Which plastic ski?

Ok I've narrowed it down to these 3 plastic skis.
I'm
169cm tall
72kg
I have paddled composite boats, (think uno max for flatwater and fenn xt for ocean) but that's not what I need. I need an allrounder boat. Think tight rivers, ocean and everything inbetween. I live too rural to test any boats. I'm leaning towards the nelo 510 because it might be a little bit faster and the seating position sounds good.

Any real world experience feedback would be great.

Epic v7
Length: 5.20 m
Width: 54.00 cm
Depth: 35.00 cm
Weight: ~24kg
Capacity: 135 kg
Storage: 100 l
Material: Polyethylene

Nelo 510
Length: 510cm (16’ 9″)
Width: 55cm (21.7″)
Weight PE / Polyethylene:
22-23kg (48.5 -50lbs) 

Nordic Breeze PE
Length: 5.50 m
Width: 54 cm
Cockpit length: 160 - 200 cm
Capacity: 60 - 110 kg
Weight 24kgs

have you paddled any plastic boats...? after an Uno Max they just may feel too much like slugs ragardless of all round ability??

Hi waverider,

Yes im aware of the "slug" feeling, but thats' ok. I've paddled older finn endorphin and spirit prs. The goal is one boat that is the wrong tool for every job : )   I can only take one boat with me when i go away, so require a boat that can do some rough ocean and rough river. I don't really enjoy a lot of flat water paddling. I get bored.

I can’t speak for the other boats but I have really enjoyed my V7.  I am new to surfskis but have owned sea kayaks, rec boats, and white water boats in the past. The V7 is about as versatile you will find.  I use it here in Texas on our rivers, bays (with Oyster beds) and it is fun in confused sloppy waters of the Gulf.  It’s certainly not a performance surfski but it allows me to go about anywhere and have fun.  

I've only used my 510 in the ocean, where I enjoyed it a lot, but it does have an over-stern rudder option, which can be handy in rivers. It definitely feels like a surfski, albeit heavy and stable. In addition to the over-stern rudder, I'd get the "solid" rear hatch cover.

I've done downwind ocean paddles and mild white water river paddling in my Nelo 510. It's obviously not the best boat for either of these types of paddling but it's not the worst either. You would do well to take advantage of the interchangeable rudder though. The over stern rudder is pretty ordinary in any kind of following sea and you obviously won't be using the under stern rudder in white water.
I find that my Nelo 510 has a bit of a nose down stance in the water so it feels like it is pushing more water than it needs to. My other (single) skis are literally half the weight of the 510 so it was never going to feel fast but my carbon skis are nowhere near as versatile. Of course they were also more than double the price.
I haven't had any trouble with the fabric hatch cover but if I had the choice I would get a solid cover.
I had a Spirit PRS for a while. I still can't believe I put up with that thing as my only ski for over a year.

My first ski was a lurid green 510. Loved the boat but felt it was teaching me some bad habits so shifted to a Think Ace, and just getting ready to step up after a year in that.

I tested the v7 and felt the 510 was considerably faster. Bought a carbon bow and a DK rudder for it, but there's still no comparison with the Ace. It's a lot more work off the water too - you have to balance it upside down on top of your head to carry it anywhere.

I briefly tested the NK PE ski too. It seemed better finished than the 510 and a lot more rocker. Can't say much more about it but as I'm moving to Tassie later this year I might want to test it again ... thinking about all the rivers there ...

Specialized75 wrote:

Ok I've narrowed it down to these 3 plastic skis.
I'm
169cm tall
72kg
I have paddled composite boats, (think uno max for flatwater and fenn xt for ocean) but that's not what I need. I need an allrounder boat. Think tight rivers, ocean and everything inbetween. I live too rural to test any boats. I'm leaning towards the nelo 510 because it might be a little bit faster and the seating position sounds good.
Any real world experience feedback would be great.

Greetings

I've got experience with all the plastic skis you've mentioned, including the Epic V5. They all paddle well, are seaworthy, and afford peace of mind regarding hull resistance to mishaps.

Regarding maneuvering in tight rivers, I'd Rx the V5, since it is the shorter one, and the most stable. But it is the slowest in flatwater and upwind, although in close period downwind runs, it is lots of fun, catching swells, surfing and avoiding pearling.

The V7 I feel has a stiffer foot brace fitting, than the 510, and might be slightly faster in flatwater, though not by much. The 510 feels more maneuverable in downwind runs, although it has a slightly less initial stability, and might be wetter because of its less voluminous bow. Secondary stability is great for both these skis.

I'd place the NK between V7 and 510, just be assured that it is the original version from NK, not the imitation one that is circulating around.

The solid hatch in all these skis is worth getting. Not that I'm against the soft cover, because when it is well fit, it is water tight. I dislike soft covers when one needs to open the hatch when in the waves. Replacing the hard covers is straightforward. Replacing the soft hatch could be a challenge.

Get the elliptical surf rudder if you decide for Epic, V5 or V7. The weeder stock rudder on either of these is not effective downwind. On the 510 and NK, the stock rudder works fine.

I weight the same as you. Because of this, I'd prefer the lighter V5 or 510.

The cockpit on all these skis is great, for me, no dead legs. But I prefer a snug fit, and the 510 and NK felt better in this aspect.

Hope this helps,

JD

There's one more alternative you might want to consider, and in fact it's a boat I've just ordered for myself. There's just one problem with it here.

It's not plastic.

I mean the Stellar SR Expedition in MS Exp layup. It's far faster and surfs far better than any of the plastic boats but has watertight storage compartments for touring too. The MS Exp layup is a carbon-kevlar weave with no core, and a kevlar keel strip for extra resilience.

The MS Exp layup makes the hull bend rather than crack on impact so the boat "can take some abuse in the class I and II rapids and shallows". I don't for a moment imagine this makes it as tough as polyethylene which is "ramming speed, Mr Sulu" indestructible. But OTOH this boat only weighs 16.3 kg, about 8 kg lighter than my old rubber-hatch Nelo 510.

My intended usage is a combination of down-wind and touring in Tasmania. Tassie has a vast and wonderful range of lakes and rivers, so it would be silly to confine myself to salt-water. I don't intend to use it on any rapids, but it's highly likely I'll bump into unexpected logs on occasion, so this boat seems ideal.

It will be my first intermediate boat, however. I'm stepping up from a Think Ace and just tested an ordinary SR in the lightweight Excel layup about a month ago. I loved that so I feel I'm ready for this.

My only concern is surf-ability given the softer hull, so I've ordered a DK 9-inch 15 degree high cord rudder to fit it. I'll report back on this once the new boat arrives - hopefully this year!

That stellar expedition looks to be a fantastic boat.

Not sure about the 'expedition' tag though. Doesn't have much carrying capacity; maybe enough for a weekend trip.