Three New Nelo Skis for Europe

In all seriousness, I think we are pretty lucky in the SURFSKI world. Top world surfski paddlers can do an entire season with a single boat, to include all sorts of conditions:
- DW
- Rather flat
- Side wind and chop
- Brutal ocean
- Up wind
- Drafting

For a sport like SUP (Stand Up Paddling), we actually need 5 different boards in France (as of 2015).
First we have two racing categories of length: 12'6 and 14'.
We need two boards for each category (flat and downwind).
To top it all, we also need one more boar for the Beach Race category.
5 Boards - that's just not right in my books - but that's 6 boards if you had a single Unlimited 17'6 board for your flat water pure pleasures.

Think of everything we can do with a single boat ranging from 5.20 meter to 6.5 meter long.

Back in the days, we played with 5.5 meter skis - and they made their marks in history.
Last 15 or so years have shown us what 6.5 meter skis can do - that was way cool too.
I really want to see where 5.6 meter skis will now take us.

I know I welcome them for their playfulness (and mind you, I dedicate time and money to have lots of fun on the water… not for a monotone paddle)

Getting excited to try the 560M only to find out that only the 560L and 520 are coming to NZ because these two skis can cater for up to 120kg, no one really wants to cater to us light paddlers it seems and I'm certainly not going to order one without trying it as I may not even fit the bucket from my experience trying to paddle the Fenn Spark.

I can't tell you how the 560L will feel for us "smaller paddlers" - however, here's some good news:
I tried and spent about 3 weeks on a Nelo L (2012 model, I think) and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ski was actually pretty good for smaller humans. This ski was in the 6m range, so I'd definitely give the new 560L a try -

Still, I wonder why NZ will not be receiving the 560M ?

photofr wrote: Top world surfski paddlers can do an entire season with a single boat, to include all sorts of conditions:

But isn't that more to do with the small size of the sport, the price of the boats and the practicality of lugging around multiple skis. In a money-no-object situation it's easy to imagine top paddlers picking from a quiver!

Sure, but I can't help looking at the facts:
- I doubt that the world's best 3 paddlers have a "tight" budget on surfskis (though, yeah, I could be totally wrong)
- Each SUP board is roughly 3700 euros - without a rudder. Add a rudder, and you have a board that is 1/2 as capable, and about 4300 euros. That's a whole lot of money for people in France (about $4100 per board)

Needless to say, for 2016, I have 1/2 a dozen SUP paddlers who are eager to try out the Nelo 520 - and it's only the beginning of the year

photofr wrote: I can't tell you how the 560L will feel for us "smaller paddlers" - however, here's some good news:
I tried and spent about 3 weeks on a Nelo L (2012 model, I think) and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ski was actually pretty good for smaller humans. This ski was in the 6m range, so I'd definitely give the new 560L a try -

Still, I wonder why NZ will not be receiving the 560M ?

Because the importer feels that there will more market for the skis that will cater for the heavier paddlers. Personally I think there are enough skis out there that cater for the heavier paddlers and that the 560M would be the wise ski to import because the under 75kg paddlers will certainly be more likely to go for these smaller skis than the heavier paddlers who will most likely take a lot of convincing to part with their money for a ski that is only 5.6m long. There is a slight glimmer of hope with the message now coming through that if there is enough interest that he may import a 560M.

Interesting!
Here's a thought: what about women paddlers?

I found out many years ago, that if I could convince my wife on how much fun something was, miraculously funds in our budget became available (for my new toys as well)

Room for thoughts ahahaha

photofr wrote: Sure, but I can't help looking at the facts:
- I doubt that the world's best 3 paddlers have a "tight" budget on surfskis (though, yeah, I could be totally wrong)
- Each SUP board is roughly 3700 euros - without a rudder. Add a rudder, and you have a board that is 1/2 as capable, and about 4300 euros. That's a whole lot of money for people in France (about $4100 per board)

Last time I looked, Dawid Mocke had a day job - which I suspect is true of most of the small handful of elite surfskiers. Probably a healthy thing really...

Suspect that SUP - being backed by big surfing brands - has both more cash to splash and greater motivation to market people different board types. Especially being more closely related to surfing where having a quiver is common.

Even the largest surfski manufacturers struggle to maintain an up to date website...it's very much a cottage industry.

I'm sure if surfski was subjected to the white-heat of large scale elite competition then specialised boats would become the norm. It's just that while there are plenty of rich companies / individuals that are happy to drop millions on R&D for refining competition cars, yachts, bikes for specific race courses, there aren't many queueing up to race kayaks... Again, probably a healthy thing.

And yes - more boats for those smaller people and those without a Y chromosome - otherwise it's a self-fulfilling prophecy that the sport will be full of giant, hairy South Africans...! (not that there's anything wrong with them).

What if you could have a surfski custom made for you?
Designed for your height, weight and activity. Rob how about having a boat custom made for you to do the Miller's run?
With the way technology is going this may be possible at a reasonable price one day. I have been ordering custom surfboards for as long as I can remember. Now surfboards are shaped from computer programs. Nice to know I can have a board I like duplicated. I even have a board that was made for a specific wave/surf spot.
Maybe somehow using with 3D printer technology and computer milling machines? That would be pretty cool!
Having a quiver is nice too. 18 surfboards and three surfskis, one of them always suits the conditions.
Too bad work gets in the way, oh well.

Yeah, work gets in the way. On the other hand, I'll be the first to admit that one of the things I love so much about surfski is that you can grab: ski, paddle, and leash & simply have a blast. There's no need to think: do I have the right ski today?

Biking:
Always wondering if you have brought the right tires and/or the right bike.

Skiing:
Powder, Hard Pack, Slowlom, Giant Slalom… fun, but wow.

SUP:
Flat water, all around, downwind, beach racing, etc…

Windsurfing:
Forget about it

Seriously, a single surfski is just really nice - as long as you are super comfortable on it.

Custom would be nice, but given the choice, I'd rather see a company making a very good ski that will meet all of my personal needs. Custom SUP? Yeah, I am all for it - but that's probably a personal matter.

photofr wrote: as long as you are super comfortable on it.

Ain't that the nub of it though - the wrong skis/bike or even SUP and you'll probably have an uncomfortable day. The wrong ski choice and you might become a statistic! Of all the above, ski racing is maybe the one that shouldn't have rules that are such a free-for-all? And you'll still get beaten on flatwater by a K1 in most skis that mortals can paddle on the sea...

Fath2o wrote: What if you could have a surfski custom made for you?

What's stopping you already, other than the accepted wisdoms/customs of kayaking? People have been having custom racing dinghies for decades and kayaks are much simpler to build. Though of course skis having no minimum weight doesn't help - prepreg and honeycomb cores are rather beyond the scope of the home-builder or many smaller boatbuilders.

Not to forget older shorter skis ... as

KAPE MARINO SKI 565 / 45 cm
see www.kape-kayak.hu


= old Nordic Kayaks Rapido 2.0
go to youtube "New Rapido ski.wmv " of 2011

@Photofr, when do you take delivery of the new Nelo 560? I just noticed on Oscars Twitter account he posted a Garmin track of 40kms at an average speed of 16.6 km/h. These things certainly get along, bet you can't wait to try yours out.

Also have Nelo stopped making their "normal length" skis? Don't see them on the website anymore. Are they putting all their efforts into the shorter skis from now on?

Cheers

I just noticed on Oscars Twitter account he posted a Garmin track of 40kms at an average speed of 16.6 km/h

Don't forget that Oscar's one of the best downwind paddlers in the world - even at age 53, so it doesn't surprise me to see speeds like that even if the ski was only half decent!

The proof of the pudding will be when ordinary/normal paddlers get hold of it in bumpy conditions.

Can't wait to hear from the likes of @photofr (not that I'm implying anything about his paddling skills!!!)

robin.mousley wrote:

I just noticed on Oscars Twitter account he posted a Garmin track of 40kms at an average speed of 16.6 km/h

Don't forget that Oscar's one of the best downwind paddlers in the world - even at age 53, so it doesn't surprise me to see speeds like that even if the ski was only half decent!

The proof of the pudding will be when ordinary/normal paddlers get hold of it in bumpy conditions.

Can't wait to hear from the likes of @photofr (not that I'm implying anything about his paddling skills!!!)

That's true Rob.

No matter how good a paddler is all hulls have a terminal speed. The speeds that Oscar attained I would safely say is the terminal speed that particular ski's hull is capable of and speeds that mere mortal (ordinary/normal) paddlers can only dream of attaining.

Will follow this topic with interest.

Mick

You are right about max hull speed of any craft, however, there are (always) so many other factors involved. I'd like to clarify a few things, only because two people have asked about this over the weekend. I'll try to simply it.

Max hull speed is true for flat water, where you are fighting your own ski wave, at a certain speed (aka max hull speed). Having said this, there are few paddlers who can travel on water faster than the limiting hull speed, even on flat water. We should remember that they are humans, and no one can hold such a speed for 40 km.

The ocean: the wonderful world of the ocean... where max hull speed is no longer much of a limit. The ocean swells take over, and you are gliding (usually) almost double the hull speed. Yes, at that point, you are gliding, but really: you are on a plane (planning).

TOTALLY SIMPLIFIED
My 17'6 long SUP cruises fast, effortlessly, however, once at the max hull speed, it takes everything in me to go faster - for about 30 meters.

My 14' long SUP board has a cruising speed that's a little slower on the flattest of conditions, but: downwind, I am faster with it. During accelerations, I am much faster. Getting on a bump is effortless with the 14'. I still catch super fun DW runs with the longer board, quite easily actually, but it's so different: on the longer board, sensations are muffled.

In the end, that's my lame attempt to portrait how much fun slightly smaller crafts can be. The fact is, Oscar isn't usually paddling at 16km per hour on a 40+ km course.

I am even more eager to receive my new skis, and promise, I'll write up my findings, in a more organized fashion.

Lol.

Sorry that's to Taffy Mick's post a week ago, about extra 15 kgs and birthday May. Bit behind the times.

I've been watching Nelo's marketing strategy for some time wondering how the surf ski arm will be positioned relative to sprint kayaks which attract a huge premium in the market. I might be wrong but I've always assumed they're a high cost producer with a premium product copied by others. I've also assumed they have a high dependence on export markets.

5.6 metre craft can fit in a standard TUE (20' container) whereas the common 6m plus craft require a 40' container.

If they can convince the market to accept the shorter length it should have big payoffs in terms of reduced shipping costs and being able to reach traditionally isolated markets through different modes. My old Epic V8 (5.48m) which I bought new several years ago actually arrived from my local distributor by air freight because it could fit in the aircraft cargo hold and this was significantly cheaper than shipping by road.

Definitely a bonus as far as shipping is concerned, not to mention the storage for so many people in Europe where seemingly, no one owns a garage longer than a Cadillac.

"Convincing" might be a whole lot easier than we think.
The easiest way will be for a paddler to show up for a demo with his or her current ski, and then try the NELO. Others will need to see data (like the recent Thesis written about boat lengths, and others will need to simply see riders win using NELO skis.

After spending more than a decade on high end shorter skis like the Predator and Chalup Ski, I can vouch that for me, shorter skis are:
More fun
Seem faster
Way more playful
Stronger
Lighter

Those are facts that you can easily prove.
Don't take too long to at least try one.

on the old nelo 560 here, see thread here on surfski.info: new-nelo-560-surfski #16378

www.surfski.info/forum/19-boats/11284-ne...0-surfski.html#16378