Which one, if any, is the most stable intermediate ski?

Canario, if you fit in an Evo2 then my suggestion would be to buy the Evo. At least you have paddled it and there wont be any nasty suprises buying a boat unseen and untried.
The Evo 2 is a fantastic boat and you will never outgrow it .

Bill

Bill's Point is really good. If the boat is not comfortable it will be neither fast nor stable in my experience. All of these intermediate boats are fairly similar when viewed on a whole. Their balance curves are somewhat different from each other, but that is something your balance adapts to fairly quicly. A boat that feels unstable the first time you paddle it may actually become very stable as you get used to it. My own preference is for a boat that has less primary stability and more secondary stability. Lower primary makes the boat a better training vessel on flatwater (more feedback on the stroke from boat roll) and high secondary teaches great confidence in the chop.

Hay TaffyMick... shoot me an email about then SR rudder conversation. I have some more insight... kinda.

Newbflat (at) gmail ... com.

I had to look up Gran Canaria and I must say that is an excellent place to own a surf ski. Or any boat for that matter.

Yes indeed!

That looks just like where I live except for the clear salt water, the waves, the beach and the line of hotels on the shore.
Makes me want to move. Thanks

Hey Newbflat - without hijacking this thread - would you mind telling us more about the S18S and how it differs from the SR. Speed/stability/bucket size etc.

Thanks in anticipation.

Bill

paddlepup wrote: Hey Newbflat - without hijacking this thread - would you mind telling us more about the S18S and how it differs from the SR. Speed/stability/bucket size etc.

Thanks in anticipation.

Bill

Maybe you should contact me via email. Newbflat at gmail dot com.

Bill

What I can see is that there is not a concensus about which one is more stable, the Swordfish S or the V10 Sport. So I have to try them both if I can.

According to Wesley Echols' extensive work, Evo II is more stable than V10 Sport 1G, so I understand that Fenn Swordfish has to be the most stable among those three , as some of you have said before. Fortunately to me, I have found a touristic resort in Fuerteventura island which has Fenn surfskis to rent.... I will be going to test the Swordfish in a couple of weeks.

Canario, who on Fuerteventura has surfskis ?

www.fenn-surfski-fuerteventura.de/1.html


The page is in German, but the responsible speaks also English and Spanish. They have the full range of Fenn Surfskis for rental. The also organize downwinds and peaceful coastal trips. I have nothing to do with them and found the page looking for Fenn Swordfish in the Canary Islands.

Well. I have had the chance to try the Fenn Swordfish S, Vacuum Glass, in Fuerteventura. That will be my next boat. For me it is the most stable comparing to Mazu 45, Thin Evo II and Carbonology Sport Zest. Remarkably more stable. And I found the S seat very confortable. I was very worried about its 45 cms only wide, but don't know how they got it, but it's the most confortable for me. I am 53 years old, a year a a half experienced low level paddler, 1.85 tall and 95 Kgrs weight. Problem solved for me! Thank you very much to all of you!

Hi Canario,
that´s funny, we´ve been in Fuerteventura the week before you and spend one week with surfski paddling there. We had very nice Downwind conditions. I also tried the Swordfish and found the boat quite stable but when the conditions got rougher I did not feel comfortable anymore so I switched to the Bluefin instead.
I was surprised that I couldn´t sit in the boat with my neopren shoes on (Size 47)
I didn´t mind paddling barefoot there but here in Germany it would be a different story. Glad that you found the right ski for you. It´s a shame that the German guy (Stefan) in Fuerte has to close his business at the end of this month.

Michael

Perhaps the Swordfish is the "most stable of all 45cm skis out there... because it is seemingly NOT 45cm).

I owned one for a little over a year. When I measured it, I came up with 47cm. Sure, I can find 4 websites that state it's 45, but have you seriously measured it yourself?

Don't get me wrong: I still think that the SF is a great ski - especially for having a blast in downwind conditions (yes, it surfs well). The thing is, if it's really 45cm max width, then it has to be the slowest of all 45cm skis on flat water.

Someone, PLEASE contradict me. Perhaps you just have a much more accurate tool to measure max width of skis?!?

Hi!
It doesn't matter to me if the Swordfish S is 45,46 or 47 cms wide. I was looking for an intermediate Surfski as stable as possible. I discarded Epic V10S because of the high price. The Carbonology Sport Zest, 48 cms wide, was too unstable for my poor level. The Think Evo II, also 48 cms wide, was a good option, but now that I have tried de Swordfish I have made my election. I felt more confortable and stable on it, so regardless of the real width, that will be my first intermediate Surfski. Challenging, but not intimidating. A logic step up for me, considering my age and core.
About Stephan Abels in Fuerteventura, yes. He told me that he is closing at the end of this month because a disagreement his the Hotel, but he is looking for a place in the nearby small village to keep the bussiness, keeping only surf and Surfski. I wish him the best. Even he told me that probably will remain in the island till the 27th May to compete in the Canary Islands Surfski Championship, which will take place in Corralejo, Fuerteventura, that week end.