Hello everybody,

we've just published the JP Surf Wide Body 8'2'' PRO Review. Check it out @

www.standuppaddling.it/content/view/2364/

Cheers,
Marco

You may want to check out the construction of the pro, don't think you will find much carbon in there!!

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Cam Gillies said..

You may want to check out the construction of the pro, don't think you will find much carbon in there!!

its some kind of wind surfing composite. as i understand they felt the carbon made the boards 'too stiff'.

it also seems a lot more impact resistant than carbon when comparing normal lightweight surf sup construction

I had emailed JP because a retailer told me the PRO boards were a carbon layup. Their response was, as you said, carbon made the board too stiff. JP said it is a PVC sandwich construction, no stringers. They described it as a "strategic sandwich layup and optimizing of the fiber direction."

Hello everybody,

first off, thank you for the info that eventually shed light on the JP PRO construction. As JP SUP boards are produced by Cobra we were expecting that the JP PRO technology was, in the end, the same used by Starboard in the Brushed Carbon version of their SUP surfboards. (http://www.star-board-sup.com/2013/products/boards/technology_overview/#technology_overview). Secondly, I'm not entirely convinced that the statement by JP holds water. All the athletes of the Starboard SUP Team do compete with Brushed Carbon boards (extremely stiff, I suspect) and their results in the Stand Up World Tour speak for themselves. Anyway, we are about to test both the Starboard 7'7'' PRO and the 8'5'' PRO Brushed Carbon. So, we'll see for ourselves if stiffness is an enemy or an ally ... Again, thank you!

Cheers,
Marco

P.S. indeed we're updating the review accordingly

In my experience, at my level (not pro), the problem is not the absolute stiffness, but the "rebound" that happen when a board flexes a bit and then has no damping to stop it "wobbling". I experienced it on long, non-carbon, PVC-sandwich, stringerless boards and it was quite unpleasant in chop, but not on 100% carbon, but non non-sandwich boards. It may be possible that adding carbon may actually prevent this nasty rebound of PVC-sandwich boards.

I guess it depends a lot of the quality/weave of the carbon, presence of stringer(s) and how it is mixed with glass, as all the boards mentioned are not 100% carbon, but a mix of carbon and glass (and maybe kevlar in the future?).

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colas said..

In my experience, at my level (not pro), the problem is not the absolute stiffness, but the "rebound" that happen when a board flexes a bit and then has no damping to stop it "wobbling". I experienced it on long, non-carbon, PVC-sandwich, stringerless boards and it was quite unpleasant in chop, but not on 100% carbon, but non non-sandwich boards. It may be possible that adding carbon may actually prevent this nasty rebound of PVC-sandwich boards.

I guess it depends a lot of the quality/weave of the carbon, presence of stringer(s) and how it is mixed with glass, as all the boards mentioned are not 100% carbon, but a mix of carbon and glass (and maybe kevlar in the future?).

yes its the rebound action thats important. one time when i was getting a board made we tested a normal epoxy board, carbon board and a epoxy board with a carbon stringer- the carbon stringer was the best. that board i rode for a year which is a record for me.


i don't like the full carbon because the lack of rebound/flex. i get no feedback/ load up from them, but hey that's just me.

the lightness of a carbon board is a plus tho

i don't see any pro short boarders surfing carbon boards

cheers

>> i don't see any pro short boarders surfing carbon boards

Of course but the cat is (almost) out of the bag. In fact Starboard is launching a line of Full Carbon Surfboards. Then we'll see for ourselves the benefits of this technology in Surfing. If any ...

Cheers,
Marco

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supit said..

>> i don't see any pro short boarders surfing carbon boards

Of course but the cat is (almost) out of the bag. In fact Starboard is launching a line of Full Carbon Surfboards. Then we'll see for ourselves the benefits of this technology in Surfing. If any ...

Cheers,
Marco

The cat was out of the bag a long time ago. Carbon boards have been around for a long time. Nothing new. If it was the ****, everyone would use it on the WCT. Most surfers do not like stiff boards, which is why many do not like composite sandwich Surftech type constructions.

JP has shown that carbon is not necessary to produce a light, durable, hi performance SUP. And they cost a bit less than the Starboard carbon boards.

Great thread as I'm determined that my next board will be very durable as well as very light-weight.
Simple question ... Starboard Brushed carbon, or JP Australia Pro? sub 9 range...

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dabigman said..
The cat was out of the bag a long time ago. Carbon boards have been around for a long time. Nothing new. If it was the ****, everyone would use it on the WCT.

Well, WCT surfers have very different priorities from regular surfers (among them not spend time adapting to new designs, and ability to have a huge supply of boards). By following your logic, nobody should be using mini simmons, bonzers, wombats, eggs, and even longboards...
For carbon boards, just look at the report from good prone surfers on their aviso boards... most swear by them.

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colas said..

Well, WCT surfers have very different priorities from regular surfers (among them not spend time adapting to new designs, and ability to have a huge supply of boards). By following your logic, nobody should be using mini simmons, bonzers, wombats, eggs, and even longboards...
For carbon boards, just look at the report from good prone surfers on their aviso boards... most swear by them.

I wholeheartedly agree. Furthermore, I believe that size does matters in this case

Cheers,
Marco

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colas said..

dabigman said..
The cat was out of the bag a long time ago. Carbon boards have been around for a long time. Nothing new. If it was the ****, everyone would use it on the WCT.

Well, WCT surfers have very different priorities from regular surfers (among them not spend time adapting to new designs, and ability to have a huge supply of boards). By following your logic, nobody should be using mini simmons, bonzers, wombats, eggs, and even longboards...
For carbon boards, just look at the report from good prone surfers on their aviso boards... most swear by them.

Well that is not what I said that no one should ride a different type or board or that we should only ride a board that WCT surfers ride. I was responding to this statement:

"Then we'll see for ourselves the benefits of this technology in Surfing."

So what revolutionary characteristic exactly is adding carbon to Starboard's new surfboard line going to provide?

It's not going to allow a surfer to do new things on a wave that couldn't otherwise be done. And by my logic, if it gave some mystical advantage to a pro surfer they would use it.

I think Starboard is banking on the people they've gotten to buy $3000 carbon SUPs will add a $2000 carbon surfboard to their quiver. If you've got the money by all means, but it's not going to change things much.

For standups, use of carbon to save weight makes sense to a certain extent because of the size of the boards. I see boards being produced by custom board makers that are as light or lighter. JPs PRO construction is comparable in weight to Starboard carbon boards, but cost quite a bit less.

For a 5'10" surfboard, use of carbon is not going to be some game changer like the reviewer inferred. Carbon boards have been made for quite some time, it is nothing new.