Just a brief note following up on Surfski for the newbie: Epic V10L and Carbonology Boost.
About me: 74kgs, 180, with a medium wide behind (). I am cool in a 60cm Citius, fine in a 55cm, alert in a 51cm and will sooner or later go swimming in a 48. Started paddling age 53…
I have had the Boost now for about 6 months, and here are some impressions. I have the 12kg hybrid LV (low volume). This is very easy to handle, thanks to the handles (!), but so light the wind can easily lift it. So do get this version, but don´t leave it in a windy place.
Build quality is good but not “wonderful”, reflecting the price, but everything works well, from footrests to pedals and rudder and bailer.
The cockpit is wide, despite this being LV, and comfortable. I find it easy to get a good working position and get a good leg drive, better than in my V10L. Having said that, I find it hard to get a very upright sitting angle. In a kayak like a Citius, the seat encourages you to sit “ahead” of the somethings in your behind (os ischii, tuber ischiadicum).
The ski measures 50.5 cm, but this feels more like 500 cm. It´s very stable. I have been in the open sea, and no problems, really. Never gone swimming!
Speed: as is well known, no-one is fast if they are not stable (and comfortable). On the flat, the Carbo is almost boring since it´s so stable. With my power and technique I cruise at about 10.5 km/h. In the Epic, it might be 11, that´s how small the difference is. This is on flat water.
In choppy waves, the speed in the Epic V10L will sometimes drop to zero, whereas I can still gun it in the Carbo.
So, it´s a great all-rounder for someone with medium to mediocre ability. If you´re a hero, by all means get a narrower ski.
I have caught a wave or two in it so far, but big time surfing is not where I´m at. It surfs, that much I can say!
I briefly tried a Nelo Viper 46 Ski; that was fun, had lots and lots of secondary stability/final stability (saved my bacon once) and had a narrower cockpit. It´s a playful thing- try it! The price is 50% higher which may be hard to justify.
schoutbynacht 