Author Topic: Looking for stability in my next board... (Read 6829 times)

ForeverBlue232 · « **on:** August 13, 2017, 06:31:18 PM »

I like my current race board (Bote Valhalla) for calm flatwater conditions. But it is kind of tippy and my balance isn't the best yet. I'm probably going to try to get another race board around new year's. What I want is a board with more stability, but still with good speed/glide, and better ability to handle minor chop. I won't be doing open ocean races, but sometimes wind and chop can kick up and give me issues.

Three boards I'm currently thinking about are the 28" Starboard Allstar, the 26" NSP Sonic, and the 27" Sunova Faast Pro Ocean. Of those three, which will be the most stable? I would think all of them would handle chop well enough for me. I wish there was a place around my location (central Indiana) where I could demo each of these. Chances are, I'll probably have to buy a board without trying one out, like I did last time.

Cost will factor in as well. If I went with the Allstar, I'd get the hybrid construction to keep the cost down. The Sonic is decently priced. The Sunova may be a little too much unless I found one used.

Eagle · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2017, 09:15:33 PM »

The AS28 has a lot of volume and feels pretty big. Has a bit of initial tip because of the triple concave design but settles on a chine to give stability. It does not feel planted like a flat bottom board. Thought it glided much better DW vs upwind. My wife was on a 25 and I could not catch her upwind on a 28. Overall secondary stability was good for the 2016. But 2017 added chamfered edges etc. so rolls a bit more. 2018 SB flattened the tail triple concaves to add back some stability.

The 2016 AS should be more stable DW and in cross slop vs a 26.5 Valhalla with deep vee. Overall the 2016 was comparatively less stable than a surf nosed M14 DW board.

Area 10 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2017, 03:23:49 AM »

Dugouts (especially needle-tail ones) are a love-'em or hate-'em proposition, so make sure you try before you buy if that's what you are thinking of.

Is a Naish Maliko out of your budget range?

Perhaps one of the Infinity sup boards?

I suggest that you try before you buy. I've never paddled the Bote, but the rounded rails and displacement nose of that board might make it pretty tippy for its width. Other hybrid-type or planing-nose type boards around 26" or 27" wide with harder rails might be much more stable (e.g. SIC FX, Jimmy Lewis Sidewinder etc) without going all the way to 28" wide.

burchas · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2017, 05:28:12 AM »

I would take a long look at the Focus Bluefin 14x26: https://focussup.com/stand-up-paddle-boards/140-bluefin/

Its sharp and boxy rails with a single concave throughout felt super stable for me even at 23.5" wide. The 26" should
feel like a barge. I've seen some good deals on used ones, even here in the zone. Maybe take a look at http://distressedmullet.com.
The only downside on this board is weight, but it's not a deal breaker IMO.

Same goes for the 2017 Naish Maliko 14x26. If you could find a used one grab it and run since they go super fast.

JEG · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2017, 02:59:09 PM »

what's your weight ForeverBlue232?

the sonic & Faast Pro are deep recess dugout deck (canoe) and AS is slight recess deck (kinda flat).

ForeverBlue232 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2017, 01:59:30 AM »

Quote from: JEG on August 14, 2017, 02:59:09 PM

what's your weight ForeverBlue232?

the sonic & Faast Pro are deep recess dugout deck (canoe) and AS is slight recess deck (kinda flat).

I'm 6'2" and 175 lbs.

JEG · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2017, 03:08:37 PM »

with your weight any of those board above you mention will do the job.
do you prefer flat or dugout deck?
the only desadvantge with dugout deck is water coming into the deck and boggs you out and slow you down.
dugout deck is a preference thing.
If you want one board to do all then get a flat deck (nsp puma, starboard allstar & sunova allround pro ) otherwise keep your current board and get 2nd board as dugout (nsp sonic, sunova faast pro & starboard ace).

ForeverBlue232 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2017, 06:22:57 PM »

Quote from: JEG on August 17, 2017, 03:08:37 PM

with your weight any of those board above you mention will do the job.
do you prefer flat or dugout deck?
the only desadvantge with dugout deck is water coming into the deck and boggs you out and slow you down.
dugout deck is a preference thing.
If you want one board to do all then get a flat deck (nsp puma, starboard allstar & sunova allround pro ) otherwise keep your current board and get 2nd board as dugout (nsp sonic, sunova faast pro & starboard ace).

Do the little drain holes not work well for getting rid of water on the dugouts?

Area 10 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 17, 2017, 06:54:47 PM »

They work. But it can still take 2-3 mins to empty after e.g. a really big wave has washed into the "boat", or a wipe-out when going out through surf. This stops you dead like you've dropped an anchor.

JEG · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2017, 03:10:42 PM »

Quote from: ForeverBlue232 on August 17, 2017, 06:22:57 PM

Quote from: JEG on August 17, 2017, 03:08:37 PM
with your weight any of those board above you mention will do the job.
do you prefer flat or dugout deck?
the only desadvantge with dugout deck is water coming into the deck and boggs you out and slow you down.
dugout deck is a preference thing.
If you want one board to do all then get a flat deck (nsp puma, starboard allstar & sunova allround pro ) otherwise keep your current board and get 2nd board as dugout (nsp sonic, sunova faast pro & starboard ace).

Do the little drain holes not work well for getting rid of water on the dugouts?

It depends on the situation but most of the time it only take less than a minute. Just keep moving and the water drains out.

ukgm · « **Reply #10 on:** August 18, 2017, 11:52:32 PM »

My current board (a Naish Maliko 14ft 2 width) goes back to the sponsor next week and it's likely I will be paddling a different brand in 2018 but for someone in your situation, I couldn't rate the Naish Maliko highly enough. It has huge amounts of primary stability and has no natural roll. It's very confidence inspiring on all kinds of water. A Allstar 28 will be too much board on most kinds of water - even for a novice. A 27 may be a good compromise though.

Area 10 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2017, 12:28:39 AM »

"My current board (a Naish Maliko 14ft 2 width)..."

Wow, your balance is really good

burchas · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2017, 04:44:59 AM »

Quote from: Area 10 on August 19, 2017, 12:28:39 AM

"My current board (a Naish Maliko 14ft 2 width)..."

Wow, your balance is really good

Obviously it's a custom Naish, but no natural roll at 2" is remarkable

Area 10 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2017, 06:20:54 AM »

Quote from: burchas on August 19, 2017, 04:44:59 AM

Quote from: Area 10 on August 19, 2017, 12:28:39 AM
"My current board (a Naish Maliko 14ft 2 width)..."

Wow, your balance is really good

Obviously it's a custom Naish, but no natural roll at 2" is remarkable

It must be those chines on the rails of the 2017 board.

Mind you, ukgm is a pretty impressive physical specimen, so maybe that's a lot to did with it too

Luc Benac · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2017, 07:38:43 AM »

Quote from: ukgm on August 18, 2017, 11:52:32 PM

A Allstar 28 will be too much board on most kinds of water - even for a novice. A 27 may be a good compromise though.

Lately I paddled for a very (short) bit an AllStar 14x27 while my friend tried my down-wind board.
This is a gigantic board with I think 322L of volume. It hated the experience, it felt like if I was on a barge along for the ride and everything felt as it was happening in slow-motion.
In comparison, my Ace-Gt felt like a surf board.
My friend likes the stability and it is not a slow board but now he is starting to reconsider...

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Author Topic: Looking for stability in my next board... (Read 6829 times)

ForeverBlue232

Looking for stability in my next board...

Eagle

Re: Looking for stability in my next board...

Area 10

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burchas

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JEG

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ForeverBlue232

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JEG

Re: Looking for stability in my next board...

ForeverBlue232

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Area 10

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JEG

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ukgm

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Area 10

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burchas

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Area 10

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Luc Benac

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