Trying to decide on the next step.

I am the person who originally asked this question 2 years ago. Since then I have continued to paddle and ended up purchasing a NK Storm. Just quickly - very happy with it. The build quality is excellent, very light and quick. Stabilitywise similar to a SF. I do paddle a fair bit now in a variety of conditions.

On the topic of rudder - @balance_fit - I had not given a huge amount of thought to role rudders play in stability. My NK has a fairly small standard rudder and some people I paddle with own EPICS and Fenn's. We have spoken about the size of our rudders (I will reframe from jokes) but in the context of manoeuvrability when riding waves.

@waverider - I am going to challenge on your comment. If I understand your point, I think you are saying that in "if you rely on the rudder in your everyday/usual conditions for stability then perhaps its not the best ski for you yet unless you are progressing.

However, I have a few water based hobbies and its not uncommon to vary equipment based on the conditions. But I don't see that happening a lot with ski paddlers outside of having entirely different ski's (for those that can store them and afford them). I paddle around Sydney and off shore the reflection from the cliffs can be... down right horrible in some places. Some days its OK, other days its a nightmare if you get too close . Why not have a few rudders and change them out if you can gain a little stability on less kind days. I don't necessarily think that is a reflection of the wrong ski, just variable conditions. If we look at other sports like surfing - changing fins, fin configuration and and fin placement (on long boards centre fins especially) changes the feel and performance of the board significantly.

I paddled on the weekend catching waves off a point - with a small rudder, the NK can get pretty loose on take off as the wave picks up the back of the ski. The fin is not the only reason for this but perhaps a larger fin, with a different design may make that act very differently. Other days, I paddle longer in calmer bays, a smaller fin with less drag would work, - then offshore closer to the cliffs with a heap of reflection something with a bit more surface area might be good.

@balance_fit got me thinking - I can and do change up the position and shape of my long board fins. Why not have more options for a ski? I might get in touch with DK and see what he thinks.

2863974017034980@facebook wrote:

@waverider - I am going to challenge on your comment. If I understand your point, I think you are saying that in "if you rely on the rudder in your everyday/usual conditions for stability then perhaps its not the best ski for you yet unless you are progressing.
However, I have a few water based hobbies and its not uncommon to vary equipment based on the conditions. But I don't see that happening a lot with ski paddlers outside of having entirely different ski's (for those that can store them and afford them). I paddle around Sydney and off shore the reflection from the cliffs can be... down right horrible in some places. Some days its OK, other days its a nightmare if you get too close . Why not have a few rudders and change them out if you can gain a little stability on less kind days. I don't necessarily think that is a reflection of the wrong ski, just variable conditions. If we look at other sports like surfing - changing fins, fin configuration and and fin placement (on long boards centre fins especially) changes the feel and performance of the board significantly.

Thats my point, use one where you need one (less kind conditions), but you shouldnt need one for "regular" conditions. It shouldnt be your all conditions rudder (ideally). I also change out rudders, I have the epic surf/weedless/and a tiny custom flatwater one...As my balance gets better on the V10 I will be using the smaller one more often than the surf one. On calm/flatwater the drag effect on speed is quite noticeable. In particularly gnarly conditions the v10 is the wrong boat for me and I resort to going back to my old Sport. Any worse than that I stay in bed, lol.

If nothing else a big rudder is a pain for grounding when launching

2863974017034980@facebook wrote:

I am the person who originally asked this question 2 years ago. Since then I have continued to paddle and ended up purchasing a NK Storm. Just quickly - very happy with it. The build quality is excellent, very light and quick. Stabilitywise similar to a SF. I do paddle a fair bit now in a variety of conditions.
On the topic of rudder - @balance_fit - I had not given a huge amount of thought to role rudders play in stability. My NK has a fairly small standard rudder and some people I paddle with own EPICS and Fenn's. We have spoken about the size of our rudders (I will reframe from jokes) but in the context of manoeuvrability when riding waves.
@waverider - I am going to challenge on your comment. If I understand your point, I think you are saying that in "if you rely on the rudder in your everyday/usual conditions for stability then perhaps its not the best ski for you yet unless you are progressing.
However, I have a few water based hobbies and its not uncommon to vary equipment based on the conditions. But I don't see that happening a lot with ski paddlers outside of having entirely different ski's (for those that can store them and afford them). I paddle around Sydney and off shore the reflection from the cliffs can be... down right horrible in some places. Some days its OK, other days its a nightmare if you get too close . Why not have a few rudders and change them out if you can gain a little stability on less kind days. I don't necessarily think that is a reflection of the wrong ski, just variable conditions. If we look at other sports like surfing - changing fins, fin configuration and and fin placement (on long boards centre fins especially) changes the feel and performance of the board significantly.
I paddled on the weekend catching waves off a point - with a small rudder, the NK can get pretty loose on take off as the wave picks up the back of the ski. The fin is not the only reason for this but perhaps a larger fin, with a different design may make that act very differently. Other days, I paddle longer in calmer bays, a smaller fin with less drag would work, - then offshore closer to the cliffs with a heap of reflection something with a bit more surface area might be good.
@balance_fit got me thinking - I can and do change up the position and shape of my long board fins. Why not have more options for a ski? I might get in touch with DK and see what he thinks.

Hi

Glad to know that you've found a ski, the NK Storm, that works for you.

On the topic of rudders, I have your same mindset, coming from a surfing background. Different fins, and rudders, can influence how the board, or ski, behaves in different conditions.

How far this influence works, without inducing dreaded drag, as @waverider brought into view, is something better discussed with DK himself.

In my case, if it helps: I upgraded my XTS stock rudder, a 8" elliptical, to a 9" standard DK. Very similar sweep angle, very different shapes. That little inch makes such a large difference!

All the above said, a smaller than stock rudder can also be of help, to further train stability in challenging conditions. Once stability is acquired, the larger rudder will further improve one's ability to charge beyond-challenging conditions.

Be well

JD