New paddler with Point65N Bourbon Orca

Duncam.....d Do not worry at all, I like dogs very much, specially how they swing to follow the person that loves them.
I accept very pleased your sincere review and probably my fault was not to mention in between what type or surfskis the Bourbon Orca could be classified.
I don´t pretend to wind races, only feel the sensations of surf skiing and go faster than with my Tahe wind 585. Meanwhile if I compare my TW585 with xt, evo, griffin, dominator xl and V10 sport the speed is almost equal on flat water and better in the rough. Only having a surfski faster that those and with enough stability I shall be satisfied. Could be in flat water is not enough fast but seems that in waves it does its works quite well. Did you check its fast in moving water?

www.surfski.info/latest-news/item/1281-p...ca-design-notes.html

Duncan... you could see in the above review that the Bourbon Orca has not a flat hull is completely round (circular) along bow to stern. Are you sure that we are speaking about the same surfski?

Yes you are right, its a rounded hull. Sorry I was working from memory and must have mixed it up with the Vajda or Think ski's that have flatter bottoms with harder chines. Bear in mind when I say flat bottom I don't mean its flat like a table top, I mean its got a bigger cross section curve radius.

As for the theory about more volume to get over the waves - I don't buy that one at all. My personal experience is that a knife like bow, similar to the Fenn Elite, SharpSki, Hawx, Stellar, etc. is way better in big and smaller conditions because the hull cuts through the waves or chop and looses less speed. I found that even the EPIC V12 has too much volume up front for me and tends to go over everything and then bash down on the other side causing more loss of speed than the other hull shapes.

One aspect that the designer of the Bourbon Orca never mentioned in his design notes is the need to be able to pick up runners in downwind conditions, which is usually what ocean racing is all about. Not sure that big volume low down is going to do much to help catch runners when you want the nose down and weight forward. In fact the last thing you want is for the nose of the ski to lift because that will most likely cause you to stall out and lose the runner. Alternately at speed that bulbous nose may act more like a scoop and cause the nose to bury itself in the back of the wave in front causing more loss of speed.

Anyway we are getting way too technical now - its a nice boat, looks good, has neat design features and is reasonably quick, but not quite in the elite category in my opinion. Having said that a top paddler will probably still be able to win races in it - ask JML I won his 10km timetrial once in an XP18 sea kayak.

Thank you Duncan for your replay. I am very sorry to give you so much work, but DKJENS that is in silent, could be stupefied for the contradictory information in the post.
In Spain we have received 10 B.Orca. I have contact with seven users and they all feel very satisfied with the ski. Only one was unsatisfied with the speed because he sails in a lake, not in the sea.
The surfski could be used in a lake, of course, but for this purpose is much better a race kayak or a initiation race kayak. The actual users are very satisfied with the Bourbon Orca and they remarks: awesome stability, very fast and stable in waves, approx to the radical surfskis with better stability and very nice design.
The only issues about the pedal ruder system has being solved in the last deliveries and in the one that is coming to me changed for the Think pedal system, that works properly.

Immediately when I received the Bourbon Orca I shall give my objective review in all point, of course in sea.

DKJENS, I honestly think we all in the post deserve a minimum comment from you, specially if you have some news from the factory.

DKJENS, Robin Mousley advance you that Paul Rosenquist was going to replay you about the Bourbon Orca.Could you be so kind to transmit us his points of view about?

Hello guys, I am following this thread and appreciate all the input. I was surprised to read about the B Orca being flat bottomed ha ha but I see that little mistake has been rectified.

My plans have changed and I have just sold the surfski and am in the process of selling all my belongings. I am moving to Thailand this summer to become a PADI scuba diver instructor and work as such for some time. I didn't want to post this right away out of fear that it may close the thread because I think a lot of valuable information has surfaced here. It took a little time from the thread was started but once the info started has been streaming.

I wish I could take the B Orca with me to Phuket, Thailand but maybe I'll find a surfski down there locally, I would probably look for a V10S if I find myself in that situation.

Thank you for all your input.

Time is money You owe us a fortune. You can pay us with a week in Thailandia

Slim, the check is in the mail. You come down to Phuket, I´ll buy you a couple of Singhas.

I am anxious hahahaha