The only way to go is to find someone who has either board, then find a board shop that will let you try the other board side by side. Then you can swap boards several times to make your own opinion.

frostyballs said...

I am having a hard time deciding between a Naish Mana 10` or starboard 10`5 drive has any one been lucky enough to ride both and what did you think?

How heavy are you and what do you mostly intend using if for?

DJ

billboard said...

There is another 10ft production board on the market that is better than both the boards you are asking about in both flatwater and surf IMO (and quite a bit cheaper) if your are near the goldy pm me and you can try ours.

Should I eat Snakes or Jellybeans? Neither, try a Caramello koala.

CMC said...

billboard said...

There is another 10ft production board on the market that is better than both the boards you are asking about in both flatwater and surf IMO (and quite a bit cheaper) if your are near the goldy pm me and you can try ours.

Should I eat Snakes or Jellybeans? Neither, try a Caramello koala.

On target and very succinct

Having not ridden the SB 105. I can not comment. But I have a 10' Mana as my big board and love it. from riding ankle high waves (check out this vid of small waves on Mana's www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=65335 ) having a ball to over head floater and gouging cutbacks. Toying with the fins makes a huge difference too.

As always, I suggest demo the two of them, it is the only real way to see what appeals to you.

Good luck, happy testing

JB

I've paddled the Drive - tracks well and has a good amount of glide for a 10'5 board and I surfed it in a crappy waist high shore break and really enjoyed it, very responsive from the tail input begged for you to wander up the nose and caught waves really nicely.

Can't comment on the Mana as I haven't been able to try one - maybe this afternoon / tomorrow.

NAISH over caramello any day!

Hey chilly nuts, I borrowed a 10'5" off Warrick at the shop in Elwood. TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY. took it down to St. kilda marina and was amazed by the speed of the thing. Slid though the water like a .... really slippery bastard. Took it for a surf at Lorne and Kennett river and did not miss a wave . Oh and when your on the wave the4 thing thar really impressed me was how quickly it built up speed so you could cut back really easy and glide geez ,it glided like a ......glidey bastard. HANG ON, THIS THING IS 10'5" long it surfs like a 9'0". So Impressed!......... but so depressing . This board surfs so much better than I ever will. It's like when you see those cock suckers that drive those shiny Porsches ,you know they never get those things over 6000 rpm but they seem blissfully ignorant that their car is better than they are. Hey, I'm a deeply shallow individual and sure the Naish is a really good board .....but its that sickly YELLOW , **** me that yellow is the worst colour that has ever been invented. ****ing Vasco De Gama discovered that colour after he rounded the cape of good hope in the 15 century , then thought better of it and hid it under a rock until Robby Naish came along found the rock and decided He'd build his whole empire on this new incredible colour. The starby is clearly the better board(because it's not yellow) and you get to buy off Warrick, he's OK. Log

col303 said...

Hey JB, you mentioned you tweeked with fin. Which set up have you gone with on your manna? Have you chaged fins or just positioning of the center fin?

Hey Col,

Yer, I have tried many different fin combo's. I really like using a smaller trailer on SUP's as opposed to a bigger one. So I tried my faithful setting of a G-1000 trailer with MR-TX Glass flex thrusters, and it was awesome. Just as drivey, but you can snap it round much quicker. I have also tried Sunny Garcia's in the sides for more bite, but I don't think the Mana goes fast enough to benefit from the Sunny foil. TC Red-lines work well, but you end up a bit under finned for the size of the board. What I think would be really fun on the Mana would be some large keels with no trailer, but I don't own any.

With SUP, I have found my MR-TX/G1000 combo to be unbeatable in 99% of conditions. But get out there and try stuff, you'll be surprised how much of a difference it makes.

Cheers thanks for that JB. I'll give some a try.

linter said...

i know what a longboard rides like but what does a 'large egg' ride like?

With bacon and toast, it's yummy.

Without riding and going off CC review, you could probably say this.

SB has a long board feel, ie. rides with nice lines, will generate more speed, and responds to trimming/walking well. You'll probably get a nice arc in you turns and carves, and I would imagine be a nice ride on better waves (if comparing it to the 10'6" Nalu). A definite choice if your a longboarder, or like the longboard style of SUP.

Mana has a more fishy feel, ie. Has a more spontanious feel, reaches max speed early, but you'll find on bigger or better quality waves won't go as fast as say a 10'6" Nalu. I love the way the Mana snaps round tight, it's surprisingly loose for a wide board. The Mana suit the less perfect wave. It's also VERY stable, so you can go paddling in 25kts if you desire without falling in.

I guess it sounds like it's a jack of all trades vs a master at one!

JB

Thanks, JB. I have the 10.5 SB and love the way it works but I've been looking around for something in the 10' range to compliment it. I'd been hoping for a noseriding specific board but maybe I ought to give the Mana a try as well.