Black Knight surfskis

The first three Black Knight surf skis have arrived in Sydney. They'll be going to Cairns, Melbourne and Perth (where I'll be testing a carbon model) hopefully next week. The Black Knight is an original design from ex-South African Mangala Munsami, with help from SA legend Tony Scott, Mangala runs Mango Racing. Nothing on the web site (mangoracing.com) yet, as they are test skis.

Surfski or Ocean ski?

It's a long surf ski (i.e., an ocean ski).

Only asked because I couldn't see any other ocean ski's on the Mango site and wondered if it was another surfski or he had moved into Ocean skis.

Great to have yet another choice.

I'd love to take a look and have a paddle if there's an opportunity, also quite happy to write up a review for this site if not already planned.

Demo days will be held for sure (after I give it a thorough test, of course). You'll be most welcome, so watch this spot. Hoping to have it by the end of the week, though it's taken many months to come to this stage, so another week or so is no problem (and it is off-season). I can say is that it's made by one of China's leading rowing scull manufacturers, so I believe the quality will be there.

AR convert, What is the difference in surfski and ocean ski? "Sea kayak", I get, but "ocean ski" is a surfski, or so I thought. It sounds like GSPT thinks they are one in the same as well. I'm certainly not an expert at all, just asking and willing to learn.

Cairns?? no-one paddles ski's up here.

They do now

It's all semantics. I've paddled for 35 years (all in surf clubs) so to me they're all surf skis. The term ocean ski is a recent term, given to the longer surf skis. Guess it depends what "school" you came from.

mickeyA wrote: AR convert, What is the difference in surfski and ocean ski? "Sea kayak", I get, but "ocean ski" is a surfski, or so I thought. It sounds like GSPT thinks they are one in the same as well. I'm certainly not an expert at all, just asking and willing to learn.

The term Ocean ski just helps in making the distinction between a "Spec ski" that is designed to go through surf and the ocean ski that while many take through surf are really designed for the open ocean with much greater length and most often lighter built than the "spec" surfski which at a regulated 18kg is designed to be in the bash and crash of waves all day. If you see a duck bill on the front it's generally referred to as a spec or surfski.

Probably the best feature on this ski is that you will never get injured...

GSPT wrote: They do now

I'll believe it when I see them on the water.

Ok, here's the first pictures of the world's newest oceanski, the Black Knight. These two models were tested by a small group of 15 paddlers in Sydney yesterday (Sat 11th) to positive review. One chap got his speed up to 15kph, I'm told by the co-desinger and maker of the ski, Mangala "Mango" Munsami. The red is a 15kg fibreglass layup, while the pink (now gone to Cairns) is a kevlar layup at 12kg. The other model (orange carbon, 9kg) is bound to me in Perth, but somehow is stuck in Canberra (good one, QANTAS). If you want further details, contact Mango via his website, Mango Racing ). If you're in Perth, it might be ready for a showing next Sunday. Oh, yes. The prices are $2500 for the glass, and $3900 for the carbon. I'm not sure about the kevlar.

Look forward to seeing the ski in Perth. The photos make it hard to get a good idea of it's proportions. The photo of the pink ski on the chairs makes the bucket look like its a long way back in the ski. Will it be at the paddle challenge?

Good luck with Qantas, I doubt it will come in one piece! It takes a few days for road freight from Sydney.

The ski could be there, depending on it's arrival this week (and the condition it arrives in). You won't miss it, because it's all orange.

Naturally they sent some gel coat along with the ski so repairs can be done properly! being orange.

Ranga, BYO gel coat. And yes, you were right about QANTAS. Some hull damage. But got boat out for a little while on the Swan. Weighs in at 8.6kg and runs like a K1. Hoping to have it at Sunday's race from Ascot.

GSPT wrote: Weighs in at 8.6kg and runs like a K1. Hoping to have it at Sunday's race from Ascot.

Sure you don't mean Bayswater? www.wa.canoe.org.au/default.asp?Page=109...=Events/c13288/10600

Much better photos, looks very fast Would love to have a paddle in it.

EDIT: Having a closer look at the photos and your video it looks like it would be quick off the mark but the rocker would see it faster as a downwind ski rather than a flatwater ski. I guess the proof will be in the paddling of one. One things for sure there's no excuse for the weight of the thing. I lifted a 9kg Carbonology Atom once and was shocked, this is a bigger ski again and lighter!

I test paddled the red demo ski in Sydney on Saturday. It certainly has the potential to be fast. I got it to 14.5k within a minute or so of getting into it and think I could probably wring an extra k out of it with some position adjustment and time in the boat.

Jumping in for the first time, the seat is low and open, and should make for an easy remount. There's plenty of legroom and foot space in the bucket. The footplate was easy to adjust and had no play in the lock mechanism.

The BlackKnight has a fair amount of rocker along the keel line. Combined with a high seat position, I found the ski had quite low primary stability. Not a bad thing, just took a minute to adapt to.

A friend standing on the beach commented that both the stern and bow were clear of the water, so perhaps my weight, at 85kg, wasn't enough to engage the full waterline of the boat. According to Mango, this is part of the design to make the ski respond better in sea conditions.

It would be worth trying on a following sea. It felt lively and responsive to the rudder, turning from the middle rather than skidding the tail like some other skis.

The ski looks to be well finished and the equipment was solid. The vivid gelcoat colour is certainly eye catching.

My only negative from the test paddle, and it's a very personal perspective, was that the shape of the seat didn't suit my bum shape. I'm a distance paddler, so seat comfort is my number one criteria.