Fenn SURGE - new, small, surfski

Fenn have been releasing some teasers onto their Facebook page.

They're launching a new ski called the SURGE.

Length: 582cm
Width: 42.5cm
Seat width: 37.75cm (compared with the Elite S: 38.5cm

Layups:
Carbon vacuum (10kg)
Carbon Hybrid (11kg)

The post says, "Less volume than the "ELITE S", ideally suited for flatter conditions & has been raced/tested in moderate downwind conditions. More info. & photos to follow soon!"

And this is where speculation kicks in!

It appears that this is a top-end racing boat, for smaller paddlers and smaller or flat conditions.

The Elite S dips its nose quite readily in our downwind conditions with any but the smallest paddler, so I suspect that the Surge will be a wet boat downwind.

At any rate, there will be one in Cape Town towards the end of the week, and it will be raced at the Seadog on Friday. I'll be lurking with my camera...!

Looking forward to the intel Rob ... don't forget to include a picture of you under deep cover in the sand dunes

I'll be interested in feedback from Fenn Spark paddlers on the surge. Plus whether the bucket is a little wider. Being bigger, it's the Elite S or Swordfish S for me but if I get an opportunity to test drive, I'll post something.

Matt.

Plus whether the bucket is a little wider.

I don't think so - the SURGE cockpit is a very snug fit on me... High rails.

I had a chat with Travis Smith from Fenn yesterday and I'm hoping to turn the conversation into a short article. But he said the SURGE is not intended to replace the Spark; it has quite different characteristics. For one thing the nose has more volume than the Spark - but it also has less rocker.

Definitely designed for flatter conditions. It hasn't been tried in big conditions yet...

Couple more photos of the SURGE... Mark Keeling racing it last night. He came second, beating Dawid Mocke and coming in behind Kenny Rice.