Author Topic: new Fanatic strike  (Read 16455 times)

Luc Benac

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Re: new Fanatic strike
« Reply #45 on: July 03, 2018, 04:54:05 PM »
The Ace looks great out in its natural habitat...
:-)
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ukgm

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Re: new Fanatic strike
« Reply #46 on: July 13, 2018, 03:58:54 PM »
Competitive for who, and in what race, Eagle? ukgm for instance is a self-confessed “training robot” and a highly competitive individual who is fitter than either of us ever will be. But even he won’t be able to use the 21.5”.

I’ve got one adult friend who could use a board like that in real racing conditions. ONE. Good luck with those sales - this is just a loss-leader built for marketing purposes (and elite team riders). They might sell a few of the 25s. But 25 is a strange width - most keen racers can go 23/24, and the ocean/downwind/fitness/occasional racer crew that make up the rest of the demographic for a board like this tend to want a 26 or more.

Maybe with the 21.5” Fanatic are aiming mainly at the kids who are coming into SUP racing - get a bit of brand loyalty early on.

This is spot on. So much so, I'm now hoping to borrow a 21.5 to see what all the fuss is about next week.

Area 10

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Re: new Fanatic strike
« Reply #47 on: July 13, 2018, 07:07:30 PM »
As you will likely find, it’s depressing how little difference to your overall speed going narrower makes, once you are at the point where you can get the paddle perpendicular without having to lean (this requires a board narrower than 26” for the vast majority of people). Although when going upwind, narrow boards do have a distinct advantage. But mainly, the fast guys paddle narrow boards because why would anyone paddle a board wider than they need? They aren’t fast *because* they paddle narrow boards.

But unless you try you’ll never know. I was able to paddle a 21.5” wide board, so there’s no reason you can’t. It was a pretty unpleasant experience for me, but then racing is mainly about who is willing to take the most pain, so maybe you’ll take to it in a way that I didn’t or couldn’t.

Eagle

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Re: new Fanatic strike
« Reply #48 on: July 13, 2018, 09:42:20 PM »
Good you can test out a 21.5 -> but would expect you not to like how unstable it feels vs your 24.5AS.  Should tell you loads.  But still think a 23 should be better if you are finding your 24.5 to be overly stable and somewhat sluggish -> and you now want something narrower.

You did find some very good gains dropping from 26 down to 24.5 this past year.  So that was very positive.  But expect much smaller gains going to a 23 -> and even less going to a 21.5 wide.  Maybe with a 21.5 you will be a lot slower.  But tough to say until you try that board yourself.
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yugi

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Re: new Fanatic strike
« Reply #49 on: July 14, 2018, 02:53:20 AM »
Similar to the DEEP Fireball which is their flatwater speed machine. When they dropped off their boards after the PPG, the 21" wide version was the only one their team rider Lincoln Dews kept with him. He used it in some early season races that were anything but flat water (Carolina Cup Graveyard race) but he switched over the Dryft for the late season events and won the Mercedes Benz SUP World Cup this past weekend. I paddled the 23" wide version and at 175 it felt pretty good in flat water with small chop or bump.

Deep Fireball is very similar to the Fanatic prototype. But the prod version of Fanatic seems to have gone away from the open back.

So....  does it come in Purple?
« Last Edit: July 14, 2018, 02:59:11 AM by yugi »

 


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