Active stearing system or not?

[Jesper B]

I'm about to buy my first dedicated down wind board. Only one easily available here in Sweden is Starboard's The Point. Should I go for one with active stearing system or one with fixed fin? Pros and cons with and without?

/JB

[Chan]

Will you be using your downwind board primarily in flat water or swell riding conditions?  Just downwind or upwind as well?  There is very little advantage to a ruddered system in flat water downwind conditions.

[Jesper B]

I will probably use it in all these conditions, but mostly in small swell down wind or in flat water.

By the way. Is the point a good board (compared to C4 and the "real" SICs)?

/JB

[Admin]

By the way. Is the point a good board (compared to C4 and the "real" SICs)?

Hi Jesper,

It is a very good board.  I have had two fun sessions on one (one flatwater, one downwind).

I would say yes to the ASS.

A caviat:  like all of the production boards, it was locked in at one point in what is becoming an amazingly fast development cycle.  Make of that what you will.

[greatdane]

Hey Admin,
Not to get off-subject, but have you paddled a Vortice on flat water and if so, which do you feel was faster, the Point or the Vortice?

[Jesper B]

Admin - get it when you mention the very fast development. Just send an email to Mark/Ding king. Think an F14 might be my ticket to get a later design. 

Anybody who can recommend a forwarder to ship a 14 footer to Europe? Or is it possible to check in (flying with American, yes I'm comming this winter again!!)

/Jesper

[Admin]

Hey Admin,
Not to get off-subject, but have you paddled a Vortice on flat water and if so, which do you feel was faster, the Point or the Vortice?

Hi Dane,

I did take the Vortice (standard foam construction) out a few times in glassy waters.  I found it to be quite a bit faster than a regular, long, all around board, but not as fast as the Point or some of the other race models I have tried since.  Whether it was the weight or something else, it did not want to "break free" (and stay free) for me like some of the others do in the same condition.  I tried Slater's ultra light Vortice XP in similar oil for a quick 10 minute play around, and that felt better.  I am thinking that the Vortice line was pretty welll designed for bumps.  It has a whole lot of rocker in contrast to most of the flatty boards.  This all may be way different for another rider with different specs, skills, strength, etc, so....

[LaPerouseBay]

Admin - get it when you mention the very fast development. Just send an email to Mark/Ding king. Think an F14 might be my ticket to get a later design. 

Anybody who can recommend a forwarder to ship a 14 footer to Europe? Or is it possible to check in (flying with American, yes I'm comming this winter again!!)

/Jesper

As you probably know, mark shaped the starboard point.  Get him on the phone.  He can answer all your questions and ask you a few good ones. 

Given your location and water conditions, he may recommend the starboard point.   I've never ridden a point but I've seen one.  They look stable and fast.  Should do great on small bumps.  Again, Mark is the true expert.     

Get the steering, it works great.  Side winds are no problem at all.  No need to overload one shoulder.   

 

[Jesper B]

Very good advice, I'll call Mark! /JB

[PonoBill]

I'm wondering what the heck is wrong with my new Starboard Point. I might be too heavy for it or something. So far it's substantially slower than my Starboard 12'2" Looking at the two boards side by side it seems like there would be no comparison--the starboard Point should SMOKE the 12'2". But today I took both boards to the river, and in very similar conditions paddled a .67 mile course--twice with the 12'2  because I wanted to test a little center fin gadget I made, and once with the Point.

Here's the GPS data I gathered on the three runs


You can see where each of the three runs starts by the heart rate (the red line) The point is the last one. The first is the 12'2" with the gadget (which need a little more work, but is promising) The second is without it.

I guess I'm just holding my mouth wrong. The wind did shift a bit and was less favorable, but the point even FEELS slower. I don't have a clue why. I may just be overloading it.

Any ideas folks?