Starboard 7'11 vs 8'5

[noa]

i would be very interested to hear opinions on the Starboard 7'11 and the 8'5 pro. how do they ride and compare to each other.
thanks for any info...

[noa]

needing your opinions here...

[Sup-position]

Which one?

The 8'5" X 28 (2009) Tiki
       8'5" X 29-1/2" Pro
       8'5" X 30 Pocket Rocket

Vs the 7'11"


I have ridden all of them.

www.Sup-position.com
Huntington Beach, California, USA

[noa]

The 8'5 x 29.5" pro vs the 7'11. Thanks...

[Strand Leper]

Ralph,

What are then dimensions on the 7'11"?

[cammar]

Dimensions of the 7.11 here: http://www.star-board-sup.com/2010/products/boards/board_seveneleven.php

Ralph,
while you're at it, if you got time, here's two more questions for you:
1) brief comparison between 8.5x30 PR and 8.5x29.5 Pro.
2) can the 8.5 Pro have a mast track?

Many thanks.

[Sup-position]

My comparison of the 8'5" Pro to the 711 is:
They have similar profiles and outlines.
One is smaller and has less volume.

That said the 711 (7'11" X 29-1/2") is really agile and rides killer.
Has a tighter turn radius and fits in smaller pockets.
It is a hand full in less than smooth surf,
but is amazing in smooth glassy conditions.
Later take offs so you will be closer to the crawlers.
For up to head high waves.
This is for me at 185#.
Someone lighter may ride much bigger waves and have greater stability.

The 8'5" Pro is pretty stable in moderate chop.
Quite agile and rides killer.
So far up to 10-12' faces with no issues.

These are basically the same board only one is smaller.

Wind Surfing:
All boards in Black Camo have the wind surf attachment except the Pocket Rocket.

The 8'5" X 29-1/2" Pro is a step up from the Pocket Rocket in terms of performance.
The Pro can really be thrown around (tighter turns than the Pocket Rocket)
The 2-1 set up and the rounded pin tail does the trick.
Quads are great for down the line and in mushier conditions, the Pocket Rocket
makes it through the flats where the Pro will bog.

Hope that answers all these questions.

www.Sup-position.com
Huntington Beach, California, USA

The Pro is now my go to board when there are waves(over 3').

[noa]

great info, thanks a lot ! i guess at my weight of 155 the 7'11 would work just fine ?

[Strand Leper]

Thanks giampolo...do u have any of the 7'11's ralphio?

Tim

[Sup-position]

Yes I do have the 711.
Black Camo with Wind Surf Attachment.

At 155# the 711 will be your go to board.

www.Sup-position.com
Huntington Beach, California, USA

[noa]

great, so the 7'11 it is. last but not least (do i ever finish ?...) what construction should i go for ?
so far my choices are either the wood sandwich because it's so beautiful and hopefully light and strong too.
or the tufskin camo for it's strength and value for money. how would you compare these two constructions ?
how different would they make the board feel while surfing and how much heavier would the camo 7'11 be compared to the TAC or technora version ?
thank you so much for answering my endless questions.

[Sup-position]

The TAC construction is real pretty.
No deck pad on these, Star Touch, gritty when wet surface.
I prefer a pad, so it would cover some of the nice wood look.
The clear finish on these are pretty straight forward to repair.
issues when you hack through the wood veneer layer,
It is white underneath.  Pretty tough stuff though.

The Tough Skin Camo has a full EVA Deck Pad and is
a very durable finish. Not much difference in weight
between these constructions. They are after all short boards.
Integrated tail kick on these factory pads.

The technora is the lightest construction.
Much more pricey, and will be replaced in the future
with the brushed carbon. The Technora is flexy and I find the
finish to be brittle. No pad on these either.

www.Sup-position.com
Huntington Beach, California, USA

[noa]

thanks for that info. so if we where to focus on the 7'11, what would be the approximate weight difference between the TAC and the Tough skin camo ?
other than slight weight, would one notice any other differences between the two on the water ?

[Sup-position]

The weight difference isn't much.
Especially if you put a pad on the TAC.

Performance wise they are the same board.
You will have better traction and a tail kick with the Camo.

Add $350 to the TAC

www.Sup-position.com
Huntington Beach, California, USA

[noa]

yeah i would probably end up putting a pad on the TAC which would, like you said bring the weight up to equal the camo.
so in the end, the camo sounds like a better and cheaper deal.
thanks a lot for your patience and info.