V10 g2 vs. V10 g3

Curious if anyone has had significant time in both and can compare and contrast. I’m mostly interested in stability comparisons. It also if it catches runs easer and carries speed better. I was never really Comfortable with the stability profile in my g2 V10 and g2 V10 Sport. The trade off of more initial stability and less secondary always felt a bit less that reassuring in confused or messy chop. In contrast other skis I have had are more in the less initial and more secondary stability category and I have found them much more sicker in messy stuff or side chop. If you have paddled both, how do they compare, how does the stability profile compare? Does the g3 feel more or less stable?.... in chop? You get the picture.

Greetings, have just received a v10G3 having owned 30+ skis over the last 15yrs. Have done lots of the great races including molokai & still prefer more stable boats in decent downwinds (15+knots) - favourite boat for this has been swordfish but unfortunately part of the +/- 30% who can't get comfortable in the fenn seats...... so have been in search of new option. Recently being paddling McGregor classic & rhythm but don't have enough skill to be comfortable in bigger conditions with my stability. Have become a fan of shorter boats being lighter (84kg) so was very keen to try out Gen3 v10. Initial flat water impressions of this v10 were it was sluggish in flat water after paddling the speedy McGregor boats. When I put this new v10 hull next to the v10sport I thought it would be a great DW boat - narrower, similar length!! So was very happy to paddle to good DW's in the last 2 days (20-25kts) - new generation 3 v10 surfs awesome, great stability, holds runs well & heaps of fun. Thrilled to see a new craft out there that adds value to a wide spectrum of options out there. Agree it is a 'horses for courses' situation, so can recommend this boat highly. My father in law (65yrs) who is a beginner paddler loves it as well a faster option to his fenn bluefin on flat water .

substantial improvement on G2 v10 in my opinion, in regards to downwind performance
see pics of v10G3 vs. v10G2 sport

Hi Tony,

How does the bucket depth compare is the gen3 deeper? Have you tried remounts?

haven't fallen out yet - guess it is a higher seat / shallower & so should be easier to remount

Thanx for the pics Tony.
Nice to see Epic making skis with more rocker that I believe will improve downwind performance.

Any updates on this ? Is the new g3 more or less stable than the g2 ?

Thanks for the pics,Tony! As soon as I can paddle my new Gen 3 V10 Elite y will post a comparison to my V11 Ultra ...!!

- similar flat water performance
- much improved ocean / swell performance
- stability similar maybe a touch less with higher seat position

wow! you've tested !! thanks !! I'm waiting a few days more ,after my bike accident, but happy to read the news!! Tks very much Tony!!

Started the shoulder rehab with the new V10 ! Awesome ski,soo stable , responsive and nimble like the V11!! Loving my new boat!!

Any updates on this boat? I've been paddling a borrowed V10 Gen 2 for the past few weeks. I'm moving up from a V7. I'm quickly adapting to the V10 and feeling more and more stable in it by the day. Consistently covering 7 - 7.2 miles (11.5 kph) per hour in mild ocean conditions without pushing hard and plan on venturing out into rougher seas as the fall progresses. Tried my hand at a bit of surfing in the Gen 2 and found that managing the boat in the surf was a lot easier than I thought it would be (although the hull certainly likes to smash down, HARD, when paddling into and over the waves!).

A lot of my races next year, especially the early season races, will take place in completely flat, protected fresh water rivers. No waves to speak of. How do you feel that the Gen 3 stacks up to the Gen 2, speed wise, in completely flat conditions? "A" race for the year is the Blackburn Challenge, so I'm thinking that a boat with a little more rocker, and slightly less volume (I'm 170 lbs./72 - 73 kg) might be just the ticket there, but I hope that I won't be losing too much speed on the complete flat...

TheJRM wrote: Any updates on this boat? I've been paddling a borrowed V10 Gen 2 for the past few weeks. I'm moving up from a V7. I'm quickly adapting to the V10 and feeling more and more stable in it by the day.

That's an impressive level of progression. How often do you paddle and what's your paddling background ?

Thanks. Purchased my V7 last August. That was my first surfski. No paddling experience before that, but I had been training and racing as an endurance athlete for about 30 years leading up to that point. Paddled the V7 until the end of October. Picked it up again this past May and increased training frequency to 5 - 7 sessions per week once my school year ended (teacher). Paddled almost every day this summer and am absolutely hooked. Trying to keep it going 5 x per week through November this school year and, now that the racing season is over, just focusing upon increasing my skill set in the V10. About to head back out in the dark right now before work!

I think I've talked myself into jump making the jump and picking up the Gen 3. From all accounts, it sounds like it's a better ocean boat than the Gen 2, and that's what matters most.

I'm liking the g3 too. Damn fine boat. And, it surfs like a champ, I had the g3 out in no more than 4 inch wind-chop and was pushing 14-15km/h with no effort.

I'm currently in a v8-pro. There's a big difference in effort needed keeping the v10g3 at speeds > 10km/h on the flat when compared to pushing the bulky v8-pro at same speeds.

And it's super comfortable too. Think I'll be getting one.

feeny wrote: I'm liking the g3 too. Damn fine boat. And, it surfs like a champ, I had the g3 out in no more than 4 inch wind-chop and was pushing 14-15km/h with no effort.

I'm currently in a v8-pro. There's a big difference in effort needed keeping the v10g3 at speeds > 10km/h on the flat when compared to pushing the bulky v8-pro at same speeds.

And it's super comfortable too. Think I'll be getting one.

Did you find stepping up from the V8 Pro to the V10 G3 an issue ? Was it a big jump ? I'm thinking of doing the same but I'm not sure.

greetings JRM - I have traditionally turned skis over quickly as I love trying the different offerings out there........ but don't see myself turning this v10G3 over as it suits my ocean paddling needs perfectly. I have a v14 for flat water & a stealth spec ski for very rough coastal surf conditions.
v10G3 is a keeper & improvement over G2 - shorter (so turns better & lively in ocean), surfs better (more rocker), stable.
Fenn & think make excellent boats but their seating positions are not as comfortable for me.
So get into them all & work out what 'sits' well with you

Sounds like an awesome ocean boat! Thank you!

How long do most folks paddle a ski before upgrading?

I'm new to the sport and just bought an Epic v8pro a little over a month ago. I was hoping to get a couple of years out of it. Just raced my first race last weekend and have a few more scheduled this fall. I know it's the engine that matters most, but at what point does the boat start making a difference?

EP there is no right answer. I've owned skis for a month I've owned skis for years. I've paddled with the same group of guys 4-5 a week for the last 13 years or so. In summer when its flatter if I start to get left behind I need a new ski. I had a v10 gen 2 for a couple of months. It was very heavy 17kg (black nose) on the flat it was ok. I could keep up with the group. If there were small runs, I would fall a long way back. That boat simply couldn't catch runs. As it got bigger it was ok.
I then had 3 Fenn Elites in a row. Great boats but remounting was a big issue. The cockpit was too tight to sidesaddle and even straddle mounting was difficult to drop into the bucket. Consequently I started shore hugging in case I fell out. Never did fall out, but the thought was always there.
Now I have an ultra gen 1SEL which is a keeper.
If you paddle on your own it doesn't matter what boat you are in.
If you paddle in a group or race, then you quickly get tired of sitting a 100 metres behind everyone else or the group gets tired of waiting for you. The v8 pro is probably a nice boat (I've never seen one) but there is a limit to how fast it will go. Remember if it is only .2 kmh slower than another boat, that translates to 200 metres after an hour of paddling. That's a long way back.