Starboard 2018 Sprint/Allstar stability?

[Turtle]

Hi,

Has anybody had the chance to test these boards?
I usually race in flat or choppy condition with occasional small downwind.
I currently have 2017 14'x24,5" and 23" Allstars. The 23" is a little too tippy for me in rougher conditions.
Starboard is saying that the new sprint will handle chop better than the old one.
So that is why I'm considering it. Does anybody know how stability compares between these to models AllStar/sprint. Has sprint been tippier than AllStar?
I might be interested in 14'x23" sprint if it is little more stable than the 2017 14'x23 AllStar.

Turtle

[Turtle]

Or if you have 2017 models Sprint/Allstar let me know how the stability compares with these too models. As i haven't never got the change to try Sprint before?

[Eagle]

Have tried the 21.5 Sprint and AS24.5 plus have the 2016 AS23.  The 21.5 is a bit tippier than the AS23 in all conditions.  Some report the Sprint 23 is a bit more stable than AS23 because of the dropped deck.  But would say only on flat and not in messy chop.  The nose entry of the Sprint is quite sharp and lean vs the tubby AS.

So would only choose a Sprint for flat conditions and not slop.  If you already feel the AS23 is too tippy in rough conditions -> would not get a 23 Sprint because of its very flat rocker line.  The displacement nose will spear into many more waves than the fat cutting boof.  In rough my choice would be the AS23 with rocker.  Have used my 23 in a lot of varied conditions now and it is becoming very stable like my Dom.  Has taken a while -> but my body and CNS are now quite comfortable with the quick tip and roll.

For me the AS23 is the perfect width for my ocean chop and slop conditions.  But if we paddled on a flat lake with ripples would prefer a Sprint 21.5 for its mega glide properties.  In that regards you should get your hands on a Sprint to check out firsthand.  The Sprint is so smooth quiet and efficient.

My guess is Annabel won in Copenhagen because the loaner AS she raced was better in the chop and handicapped only a little in the flat sections.  So probs was a wash btwn the AS and Sprints overall.  SB dominated the women's top 5.  But boards aside Annabel -> is super fit and her endurance and technique are probs tops right now.  She would have likely won on any top quality board.

2017 Sprint 21.5 on left.  My fat AS23 on right.

[JEG]

that sprint look tippy.

[Eagle]

Yeah but was pleasantly surprised it was not tippy like the rolling log Race 25.  The 21.5 Sprint design is really quite exceptional comparatively.  3.5" narrower and more stable for me.  Was even able to go full sprint speed without a problem on flat -> it is that impressive.

In Copenhagen at the first buoy Connor got dumped as well as Boothy.  Conditions looked pretty choppy for that flat rocker Sprint.  You need super fast reaction times to stay dry as that board is very responsive to side chop and over weighting.  In fact Boothy was never able to catch the front runners after that little mistake.  He lost a lot of time and distance because of that.  If he raced on his All Star-> he maybe could have caught up and ended with a better result like Annabel.

However on dead flat Boothy has shown clearly he is blistering fast racing in his Sprint.  So the key for that Copenhagen race was to get ahead in clear water like Bruno -> and stay out of the chopped up mess and disrupted waters of the pack.  Even so Boothy finished up a respectable ninth by the end.

[Eagle]

On the left is the bottom shape of the 2015 Race.  On the right its 2016 All Star successor.  The key to the AS23 stability is the hard edges and the somewhat deep center concave with side chines having a hint of concave.  The Race has no hard edges so it rolls like a log.

Would suspect you could get used to the Race 25 over time.  But why waste time trying for such little fun in return.  Balancing is a constant mega challenge.  Fun it is not.  Can only imagine how difficult that Race would be surfing across and down a wave.  Tippy tippy canoe.  No surprise it was immediately discontinued after it was all hyped up as the next best thing from SB.  Haha!

[ukgm]

On the left is the bottom shape of the 2015 Race.  On the right its 2016 All Star successor.  The key to the AS23 stability is the hard edges and the somewhat deep center concave with side chines having a hint of concave.  The Race has no hard edges so it rolls like a log.

Would suspect you could get used to the Race 25 over time.  But why waste time trying for such little fun in return.  Balancing is a constant mega challenge.  Fun it is not.  Can only imagine how difficult that Race would be surfing across and down a wave.  Tippy tippy canoe.  No surprise it was immediately discontinued after it was all hyped up as the next best thing from SB.  Haha!

You could make an argument that the 2018 more versatile Sprint is the board the 2015 Race was trying to be.

[Turtle]

Thanks for the comments Eagle!

I have to order my 2018 board tomorrow. It's the only way we can get boards early in next season here in Finland. No possibility to demo before not even 2017 Sprint as there is none in Finland. There is very little market for used boards also. I managed to sell my 2017 12'x24,5" Allstar but not the 23". So now i will keep the 23". This season i have raced both 24,5" and 23". I allways train with 23" to improve my balance but in long races with harder conditions i have used 24,5" and this has been the right choice. Maybe next season i will be more comfortable with the 23" in rougher conditions aswell. Maybe i will get the 14'23" Sprint. The team riders are saying it performs good in chop also but not when the waves get bigger.

[warmuth]

  No 23" board is going to magically be stable in rough water for not Connor Baxters. Some are going to be better than others but you'll never get around them being 23" wide. If you struggle in certain conditions on an all star you'll struggle just as much on a sprint.

[ukgm]

Thanks for the comments Eagle!

I have to order my 2018 board tomorrow. It's the only way we can get boards early in next season here in Finland. No possibility to demo before not even 2017 Sprint as there is none in Finland. There is very little market for used boards also. I managed to sell my 2017 12'x24,5" Allstar but not the 23". So now i will keep the 23". This season i have raced both 24,5" and 23". I allways train with 23" to improve my balance but in long races with harder conditions i have used 24,5" and this has been the right choice. Maybe next season i will be more comfortable with the 23" in rougher conditions aswell. Maybe i will get the 14'23" Sprint. The team riders are saying it performs good in chop also but not when the waves get bigger.

I think the 2018 23.5 allstar is going to be the best of all worlds for many paddlers for now. However, selling that on will be challenging. In fact, I'd say anything sub 25 is still a challenge.

[Eagle]

Thanks for the comments Eagle!

I have to order my 2018 board tomorrow. It's the only way we can get boards early in next season here in Finland. No possibility to demo before not even 2017 Sprint as there is none in Finland. There is very little market for used boards also. I managed to sell my 2017 12'x24,5" Allstar but not the 23". So now i will keep the 23". This season i have raced both 24,5" and 23". I allways train with 23" to improve my balance but in long races with harder conditions i have used 24,5" and this has been the right choice. Maybe next season i will be more comfortable with the 23" in rougher conditions aswell. Maybe i will get the 14'23" Sprint. The team riders are saying it performs good in chop also but not when the waves get bigger.

If you can be more comfortable with your AS23 in rougher conditions -> then getting the 23 Sprint for flat would be the right choice if you really need that option.  You will love how that lean nose slices compared to your tubby All Stars.

Oddly after paddling enough on the AS23 the jitters do go away and it becomes like any other board.  Your body and CNS adapt -> so you can go in slop and chop just fine.  My guess is you will be fine racing the Sprint on flat and that for rough your AS23 will be much better for you next year. 

Dropping to the 23 width has been by far the best way for my balance and confidence to improve.  The 24.5 AS was way too stable and not enough of a challenge.  The AS23 just right. 

[Eagle]

On the left is the bottom shape of the 2015 Race.  On the right its 2016 All Star successor.  The key to the AS23 stability is the hard edges and the somewhat deep center concave with side chines having a hint of concave.  The Race has no hard edges so it rolls like a log.

Would suspect you could get used to the Race 25 over time.  But why waste time trying for such little fun in return.  Balancing is a constant mega challenge.  Fun it is not.  Can only imagine how difficult that Race would be surfing across and down a wave.  Tippy tippy canoe.  No surprise it was immediately discontinued after it was all hyped up as the next best thing from SB.  Haha!

You could make an argument that the 2018 more versatile Sprint is the board the 2015 Race was trying to be.

According to the SB ad copy the 2016 All Star was the 2015 Race successor.  That iteration of the All Star was the first to go to the triple concave concept.  From my perspective that was the best design.  The 2017 seemed to go back a step in stability with the chamfered edges -> and flattening the tail underside for 2018 should bring some of what was lost back again.

At 23 or 23.5 or 22.5 -> the All Stars will always be somewhat tippy to those unaccustomed.  But once adapted to the very quick tip feel you can drop down to a dugout Sprint at 21.5 pretty easy.  It was amazing to see Annabel spin her loaner All Star and paddle it backwards after she won in Copenhagen.  Skill.  Major skills.  Winning by that huge margin on that All Star was a walk in the park for her.

[Eagle]

Here Annabel deftly spins her All Star on a dime after winning.  Boothy getting dumped from his Sprint just after rounding the first buoy in mass mayhem.

When the top echelon get dumped from their boards -> it tells you the narrow board widths and designs are getting close to their limits.  SB did cut the AS further to 22.5 -> but the Sprint is staying put at 21.5 for 2018.  By changing their designs incrementally to address concerns about lost stability -> SB has done the smart move.

Doubt you will see another "Race" concept come out anytime soon.  Basically the Sprint is the lean entry displacement option in a dugout -> or the All Star the tubby cutting boof option for big chop and surf breaking waves.

[JEG]

all these narrow sizes are for pro's paddlers or wannabe and you weight 72kg (160lb) and under.

[Eagle]

Yeah this is what SB says -

"The new 14’0″ x 22.5″ are game changers for riders up to 65 kg and also the choice of skilled riders up to 72 kg, like Connor Baxter."

"Suggested Rider Weight Range 40-75 kg"

You do need to be light on your feet and very fast with your balance adjustments to control boards 23 and under.  After a while you start to manhandle narrow boards into submission vs just hanging on for dear life.  At that point 23 flat deck or 21.5 dugout start to all feel similar.  You just get used to the quick tip and compensate automatically.  If you stick with it -> it is worth it in the end.  As your technique improves dramatically and you start to paddle super smooth and efficient because your paddle stays pretty much always vertical.

When paddling wider boards my paddle smacks into the rails.  So have to compensate my stroke to accomodate the wider board.  Also my paddle becomes a bit slanted accordingly.  On a 23 or narrower -> your paddle stays completely vertical.  That was really key for me.  I needed a narrow board to get better stroke mechanics.  Was near impossible to get this naturally paddling wider boards. 

http://star-board-sup.com/2017/board/14-x-22-5-all-star-2018/