Bullet and F-20

[Jim S]

I learned this weekend that Danny Ching has been paddling since he was a fetus and trains like a beast.

[Pureadrenalin]

I learned this weekend that Danny Ching has been paddling since he was a fetus and trains like a beast.

Thats how champions are born. Look at the Napoleons.

[Takeo]

Got to paddle the Bullet today, just in the bay, no downwind.  The glide seems better in comparison to the F16 V2.  It's more narrow in width but not an obvious stability difference, at least in today's conditions. The drop in the deck is more pronounced than the F16 V2 but very comfortable on my feet and probably adds to stability.  Looks like there is more volume in the nose area, which I assume will help it pop out of front swells if it gets buried. The rails also seem to have more volume, probably contributing to stability. The deckpad appears much more durable than the one on the F16 V2.  The rudder is a different shape compared to the one on the F16 with a thicker leading edge.  The bottom is quite different from the F16 V2.  The rocker is much less, but still significant amount.  The nose area starts off flat, then transitions to a single concave, to a v-tail.  The rails look much softer but hardens up near the tail.  All I can say is that it would be great to own both. 

[Takeo]

[thelliole]

Ive got a unfinished sig...

I needa add some smoke and some bullet holes but dont know how to do them, all the tuturials ive seen dont work...can som1 plz tell me how to do them?

[StandUpPaddleSurf.net]

I've been riding the bullet lately and raced it in the Duke's race last week.  In winds under 15 mph, I definitely prefer it over the v2.  It takes a bit more muscle to get up to speed but also glides farther and takes less effort to keep it going. 

In winds over 20 mph I prefer the v2.  It's easier to get up to speed and in higher winds is more fun.  The design allows it to be more 'surfy' than the bullet and it's more nimble. 

For racing, I think the bullet may be faster in under 20 mph winds because it's easier to maintain a higher avg speed.  It feels like it's moving slower than it is...at least from what I read on my Garmin 305 GPS watch but it keeps on going.  It's a similar feeling that I have on my OC-1.  When I feel like it's starting to catch the bump, I can let off the stroking and the board releases, speeds up and glides.

Obviously, the engine makes the biggest difference but these boards are really fun.  The week before the race, Connor Baxter was doing a practice Hawaii Kai run on the bullet with Kainoa Beaupre.  Kainoa said that it looked like Connor was riding an OC-1 bc his board never seemed to slow down, it just kept gliding.  They did the run and finished together.  Kainoa is a fast paddler and was also on a Fusion OC-1. 

[JustPaddle]

I talked to someone that has ridden the SIC models (14,16,18) and he described the Bullet similar to a stretched out F14.

[Pureadrenalin]

Anyone know if theres a demo on Oahu. I would like to make my own comparison with my F14 and Naish 17.

[StandUpPaddleSurf.net]

I talked to someone that has ridden the SIC models (14,16,18) and he described the Bullet similar to a stretched out F14.

From my experience, the only similarity I noticed btw the bullet and f-14 is the lower rocker and they both have a rudder.  They ride and feel way different to me.  F-14 is easy to get up to speed bc it's smaller and light.  It's really surfy feeling and the sharp rails allow it to surf good.  The F-14 is really nimble and fits in short troughs easily.  The bullet is heavier, more 'rolly' feeling (rounded rails and more narrow) and more effort to get up to speed but has much more glide, especially once on a bump.  In high winds, I think the F-14 and F-16 are more fun because they allow you to surf more.

[SEA]

Hi Evan

    I noticed your time in the dukes race this year was about 8 minutes slower than last years time. That is a lot when racing. What do you think is the reason for this?  Do you think the bullet was part of the reason?

Just thought that was interesting since you have been training more this year with 6 man an OC-1.

[starbolt]

Conditions can vary so much that valid comparisons are difficult to make. My recollection says that this year's race had extremely light wind compared to last year's. I was slower too, despite using a 17'6 this year instead of a 14'.

It could even be that without the bullet, the difference would've been more than eight minutes.

[SEA]

Yup did not remember last years winds conditions. This years conditions definetly favored a board like the bullet or 17 Naish. Danny Ching chose to us the 17 Naish in similar conditions in this years BOP, so I guess there is something to be said about using a longer board in lighter wind conditions. Looked like it worked for Conner , but he is so light he could have been on most anything and done well.

[StandUpPaddleSurf.net]

Hi Evan

    I noticed your time in the dukes race this year was about 8 minutes slower than last years time. That is a lot when racing. What do you think is the reason for this?  Do you think the bullet was part of the reason?

Just thought that was interesting since you have been training more this year with 6 man an OC-1.

I wish I could take credit when I go faster and blame my board when I don't but alas, the time difference IMO was due to the conditions.  2009 had better winds and tide.  This year had lighter winds than last year and we were fighting the tide instead of going with it.  The portion after the Diamond Head lighthouse was the best I can remember in the last 2 years but I was 7 minutes slower from Hawaii Kai to Black Point.  I actually felt really good before and during the Duke's race this year.  I felt like I paddled better than I did last year even though my time was longer.  Last year's winner was 10 minutes faster than this year's winner and fast guys like Doug Lock were faster in 2009, even though in 2009 he wasn't training as much and rode a 12'6" Jimmy Lewis surfboard and this year rode the bullet.  Connor Baxter was faster in 2009 on his 14'er.

In good conditions I've had my best times ever on the bullet and v2.  I would say I'm about 5 minutes faster in 2010 than in 2009 on the average.  The OC-1 has helped my bump read a lot.  I didn't get as much out of the OC-6 season as I would have liked because I was sick for a month and took weeks to get back up to speed after that.  By then the season was over and I only did 2 races. 

Did you race?  If so, how did you feel this year vs last?