More speed please + Intro

Hi everyone, I just signed up so I thought I'd introduce myself plus ask a newbie question.

I've been paddling for about 1 year on and off manly recreational but over the past 4 months I've stepped up with some solo training of about 4 days a week before work, on the Gold Coast. My goal is to get a new ski in Sep 2010 and start doing some amateur comps for a bit of fun. I feel a bit too old to get to serious(34).... Anyway this site looks like it has some great info and I look forward to contributing where I can.

Now for the newbie question.....
I'm about 73kg and 6 foot. I paddle a VERY old(10+ yrs) Hayden SLSA surf ski which has previously had its nose broken and reattached adding 4.5kg to the front bringing the total weight to 22.5kg!

On my 10k paddles I average around 10.9km/hr on flat tidal water. Now going on the weight (22.5kg) and age (10yrs) of my current ski when I upgrade to an Epic V10 Performance (15kg) or similar, assuming I'm comfortable with the ski what sort of average speed increase could I expect?

I realise it's a debatable question with many variables but I'm just after an educated guess from the more experienced who may have had a similar upgrade or understand the advances in ski design and reduced weight.

Thanks

Mart

Hi Mart

I would expect at least 1 km/h improvement.

You will take your paddling to a whole new level!

Give Craig at Adventure Outlet a call and go test drive one and see.
I know that he has a V12 and a V10 sport as test boats at the moment. Don't think he has a V10 in stock though as everybody is asking for the V12.
Nothing like sitting in it to know what it's like.
5571 2929

Any reason that you prefer the V10?
I actually find the V12 only a little bit tippier than the V10 Sport, but quite noticeably faster.

A 10% increase sounds good to me.

As for why the V10, well it was more as an example of the type I'd go for next. When I get the cash together I'd compare quite a few different models and brands and see which feels the best.

I'll actually be up around Adventure outlet tomorrow so I might pop in and have a look at the V12 in the flesh.

Thanks for the tips.

There are often demo skis at the Currumbin paddlers monthly rec race.

Upgrading is going to transform your paddling! The one thing I would say is that it's worth taking a little time and trying out as many skis as possible.

There are quite a few "top end" skis available these days including (without meaning to start a flame war on the thread!) and in no particular order:

Red7 Surf70 Pro
V10
V12
Fenn Mako Elite
Nelo
Think Uno
Stellar

So take your time and enjoy the ride!

At your weight (73kg and 6ft, you must be a beanpole!) you also want to look for something with less volume. Carbonology Atom, V10L, small volume Nelo, Think Uno are all skis with less volume in the nose...

And, most important, come back to the forum and share what you find!

All the best
Rob

Re Currumbin.
Hey what day is the next one?
I'd love to try a Fenn as I've only sat in the epics and I'm soon to buy a ski.

If yr 73kg look at a Carbon Robberg Express, kinda feels like a low volume Mako 6

Thanks again for all the tips. I'll be giving the guys down at Currumbin paddlers a call closer to the time about demos, I've spoken to Matt C. from there before about other skis.

As for the 73kg..... yeah it sucks but I lost a bit of weight once I started paddling, now I'm trying to put some bulk back on. 75-80 is my goal for when I upgrade.

I suggest that you contact Matt. C again and ask to be placed on his mailing list.
I would also like to reccomend participation in this one www.byronbayoceanpaddler.com/
As a noob to surfski paddling myself, last years event was my first (and only at this stage) apart from a couple of starts at the Raby Bay social race.
cheers

To answer your original question re speed.
I had an xt and over an 8km flat course my best time was about 47.5 minutes. Upgrading to a surf 70 cut it to 45 minutes and changing to a surf70 pro cut it to 42.5 minutes (first paddle on the new ski and only time I've checked the time).
I am 49 and was bloody fit when I had the xt. At 34 you haven't reached your peak yet. Buy the best boat you can afford. Fast on the flat doesn't necessarily mean fast when it's lumpy (eg v12). Do your homework and paddle as many boats as possible, preferably with a gps to monitor average speed and max speed.

I organised a V12 Demo this Friday with Craig from Adventure Outlet so I’ll take my GPS along and see how it goes.

Update:

First up I have to thank Craig at Adventure Outlet on the Gold Coast for letting try out a V12 & V10 this morning. Very helpful and nice guy.

Like mentioned above I've only every paddled an old heavy, 10 year old Hayden before so I was pretty excited about trying something new and fast. It was very hard to compare to my ski since it was somewhere I'd never paddled before and it was quite windy and choppy with a strong tide.

First impressions where, wow, bit tippy, hope I make it without falling out. After the first 4k I started to get more confident and felt reasonably stable. The next 5k I felt even better and found I could start working on style rather than staying in the boat. By the end I felt like a few more runs and I'd feel pretty good.

I also had a very short burst in a V10 Sport and immediately felt more stable, very obviouse. I think I would have been a little faster in the V10 due to the stability but after a few runs in the V12 I think I'd have been even faster than the V10.

As for speed difference compared to my Hayden, very hard to compare due to conditions but I'd say at least 10% faster in the V12.

When you paddled the V12, did you find the nose buried much?

I am tossing up between a V12 Ultra and a carbon UNO, but am a little bit lost in what to get. I know the UNO reviews all say that in bigger conditions and downwind, the nose buries alot, but is the fastest boat in smaller conditions. I was wondering if the V12 is similar? I am 76kg so maybe the nose wont bury as much for me on the UNO?

Sorry but I can't really say since we paddled in the flats, not out past the breakers so there was no swell to ride. Before I buy (later in the year) I'd like to give it another go riding some swell for that reason.