Epic Spec Ski????

I have heard rumours that Epic is about to release a spec ski.

Can anyone confirm this or provide details?

Well I guess the Epic V8 is the answer to the rumours I heard this time last year!!!!


which came from a Stellar salesperson!!!! Go figure??????

Without wanting to knock a brand...

Epic will have to look at "dumbing down" their construction to make a spec ski that lasts.

The number of epics we see breaking in relatively small surf (and out on the open swell in big downwinds) would suggest that the current construction / layups are not durable at all.

I don't think there would be any incentive for Epic to enter into the clubby market.

It is easy for local manufacturers to meet the construction restrictions and to tailor make each ski for individual differences.
There is no way a mass produce can match the service of calling into your local manufacturer and getting a custom.

Andrew,

Could you give some more details of the ski's that break?

Cheers

S.S.

I have seen 2 broken V10's, and know of one other here on the coast.
I was actually looking at a V10 red stripe today in two pieces. Broke in half at the front of the cockpit and split the seams all the way to the nose.

Have no idea of the conditions or event that broke them though.
I have only a description from two that it was an amazingly small wave that ended it all.
One had already had some of it's internal bracing a bit detached inside.

They are certainly out there.
But I'm sure that there are just as many other brands represented as well.

It's the nature of the beast, build em light, then anything out of the ordinary is going to break em.

Hell, there's plenty of broken spec skis when the conditions get rough enough.

I have a strict policy when it comes to my ocean ski - I go out....paddle and then I come back...I dont do in and outs and I dont surf it.

I mean sometimes I hate punching into it because of the tail wack you get on the short punchy stuff

If I want to play I take my Gibbons ( spec ) out as its designed and constructed for the hard stuff - not to say I also havnt wrecked a few speccys in my time....but gee I deserved it.

Ocean skis are the F1 of water craft and thats how I play it.

I have had a epic that I played with one and it must have twisted because I cracked it - never again I said..never again.

So in answer to RHB as well - If I was a punter I would stick to the leaders of Local manufacturing on specs, as I dont think the Chinese have many surf clubs.

Cheers

I make spec skis in Australia and there is an 18kg min weight as well as certain dimensions, that 18kg certainly allows them to be made a lot stronger (even in fibreglass)than lightweight ocean skis although they are harder to lift onto the car roof. I tell people that Ocean skis are suited for greenwater due to their strength and design but spec can handle whitewater well (usually)

Also the spec skis get weighed quite often(at competitions) and "fibs" about lightweights would get discovered fairly quickly !!