Author Topic: 2017 Infinity Blackfish  (Read 3635 times)

tarquin

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2017 Infinity Blackfish
« on: May 17, 2020, 11:42:39 PM »
Finally allowed back on the water!
 So as I was packing up and a couple came in and the lady was on a 14x25 blackfish. I am pretty sure it was the 2017 model as it had the flat channel like the RS. Not a concave so to speak.Had a ventral fin too. So asking some questions and they say try it if you want. So i jump on and do the wobble wobble thing and think this is more stable than I was expecting. One or two little strokes,nice glide. Go for a paddle and it gets even more stable as you get going. Paddling faster and it just goes faster. Doesnt have that sort of thats it for speed feeling. Then I think, I'm still paddling on the same side and going straight. I change sides and do well over 10 strokes and am still going straight. The nose seemed quite low and with only small chop it was slapping a little,nothing like my Falcon though. I guess good in the flat but I feel I would nose dive it easily in any downwind. Turn around and the thing takes off in very little breaze and small chop.
 When I got back I flipped it over and had a better look at the bottom. The first thing i noticed was the size of the ventral fin. It seemed pretty big. I guess thats why I was going so straight. They said it added a lot of stability as well. They said the board was really rolly without it. It seemed really flat. Not much nose or tail rocker.
 So why did Infinity stop the channel and go back to concave? Do the newer Blackfish models have more nose rocker. How do the newer models compare speed wise.
 I know the blackfish models have changed a lot over the years.
 I liked the board but felt it lacked a little volume for me at 83kgs. The stability was fine though. Would be interesting to try with smaller and no ventral fin.
 I would be interested to know what people that have paddled this board think about it.
 

burchas

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2020, 06:13:42 AM »
Have a look at this thread: https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,31106.0.html Should give you a good idea. Many references to fin setups as well.
As you stated, Blackfish models have changed a lot over the years, so much in fact, it's not even the same board. They did get overall faster though but to a point that the Blackfish started cannibalizing Whiplash sales and vice versa , where in the past, dedicated infinity fans used to buy both. It goes without saying that unless that's the exact model you're after, this won't do you much good
« Last Edit: May 18, 2020, 06:17:19 AM by burchas »
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tarquin

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2020, 07:05:18 AM »
You are a wealth of knowledge,thanks.
 Just trying to understand bottom shape more. I think you did well to have the custom nose.
 I have watched all the blackfish videos,and lots of others.

TallDude

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2020, 11:55:41 AM »
There is perceived speed and actual speed. Sometimes when I'm paddling upwind and up current in a little chop, I feel like I'm going fast. Everything is moving past me fast. Then I'll turn downwind and be paddling with the current. I don't feel like I'm going as fast, but I'm going faster for sure. I've GPS'd my downwinding on my non-planing unlimited and my max speed is about 6.5 mph. It felt like I was going 3 to 4 mph. The thing is 6.5 is about my max hull speed. There is just too much drag beyond that. It's a steep curve.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

SUPlime

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2020, 01:31:52 PM »
You're moving 6.5 mph over the ground, not necessarily relative to the water. If you're with the current, you're certainly not paddling 6.5 mph, right?

burchas

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2020, 02:54:01 PM »
You're moving 6.5 mph over the ground, not necessarily relative to the water. If you're with the current, you're certainly not paddling 6.5 mph, right?

For all we know he may not be paddling at all :) It's the ultimate goal downwind.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2020, 03:29:55 PM by burchas »
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SouthCounty

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2020, 05:51:48 PM »
Give Dave a call he will answer all questions, since he's the designer he will have all your answers, BTW love my blackfish, I do have a ventral but never use it, imo I really couldn't tell a differance. Mines a 2018 14x27 getting ready to sell for possible a 2020 blackfish 14x24.5 dugout.
14' x 27" Infinity blackfish
10'4 Infinity wide aquatic
14 x 24.5 Infinity blackfish dugout

TallDude

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2020, 06:11:18 PM »
You're moving 6.5 mph over the ground, not necessarily relative to the water. If you're with the current, you're certainly not paddling 6.5 mph, right?

For all we know he may not be paddling at all :) It's the ultimate goal downwind.

Less effort for sure. At the same time frustrated I can't go faster with more paddling. Little speed difference when paddling or not. I have downwinded my old Hobie unlimited at planing speed and that was crazy. Foot steering is the only way to turn a toothpick unlimited. There's no getting back on the tail and turning them ::)
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

PonoBill

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2020, 09:35:46 AM »
Yeah, I have an 18' speedboard in Massatwoshits--used to have one here, but my repair to the UPS freight board shortening efforts (they broke it in half) left me with a board that the laser said is straight, but it turned 500-foot circles on its own. So now the two halves adorn the gate to my shop. Hmm, what was I gonna say, oh yeah, if you're not standing on the tail that thing won't turn. No rudder, so it's a brisk hike to the tail, pick up 3/4ths of the board, point it where you want to go and amble back to the middle. With the ventral in place, I needed another ten degrees of lift to clear it, so I made a super low aspect ventral fin--worked pretty well. On the plus side, it improved my cross-stepping by giving me lots of practice.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

oceanAddict

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Re: 2017 Infinity Blackfish
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2020, 08:30:59 AM »

 I liked the board but felt it lacked a little volume for me at 83kgs. The stability was fine though. Would be interesting to try with smaller and no ventral fin.
 I would be interested to know what people that have paddled this board think about it.

I'm about 95 kilos  /210 lbs and have the same board in 27'. I found the volume is adequate to my weight and stability is good even without ventral fin. With ventral fin in place - it's very stable. I don't race so I cannot comment on the speed aspect. It has a good glide for my weigh lol
Infinity Blackfish, SIC Bullet Air Glide, Sunova Point Break #003, Sunova Soul

 


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