I stopped off at my local SUP store yesterday (SHQ) and they just had the new JP boards arrive.. Jason Polakow was a friend of mine back in my windsurfing days and I know he wasn't that happy with the first range of SUP boards with his name on them.. These new boards are on a whole new level so I'm sure he'll be very proud of them.. This is the new 12'6" and 14' race boards.. They look very much like the brushed carbon Starboards but without that rounded nose that tends to go boof.. They have a cutting nose, recessed deck, drain holes and the same hand-hole that Naish use.. They looked awesome.. I found out these boards are for demo so first chance I get I'll try them out on the water.

DJ

PTWoody said...

DavidJohn said...

These new boards are on a whole new level so I'm sure he'll be very proud of them.. This is the new 12'6" and 14' race boards.. They look very much like the brushed carbon Starboards but without that rounded nose that tends to go boof.. They have a cutting nose, recessed deck, drain holes and the same hand-hole that Naish use..
DJ

The rounded nose that goes boof all the way to the finish line to win the race?

A nose that goes boof is a nose that often doesn't pearl very easy or catch and broach so a boofing nose is not all bad.. You can also slid a boofing nose sideways and that's something a cutting nose can't do.

I think learning to avoid the 'boof' is something that helps it win a race.. Oh.. and of corse the engine ..

Check out this pair of Aces at the end of yeterday's DW'er..

DJ

Looks like a Starboard, Coreban (tail), surftech (nose) and a SUPlove (recessed deck) had a baby.

so the guy that shapes these also shapes Fanatic boards?

Werner is the shapper of all the JP windsurfing & SUP range (he has been around for ages use to design for F2 windsurfers back at their peak) he is now based in Maui.

As for the race boards I am sure JP himself helped out on these as he is a big fan of doing down wind SUPing to keep fit for his big wave sailing / SUPing fromall accounts he is prety fast as well.

I just change over last years 8'10" for the new 8'10" and am loving the bright new colours, as for the shape it has staid the same but the board does feel crisper. Did not get the pro / carbon model as it was not avaiable at the time if, WA SUP addiction get one in I will for sure change it over to the lighter stiffer model. As for the rest of the range they are loking the goods.

Pete

Im not convinced myself, seems to be a blatant attempt to cash in on SUP. I know that JP is an awesome waterman, however, I am yet to see his name or his boards feature anywhere in the boards that pros will choose. I read not that long ago that Mr Pryde will withdraw from windsurfing if it becomes any less profitable for him and I would suggest this branding exercise is a step in that direction.

gregc said...

Im not convinced myself, seems to be a blatant attempt to cash in on SUP. I know that JP is an awesome waterman, however, I am yet to see his name or his boards feature anywhere in the boards that pros will choose. I read not that long ago that Mr Pryde will withdraw from windsurfing if it becomes any less profitable for him and I would suggest this branding exercise is a step in that direction.

Heard of a guy called Keahi De Aboitiz? After witnessing him surfing at the Australian Titles and having a look at his boards they are definitely not a cheap pop out, some time and thought has gone into them for sure.

Here's some pics that I took of their new wave boards.. Super duper light and super duper strong.

DJ

New JP wave board pics

Anyone have any idea on the weight of the 8"6
W

The 8'6'' Pro Edition came in at 6kgs on the scales. It's a full carbon wrap, sandwich
construction, same as JP's carbon windsurf boards.

Gonna have to try that 8'6" at sandy point.... 6KG is a bloody good reason to want one for the long walk back up the steps down at the Torqua reefs, and much easier to carry when you're running away from locals.....

i was given a chance to paddle the jp 14' today by a stranger- he who just brought one.

well it's fast alright- it's a very flat rockered board. what amazed me was how stable it is. i had this perception from the photo's it wouldn't be

i think jp have done very well with this board- fast and stable and a good paddling platform.

I took SHQ's demo 8'6"(wood verneer) surf pro and also the 8'2" surf wide body for a test run at slightly overhead, slightly lumpy Big Left last weekend. Both boards felt good, with the 8'6" being the pick of the two, for me at least.

Of course the 8'2" x 32" was very stable even in the cross-onshore lump. It is set up as a quad, which I generally don't surf, so felt different to the thruster set up on the 8'6", but I reckon it would work well in beachies etc. I found the 8' 6" was stable for my 90+ kg, but also very responsive.

Might have to "borrow" the carbon model (in DJ's pics) from Luke sometime to see how it compares to the wood verneer model, which is still quite light. As someone who usually surfs a Naish 8'5" and 9'0" Hokua, it is good to have the same handle in these boards now - much easier to carry. There's a few spots we surf that have a long walk in, so it helps.

The 8'6" was a proto, so didn't have the fcs plug in the nose for a GoPro mount, which comes standard in the production models, but I did plug the GoPro into the the 8'2" and it worked well.