New Fennix Boats - Cuda and Spearfish

Many of you will have seen the release of two new boats in the Fennix range, the Cuda and the Spearfish.
The Cuda, at 6.36m long and 42.5cm wide, is slightly shorter and wider than the Elite Spark S (6.44m and 42cm) , the most comparable looking ski currently. Fenn's FB page says its an elite ski aimed at paddlers under 85kgs. So also, a low volume ski.
The Spearfish is touted as a "longer ski which helps to bridge the gap between the Fennix SWORDFISH and the Elite skis" according to the weekend post.

Obviously, being so fresh off the racks, I doubt many will have had the chance to paddle these yet, so Robin, when you get your hands on them for a test paddle, please let us know your impressions. Or anyone else who is lucky enough to get access to them, please let us know how they go.

Innovation and the excitement of new designs aside, the burning question is, did Fenn really have to add new designs to what was already a very successful lineup of boats??

Yes, I’m very interested in the getting any information on the Cuda. Potentially looking to order one in the next couple of days. I’m currently on an older elite spark, which I like very much and also using an older swordfish S for bigger conditions. I tend to like the older FENN skis. I’ve had the new skis like the swordfish S Fenix and the new Fenix Spark as well as the Fenix XTS and did a catch and release for all three listed above for various reason. I seem to go back to their older skis before the fire. I’m thinking of giving Fenn one more try with ordering a new ski and I think the Cuda might be the one.

My ultimate ski would be something between an older before the factory fire Swordfish S, which is a medium volume intermediate ski and the Fennix Elite Spark S. so far from what I see the Cuda may be it, but need more info. The Fenn factory gives little to no info and their website is still not working.

You may have seen this already...on the Fenn facebook page (27 June) there is a bit more description of the Cuda.
While the numbers look good, it states that it has "reduced rocker, making it suitable for all conditions". I know Fenn will always make boats that surf beautifully but that statement raises the possibility that it won't necessarily be an ocean downwind specialist like the Swordfish S that you and I both love.
Can you demo before buying?
I'm still dreaming of the day that there is an intermediate low volume ski that suits rough downwind. Vault sounds close but demanding intermediate to advanced, V9 bit much volume up front so decelerates badly if nose into wave in front (yes, a skill issue), swordy close but less volume would be better for my 73kg and would also allow me to go lower weight without losing stability, Boost LV fun but nose dive problems in steep stuff (bucket too far forward?).
A new V10L might be the one if it ever gets produced but a Swordfish LV for under 80kg paddler I would attempt a tackle on Etzebeth for!
I should mention that those boats are all amazing at what they are designed for and I realise that my fitness and surfing skills are what need work. It's nice to dream about the perfect boat for my needs though.

Surely someone must have actually seen one of these boats by now?

It sounds a bit like you tend to drive the nose into the wave in front a little more often than ideal. I would suggest that you need to learn to angle earlier than you are. If you are on a short run or taking off late onto a run, you should be looking at cutting across the face to avoid the nose pushing into the wave in front and killing your speed. To enable this to happen easier you need a boat you can manoeuvre well and have the stability to use its manoeuvrability. Thus you need to ask yourself are you stable enough to throw the boat where you need or am I just not confident to change direction any time I like?
In regards to boat volumes, the NK Storm 570 or the Squall 540 if you are looking for lower volume skis, are possible considerations. Both are skis designed for light weight paddlers and both are amazingly manoeuvrable. Because they turn so well you can make the decision to change direction quite late compared to longer more elite skis. They wont have the same top end but they certainly will out turn the longer elite skis thus compensating for some late decision making. The shorter lengths also allow them to fit into shorter swells and avoid the nose pushing into the back of waves.

Thanks John. You're absolutely right that I am often losing speed with the nose lifting up if in V9 and diving in when I had the Boost LV, even before the nose got to the bottom of the trough. While I'm telling myself to stay high on the wave and angle across it, it is easier said than done (especially in messy or light conditions) and the reality is that I'm more often dropping down and angling to catch the next wave or turning to get in behind a nice pointy wave intersection. I'm very stable in the V9 and even in the Swordy I feel that I have good balance and control over 90% of the time but downwind skill is still developing and there are a lot of times that I just can't see where I can carry my speed to without the nose lifting.
You make a good point about it being a bigger problem when I'm taking off late or just lacking the horsepower to get surfing promptly. In nice conditions over 18kn it happens much less with the ability to maintain good speed and control and I can keep most 1km intervals under 4min (but very few under 3.50)
It sounds like I should try a low volume intermediate NK and get over my bias towards skis with a bit more length and rocker.
Sorry everyone for going way off topic. Any more news on the new Fenns?

Crabstick, I was glad to read what John wrote, not because it may apply to anyone else on this thread, but because that method has helped me so much.

I'll chime in here, mostly to help the newer readers, not so much the old timers that know all this stuff. I was new once and totally confounded by boat choices.

If anyone is a bit less experienced with downwind, looking to choose an intermediate ski, read on.

Bottom line, you will eventually want to go out in rougher and rougher conditions. The fun factor goes up with the wind speed. But the trick is that you must learn to surf in smaller conditions.

You want a ski that is beneath your current ability - not something to 'grow into'. When the wind gets stronger, the boat that felt "slower" will be enough.

What John wrote about waiting and going across the waves rather than plunging down is easier to learn in a boat that turns. The most effective speed is going across the waves.

I asked Dave Kalama what to tell a friend about reading waves better. His answer: "This won't work for most people, but I'll tell you what helped me the most." "I spent 2 months using the minimum amount of effort catching the wave, then the minimum amount of effort to extend it as far as possible. When it ended, I started over."

That's it. I've been practicing that for years and it's helped. There is a lot of free energy out there, we will never see it if we don't relax and go experiment.

I put that graph on my downwind videos to help me learn where the speed really is, because I had so much trouble second guessing my decisions. Now I have empirical evidence that certain things work and some don't.

A few days ago I had one of the longest - fastest linked glides I've ever had. It's between minute 3 and 4 of this video.

The Vega Flex is a stable intermediate boat. It has a reputation for steering better than most. But I prefer the V-9 and the Arc for more steering maneuverability. My overall average speeds in the V-8P are just as fast as anything I ever did in an elite ski. There is much to be learned steering across waves.

LPB: A bit off topic, but it's always a pleasure logging in to the forum for your latest offering of downwind and Bach!
The run between minute 3 and 4 was really smooth when the waves stretched out allowing boat speed to remain consistently high. A couple of points earlier in the clip (eg at 1:00 and at 2:15) saw the waves jack up steeply and pass through underneath you, with loss of speed. What do you think was happening there and what do you think a solution might be? That periodic "stacking and stalling" occurs on Botany Bay at times and I don't have the answer.
Dratz

Thanks Dratz, glad you liked the video.

As for the solution, I agree with Peter in the comments: "next time work a little harder and really chase those waves down." He's got 40 years in ski. I gave it a little more effort today. It worked.

I was happy with my choice of directions in that video. I was basically trying to aim the boat to the right and build speed. It's tough to see the true motion of the water in the video, due to the narrow field of view. Our peripheral vision sees so much more...

The conditions were excellent. I like when the chop criss crosses like that. The ones going from my right to left looked like the most fun drops.

The wind was straight cross shore, nice runs going straight down the line. I tried to use that to push me into the drops heading toward the shore (and vice versa). Super fun.

I'm not racing anyone out there, I'm the only boat in my group. I basically aim the boat, paddle that direction and eventually I'll be on something. If it doesn't happen, I don't worry about it. Hard not to eventually catch something in those conditions.

To follow up on what Mike said about the necessity of turning a boat - here's an example of me struggling to hold a line going left in the gen 1 V-10. Similar conditions, but I can't take a stroke or turn on that wave face.

Dratz wrote:

That periodic "stacking and stalling" occurs on Botany Bay at times and I don't have the answer.

When the waves are stacking up and acting strange, I try to relax more. If I try my usual efforts and it fails - I blame it on the ocean. "it's not me, it's the crazy water." Soon enough, sections that usually don't work start working better than ever. Same efforts start working when the ocean changes tempo.

Here's a nifty idea that helped me decide where to aim after getting over the top - starting a glide downhill. Years ago, I had a laptop with me in the parking lot. I asked a coach "Which way do I aim when this is happening?" He pointed and said "Go that way"

Plain and simple and it works. It's helped me a lot.

Think of a mountain bike trail that goes along the ridge of a mountain. The sides drop off and the path is narrow.

That's often the best place to aim the ski - along the path.

Watch this video of Boyan in a Swordfish. At 2:00, you can see the ridge stretching out in front. That's where he's aiming. If you watch the entire video, he's setting up his runs to go just barely fast enough to drift over into a drop.

When he comes over the top, he needs to decide 'left or right'? He aims for that ridge if possible.

That direction is best IMO. It's a good bet for conserving energy. And nobody conserves energy better than Boyan. He's going downhill, he will decide where to aim when the ridge path reforms.

Here's Oscar going over the top of big waves, aiming down the ridge line.