Teeps' new Starboard Ace arrived unexpectedly yesterday, which was great as it allowed him to christen it at today's Core Boardsports race - Get Stoked at Eastern Beach. Best of all, Teeps was able to win Gold in the Power Paddlers class. Woo-hoo!
No, it's the carbon. The dark blue of the brochure and the early demo boards is no more. This electric blue colour is the production board. Not convinced that the digital camera is capturing the colour very well. It's a couple of shades darker to the naked eye.
Select to expand quotePTWoody said..
No, it's the carbon. The dark blue of the brochure and the early demo boards is no more. This electric blue colour is the production board. Not convinced that the digital camera is capturing the colour very well. It's a couple of shades darker to the naked eye.
it might be more of a case of the naked eye not seeing the colour right. think fluoro lights- come up green ish on camera's. they say the human see it as white for some reason
New drain hole positions! What's the black screw in front of the dugout? The vent?
Select to expand quoteScotty Mac said..
New drain hole positions! What's the black screw in front of the dugout? The vent?
Yes that's right - two drain holes at front and two at rear instead of four at the front. The black screw in front of the dugout is a vent screw (2013 was at the back). Tim has simply replaced the supplied metal phillips head screw with a plastic hand tightening type. There is also a leash plug at the front now (as well as at the rear).
I like the new drain hole positions. The holes in the front bugged my toes in some stances. Having just 1 drain up front should help. The rear drain holes should help clear the water faster as well.
I heard the shapes of the 2014 Aces were the same as last year. In the 14x23.5 model, I'm curious to see the slight recess along the line where the deck meets the side walls in the standing area. This is supposed to give a bit more room for a slightly wider stance. Seems like a good idea. Each year, there seem to be a few tweaks that make this board a little better. I had the original 2011? NEW (old name for the Ace) and when you compare it with the 2013 Ace, there are some significant differences.
The 2014 Fanatic Falcons and DC NSP race boards with designs similar to the Ace, but without the side walls, are great performing boards. I'm hoping Starboard will release a 2015 Ace "Ocean Edition" that doesn't have the side walls - for downwinders and better surfing. Keep the existing version as well though - as it's likely to be faster when the wind's 20mph or less waters.
FFS people, sit down, get a double ended paddle and be done with it...........and go faster. Star board have reinvented a 1970's double ended general purpose kayak.......that you stand up in.....yeeehaaa.
I think I've still got an old Claus Lettmann olymp 4 in the shed, and a KW7. I mean really, aren't we standing up in a seventies kayak and using a long C1 paddle......Oh such fun!!!
Put your paddle and your monstrous SUP away and go surf on a short board. Don't you see how irrelevant personal aesthetic values are to someone else's enjoyment of the water?
i kinda wonder why starboard don't do this- drop the sides, reduce the the nose volume, thicken up the standing area, make the tail a little wider or something like that.
the nose shape is a winner
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i reckon they would do really well- better than the all stars!!!!!!!
Woody, I love SUP......Cause there's something to love. Same with all surfboards.......catching waves is fun. I haven't done a downwinder but it looks like great fun.
I'm all up for fun.
Paddling 20 kilometers on flat water in a 70's general purpose kayak isn't really fun. Sure you can make it a bit more interesting by standing up and using a long C1 paddle but really, where's the fun?
Select to expand quotelog man said..
Woody, I love SUP......Cause there's something to love. Same with all surfboards.......catching waves is fun. I haven't done a downwinder but it looks like great fun.
I'm all up for fun.
Paddling 20 kilometers on flat water in a 70's general purpose kayak isn't really fun. Sure you can make it a bit more interesting by standing up and using a long C1 paddle but really, where's the fun?
But surely you recognise there are people around who think what you do looks stupid and couldn't possibly be any fun (in their opinion). The prejudices of short and long boarders towards SUP surfers is no different to the prejudices that you are expressing yourself. Let others enjoy the water in their own way is all I'm saying. Aesthetics and personal preferences don't make anyone right or wrong.
Select to expand quotelaceys lane said..
i kinda wonder why starboard don't do this- drop the sides, reduce the the nose volume, thicken up the standing area, make the tail a little wider or something like that.
the nose shape is a winner.
i reckon they would do really well- better than the all stars!!!!!!!
I reckon they don't do that as it works great the way it is.
Some of us enjoy paddling 20ks on flat water! Some of us enjoy it that much we look for 60k and 111k races just so we can paddle for hours on end! We don't complain about the numerous boards designed for down winding or make judgments about those who choose to participate in only one discipline of SUP!
What's with all the hate?
Select to expand quotePetehoppo said..
Some of us enjoy paddling 20ks on flat water! Some of us enjoy it that much we look for 60k and 111k races just so we can paddle for hours on end! We don't complain about the numerous boards designed for down winding or make judgments about those who choose to participate in only one discipline of SUP!
What's with all the hate?
Would have to agree with you Pete, I have only been SUP'ing for about 6-months and did my first distance paddle (28km) a few weeks ago and can't wait to go out and do 40-50km, next time. I aspire to a distance like the Hawkesbury race and one day I hope I will be fit enough and done enough training to do so. Any long distance event no matter what sport is all about personal goals and testing your mind and body, SUP'ing long distances is no different to someone running a marathon, it is personal thing.
So let's lose the hate and get on the water and have some fun no matter what your discipline is (Surf, BOP, Downwind, Marathon), it is all fun in the eye of the individual.
Select to expand quotePTWoody said..log man said..
Woody, I love SUP......Cause there's something to love. Same with all surfboards.......catching waves is fun. I haven't done a downwinder but it looks like great fun.
I'm all up for fun.
Paddling 20 kilometers on flat water in a 70's general purpose kayak isn't really fun. Sure you can make it a bit more interesting by standing up and using a long C1 paddle but really, where's the fun?
But surely you recognise there are people around who think what you do looks stupid and couldn't possibly be any fun (in their opinion). The prejudices of short and long boarders towards SUP surfers is no different to the prejudices that you are expressing yourself. Let others enjoy the water in their own way is all I'm saying. Aesthetics and personal preferences don't make anyone right or wrong.
Fair enough, it's a free country,. I guess I'm really surprised that people get into flat water distance SUP. I understand it's a "discipline" but it seems to me to be heading up a dry gully. I love just about everything about SUP.......I surf one(badly), I fish off one, I puddle around the Marina peering into the water..........But long distance flat water paddling??????Naahhhh! Just a thought, How many people do you see that paddle C1 canoes???? and even more to the point how many people do you see paddling C1's on flat water???? yep it was once a "discipline" and now it's as dead as a dodo. Just sayin
I know all the big pro races are in the ocean but I wouldn't be surprised if there are more people racing SUP on flatwater worldwide than in the ocean?
You can race on lakes all over Europe, the US and hear at home a lot of the racing I see takes place on flatwater lakes.
I guess it has something to do with accessibility?
Sure C1 racing has lost a following and some would suggest this happend because they became less accessible to ordinary people as they got more tippy. Something that may yet happen to SUP?
I can't explain why flatwater SUP is so popular but it seems to capture plenty of us
As to the design of the ACE it appeals to lots of us, there is something about that clog shape which I just can't shake and it makes me want one!
Select to expand quotelog man said..
Fair enough, it's a free country,. I guess I'm really surprised that people get into flat water distance SUP.
Whatever floats your boat...or not. I enjoy a good 20k flat bay run when conditions permit. It's a good test of physical ad mental form just like any endurance sport, be it rando cycling for some or distance running for others...or whatever. Yep distance would suck big time on a sub 9' surf stick or a 10'6 all-rounder...but on a skinny unlimited with awesome glide? It's a groove thing 
.
