Naish 9'6" Fish - Review

[Casso]

Long Reef
17 July 2008

I had my first surf on a production Naish 9’6” today. A demo from Sam at WINDSURFnSNOW.

One word: WOW.

For those of you who ride a standard shortboard and can surf a SUP, you’ve got to try this board, it absolutely shreds.

I’m 88 kilos and ride an 11’ Oxbow SUP about 50% of the time. The other 50% of my surfs are on a 6’4” shortboard, a 5’10” fish or a 9’2” performance longboard.

I went out the bommy at Long Reef. Just a few other guys out on mals, a light off/cross-shore blowing, mid tide and sun out. The inconsistent sets were pushing head high. Pretty much great conditions.

I knee paddled through the shorey, stood up and fluked a nice lull to paddle straight out. Easy. It felt a little wobbly compared to my 11’ Oxbow on that first paddle out but it wasn’t long before I was more comfortable with the feel of it and learnt not to fight it.

A short wait for a decent set had me standing stationary out the back which proved to be a little tricky too (or at least different to my 11 footer). I just had to learn to keep looking ahead and to stop looking down to admire the stranger beneath my feet.

A nice peaking three footer arrived and I swung around and paddled into it. With the first bit of lift from the wave the board accelerated really well and I had no problems paddling on to it. I thought it would be harder than that to get it moving fast enough to take off. I went left, on my backhand, starting with a big drive off the bottom and a series of on-rail cutbacks. How good does it set a rail, I thought - so much better that having to nurse the turns on my 11 footer. You can really get down low and grind into a cutback on your backhand, pushing as hard as you can without it spinning out. I pulled out just before the shorey, regained composure and paddled out. I’m still dry - stoked.

The next wave was another left but bigger and wallier than the first. I’m already feeling confident and push it even harder. The quad fins hold really well with the help of the sharp rail down the rear third of the board. I try a few hand switches with the paddle, a drop knee backhand bottom turn and more of those crouching down, on-rail cutbacks. Love it. I even go for a foam bounce and make that with ease - this board seems impossible to ride badly. A little backhand floater on the shorey and I jump off in knee deep water instead of riding onto the sand. My best SUP wave to date and it’s only my second on this board.

I try paddling out through a couple of broken waves as I haven’t needed to do this yet. The pulled in nose jumps up and over the whitewater on the first one surprising smoothly, leaving me nearly falling off because I was anticipating more of a whack (like what I’d get from the full nose of my 11’ Oxbow). The next whitewater was bigger and I lose it - now I’m finally wet but not disheartened as it was a hard one to get over. I eventually get through the impact zone and out near the back a guy on a shortboard tells me that wave was a smoker, it walled up all the way. I chuckle and casually agree as if I get waves like that all the time.

The next wave for me peaks up and I have the choice of going left or right. I choose the right as I’m keen to try one on my forehand. I fade left a bit, then get down low and drive the biggest bottom turn I’ve ever done on a SUP. Man that feels good. A layback cutback materialises itself and again I push it hard and the green Simon Anderson quad fins (size large) hold in beautifully. The board holds the rail and drives around with acceleration instead of doing a slidey snap. Another little cutback and a nice floater to finish my first forehand ride on the new Naish 9’6”. I was really not expecting to be enjoying a board so much on my first surf.

I stayed out for nearly two hours getting a mixture of lefts and rights, testing out the rest of my repertoire of moves - layback backhand bottom turns, a soul arch forehand bottom turn, drop knee cutbacks, even a nice stalling (with the paddle) tube ride (but I got pinched and didn’t make it out). The Naish handles them all and I feel like I’ve been riding the board for months.

I did manage to spin out once on a forehand cutback but that was probably because I hit a bit of chop and wasn’t prepared for the speed through the turn that the 9’6” delivers. Other than that it could take all the push I could give it - as much as my 6’4” shortboard - and that’s pretty impressive for a SUP.

The board is only a bit over 7 kilos - way different to the 14 kilos I usually ride. This is great for hopping up onto the foam for floaters and foam bounces as well as getting up and over the whitewater on the way out. The weight, along with the hand hole in the deck make carrying the board around a breeze - such a nice change. Being only 9’6”, it fits inside my Ford Territory which is great if I were to decide to ride my shortboard one day and needed to lock it in my car … but if I owned the Naish 9’6” I can’t see myself riding my shortboard all that much!

She’s a little weird to look at with that long, narrow, swallow tail and big boxy rails but boy, those Naish designers sure know what they are doing when it comes to performance. They’ve sure got a winner here. I want one.

[Jesper B]

What greate reviews you write - thanks! If you compare the Oxbow 9'6 with the Naish 9'6. What are the most important performance differences according to you? /Jesper

[Casso]

Thanks for the compliments on my reviews, Jesper.

I rode them in very different types of surf so it was hard to compare but they seem to ride similarly.  Both are very manoeuvrable.  Both float me about the same.  The Naish carves well but I didn't really get the opportunity to carve the Oxbow.

[csx355]

Nice review Casso - the Naish is on my 'next board shortlist' - have you had any chance to draw comparisons  with the Starboard 9'8" or 9'0 ? (9'8" is  my current board).

[Casso]

I haven't ridden the Starboard 9'0" or 9'8" yet.  There's a 9'0" at my local SUP shop that I'm keen to take for a demo ... I'll get around to that soon.  Stay tuned.

[Nemo]

Great review !!!
How small waves can yuo catch with the 9'8" compared to a 10" 6? is it possible to cruse flatwater with it and still have fun?

[1tuberider]

The 9' 8" starboard works well in small waves and medium larger waves (6 to 8 ft) but in the larger stuff I am finding its limits. 

It paddles fine if you are going for a cruise but don't expect to keep up with the bigger boards. 

I cannot compare to the Naish 9 6  but I like the 9'8" way better than my 10'6" naish.

[Casso]

Thanks Nemo.  Small waves aren't a problem at all.  When you think about it, you can ride a 9'0" longboard in very small waves - and the 9'6" Naish is also a lot thicker than a standard longboard.  It paddles in short burst very well so you wouldn't have a problem getting onto waves in small surf.  You could cruise flat water but it would be pretty hard work over a decent distance - you wouldn't say it glides on the flat.  Flat water paddling would be even harder if you were over 90kgs.  Hope that helps.

In case you haven't seen it before ... here's some footage of me riding the 9'6" Naish in small waves...

[Paddle-Plappe]

Riding a 11' makes you strong for a shorter board.
Hey Casso, i would like to see more than your 9'6 footwork !

[Nemo]

Thanks! I think i'l go for a 9"6' instead of the 10"6' it seems to me that supps are going shorter and still offer a lot of fun in crappy conditions. I will put a mast plugg in it for my kidds to learn w-surf on it.

[paddledaddy]

Hi Casso, I too appreciate your reviews. I read your review of the 7S Uberfish qaud and then demo-ed it for myself. I am not nearly as good a surfer as you but the results at my level of performance were very much in line with what you said. It sounds like you like the Naish Quad a great deal more. I am wondering how you think it wiould float me at 200+ lbs. I found the Uberfish fun, but just a bit too wobly to keep after when not actually on the wave. Did you find the Naish quad the same or is it any easier than the Uberfish to manage between waves. I look forward to your review of the Starboard fish as well, allthough I am interested in the 9'8" not the 9"0.

[supstoked]

Does anyone know if this 9'6" is currently available?  I know it's on the 2009 lineup.  Was it available for 2008?