Author Topic: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?  (Read 3074 times)

puget sound

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Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« on: June 21, 2021, 01:25:26 PM »
I've got it in my head to buy a Starboard Sprint, and the "wood carbon" construction seems easier to find. Anyone have experience with wood versus Starboard's carbon sandwich model? My thoughts:
  • 3.5 pounds is a lot of extra weight. Maybe not so much on the water, but lugging the thing around. The board I'm using now is carbon and slightly lighter than either Starboard, and even it can feel like log to carry back to the van some days.
  • On the other hand, $1,400 buys a lot of tacos.
  • Is one construction more durable than the other? I'd guess more material on the wood carbon would make it stronger, but I'm wary of wood sucking up water through an unnoticed ding.
  • Any noticeable performance difference?
  • Anything else I should consider?
Thanks in advance for the help. I'm stuck between getting the board I can get now (wood) and getting the fancier, lighter board later when i can find it.
Starboard Sprint 21.5 / SIC RS 14x23 / SIC Bullet V1

TallDude

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2021, 03:08:35 PM »
More CF and less anything else will usually leads to a stiffer / lighter board with 1 pound EPS. Wood veneers are good directional stiffeners with excellent memory. They do add weight, but are cheaper than all CF and have a warm look to them.  If the veneer is visible. Yes they will show some water damage, but the veneer won't retain much water because it's paper thin. The  foam will retain way more water.. From my experience the CF is less durable than the CF and Wood veneer composite. My oldest board, a 2007 Naish Nalu is a CF & Veneer sandwich and it's still in great condition. It is heavy.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

burchas

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2021, 04:11:40 PM »
If you are willing to fork-out the price of the full carbon sprint, you can do A LOT better for LESS!
For that price you'll be able to get a hollow carbon sandwich construction from top notch brands known for their unmatched construction.

We're talking 5-9LBS lighter than the Starboard Full carbon with a stiffer more durable construction! 2 Brands come to mind, Speedboard USA and 425Pro.
Made by two well known European competing manufacturers.

Don't have to think about board sucking water either with that construction. That's my experience with my hollow board in comparison to all my other boards.


« Last Edit: June 21, 2021, 04:26:26 PM by burchas »
in progress...

TallDude

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2021, 08:25:28 PM »
Burchas, I don't know if you've paddled a hollow board before, but I've paddled a number of them a lot and don't like the way they feel. Hobie even offer to give me a hollow prototype they had and I passed. They kinda crinkle in the middle when you paddle with a hard stroke. I learned how to stand with a slight fore aft stance and not paddle that hard. The secondary stability doesn't exist. I had a foam core and hollow core Hobie elite in the exact same shape, and they paddled night and day different. I couldn't figure it out so I started adding a strip of mass loaded vinyl right down the center of the bottom of the board like a keel. I added about 6 lbs to the board and it started feeling more stable, but still wrong. I think it moves the center of buoyancy to high? A recessed foot well could overcome this, but I think the weight of the foam moves the center of buoyancy down.? I want that foam weight:)
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

burchas

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2021, 06:28:51 AM »
I have paddled a few. Own one.

The new breed of hollow sups are different from older crops.  Had a chance to paddle back to back same board hollow vs foam as well.
some older models felt quirky and they sure feel different but I think it is mostly the weight reduction. I've paddled an Infinity BF 17.5lbs
and it felt very different than the one I was on.

Rob Rojas has a hollow Speedboard, I'm sure he'll let you try his being the only paddler alive taller than him ;). You should be able to notice the
difference from that older Hobie model. If anyone can make a board crinkle other than your self it's Rob and his board doesn't crinkle.
BTW, I think Rob might be getting a hollow 19 footer soon so maybe it's time to get chummy with him :D

These PrePreg Autoclave made boards are lighter, stiffer and more durable than the foam race boards. For racing and portage application, hollow is the way to go imo.
If I'm spending that kind of money I'd want the best return on my dollars.
in progress...

PonoBill

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2021, 07:33:09 AM »
I've never cared for the feel of a hollow board over eps, but in unlimited boards I prefer hollow every time. For one simple reason--EPS boards get heavier with the inevitable leaks my careless handling causes, hollow boards don't. Even with a really ugly leaker ding, you patch it (with aluminum tape in my case) and drain the board. Presto. Even if I manage to discipline myself over the ownership cycle the EPS boards magically grow heavy. I've had numerous hollow SIC boards and they are excellent. I paddled a hollow Hobie once and it was horrid. It bounced around on the water, sounded like a drum line in even light chop, and wandered with every stroke. SIC boards don't do that. I'd pick a manufacturer that knows how to do them well. I don't know about Speedboard (I've got two, as my signature line attests, but they are both very old, are EPS, and one is now cut in half, decorating the gate to my shop) or 425, and SIC production boards are NOT hollow. You have to have them custom-made in Maui to get hollow.

Rambling comments aside, my point is simply like Burchas'--not all hollow boards are the same
« Last Edit: June 22, 2021, 07:36:52 AM by PonoBill »
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.

TallDude

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2021, 12:52:26 PM »

Rob Rojas has a hollow Speedboard, I'm sure he'll let you try his being the only paddler alive taller than him ;).
BTW, I think Rob might be getting a hollow 19 footer soon so maybe it's time to get chummy with him :D

Rob is a friend of mine. His older brother and I went to high school together, and Rob and I share the brotherhood of the unlimiteds. He's paddled all my unlimiteds and I've paddled most of his. He's still out paddling distance, me not so much these days. My son is now paddling my boards:)
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

burchas

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2021, 01:18:46 PM »
Rob is a friend of mine. His older brother and I went to high school together, and Rob and I share the brotherhood of the unlimiteds. He's paddled all my unlimiteds and I've paddled most of his. He's still out paddling distance, me not so much these days. My son is now paddling my boards:)

Putting guys like Rob and yourself (and pono as well) on a 14 footer for long distance and racing is an insult but the hollow Speedboard he is riding make this insult a little less painful.
Especially now when it's equipped with Larry's 4Drive (big difference). I've seen the 19 footer coming his way and it is sweeeeet like a slippery Dolphin. Not sure he has but ask him about it, probably make you want to go back doing long distance.
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PonoBill

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Re: Thoughts on Starboard carbon sandwich vs. wood carbon?
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2021, 06:46:23 AM »
Remember when Rob was trying to bribe people to race unlimiteds?
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.

 


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