In Depth Review - Kai Wa'a Vega Flex -vs- Fenn Swordfish S

Cheers for the Reddit review — outstanding!

Watto wrote:

LPB are these the sort of conditions you've paddled in? This a pretty breezy day off Perth coast few years ago, the kind of conditions I want to be comfortable in - maybe Vega Flex, maybe not. In this clip paddling my previous NK 580 - stable as!

Not yet in the Arc, but I'm familiar with how extreme those challenges are.
Here is all I have done in the Arc - so far - on the north shore.
I'm only doing out and backs, to get a feel for that longer period. I want to make sure I'm very well prepared before jumping into the deep end of the pool.
For now, I do the knarliest triangles I can find on the south shore.
Wave deflector is sorted, footplate secure, leashes all set. Now to figure out how this boat surfs.
Here's the water just before the harbor entrance. You can see how floaty and responsive the Arc is.

Here's the type of day I want to get ready for. I'm herding a less experienced paddler around the reef. Wind is steady 30mph (26kt) gusting over 50 (43kt).
We need to surf left when the reef starts to curve left, without delay. The wind will push us out - away from the entrance to the harbor. We get deeper water for a few miles. Can't go too far in because there is another reef approaching called "pier one" - just before the entrance. You don't want to get mowed by that wave either.
Seas were running 12' (3.7m) at 10 seconds. The waves on the south shore are 1 or 2 seconds.
That's why I don't paddle skinny boats anymore. I don't want to be "that guy" on the north shore.
("That guy") is people are not prepared and have a very, very hard time when things go wrong.)
The guy in the video is very competent, he was only unaware of the ideal line in those conditions. He's a big time windsurfer, 40 foot Jaws is his usual playground.) He fell out a few times but no problem. He's seen far, far worse than I ever will.

Thanks LPB. Hey he’s doing a great job in that last clip, easy going and letting boat do most of the work!

Cheers Watto, yes, it was cool to see how calm he was, that was his first year in outrigger. 6 months as I recall.

As for your dilemma about the Flex or Arc, you will make the right decision based on your conditions. I saw that video. As near as I can tell, most ski people from downunder know a thing or two about big ocean conditions.

I'm super, super careful these days about being well prepared.
I saw a few older guys that were super experienced get seriously messed up on the north shore years ago. They were in skis too narrow for them - it was winter - shit happens and boom - off the ER. I don't want to be one of those guys.

The Flex would work for me on predictable south shore days or small maliko, but if the conditions get bad - which they eventually always do - I'd suffer.

If you are as heavy as I am, you will have no trouble handling the Arc in crap conditions.
It's just so flickable.

I love how it slices thru a wave if you jam it. That wave deflector I rigged up is only an inch high. It's an old paddle shaft, set down in the bungee area. I have yet to have a water go over it.

The Flex is a great boat, but I doubt I'd have much fun upwind or doing nasty triangles.

Triangles in really nasty wind is fun for me in the Arc. Excellent training for downwinding properly.

Like I mentioned before, there are better paddlers than me over on the north shore, rocking the Arc and really zooming.

You may have seen what Boyan is doing in a shorter, wider Nelo. He says it almost feels like the boat is planing. That's the direction I'm going. More fun, more surfing. Safe and snug as a bug in a rug if the wind or waves come knocking.




Another thing I like about the Arc is that it's making me physically stronger than the V-9 was. I was getting lazy in the 9 - because I can't feel much difference if I round my back and lower my head.

If I slouch in the Arc, I feel the pivot point change immediately, so, I try to correct it.

That's reinforcing my posture and stroke. What more could I ask for?
The only other time I felt the immediate feedback to my posture and stroke was the V-14 - and the full carbon layup of the Spark. I couldn't downwind those boats, Now I get that sensation in a safe boat. Priceless.

Sage advice LPB. Though one ear not listening (the silly one that still thinks anything possible at 73) the other attentive. Makes good sense. Thanks.