Author Topic: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean  (Read 8693 times)

PT Woody

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Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« on: April 06, 2011, 09:41:10 PM »
Jonathan launched his new Starboard Open Ocean 14' this morning. I took a few snaps but having some trouble with phto bucket this afternoon so this one shot will have to suffice for now. Seems to me the evil genius' at Starboard HQ have taken all the ideas that worked on the New, the 12'6 Surf Race and the old 14' and melded them together to create this beast.






DavidJohn

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2011, 10:17:42 PM »
Thanks paul.. Here's a few of the pics that I took today.

It's amazing just how different it is to the 14' SurfRace.

DJ


















JonathanC

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2011, 05:21:22 AM »
Well what a difference a few relatively subtle changes make. For a start the thing is absurdly stable, you are basically standing millimeters above the water line but the 4 drain holes and the shaped standing area keep it very dry, you do feel like you are stepping up a little when you go into surfing stance but after a couple of hours paddling I didn't even notice anymore.

The big difference is in the way the nose reacts, the old one had a lot of volume in the nose, maybe I pearled it once but not really - instead if you didn't step back it would just 'boof' into the wave in front and slow down. You could keep the nose clear but it was much more subtle , having to move back just enough to keep the nose clear but not too much so that you dropped off the wave. The new one has a much smoother entry, to the extent that today you hardly noticed getting on to the wave, just realized that you were (tiny waves!) but then the nose shape, rocker whatever just let's it keep going so effortlessly. So what that means is that it's much easier to keep the momentum up.

One of the other big changes is how far tucked under the rails are, looking side by side for most of the length that the rails are sharp the rail on the new one is probably an inch further under the board. In some ways it's almost a curved displacement rail, but it does have the sharp transition to the relatively flat bottom.

The nose is basically a curved displacement shape, you don't really get the slap slap thing when you paddle upwind in chop to anything like the extent you do on a surfing type board, and even though it's a funny little blunt nose it does actually pierce quite effectively.

I paddled upwind about 10k and the wind got progressively weaker, when I turned around I'm sure it was less than 10 knots and the water was just crappy little bay chop but it was totally catchable and the length of the glides was the thing that really amazed me. The nice bonus was that it was so surfy when you got on the wave too.

Look I'm totally biased, sponsored by Starboard, but in the crappy little waves we had today this board just blew me away. Just feels like a whole new level of refinement. STOKED!! and 30 knots on Saturday.....

JonathanC

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2011, 05:52:18 AM »
Hate it when you've just spent the hour before teaching newbies about paddle technique, banging on endlessly about finishing the stroke by the time the paddle reaches your feet then DJ snaps that last photo :D
Just realized that in the 2nd last photo I'm in surfing stance and the board is planing despite the fact that there doesn't seem to be any wave there at all! The glide and ability to stay on a ripple is what really blew me away on this board.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2011, 05:54:34 AM by JonathanC »

Takeo

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2011, 11:25:39 AM »
Thanks for sharing the pics and thanks for the review JonathanC.  That nose is quite a contrast to the planning type.  The blunt design is pretty deceiving in looks as I've seen it just glide through small swells and chop on one of the custom Starboard race SUPs, just as you described.  I'm wondering how it would fare in bigger swell conditions, say 7-8 ft plus seas.  I'm also wondering if bigger ocean conditions would swamp the board and whether the scuppers could keep up with the draining water in these types of conditions.

Any idea on the weight of the board?


JonathanC

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2011, 02:45:16 PM »
Hi Takeo, hopefully tomorrow we get some bigger conditions and I can get some video so we can see how it goes in bigger conditions, weight is approx 25lbs, a little lighter than the predecessor the Surf Race 14, both were the lightweight 'brushed carbon' technology.

Takeo

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2011, 03:27:33 PM »
Hi Takeo, hopefully tomorrow we get some bigger conditions and I can get some video so we can see how it goes in bigger conditions, weight is approx 25lbs, a little lighter than the predecessor the Surf Race 14, both were the lightweight 'brushed carbon' technology.

That's pretty light for a 14 footer! I got to carry Connor and Bart's custom boards when they were here for a race, super, duper light brushed carbon!  Bart was flying on the custom 14 which one of my friends bought. Looking foward to your next report.

cape kook

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2011, 07:11:41 AM »
any update on this board? 
---------------
Naish Glide 14'
Fanatic Allwave 9'10"
Starboard Avanti Supertanker

Takeo

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2011, 03:44:04 AM »
Picked up an Open Ocean carbon model yesterday and got out on the water today for a short in the bay paddle.  No open ocean swells but I thought I'd share my first impressions.

First, I expected the board a be a bit lighter, especially for the carbon model.  My board weighs in around 33 lbs, that's 1 pound more than my 17'4" Bullet.  I really wonder what the weight is on the AST model.  I will say this though, the carbon model is pretty rigid.  I didn't feel any flex on the deck of the board while paddling, I'm 176 lbs.

The board is stable as the others have stated. It does rock left to right quite easily but not to a point where it's going over.  In fact, I stood there rocking hard left and right, till water splashed on the deck, into the footwells, and I was no where close to tipping over. 

The deckpad seems fairly comfortable, both the bumpy area and the smooth finish area.  With the deck so recessed, it was a bit weird feeling the sides of my feet against the inside of the rail, like standing in a kayak I would guess.  It's not a bad thing, just different.  I'm still trying to find the sweet spot on the board for my weight and for varying conditions.  On the flat and small chop conditions today, my toes were either covering or standing behind the back scupper holes.  Speaking of those holes, a little water would slosh in the holes but quickly drained keeping the deck dry.  I'm curious how it will perform in rougher conditions.

I have to say this, it didn't feel like paddling 33 lbs.  I expected it to feel a bit sluggish, but maintaining a decent paddling speed was comfortable.  I'll take my GPS next time.  Again, most of my padding was into 10 mph winds with tight surface chop.  There was quite a bit of the "boofing" of the nose, which sends the chop shooting to the side.  Not quite planning, not quite displacement....or is it?  Anyhow, I felt like I was able to maintain my speed with less effort.  In other words, it didn't feel like paddling 33 lbs. 

When I turned around to catch the small chop, the board paddled pretty effortlessly and even caught really small, I would say 6" or so swells for short glides that were smooth through the transitions.   

I'm excited to get this board in rougher open ocean conditions, and hopefully in some downwind.  I can already tell this board wants to catch the bumps.  The more time I have on it, the better I'll be able to review it's characteristics and compare it to the Bullet.  It definitely paddles better into the chop than my former F16 V2. 

Jonathan, hope you don't mind adding on to your review.  Thought I'd keep the discussion on the board all in one place.





DavidJohn

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2011, 07:02:31 AM »
This pic shows where Jonathan stands on his 14' OpenOcean.

DJ

« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 07:04:03 AM by DavidJohn »

headmount

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2011, 11:11:22 AM »
Glassy or WHAT?  That pic was stunning.  Even when the wind stops it doesn't get that smooth here....

Takeo

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2011, 12:15:30 PM »
Glassy or WHAT?  That pic was stunning.  Even when the wind stops it doesn't get that smooth here....
Bill,
I was thinking that exact same thing! I guess that's what people mean when they say "flatwater". 

DJ, thanks for the pic! I know Jonathan is about 30 pounds lighter than I, so I would guess his position on the board may be slightly different.  He's PM'd me about where he stands and moves on the board which is helpful since I'll be spending the next few sessions figuring this board out. 

BTW, Starboard says the weight on the carbon model is 32 +/- 6%.  The AST is 36 lbs.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #12 on: June 30, 2011, 12:47:40 PM »
Glassy or WHAT?  That pic was stunning.  Even when the wind stops it doesn't get that smooth here....

It certainly does on the south shore Obe Wan.  Very common in the mornings all over the leeward coast.  Evenings too, sunsets can be surreal.  During whale season it's quite special.  Canoes cover a lot of ground when it's flat - easy to go miles offshore.  Safe too.

I love the look of those starboards.  Form follows function.  Cool to see how lumpy boards can be such great performers.  Humvees ain't graceful, but they can bring it.         
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 12:57:04 PM by LaPerouseBay »
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JonathanC

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Re: Jonathan's New Weapon - Starboard 14' Open Ocean
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2011, 02:13:29 AM »
That was quite a morning, rare to get it that smooth but just a treat when it is.

Strange paddling for a longer distance in water that smooth looking out to sea, quite easy to get a sense of vertigo. Even though the surface is ultra smooth there are bumps that roll through without disturbing anything and sometimes that just seems to throw off my sense of what is horizontal.

That shot actually shows some of the differences between the 2010 Open Ocean behind and my 2011.


 


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