Three New Nelo Skis for Europe

You have probably heard the news: Nelo has just released three new boats!
- 5m60 x 45cm - high volume (called the 560L)
- 5m60 x 43.8cm - low volume (called the 560M)
- 5m20 x 51cm (called the 520)

If I understand correctly, they have been designed by Oscar Chalupsky with Nelo - and extensively tested for couple of months.

The sizes alone will put a smile on my face, but the details are sure to please.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Front Deflector now available as a mere option.
- Custom Colors, available and at no extra cost
- Custom Reflector Sticker design, available, and as far as I know: no addition cost (within reason, I am sure)
- Proudly hand-built in Portugal, Europe (Nelo has its very own Olympic-style kayak facility)

Seriously, I had to ask twice about the prices, I mean, LOOK:
- about 2200 euros for a ski that's less than 12 kilos, and …
- about 3200 euros if you want it at a staggering under-10-kilos
(prices best estimated for the French Market)

More importantly, 18'4" x 17" surfskis will impress the heck out of you. Wait until you try one: you'll see what I mean: they are super playful, agile, and still retain all the speed you put into them.

I hope to share lots of action shots, and will do my best to keep you posted.

Might they actually sort out their ski website given that they have new shiny products to sell?

Looks interesting anyway.

The website was on my list of questions as well.
Apparently, they are working on the last bits-and-pieces for the Intraweb (internal communication and ordering system) - and are also working on their new website section.

The revamped site should have a pretty cool interface, but at the very least, will have a completely updated SURFSKI SECTION.

For now, you may want to inquire with your favorite local Nelo dealer for additional info. They are probably just getting back from the Inauguration.

Just been online with Oscar. He done a surf and downwind run on the 520 (shorter ski) yesterday off the coast of Viana do Castelo. The Garmin showed 32km/h in km's 11, 12 and 13. Average speeds in km's 27, 28, 29 are up in the mid 20s. These are respectable speeds in anyone's language.

For the 520, that's super!
In fact, that's very respectable, especially considering that Oscar is in the upper end of the 80 kilos (I am being nice, because it's his birthday)

Upper end of 80kg! try 100kg, and I am not being nice! His birthday was yesterday.

And I am 15 kg above that and my birthday is in May

Well dam! Happy Birthday Oscar you have accomplished a lot! And I too am proud to be in the 100kg + grey beard club! ROCK ON.

connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1069126396/share/0?lang=en
Look at the spike in speed those happen when the watch lose sat signal and then finds it back so the max speed it's not real. But he did his last km in 3.30 and that is really impressive

photofr wrote: For the 520, that's super!
In fact, that's very respectable, especially considering that Oscar is in the upper end of the 80 kilos (I am being nice, because it's his birthday)

haha, I asked him yesterday what weight the skis were designed for and he said that he currently weighs 120kg.

I also asked him if he was going to Molokai (in May) and he said yes, by then he'll weigh 95kg...

I just hope he doesn't injure himself in training!

Some new just got released on NELO's website: it's being updated as we speak.
Here's a direct link to the brand new skis for 2016 - with more info to come:
www.nelo.eu/en/kayaks/surfski

NOTES
Weight Range: depends on one of the two constructions you will choose.
Color Choices: a configurator will soon be available online (can't wait)
560 / 560M Range: Two versions; one for lightweight paddlers (M) and one for everyone else.

Until my boat order makes its way here, I want to see more photos

Actually, he was pulling your leg. He's said to be under 100 kilos right now, and feeling pretty good.
He took a first place just recently. 53, and still faster than 99% of all paddlers, this guy FEELS the ocean.

photofr wrote: Actually, he was pulling your leg. He's said to be under 100 kilos right now, and feeling pretty good.
He took a first place just recently. 53, and still faster than 99% of all paddlers, this guy FEELS the ocean.

Wouldn't be the first time!

He certainly is a supreme waterman...

Enlighten me. What is the reasoning behind these short skis? I'm not criticising, just asking.

According to the basic formula the hull speed for a 5.6M boat is 10.6km/h and for a 6.4M boat it's 11.4km/h.

That's a lot of speed to sacrifice. What are you gaining? and is it worth it?

I can only give you MY prospective. I am sure the NELO engineers have their ideas. So here we go:
From 1988 to 1999, I was paddling surfskis that were from 18 to 20 feet long (about 5.50 to 5.80 meters). For the last few years, I have had several 21.5' long skis, including my current 21.2' long ski (6.45m).

Shorter skis seem to accelerate faster, weight less, are easier to carry, and are faster Downwind as they are super fun to go from one wave to another. There is only one thing for sure: shorter skis navigate differently, and you have to adapt a little to them. Keep in mind that records were made with skis that were about 19 feet long, not 21.5' (look into the Molokai for instance).

For those who really want to see some numbers, a recent study was completed showing (if I remember correctly) that the perfect ski for a 85 kilo paddler was between 5.60 and 5.85 meters. For shorter paddlers, 5.60 fell in the "ideal range". That was a very interesting article, pages upon pages, all written by a very avid surfski paddler.

SHORT ANSWER:
Nearly all my experience has been on shorter skis, and I personally love shorter skis - I feel right at home in them, and they are way more fun - and super fast.

BEST ANSWER:
You should really try one and see for yourself. Helpful Hint: Be sure to bring your personal ski to paddle it and compare on the same body of water. I think you will be very surprised at 5.60 m skis.

Hull speed isn't just down to length - things like the fullness of the ends (prismatic coefficient) and the rocker will have an effect and the basic formula allegedly gets a bit sketchy when dealing with hulls as slender as kayaks anyway.

As Ludovic mentions, it's a reasonable speculation that the shorter boats may be better in the waves - perhaps the added manouvreability and reduction in likelihood of nosediving makes for a more consistent average speed when catching runs?

Perhaps it's also possible to have less rocker than a longer boat would need in waves which might also be an advantage in the flat.

Then there's the optimum weight angle and the practicality of shorter boats.

Tim Jacobs seemed to go ok in his 'little' Nelo.

One things for sure - compared to sports like cycling, motorsport and sailing where pro-teams spend many hours testing an quantifying - the little world of surfski has probably barely scratched the surface of development.

That's the joy and magic of ski design - a hull that works beautifully on the flat, may be hopeless in bumpy water and downwind.

I have two long boats - both 6.2m or thereabouts; one tends to nose-dive, the other doesn't! The shorter boats like the swordfish and vault seemed very wet to me also.

But I've also found that seemingly similar boats can feel very different in the water and require a different technique, especially downwind.

So bring on the innovation, I say! If shorter boats are the way to go, fantastic!

robin.mousley wrote: If shorter boats are the way to go, fantastic!

Even with Oscar's addition to the team, Nelo has continued with the shorter boats - maybe they feel they are onto something and maybe he agrees?

Surfski development is largely 'top-down' by the manufacturers - rather than inventive individuals in their garages - and so probably averse to straying far from the status quo, so is it quite significant that they are persisting in this direction.

Interesting discussion on the pros and cons of shorter boats.

Recently consolidated on a 2015 Stellar SR in Excel layup and sold my SEI ,also in Excel layup. Why?...because I find the SR at 5.84m and 48cm width a much better all round boat than the SEI at 6.1m and 46cm. The shorter SR feels more "secure" and stable, and there is not too much difference in flat water speed. Besides for flat water races I use a "proper" racing kayak hull, not my ski.

In rougher water and on (small) runs it the SR seems much easier to paddle onto and link runs, while overall "surfing" much better. Any innovation in surf ski design towards shorter boats makes a lot of sense when used in the right conditions and am looking forward to having a test paddle on the Nelos when they arrive in Oz.

As an aside, an associate of mine paddled a Stellar S18S (5.5m and 53.3cm) in one of the recent Doctors. That he beat a number of Intermediate and elite boats in that race shows that shorter boats in the right conditions are fast and competitive.

Spacehopper wrote: One things for sure - compared to sports like cycling, motorsport and sailing where pro-teams spend many hours testing an quantifying - the little world of surfski has probably barely scratched the surface of development.

That's for sure. I get the feeling that most new skis are pretty much copies of old skis with some small changes. more/less rocker,length, width, volume. move cockpit or rudder back/forward. And then you also have the changing conditions. A ski that dominates downwind might not be so great on a flat day. If some lucky designer had the budget and resources of just 1 Volvo ocean racing team I reckon we'll see some radical designs.