NELO 560M Review

AdrianBruce wrote: Mr Nelo will know the boat much better than me, because at 33-34" inseam I couldn't even get close to fitting in the 560M. Biggest disappointment of the year, because the boat would have been ideal for me otherwise.

That's strange. I have placed quite a few people on the 560M - and I found it to be more than acceptable for up to 5'11, depending on leg morphology. Here's a photo of a paddler enjoying and loving the cockpit of the M. He's exactly 5'11, and weighs 70+ kilos. He still had room to spare. He normally paddles a Spark.
Click to ENLARGE so that you can get a better feel.

It's the only boat I've ever tried that didn't have enough leg length. Shorter than SES, V10L, Spark, and Hawx 46.

It's very interesting!
I do feel like your inseam could be a LOT LONGER than 32" - mine is 30", and I am only 5'6

I am using the second notch on the 560M... so plenty more to go.

Do you paddle your skis with your legs rather straight / flat?

photofr wrote:

AdrianBruce wrote: Mr Nelo will know the boat much better than me, because at 33-34" inseam I couldn't even get close to fitting in the 560M. Biggest disappointment of the year, because the boat would have been ideal for me otherwise.

That's strange. I have placed quite a few people on the 560M - and I found it to be more than acceptable for up to 5'11, depending on leg morphology. Here's a photo of a paddler enjoying and loving the cockpit of the M. He's exactly 5'11, and weighs 70+ kilos. He still had room to spare. He normally paddles a Spark.
Click to ENLARGE so that you can get a better feel.

Looks like I could fit in that boat. I'm 6'-0" and weigh 80 kilos, with a 32" inseam.

You are a bit at the limit, and it may very well work for you, but I still recommend trying it first.

Thanks, AdrianBruce. I paddled a Spark once with sandals, foot plate all the way out and it was a little cramped, might have been ok without the sandals. Sounds like the 560m would be a no go.

nelo evidently producing size in between current two models........ so hang on for that!! believe they are in process of sorting out mould that is based on larger model with a narrower seat - i have an order in for this one which should be more appealing for those 80-100kg

tony h wrote: nelo evidently producing size in between current two models........ so hang on for that!! believe they are in process of sorting out mould that is based on larger model with a narrower seat - i have an order in for this one which should be more appealing for those 80-100kg

So it's a 560 (not 560M), but with a narrower seat? I'm not really sure what the point of that is. As a lighter paddler who normally looks for "smaller" boats, I found the 560 seat to be quite an OK. I just didn't like the high volume deck areas. What I'd prefer is a 560M with more leg length.

"what is the point" - believe it is based on feedback from the demos to date of 560 & 560M -- people asked for in between version: primary issue being seat width & not volume of deck
suspect if you make your feedback known to nelo your wishes may come true? as has occurred above

AdrianBruce Sounds like we are built similarly. So you demo-ed the 560? What did you think? Too corky for a lightweight? What are you paddling now?

currently mostly paddle epic v14 & swordfish when rough water
178cm & 85kg
demoed 560 & 560M on flat water - loved the shorter boat & features like footplate
stability better than v14
ordered 560 then with feedback that i wished it had a slimmer seat version....... nelo agent subsequently called to say my wishes had come true - lots of feedback on same issue more likely the driver

560 & 560M have same hull so shouldn't be any different in terms of 'corkiness"

I too have demo'ed the 560 and 560M and have the same opinion as Tony.

I am 86kg 6'1" and currently paddle a Fenn Elite S. I tried the 560 first and felt slightly more unstable than my beloved 'S'. I then tried the 560M and felt way more stable and was able to paddle a lot quicker, sitting comfortably over 12kph av speed, something I can't do in my S. This I believe is for one reason, I felt connected to the boat! For me the 560 seat is way too big. But of course for the ocean the M is way to small a boat for me. If Nelo take the same philosophy with their skis as they do with their K1's and have different sized models they will do very well (i.e. have a 560M 560L and 560XL). So my vote is name the current 560 the 560XL. I've said to the Aust Nelo dealer if they bring out a 560L I will put my order in straight away!

I believe the hulls of the M and the 560 are different. See the Performance Padders review here:
www.performancepaddling.net/nelo_560_2016model.html

Blue and green skis. different rocker, at least.

would have a friendly bet that they are same hull - had same question when I demoed them: agent said same hull & different deck & seat (position/width/ ? height)
look carefully at that rocker pic on performance paddling article - only 2 skis not 3: 560 mark 1&2 -- blue & green ski(s) are one ski ( the old 560mk1)?

tony h wrote: "what is the point" - believe it is based on feedback from the demos to date of 560 & 560M -- people asked for in between version: primary issue being seat width & not volume of deck
suspect if you make your feedback known to nelo your wishes may come true? as has occurred above

Hey, if you can get a seat width that suits you better - fantastic! I just wouldn't have thought having too much width in the seat for boats below 45cm total width could ever be a massive issue.

agree

Thats great news re the potential of a 560 M/L to fit in between the 560M and 560 Tony. I've paddled both in WWR construct and preferred the 560M over the 560. I was probably 1 or 2 notches from maxing the leg length out.

I loved it and nailed it first paddle with great rotation, avg speed and fun on decent boat wash. It felt like a short spark with a higher seat/lower sides (a good thing).

Some info to confirm or add to some feed back to date on this thread:

• I'm 78kg, 6', 32" inseam, no bum.
• I currently paddle a Spark (3+ years) & Elite S (nearly 2 years) both in carbon 3-4 times a week.
  
• I paddle both in flat & ocean/dw/surfing/rough - love it & treat them like spec skis (YMMV)
• I thought the 560M felt like a spark - i.e fast, light, snug/agile, low volume, stable, good in dw and not too deep in the seat
• I thought the 560 felt like my Elite S (relative to the Spark/560M comparison) - i.e fast, stable, awesome in big dw, deeper in the seat than the 560m & Spark plus a bit nicer in bigger conditions.
  
• Differences due to more volume in front & behind + seat depth/cockpit snugness between the Fenns
  
• It felt to have more volume in the 560 compared to the 560m hence it reminded me of my Elite S
  
• Both 560's are a wet ride

Main takeaway is that seat / cockpit comparison to the Spark and the Elite S. I use a 20mm pad in my Elite S and 6mm in my spark sometimes. I was ready to pull the trigger on an an SCS 560M until I read Tony's messages about there being a tweener in the works. The new seamless finish is also a nice change.

This purchase delay now gives me more time to design my custom paint job that is included with the SCS's price. I'll probably end up back at the standard blue and yellow .

I wonder if there will be a Nelo ski between the 520 and the 560/560M.

Any chance of a ski that is somewhere in between 52 and 45cm in width. It would be great to see a ski for light weight intermediate paddlers.....and no I haven't paddled a Nelo ski, but just thought I would ask.

Nelo has plans to release new skis. Probably fair to say that it can only truly be confirmed when the first skis ship out

2016 SURFSKIS
560Lx45
560Mx43.8
520x51

PERHAPS PLANNED 2017 SURFSKIS
510x55 (poly)
550Lx47
550Mx47

To make it very clear, that's not yet confirmed... and to me will not be until I see the first ski. In the meantime, the first three 2016 skis are truly unique; it's a success story - so more will come out.

Perhaps others know more than I do and will enlighten us all.