I have been riding the starboard element for approx 12 mths now and although i find it a great board stable paddles well catches waves easy, i just find it slightly too big and after catching a wave not very manouverable. you seem to have to press heavy on the outside rail to get a slow response to turn.
it is 9ft 10 30" wide and 155l
After something slighter smaller that steers responds a bit quicker.80% wave
i am 80kg and 47 yo stii itermediate paddler and still want something reasonable easy to paddle and resonable stable without going too small and low volumnes.

one i considered is the Coreban Fusion at 9ft 147l but would this be too close to the starboard element.
I wouldn't want to go much smaller than 8ft 5 and about 135l
thanks for any help input
Dale

hi,
the element is a nice board have had a surf on one, but im a little heavier than you at 115kg, haven't seen a coreban fusion but it does look a little similar, maybe try a coreban lithium if you like the look of the corebans, have heard good things, or really just demo what ever you can and find something you like, hop this helps,

Jarryd

I,m 90kg and use to have a Element as well.
A friend who bought it has the same comment, but when we paddled together I noticed he was riding too much in the front.
Go ll the way to the back helps a LOT with those style boards.
I switched to a Coreban Performer and found that one too thick railsed :)
I like the Corebans but some of theme are very voluminious for there size and found the Naishes more balanced.
If the Element is really too big you might considder the Hobie 9.0 LB...nice rails, a bit thinner and less width but really ripping.

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Jeroensurf said...

I,m 90kg and use to have a Element as well.
A friend who bought it has the same comment, but when we paddled together I noticed he was riding too much in the front.
Go ll the way to the back helps a LOT with those style boards.
I switched to a Coreban Performer and found that one too thick railsed :)
I like the Corebans but some of theme are very voluminious for there size and found the Naishes more balanced.
If the Element is really too big you might considder the Hobie 9.0 LB...nice rails, a bit thinner and less width but really ripping.

I'm currently on a SB 8'5 pocket rocket which is great on smaller waves but lacks a little glide, making it harder to get on to those bigger fatter waves. Would be a good move down from the element for most days though.

This is the first time I've heard any one talk about the hobie 9' longboard. I'm thinking of getting the new raw model as a second board..... how is it for nose riding? Also how good is it at catching fat waves.

I had an 'Element' 9'8" and enjoyed it, great board for waves...unfortunately I turned it into a 2-piece! Went custom & have never turned back!

Hi Mick,
I havent had the change to try it (yet) but checked it on the beach (too much wind that day).
The board is extreme light, lighter as anything else that passed trough my hands and I love the rocker and railsshape, it looks a bit like a performance longboardish type of board.
For a bit lighter person as my 90kg and/or padding in better conditions as I do (Northsea/Euro crap) it would be easily a biggest board partnered to small shortboardish type of board.

The faster I waves I paddle on my Holidays in France, the canary Islands and Cornwall-UK the faster waves are often steeper as most longboardtypes I paddled like.
This could be lack of my technique but I always blame the lesser noserocker and that the wider nose catches and digging in earlier as a more pointy and rockered one.

Jimmy Lewis striker 8'11 130ltr.

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dkeating said...

I have been riding the starboard element for approx 12 mths now and although i find it a great board stable paddles well catches waves easy, i just find it slightly too big and after catching a wave not very manouverable. you seem to have to press heavy on the outside rail to get a slow response to turn.

If you haven't already tried it, give a smaller centre fin a go and put it mid fin box(don't slide it right forward as you will lose drive). Will make a massive difference to maneuverability.

If you like the Starboards, the 9' Converse is a fantastic board, not as thick as some of the other boards around. Definitely worth a demo.

Try changing your fins or even moving the one thats in there, it can make a big difference , for a little price

Thanks for the tips tried putting the fin further back than normal on Mon and this seemed to help.
Also relised i can move back to steer more easily and then quickly move fwd again.
Don't know if this is how other people ride to get that long board feel but if i stay further back where it manorvres better on the wave it just seems to stall and drop off the wave.
Thanks
Dale

You might be riding the shoulder of the wave a bit too much when you dropping off.
But the longboard kinda sups means walking all the time to get the best out of it :)
Every board that you try to turn hard on a slow wave and with a little momentum suffers from dropping dead.