Has anyone tried the Sunova "the Search" 14ft x 30" downwind/open ocean board? It is unusually low volume for a 14ft DW board (apparently 218 litres) as it is thinner at under 5" thick than most equivalent boards. Looks like a big gun from the pics. So I'm very curious as to how it goes downwind, and in surf.

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Area10 said..
Has anyone tried the Sunova "the Search" 14ft x 30" downwind/open ocean board? It is unusually low volume for a 14ft DW board (apparently 218 litres) as it is thinner at under 5" thick than most equivalent boards. Looks like a big gun from the pics. So I'm very curious as to how it goes downwind, and in surf.

Wide too for a DW board....and certainly low volume as you say. Weird!

I agree.. Weird.. But it might suit a surfer who wants a surfy looking flat water/DW board.. I'm also thinking to get the same stability you either have to have a narrow board and thick rails or thin rails and a wide board because thin rails don't offer much resistance when you tip the board.. This board might work at 30" wide if it's got concaves to help with release.. I hope it's got a thick glass job because being so thin it's going to flex more than other boards.. Also pearling will be interesting on this board because most DW boards rely on float and volume to bring the nose up because rocker alone is not enough at slower speeds.. I'd still like to try it..

Yeah those were pretty much my thoughts also, DJ. This is reminiscent of the old Bark Expedition, perhaps. It managed a loyal following but personally I never thought it quite lived up to it's potential. And it was in a heavy layup to offset the flex.

However, it seems to me that there might be a role for a more surf-oriented open ocean board than the thick narrow dedicated DW boards we are currently being offered. So, for instance, if the Sunova Search was similar to the PSH Hull Paddler 14 that emerged only briefly before PSH production abroad crumbled, then it might find a loyal following, perhaps.

But the devil is in the details: most people thought that the Bark Expedition was so-so I think, whereas most people seemed to think that the PSH Hull Paddlers were something special (as was the PSH 12ft Gun). Yet probably the dimensions, volume, outline etc figures for the two boards would have looked similar.

Hence why I'm asking if anyone has tried one, especially in the conditions it would seem likely to suit (small surf and big downwind).

A few years ago I had a starboard cruiser 12'6x30" because I wanted a surfboard shape for downwinding, yep you could downwind on it, but there are are lot of other boards out there that are a lot better at downwinding and yes it did flex a lot.

ive been told they are working on a full blown ocean board. they have some fast fw shapes or at least im told that. interesting bottom shape too that ive seen myself

I would be thinking there will be some advanced bottom shape with the the ocean board .


but I personally believe it will take a couple of years to hone in on whats required.

Yeap, The Search is not a pure downwinder, but more like a do-it-all ocean board with a surf like shape. We're waiting a 12'6 to arrive in Portugal in the beginning of February and can share our thoughts after trying it out.

As Laceys Lane mentioned, a specific downwind board is being developed by Bert.

Does Bert downwind?

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Gafas said...
Yeap, The Search is not a pure downwinder, but more like a do-it-all ocean board with a surf like shape. We're waiting a 12'6 to arrive in Portugal in the beginning of February and can share our thoughts after trying it out.

Thanks, it would be good to hear your opinion. The price of these boards is extremely attractive where I am. But if it's not a particularly good downwinder then the question is "how well does it surf?". IMO a board meant for the ocean needs to do at least one of three things well: race, downwind, or surf. There might be a role for a 14ft board that surfs better than it downwinds, but it would have to surf clearly better than the current DW offerings like the JL M14.

From a different thread:

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Tino42 said..
I've been riding the search for almost 1.5 years now. It's a great board to do a lot of things. Downwinding with actual surfabity is probably the most amazing one. It's also a great allrounder for flat water and fast at it. Stable and easy to ride.
Bert will explain his ideas tomorrow. And SurfFX is getting some in their coming container. But I guess the way it looks they are sold already. Well at least we will get comments from Non-Sunova team making it real ;-)

And LordKuz had one, but has already sold it on. From his Buy & Sell listing:

"...Great all rounder for Flatwater to Open Ocean. Race/Tour/Cruise or Surf. Light and tough, as with all Sunova XXX Tec boards. Stable enough for beginners - yet handles well for advanced riders wanting to surf open ocean waves or tidal flows - or punch out through the surf with ease. This is an awesome ride - However,... "

A Search 12' was the first Sunova I coveted, but too costly to get stateside until recently. But:

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laceys lane said..
ive been told they are working on a full blown ocean board. ..but I personally believe it will take a couple of years to hone in on whats required.

If this is true, I'm going to have wait it out. Maybe I'll send a few pictures; SIC FX, Bark Vapor and JL Rail 12'6" and low volume, please.

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Area10 said..

Gafas said...
Yeap, The Search is not a pure downwinder, but more like a do-it-all ocean board with a surf like shape. We're waiting a 12'6 to arrive in Portugal in the beginning of February and can share our thoughts after trying it out.

Thanks, it would be good to hear your opinion. The price of these boards is extremely attractive where I am. But if it's not a particularly good downwinder then the question is "how well does it surf?". IMO a board meant for the ocean needs to do at least one of three things well: race, downwind, or surf. There might be a role for a 14ft board that surfs better than it downwinds, but it would have to surf clearly better than the current DW offerings like the JL M14.

A10, we’ve found that a downwind board with a more surfboard-like profile, not thick and with thin surfboard like rails, can be really good in wild mixed up waves, like I imagine you ride.

While the more common thick side rails work great in low-medium conditions the thin profile rail boards come alive in stronger conditions (30+ kn), especially for conditions where you get waves coming from all directions (we get that on our DWs big time). Without vertical sides side wave’s don’t have anything to slap against and knock you off-balance.

I tried a 26” wide Nidecker prototype which has more of a surfboard type profile. It’s obviously fine in flatwater and light chop. A bit tricky, initially, for me, in medium conditions (20-30 kn), just because it’s fairly narrow and low volume but I got used to it pretty quickly. Not as quick to get up onto a plane like a Bullet in these conditions probably due to low volume. Then in 30+ kn it comes alive and actually feels more stable than other boards for the reasons I mention above.

So based on that my guess is the Search may just work really well for your DWs. Pick a width that suits your weight and balance and give it a shot. From what I can see of the profile picture it’s rocker would make it pretty different ride to your JL M14. My guess is a board like this may fill a missing niche in your quiver.

I’d get one if we had more really wild wind days but sadly they are too few and far between here to merit a specialty quiver board.