Requesting Review of new Nelo Surfski lineup: 57, 61 and 62

Hi guys,

I’m interested in the new surfski lineup from Nelo, especially the 57, 61, and 62.

Interestingly, Nelo seems to have shifted their design philosophy; moving from their shorter ski designs (max 5.6 m) to now increasing the length of their intermediate and elite skis, ranging from 5.7 m to 6.2 m.

From the pictures, they look well-produced with good build quality. Also, the Nelo 62s in Durban performed very well, so their top ski seems to be highly competitive.

There are very limited resources online about how the skis perform in the ocean and on flat water.
=> Has anyone here tested one of these skis and can share your experience?

Personally, I’m very interested in the differences between the 57 and the 61. The 61 has the same length as the 62 (6.2 m) but with increased stability (46 cm vs. 43 cm). On their website, they emphasise the stability of the 61, and I have also seen on Nelo USA’s Instagram that the 61 is considered as stable as the 57.

The 57 model is shorter and wider, designed to fit between the old 540 and 550. It measures 570 cm × 48 cm and is said to have the short-ski ability to surf very well. Other sources describe it as an “all-terrain” surfer. I would assume the 57 to be more stable than the 61, but according to Nelo both the 61 and 57 are rated 5/10 on stability.

If anyone has tested the difference in stability, please share your experience. Also, how large is the difference in flat-water speed between the 57 and 61?

I can't compare the 57 and 61 but I have paddled the 62. Coming from a 550, it was surprisingly manageable in 3-4ft waves, I didn't get a change to test it in larger. I still find longer boats less reactive to acceleration than short boats (comparing a 550 to a 62). The seating position in the 62 keeps you low enough relative to the waterline that it is a predictable boat.

I think you can safely assumed the 57 is more stable than the 61. I was pretty interested in getting a 61 until A: they didn't make it in XXL and B: I was surprised by the stability of the 62.

The way I would think of it is: the 57 is a new 550 tuned for surfing/waves, and the 61 is a 550 tuned more for speed (especially in the flats). So I would make your choice based on that. But if I was going for flatware speed I would take the 62.

If I get a change to trial a 57 and 61 this spring/summer I will come back with more thoughts.