Bark boards...

[noa]

Has anyone tried any boards from Joe Bark for downwinders ?
i know that they are absolute missiles in flat Californian conditions, but i wonder what his "Molokai" models are like on downwinders ?
any comparisons to the Penetrators ?

[noa]

i would especialy like to hear from Stuey who is a big believer in displacement hulls.

[Shawn Michael]

When I was getting my board made, a few being sent to Hawaii specifically for Molakai were being finished and they are (obviously) shaped for the big water with different noses and more rocker...and 18'6x28 for stability and a lot of carbon...that is all I gathered I was too excited about my own board. 

[greatdane]

Well guys, I just mortgaged the house and ordered a 18' Bark Unlimited (sorry Stuey )  Joe's a fellow firefighter, so I felt obliged...

Should be under my feet before March.  When I get it I will of course do some GPS tests and let ya'll know the results.  Now I just have to decide on a color... he will match ANY paint chip I send him... that's way too many options.  Cheers!

[yldbill]

Bill "Dukey" Gassett here from Virginia Beach VA.

My wife Anne and I received a couple of amazing loaners from Joe Bark just in time for us to race the Cold Stroke Classic back on the 12th of December. My first paddle, of any distance, on the 18 foot beauty was the morning of the race...during the race! Anne paddle a pre-production version of the 14' board that Joe designed for Surftech and she had a blast.
So I don't have to recap completely, please check out the article we submitted to supsurfmag.com on the Wrightsville  Beach race perspective.

I took the 18 footer out last Saturday in choppy, windy Atlantic coast conditions.
I went out in basically running clothes to keep from over heating even though the water - air temp was right around 40 degrees! I went in once, early, and never regretted it after I got up a head of steam.

I am sold on the JB design and we are looking forward to a great season of racing here on the eastern mid-Atlantic coast.

Huge Mahalos to Joe for leaning forward and stoking us out with his go-fast designs!

Aloha,
Dukey
http://stand-up-paddle-eastcoast-racing.blogspot.com/