Author Topic: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race  (Read 259555 times)

mrbig

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #315 on: April 24, 2018, 03:17:20 PM »
I have been following this thread for a while. Fascinating to say the least.

My first 12'6" was a Marlin. Round bottom. Like a canoe. Log rolling skills developed.

Followed by a Jimmy Lewis Blade, an Imagine (really awful), JP (choppy tippy fast in glass - what's that), Starby Race ( twitchy s.o.b.), Focus Bluefin (Mo Bettah), and a 404 Go-Go.

No dugouts, no unlimiteds.

I have discovered drain holes fill up, piercing noses neh, hull bottoms too tippy for me (crappy balance).

Sidewalls definitely effect stability both primary and secondary.

The latest SIC all water appeals to me. The newest 404 (customs in USA available), and it would interesting to try the Nelo to say the least.

I look forward to the continued discussion on this thread as it is refreshing to have many experienced racers, and constructors sharing their real world experiences instead of a lot speculation based on theoretical presuppositions.

Over and out! Paddle on lads!
Let it come to you..
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SMIK 8'4" Hipster Twin
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FloridaWindSUP

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #316 on: April 24, 2018, 06:30:32 PM »
So, I wonder if the same kind of "secret shape sauce" and lightweight construction technology that Nelo used on this highly acclaimed 14' board could be applied to an unlimited? It would be pretty rad to be able cruise at like 11 kph without having to sit down and chafe my behind in an OC1 or surfski.
14x23 Riviera RP
14x27.25 Fanatic Falcon
11'8 Exocet WindSUP
10'4 Angulo WindSUP
...and a bunch of windsurf stuff

photofr

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #317 on: April 24, 2018, 10:53:53 PM »
3 years ago, on a French Forum - I was saying exactly that:
12'6 don't glide too well.
UL is the future.
Current SUP construction is archaic.
Future HOLLOW construction boards (from MOLD) will bring us 12'6 boards at about 7 pounds, and UL boards between 10 to 11 pounds.

Currently, UL boards hurt lighter paddlers because of their weight. I'd jump onto a SIC UL any day... if the thing was 9 kilos, strong, and durable.
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #318 on: April 25, 2018, 04:53:52 AM »
3 years ago, on a French Forum - I was saying exactly that:
12'6 don't glide too well.
UL is the future.
Current SUP construction is archaic.
Future HOLLOW construction boards (from MOLD) will bring us 12'6 boards at about 7 pounds, and UL boards between 10 to 11 pounds.

Currently, UL boards hurt lighter paddlers because of their weight. I'd jump onto a SIC UL any day... if the thing was 9 kilos, strong, and durable.

The problem is that the return on investment for hollow boards is a lot longer than foam construction and Starboards insistence on bringing new boards out every 12 months acts as a barrier to the likely longer shelf life of hollow boards (as per surf ski's).

photofr

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #319 on: April 25, 2018, 09:46:22 AM »
I understand, however, we know that the best brand new design is only going to bring an average of about 0.1 to 0.5 km/h difference in speed. Since this is true for most human powered crafts, changing new designs every year made end up costing the death or near death of a given sport. Coming up with a great new design every 4 to 7 years may prove to be more feasible.

Other facts to look at would PERHAPS include: technique improvement.
This is where most paddlers are going to get faster - a lot faster than with a new board.

Food for thoughts, right?

In any case, so glad that I got this board because on top of all its other attributes, it is infinitely more durable.
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #320 on: April 25, 2018, 10:15:48 AM »
I understand, however, we know that the best brand new design is only going to bring an average of about 0.1 to 0.5 km/h difference in speed. Since this is true for most human powered crafts, changing new designs every year made end up costing the death or near death of a given sport. Coming up with a great new design every 4 to 7 years may prove to be more feasible.

Other facts to look at would PERHAPS include: technique improvement.
This is where most paddlers are going to get faster - a lot faster than with a new board.

Food for thoughts, right?

In any case, so glad that I got this board because on top of all its other attributes, it is infinitely more durable.

I think its quite telling that kayak companies like Epic or Nelo have a model life of 4-5 years or in some cases even longer. Bicycles are pretty much the same at 3-4 years (and longer for some models). You get the impression as a result that when something new comes out, its been thought through and there is some added value. When Starboard bring a new board out every August it just tells me that their marketing dpt. is in charge of their R&D. You keep doing that and eventually the market becomes cynical and collapses.

yugi

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #321 on: April 25, 2018, 01:29:09 PM »
...
I think its quite telling that kayak companies like Epic or Nelo have a model life of 4-5 years or in some cases even longer. Bicycles are pretty much the same at 3-4 years (and longer for some models).
...

As if! 

1870 to NYC alley cat Monster Track is way more than 3-4 years.

Check out the dude on the Penny Farthing.

   https://youtu.be/sy-vYu2Fjf4
 

« Last Edit: April 25, 2018, 01:48:24 PM by yugi »

SupSimcoe

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #322 on: April 25, 2018, 06:31:24 PM »
Standard EPS core board construction is so easy to change on the fly and make an all new board it is inevitable for the R&D team to make changes, under the direction of the company to keep up selling more and more stuff, and then our culture of want the newest and  shiniest takes over and they sell more stuff we do not really need and may make us marginally faster.

If we want hollow construction we have to tell the manufacturers with our wallets or they will never get it. Either that or get EPS banned so they are forced to make hollow boards.
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ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #323 on: April 26, 2018, 02:04:25 AM »
Standard EPS core board construction is so easy to change on the fly and make an all new board it is inevitable for the R&D team to make changes, under the direction of the company to keep up selling more and more stuff, and then our culture of want the newest and  shiniest takes over and they sell more stuff we do not really need and may make us marginally faster.


I think it was telling that a huge company like Naish decided to drop their flatwater board for this year and only produces a 12'6 and 14ft Maliko all water board now. When the ISA worlds go to 14ft boards for next year, I suspect the 12'6 will get dropped as well. This kind of sign doesn't bode well for the market and (if you ignore Starboard's output) doesn't indicate a healthy race board market in my view. The companies need to realise that 'fastest' and colourways isn't what we are looking for in the longer term. That all said, I don't know what we are all looking for. I can say that my opinion and philosophy with SUP has clashed publicly with Steve West's at Mistrals a lot in the past (so we don't always get on) but I can say objectively that I really admire the way (and look at their facebook page) how he/they are building a wide range of SUP concepts at the moment that are outside the conventional norms and just trying stuff out. We badly need that as a sport.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2018, 02:08:11 AM by ukgm »

mr_proper

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #324 on: May 04, 2018, 11:15:49 AM »
Maybe someone is interested in seeing the Nelo in the water. I had the opportunity to be filmed a few meters from a drone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiYCCJUI2B4
SIC RS 14x23, 2018
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Starboard Allstar 14x24.5, 2017 (sold)
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JEG

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #325 on: May 04, 2018, 04:10:06 PM »
nice board and vid mr_proper but it looks a little unstable.

mr_proper

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #326 on: May 04, 2018, 10:22:33 PM »
nice board and vid mr_proper but it looks a little unstable.

Yes, it is... at least for me  ;)
I‘m tall and have not the best balance. Started with SUP with 50 and had no watersport background.
it is much more stable for smaller, lighter people.
But the secondary stability is better and ok for me.
SIC RS 14x23, 2018
SIC RS 14x26, 2018
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JP Australia AdventurAir 12x36, 2017
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SIC Bullet 14x27.25 TWC, 2015
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Sprint 14x23, 2015 (sold)
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yugi

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #327 on: May 05, 2018, 04:28:45 AM »
Looks good on the water MeisterP.

Nice stroke and ankle flex too.

Area 10

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #328 on: May 05, 2018, 05:27:57 AM »
Great vid Mr Proper, thanks very much.

Looks like it’s what we all knew it would be: very fast, but twitchy in cross-chop, and designed for the lighter rider in pure flat water. It will be interesting to see how well ordinary folk rather than elite paddlers get on with this in “real-world” conditions.

Great to see a light, durable and fast board being made available though. We have not been served well by e.g. Cobra and the big brands IMO. So an outfit with alternative knowledge and practices is extremely welcome.

mr_proper

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #329 on: May 05, 2018, 11:30:01 PM »
Thanks a lot  ;D
I'm glad that you like it.
SIC RS 14x23, 2018
SIC RS 14x26, 2018
Lightcorp Signature Race 14x24.75, 2018 (sold)
JP Australia AdventurAir 12x36, 2017
Starboard Allstar 14x24.5, 2017 (sold)
SIC Bullet 14x27.25 TWC, 2015
Jimmy Lewis Sidewinder 14x25, 2016 (sold)
Sprint 14x23, 2015 (sold)
JL Stiletto 14x28, 2014 (sold)

 


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