I agree with you Jacko except that I love it even for flat water.. For sure if it was a short flatwater race I'd rather use the Jav because it is a faster board.
I can't get over just how stable it is for a board that's only about 26" wide.. In fact it's one of the most stable boards that I've ever paddled.
My Naish 17 tumbled half way across the bay without me in 50 knots of wind and ended up on the rocks.. The only damage was a couple of small rail dings and some scratches.
The guys that repaired it could not believe just how strong it was and even their sander hardly touched the tough kevlar/carbon construction.
DJ