Author Topic: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?  (Read 34602 times)

FloridaWindSUP

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New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« on: May 28, 2016, 11:20:31 AM »
Did anyone else watch the Lost Mills race livestream today? It was pretty awesome.

http://www.supracer.com/2016-lost-mills-results/

Looked like Connor Baxter was on a weird new version of the starboard sprint, and he mentioned it was 21" wide. Looked like a real sharp nose, high-sided dugout hull, and totally open at the back. Connor won the 200 m sprint event yesterday and finished 2nd by a few seconds to Michael Booth in the 18 km distance race today.
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Argosi

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2016, 11:02:10 AM »
Videos of the finish of the Lost Mills race shows Connor wobbling on the 21" custom Sprint. I'm pretty sure that the board helped him finish higher than we would have if he were on the stock 23" wide Sprint. It looks more like the old 2013 Sprint with the thin side walls going back to the more squarish tail. He probably wanted the thinner walls to give his feet more room when he steps back on such a narrow board. However, the lower volume in the tail will make for a more tippy board, which is why they likely went to a more square tail.

Muskoka SUP

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2016, 03:33:42 PM »
Boards will have to be even narrower to enable speeds close to a canoe. The current 200 meter record is a touch over 32 seconds  :o
It ain't over until the fat board sinks....

photofr

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2016, 03:59:32 PM »
There are going to be at least two models of the 14' Sprint for 2017:
14x23
14x21.5

I saw the 2016 and 2017 in 23" - side by side - and it was very obvious that the new nose cuts water far better. It's kinda of obvious when you look at the boards on dry land, but easily confirmed on water by merely looking at the spray (or lack thereof on the 2017).

Both width offer a wider tail to make buoy turns easier by making the boards more stable. This is because most riders love the Sprint, but regret that the board is difficult to turn buoys. The 2017 addresses that problem very well.

The width difference:
The 21.5 is ideal for lighter paddler, but since it's a fast board on totally flat water, heavier paddlers wanted to give it a shot at Lost Mills. Overall, they all found the board rather stable, but stupid mistakes happen:
- Connor hit Michael's board with his paddle near the finish of the 18 km. That threw him off in a big way. Otherwise, he looked super stable during the entire race.
- Trevor also had a mishap with the 21.5, but that too was "just a stupid mistake". He was paddling at his 100% during the sprints (and looking very fast I might add) when he fell in the water after getting off balance when changing paddling side. Otherwise, he looked SOLID and super stable all morning. He demonstrated the ease of buoy turns with great ease.

Anyway, there's more than just a new nose and a new tail layout for this 2017 model. In fact, you can expect a brand new deck (see images below), no paint (saving about 700 grams), new stickers, new pad that extends more side to side, and several handle positions.

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Argosi

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2016, 09:18:53 PM »
Thanks photofr!

I love my 2015 14x23 Sprint. Curious to see if the 14x21.5 is much faster. And also to see how stable the new board is. I wonder if the All Star like bottom helps with stability on the new board.

Area 10

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2016, 10:20:24 PM »
The new graphics are an improvement IMO. An incremental one, but an improvement nevertheless.

SUPflorida

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2016, 04:42:14 AM »
Thanks Photofr for the look at the new model. I think you left out some of the most important shots😉...the bottom...look forward to seeing them...and profile too...great camera angle on the nose...just how I would want to sight it if there in person.

Area 10

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2016, 06:38:44 AM »
Did Michael Booth beat Connor using the 23" wide version of this board at Lost Mills, when Connor was on the 21.5" wide version?

photofr

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2016, 06:56:16 AM »
The 21.5 isn't for you AREA10.
It is however a great compromise (like all boards) under certain conditions for certain people.
Flat water, lighter, agile and younger paddler who paddle a lot.

Keep in mind that in the South of France, about 7 riders (some heavier than others) were paddling a 14x23 Sprint in the ocean that wasn't always totally flat.

Connor thought he "had it in the bag" with the newer faster board... but then the "mishap" just as he launched what looked to me like a very fast sprint to the finish on the 21.5.
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aranysup

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2016, 07:11:15 AM »
I do not think they broke the record for fast time even with the 21

Eagle

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2016, 08:38:14 AM »
Makes sense to go down to 21 for the pros.  The 23 is pretty stable in that design.
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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2016, 08:44:06 AM »
The 21.5 isn't for you AREA10.
It is however a great compromise (like all boards) under certain conditions for certain people.
Flat water, lighter, agile and younger paddler who paddle a lot.

Haha! Well, actually, I paddled two 21.5" wide boards just last week - a 12-6 and a 14. And I didn't fall in - mind you, I only paddled a couple of miles on them. But you are right, they aren't really aimed at old wobbly chumps like me. The reason why I was interested in the Booth/Connor contest was that I wonder if they'll get a point of diminishing returns with width. The 21.5" wide board I paddled (it was a Grey Paddleboards custom)  had undeniable speed potential: Because my lack of balance was clearly limiting my ability to get the power down I tried paddling while kneeling just to see what the likely top end might be, and I quite easily got up to 10.7 mph, and sustaining 7-8 mph in flat windless conditions was very easy. So, I presume that someone with the balance of Connor would be able to do that - and beyond - while standing. But I doubt that I'd have gone significantly slower on a board 1.5" wider, and the strain on your legs in a long race on a very tippy board is presumably significant. After all, there is only so much energy one can expend, so if it goes into balancing then it isn't going to go into paddling. But next year I guess we'll see our first sub-20 production board, assuming that races don't start to get longer and longer.


pdxmike

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2016, 09:52:10 AM »
Nice to see Starboard building narrow boards.  And it looks like dropping below 23" width may not be leading to the downfall of SUP racing, contrary to the dire warnings of a couple years ago. 


photofr

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2016, 10:22:10 AM »
On the international level, there are restrictions for 14 foot board widths: 23" at this point (I could be wrong, but I believe that's what it is). Those rules have just been changed, so 21.5" is now allowed on the international circuit.

Another (perhaps) interesting thing I learned was that with the SUPER STABLE 14x25 Allstar came technology that was transposed into the new Sprint for 2017. This makes the 21.5 quite stable (for its width). Lighter paddlers will be happy to have choices.

Records were broken last weekend... at least as far as I understand it. What's interesting there is that the previous record was made with the wind to their backs... where this year, the wind was AGAINST them. Hummm.... room for thoughts there.

I agree, stability before speed for 95% of all paddlers in the world, but seriously: there's no way we can compete with some of these top paddlers:
They have amazing water knowledge, incredible balance, speedy recoveries, technique that are still improving, and power that will blow you away when you see it with your own eyes. These guys don't have problems with balance.
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burchas

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Re: New 21" wide Starboard Sprint?
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2016, 11:34:20 AM »
I tried paddling while kneeling just to see what the likely top end might be, and I quite easily got up to 10.7 mph, and sustaining 7-8 mph

10.7 mph on your knees!? Grey Paddleboards must be shipping with a Jet ;D I want one, I'll take the balance hit.
in progress...

 


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