New redesigned Stellar SEI 2G Excel Review

I posted my review last night on my site below. The SEI 2G fit nicely between the other intermediate skis and the Elites skis. The newer modern designed skis certainly have something to offer. This is total redesign compared to the SEI 1G. 2G is faster and more stable than the 1G with better bucket, less volume, better handling and oh GLIDE is terrific. I repeat Glide is terrific. This is the Excel version I reviewed at 25lbs.



www.surfskiracing.org/2016/09/stellar-se...xcel-surfski-review/

I enjoyed reading your review, Wesley. How does the performance/stability compare to the 2nd Gen SEL?

Excellent review as always Wesley. Look forward to testing one out when they arrive in Australia. If they have arrived can someone let me know please?

If the upgrades to the 2gen SEI result in the same level of "stoke" and increased performance as I had when I tested and subsequently purchased my 2 gen SR, the 2 gen SEI could well be my next ski.

Mick

Hi Wesley,

Read your review with great interest. I'm actually in the process of purchasing one from my local stellar dealer. Deciding between an advantage and excel layup. I felt good on the SEI 1G in advantage layup but I'm wary of stability being pushed to far in the excel layup. Do you think that this extra stability provided in the new design should negate this?

Anyone else tested out the new SEI yet? What you think?

The SEI 2G is much more stable than SEL 2G but not as fast. Handling being a shorter ski is better to. Most solid intermediate paddlers will be able to transition to the SEI 2G easily for ocean conditions and then be impressed by its speed and stability.

The SEL 2G is one of the most stable advance/elite skis so your skill level needs to reflect this in ocean conditions.

Mick, I will ask this weekend about deliveries to Australia.

wesley wrote: The SEL 2G is one of the most stable advance/elite skis so your skill level needs to reflect this in ocean conditions.

What about on flat water? I have an SR, and was thinking of skipping the SEI and going directly to the SEL G2 eventually.

The SEI 2G is more stable than the 1G in any layup. The difference between the weights of excel 25lbs and 32lbs advantage is HUGE therefore any boat regardless of make, brand, etc will be significantly more stable at 32lbs than 25lbs. So no the extra stability design built into the 2G will not overide the difference in the weight in terms of stability. If you are one of these guys that paddles twice a week, fit, younger, uses a bigger rudder in ocean and eager to race, has okay technique and ocean skill set, then maybe the Excel would be fine knowing the learning curve will be longer. Some guys can get frustrated buying a ski over there skill set particularly in true ocean conditions.

Great to see in-depth ski reviews.
I also enjoyed the videos. Thanks for sharing!

The 1G bucket seemed somewhat like the V10L 2G (almost as "plain" and as featureless as the V10L). The newer bucket found in SEI 2G seem like a great improvement. So very glad to see manufacturers paying close attention to details.

We all gain to benefit.

Not sure what type paddler you are. Now were are getting into the territory of what level paddler you are. Thats why I ask paddlers to answer the questions I laid out in my reveiws. It is a big jump from SR to SEL 2G. The bucket is much narrower in SEL 2G also so keep that in mind if you are a larger paddler trying to fit into a the SEL 2G.

Ludovic, enjoyed seeing all your info on the Nelo's. I paddled the 560 a few weeks ago and will paddle the 560M on Saturday at the East Coast Surfski Champs.
Not sure you have been in an SEI 1G, the bucket is large and only tapers slightly.

I reviewed my V10L ultra a few years ago. My other training partner now races a V10L Ultra so I tried it again since i had not been in one for a year or so. The fit is almost perfect for me with just some small padding at the calves.

wesley wrote: Not sure what type paddler you are. Now were are getting into the territory of what level paddler you are. Thats why I ask paddlers to answer the questions I laid out in my reveiws. It is a big jump from SR to SEL 2G. The bucket is much narrower in SEL 2G also so keep that in mind if you are a larger paddler trying to fit into a the SEL 2G.

I'm roughly the same size and weight you are, albeit a little taller. According to the local Stellar dealer (Jeff Stephens), I should have no problem fitting in an SEL 2G, or even the tighter fitting SES. At present, I'm quite comfortable paddling the SR. I don't have any balance issues with it, even with only a 4" rudder, so perhaps an SEL with a large rudder wouldn't be such a big change?

wesley wrote: Ludovic, enjoyed seeing all your info on the Nelo's. I paddled the 560 a few weeks ago and will paddle the 560M on Saturday at the East Coast Surfski Champs.
Not sure you have been in an SEI 1G, the bucket is large and only tapers slightly.

I reviewed my V10L ultra a few years ago. My other training partner now races a V10L Ultra so I tried it again since i had not been in one for a year or so. The fit is almost perfect for me with just some small padding at the calves.

Exactly my point: the new SEI 2G has a very appealing bucket, but I have not yet paddled it.
I was floating in the V10L bucket, and floating nearly the same way with the SEI 1G. Judging from the pictures you shared, the 2G really does look like a welcome improvement.

Thanks for the video. You should give the SEL 2g a try and demo one if Jeff has one. That type of flat water you should be able to acclimate fairly quickly with bucket time. Try with 8 inch rudder and then go to 4 inch or modified shorter rudder as you progress to increase you speed. You should buy the Excel layup for more speed if you do decide to go with the SEL 2G. Heavier boats get magnified on flat water.

wesley wrote: Thanks for the video. You should give the SEL 2g a try and demo one if Jeff has one. That type of flat water you should be able to acclimate fairly quickly with bucket time. Try with 8 inch rudder and then go to 4 inch or modified shorter rudder as you progress to increase you speed. You should buy the Excel layup for more speed if you do decide to go with the SEL 2G. Heavier boats get magnified on flat water.

Jeff has an SEL 2G in the Excel layup that I've been wanting to try. He did mention at one point that for flat water, the older SEL G1 is faster than the G2. How much of a difference there is between them, I can't even guess at.

I raced the SEL G1 last year (Advantage) and I'm racing the SEL G2 this year (Multi-Sport). Without being on identical water at the same time it's tough to quantify, but the G2 certainly feels like it has lower resistance, and the cockpit does a great job of placing you in a position which encourages performance paddling. And I know it's faster when the water gets shallower. If you're racing flat water, you may want to opt for the kick-up over-stern rudder (all the new Stellar skis come over-stern rudder ready; it's a simple matter to get the over-stern unit and install it).

Having paddled the SEL generation 1 in the Sport and Advantage layups for circa two years and now having paddled the Excel generation 2 for eight months all my data provides that the generation two SEL Excel is materially faster in both flat and upwind/downwind conditions than the old SEL model/s. As always the lighter the ski expect more corky outcomes in sidewind conditions.