Interesting..

Slingshot Sports introduces the Space Pickle stand up paddleboard. Designed for performance wave riding in knee to shoulder high waves, this board is a carving machine.

Last summer we, (Slingshot Sports) soft launched the Crossbreed, an all-rounder SUP. The second and third boards in our line-up are the Space Pickles Surf SUP (7.6” and 8.6”) and are now being released.

This Spring we will also have available two Race boards (Nitro) and an adventure touring board (Grand Tourino) And, in April will we have one other All-rounder, more of an entry level board called the Crossfire.

Their ‘All-Water’ boards, available in 10′, 11′ and 12′ lengths, feature a wide range of graphics including the popular Blackbeard, Hotrod and Triton offerings. For 2012, they are introducing three new artfully designed boards – Check out the ‘Revert’ (think 80′s), the ‘Vixen’ (for the ladies) and ‘Forest’ (*A Canadian exclusive design).  They are ideal all-rounder boards for flatwater cruising, river running and surfing.  Their shape has less rocker (curve or bend) in the nose which serves to help it glide well on the lakes and ocean – better than many of the surf-inspired designs on the market. The 11′ foot is the ideal board for lightweight paddlers under 165lbs while the 12′ design works for the guys and heavier riders.

Did you know that Rogue was the first company to offer specialty graphics and boards for females?  You betcha – they include the ‘Honu’,  ‘Tropical’ and now for next year, the ‘Vixen’ in the All-waters along with the ‘Diva’ (Drifter Touring 11’4 & 12’6) and pink Tesoro in 10’6 and 11′.

Speaking of their 10’6 Tesoro all-rounder board, it has been a popular starter board and great for rental fleets – They have added a new 11′ version dubbed the Tesoro ‘Grande’ to accomodate paddlers over 200lbs at a retail price of around $1,200 CDN.  And in early 2012 they will release their ‘Class 5′ Inflatable SUP – rumours say it will be much stiffer than your average inflatable.

In addition to boards for the everyday user, they have expanded their touring and race division as well.  The 11’4 Drifter was one of the top selling boards in 2011 and is now being offered in the 11’4 and new 12’6 lengths – great news for those who want the benefits of flatwater glide in a full size board for under $2,000.  Both the 12’6 Outlaw (available in two colours now) and Drifter (Forest or Diva Graphic) have seen improvements to give them more durability and speed.  They have also moved the fin box further back to allow for bettering tracking and glide.  Ideal for flatwater racing, touring and work best in calm to moderately choppy conditions.

And while the brand continues to push the limits and explore new technologies, they keep it all in check with a laid-back attitude towards the sport and people.  We’ve seen them at the events and trade shows and they’re always laughing and smiling.  Good to see the ‘Ohana’ of SUP is alive and well.All in all, the new lineup looks great so expect big things from Rick Karr’s radical brand this year. The brand is distributed in Canada by Icon Sports Group.  “Canada is a unique market and we’re stoked to have ICON as our partner to help promote Rogue in the Great White North” says Rick Karr, Owner of Rogue.  “Having Norm Hann (Squamish, BC) as part of our team up there really helped our efforts” he adds.

For more information on the 2012 Rogue SUP line up, check out their catalog.

I’ve personally become emotionally attached to the Waimea, which is my absolute favorite board for riding the small to medium sized beach break waves we get around here.

That said, the Kahuna has a special set of merits all its own… And for those looking for a board that does it all, in my opinion, between the two it’s the more worthy contender as a single quiver board.

Weighing in at 11′ long by 29″wide and a 5 1/8 thickness, the Kahuna complements the Waimea exceptionally well. Where the Waimea has a generous amount of width at 31″, considerable amount of rocker, and a nice big nose for easy wave riding in a variety of conditions, the Kahuna offers a touch more performance towards bigger, steeper waves.

The Kahuna’s pulled in nose helps to make late takeoffs a piece of cake, while at the same time its flatter rocker allows for stronger glide, which not only helps to build up speed to catch the wave earlier, but this benefit also shows up when flatwater paddling.

Its 29″ width is nicely suited to this shape, providing increased mobility and glide over the Waimea, which is especially noticeable on flatwater cruising.

The Kahuna is again constructed with Dave Mel’s bomber epoxy construction, with Gore-Tex vent plug for worry free hot Summer days, and a very comfortable deck pad for those longer sessions.

If you’re a more (or even just somewhat) accomplished SUP surfer that’s looking for a board that will handle the bigger waves, still plays nicely with the small bumps, and still want to get some speed on a flatwater cruise every once in a while, then do yourself a favour and check out the Mel Kahuna.

At the end of the day, it’s going to be painful to give these boards back, but at the same time looking forward to seeing what Dave Mel has in store for this year… From what I’ve been told they’ve substantially improved their finishing process, and have a new series of boards specifically geared towards larger paddlers… Sounds perfect!

For more information, get in touch with the team at Stand Alone Surf!

So with that said, I’d been looking for a go-to flatwater board for a while… The Starboard K15, though incredibly fast on glassy and smoother conditions, was just too much of a challenge in the cross chop conditions we usually get around here in West Vancouver, and my all rounder boards just didn’t cut the mustard when it came to longer distance flatwater cruising.

Enter the Starboard Race 12’6. The 2011 Starboard Race is an update to the 2010 Surf Race designed by Brian Szysmanski of North County Paddleboards and was originally designed with an eye to competing at the Battle of the Paddle, a rough and surfy course where stability can be just as important as overall glide, which on paper seemed to fit my needs perfectly.

My first decision was width as the Race is available in three different widths. The 27″ is designed for lighter riders and calmer conditions, the 29.5″ for larger paddlers, and the 31″ for recreational paddling. I opted to go with the 29.5″, and am very happy with the decision.

The other option with this board is the availability of an AST or Brushed Carbon construction. Here I opted to take a deep breath and fork over the extra cash for the carbon model. This is something I’m extremely happy to have done, as the carbon construction probably makes up for half of the reasons on why I love this board so much!

Field Test and Design

The most striking, and perhaps confusing, part of about the Race is the amount of rounded volume up front. As such, the Race doesn’t exactly cut the water like a typical displacement design, but this doesn’t seem to matter… Most people find it to be just as fast as boards like Bark, House, and other conventional displacement hull designs.

The concave bottom, slightly dug out cockpit and sharp tail rails both help to dramatically increase stability and in my opinion are the primary benefits of this design… Allowing the the paddler can focus on stroke technique and building speed, instead of having to concentrate on trying to remain balanced on the board.

The deck remains reasonably dry in all conditions, and there are a couple strategically placed holes on either rail to ensure drainange in rougher conditions.

The deck pad is quite unique in that it actually wraps over and down the rails at the center of the board. This not only helps to cut down paddle impact damage, but also makes for a good place to lean the board against when you’re on a rocky beach.

I found that the 23″ Race Fin provides a good mix of tracking and maneuverability, but I’ve opted to switch out for the Starboard Bamboo Race fin, which increases straight-line tracking even more, while making it a bit harder to turn the board. Maneuverability is not a big deal for me, since I’m using the board for point to point touring, but if you’re planning on racing on a short course circuit like the Battle of the Paddle, then you’d probably want to stick with the 23″ fin.

Brushed Carbon

Though the price increase over their standard AST is substantial, brushed carbon proves to be a massive improvement both on you walk to the beach, and on the water.

The single greatest benefit is the ability to push the board into position with your legs when encountering cross chop conditions. As mentioned, we experience a ton of these sorts of conditions around here, and on heavier boards I have to put a ton of effort into keeping the board tracking straight, or risk getting knocked off. On the lightweight carbon, it’s much easier to force the board back into position and continue on your way.

Starboard builds their carbon models with an EPS core. Though this might mean the board is a touch heavier than a true hollow carbon construction, the benefits here is that the EPS core helps to retain the board’s natural feel. Hollow carbon SUP constructions tend to feel like you’re paddling an empty tin can.

The board’s brushed paint finish is also worth a mention. Though a natural black carbon fiber finish looks absolutely kick ass, problems arise when the air inside the board expands in hotter weather. The brushed paint finish helps to keep the board cool, thereby minimizing the risk of sun damage. It also has a cool, imperfect rat-rod sort of look to it, which also does a great job of hiding scuff marks and dings.

Overall Impressions

If you’re looking for a fast, versatile race board, or just a fun, stable and fast board to tool around the flatwater, then the Starboard 12’6 Race earns a very strong consideration. Spring for the carbon if you can, but I’m sure you’ll find the AST version to be a highly capable board that will be suitable for pretty much anything except for riding waves!

Thanks for reading and in closing, here are a few photos of the board…

I hate to have to do this to myself, but my beloved Starboard K15 AST needs to find a new home.

Its been an amazing board but at the end of the day, it just doesn’t get out on the water as often as my other boards.

If I lived closer to Deep Cove where the water is more consistently glassy then it’d be my go to board almost every day of the year, but the less protected waters around West Vancouver where I usually paddle tend get a lot more wind and cross chop, so from here on in I’m going to be focusing on boards that might not be quite as fast, but offer up better stability and performance in the chop.

Once you get a handle its initial tippiness, the K15 is without a doubt the fastest and smoothest SUP around… But don’t take my word for it, do some Googling to see how popular and highly regarded this board is.

All that said, I wouldn’t necessarily suggest the K15 as a “starter” board, but once you’ve got some experience under your belt, or if you live in an area where calm water conditions are the norm, then this board should be a no-brainer addition to your quiver.

I’ll probably be kicking myself once she’s gone, so act fast before I change my mind!

Details

• Board: 2009 Starboard K15 AST Yellow
• Price: $1,400 or best offer, cash only
• Condition: Good (see photos)
• Location: West Vancouver, BC (near Lighthouse Park)
• Contact: k15@paddlesurf.ca
• Pickup only in West Vancouver or meet somewhere on the North Shore. Will not ship.

Photos

Done my best to highlight all the deficiencies with these photos. Generally speaking the board’s in good condition, with a few minor cosmetic dings, nothing serious as far as I can tell!

For 2011, Bryan returned to update the race shapes and renamed them The Ace, which is now available in a 12’6 and 14′ models.

Known as The Clog by some due to their extremely high volume and scooped out cockpit, the Starboard Ace is one of the most recognizable boards on the race circuit these days.

I tested the AST version of the Ace, which is their more conventional and cost effective, construction. The Ace is also available in brushed carbon, which is definitely worth consideration if you’re looking to “be all that you can be” on the race course!

The overall result of this design is exceptional buoyancy which allows the boards to be narrower, while still maintaining a good amount of stability since the paddler stands lower on the board.

Another defining feature of the Ace is its sort of bulbous bow… Not like you’d see on a freighter, but its shape is nowhere near similar to the conventional “canoe” shaped noses you see on most other race oriented boards. Some paddlers don’t like the fact that they tend push a lot of water up front, but at the end of the day it seems apparent that the design is comparable in speed to the competition.

Though it’s not as stable as a conventional (read all-rounder type board), for a race board I found it to be exceedingly comfortable, especially considering its 27″ width. To compare, I also regularly paddle the Starboard K15 and the Ace to be a touch more stable in rougher waters, which is especially notable since the Ace is 3″ narrower than the K15!

In other notes, I found the rounded rails significantly help to increase the board’s maneuverability, while the small amount of bottom concave again helps to create additional stability.

I also really like the new handles Starboard has include on their race boards this year. They’re comfortable, give you plenty of options when it comes time to carry the board in and out of the water, and contrary to how it might appear, they don’t get in the way of your paddling.

To be perfectly honest, and note that I’m not all that into racing just yet, but I found the individual footwells to be a bit of a bummer. While this is perfectly fine and expected for a dedicated race board, I feel they tend to limit the board’s overall versatility, seeing as the paddler can only stand in a forward facing position.

If you’re looking for an edge on the race course, especially if you’re a bigger paddler looking to level the playing field with the smaller guys, or just wanting an extra speedy board for flatwater touring, I’d strongly suggest checking out the Starboard Ace 14′.

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And to wrap things up, here’s a comparison video from PaddleboardSpecialists.com on the Ace versus the Surftech Bark Dominator 14′

Canmore, Alberta based Stand Alone Surf is the Canadian distributor of Dave’s boards, and they graciously provided us with two of Dave’s creations a few months ago, and we’re pleased to provide our feedback on the first of two boards, first up is the smaller of the two, The Waimea…

Here is the board’s vital stats:

• For paddlers 125-215 lbs
• Length 10’ 6”
• Width 31”
• Thickness 5”
• Volume 154 liters

Note: We tested the 2010 model, which is still available in the current line-up, but the board is also available in 10′x30″ and 11′x32″ for the 2011 season, so there’s something there to fit everyone’s needs!

The Waimea is the big wave or whitewater charger in Dave Mel’s SUP lineup, and though I’ve only had the chance to surf it in 1-4 ft reef and beachbreak, if this board perform anywhere near as well in the bigger stuff then he’s got an absolute champ on his hands, as I personally found the mix of maneuverability and tracking/glide is absolutely perfect for smaller waves as well.

The Waimea is never going to perform as well as a smaller pocket rocket SUS type shape on the waves, and it’ll never glide as well as a 14′ cruiser on the flatwater, but in my opinion Dave has found a great mix of surfability and glide for an all-rounder with the this board.

This thing glides into waves as it should for a 10’6, but once it’s up and riding it seems to lose a foot of length, feeling more like a 9’6 with regards to maneuverability and overall feel… Sort of strange actually!

Flatwater tracking is surprisingly good considering its length and the amount of nose rocker, and could be substantially improved with the addition of something like  Larry Allison Race fin, or the Starboard Bamboo Race Fin… Something with a bit more surface area to assist with improving the board’s tracking on the flatwater.

And the special feel of a handmade board makes the experience all the nicer… With a beauty retro swirl colour scheme, hand written model notes and more, this board just reeks soul! Added bonus is Dave uses Goretex vents instead of an annoying stainless steel vent screw. This allows for the automatic escape of expanding and contracting air, which is a real a damage risk with most epoxy boards.

One of the most impressive characteristics of this board, as if the overall performance wasn’t enough, is its exceptional durability. I’ve been surfing this board on the rocky beaches of West Vancouver a fair bit lately, and I’ve had a couple impacts that would have seriously dinged most other boards, but I dunno, there’s something extra durable about this construction, it just seems to bounce off the rocks and keeps on surfing.

And if there ever is a need for repair, have your Ding All Epoxy Stik handy and you’ll be back in the water within minutes!

In Conclusion, the Waimea wouldn’t be my first choice for flatwater, but ‘d say if you’re surfing 60-70% of the time, want to get out and tour once in a while, and only have room in the garage for one board, then this is definitely worthy contender. For me it’d be number one on that list.

We’ll be putting together a complete review on the Dave Mel Kahuna model as well a bit later in the Summer.

The 2011 Dave Mel Stand Up Paddleboard line up will be arriving at Stand Alone Surf sometime in early July, so be sure to get in touch with them if you’re interested, as supply is limited and I’m sure they’re going to sell out fast!

Thanks for reading, and for more information, check out Stand Alone Surf’s website.

Stand Up Land Paddles? Yeps… basically a long paddle designed to be used with a longboard skateboard to mimic the action of SUP… Looks like a great cross training device for sure!

Here’s a video:

The Adjustable Big Stick  features an adjustable, aluminum shaft – Adjusts from 4’6″ to 6′ and a new handle with soft over grip to eliminate the need for gloves while Land Paddling.

The Kahuna Blade features include a polycarbonate (bullet proof vest material) casing, vulcanized rubber road grip, and undulated shape with dampening holes provides proper leverage through the entire stroke path, and it’s also replaceable – Simply remove two nuts and bolts and pop on a new Kahuna Blade onto your Big Stick.

Check out Boardworks Surf Canada and Kahuna Creations‘ websites for more information.

We’re halfway through March and though the rest of Canada is still frozen, we’re already fielding daily phone calls and emails from people all over Canada wanting to find out about more about stand up paddleboarding in Canada!

So with that, we’re getting started early with our editorial reviews, and thought we’d kick off the season with a quick roundup of some of the boards we’ll be running this season.

9’0 Starboard Stinger AST: One of the earliest production “shortboard” SUP shapes, the Stinger is surprisingly stable and maneuverable  thanks in part to its cut-away rails which allow for a narrower tail section, and higher volume up front to allow for greater flotation and stability. Don’t expect to master this puppy first time out, but definitely check out one of these smaller shapes once you’ve got a firm handle on some of the bigger waveriding boards… They’re incredibly nimble once you get the hang of ‘em!

10’6 Dave Mel Epoxy: A new addition in the quiver for the 2011 season, for a waveriding machine this board has a decent amount of glide, making it pretty darn adaptable to flatwater cruising. A great all round ride for wherever you choose to put in.

Another thing I’ll say is you can really feel the soul and attention to detail built into this board… The craftsmanship is very impressive and the colour schemes kick ass. The 10’6 has a super cool sea foamy green streak effect which really makes it stand out… The ladies are gonna love these!

10’10 Walden GSI: She’s starting to show her age a bit, but this board still performs very nicely in the waves and tours the flatwater surprisingly well.

What’s always really impressed me with this board is though it’s got a considerable amount of volume in thickness, lending itself to a serious amount of stability, the step deck rails really help to increase this board’s agility in the waves, which makes it an exceptional all-round board.

In coming months we’ll be giving this board a proper paint refinish as the epoxy has taken an absolute beating from surfing our rocky beaches, and the rails have seen their fair share of beginner dings.

11’0 Dave Mel Epoxy: Similar to the 10’6 Mel, this is another hand built board from Maui that’s been built for the waves, but it still has a reasonable amount of glide for the flatwater.

And for what it’s worth, the camo deck pad that came with this particular board makes for a super cool yet understated presentation.

12’6 Starboard Cruiser AST: This is the board that introduced me to the sport three years ago, and it still gets a fair amount of water time.  The Cruiser isn’t the greatest flatwater cruiser due to a considerable amount of rocker…  Plus the single fin setup makes it a bit of a bear in the waves, but due to its outline and overall volume it’s one of my favorite touring boards when the conditions get rough.

Note that newer models of the Cruiser run a three fin setup, so their performance will be much better in the waves. My older model also has a very shallow carrying handle which makes transporting the board a bit of a hassle, but this too has been fixed in the new model.

If you’re looking to get into an all-rounder like the Cruiser as your do everything board, I’d definitely suggest picking up a Bamboo Race Fin, or another type of classic or hatchet style fin to help increase straightline tracking on the flatwater touring sessions.

15′ Starboard K-15 AST: The ultimate flatwater cruiser, the Starboard K-15 has incredible glide and speed. It’s a bit tippy when the water conditions get choppy, but if the conditions are mellow, this board will blow you away!

A reasonably complete quiver yes, but we’re looking to fill some holes.

Next on the list is a Starboard Race 12’6 Brushed Carbon as an attempt to get the PaddleSurf.ca team more competitive on the race scene, as well as a wider surf SUP… Something like a Starboard Hero or Whopper. Ya know, something that’ll be reasonably mobile in the waves but still provide plenty of stability.

And if you’re a Canadian board builder or distributor and would like to share your shapes with the Canadian stand up paddleboarding community, please feel free to get in touch with us here at Paddle Surf Canada as we’re constantly on the lookout for adding new boards to the quiver.

Thanks for reading and happy paddling… Hopefully sooner than later!

Paddle location was up in Vernon, on Kalamalka Lake with the Kalavida Surf Shop and Bob Purdy from PaddleForThePlanet.ca. This was one of my first times paddling on freshwater, which might have contributed to the strong impressions I have of this fin, but either way I’m happy to report that the fin dramatically improved the flatwater performance of my Starboard Cruiser.

As mentioned, I ran the fin on an older model single fin Starboard 12’6 Cruiser. I’ve always been a bit frustrated with this particular board as its considerable amount of rocker tends to seriously hinder its glide and tracking, and missing sidebite fins doesn’t help in the tracking department.

Starboard’s marketing copy alludes to the fact that you can expect to gain 5 strokes per side with this fin, and though I did notice an improvement, strokes per side increased by about three, which I’m more than happy to have!

Though the larger surface area makes changing direction a bit more tedious, I’ll gladly take the tradeoff due to the dramatic improvement in straightline tracking.

One note though is the fin’s box insert shape is quite large… I assume this is to give the relatively fragile Bamboo the increased strength it needed versus a fibreglass or carbon fin. Problem with that though is I had hard time finding a fin box that would accommodate it.

My Starboard K-15′s finbox was too short to accept the extra long base, and I also tried on a couple Dave Mel boards, but the fin’s base was just a touch too tall.

I probably wouldn’t suggest modifying the fin to fit into a smaller fin box, so might be a good idea to do a test fit before purchasing.

That all said though, as mentioned I did manage to fit it into my Starboard 12’6 Cruiser’s without a problem.

Overall, I’d strongly suggest picking one of these fins up, especially if you’re underwhelmed with the flatwater performance of your all-rounder SUP.