast board it lets you 'hunt down' runners that you simply couldn't build up enough speed to catch with a more heavily rockered board.

I have the Starboard Surf Race in both 12'6 and 14' and I find in lighter downwind conditions I'm actually faster on the 12'6 because it has less rocker and accelerates faster. Keep in mind I'm light, 66kg, and that seems to be an important factor with dealing with the tippiness of the Javelin.

[Nemo]

thanks! I have to try it out head to head