Good evening boys,

I've been considering trying the naish hokua 8'5 but i'm on the heavy side... lets say that being 6'3 (1,93m) and 98 kg (usually) doesn't help when getting on smaller boards.
Last year I went on a Naish demo day and tried the 9'0 and the 7'8. Loved both of them and felt really confortable on the 9'0 and felt that with some practice I would be able to deal with the 7'8 easily...

The thing is, I had the chance to try the 8'5 and it was already to cold so I thought I'd try it later. It never happened.

Nowadays I'm considering the chance of giving the 8'5 a go but i'm afraid the thing wont float me. The 9'0 would already go on my big board category.

Been riding Starbies lately and usually riding the Pocket Rocket and the 8'5 Pro.

Any 100 kg folks on the 8'5 around?
If that's the case can I get some feedback from you guys?

Cheers,
Johnny

Really,

None of the big guys around here gave the 8'5 a try?
Come on boys...

Hey Johnny- u guilted me into joining here to reply ...appreciate is hard to know with sup boards unless u get to try them ..i normally ride 8'5 starbies and am 6'1 / 85kgs +/- a few pies, tim tams and tins..my mate has a 8'5 naish and as you do cadged a go on it for a bit of swopsies - jeez it was like rewinding 3 years - i cud barely stand on it but when i got a wave - sweet ..he is a wee bit smaller lighter than me and he struggled with it at first too espesh if onshore or choppy but now he rides it all the time no probs and loves it - i take the odd go on it now and again and still struggle but get a bit better each time - id say ya definitely need to get a go on one and be prepared to have a learning curve with it espesh if not glassy - the 8'5 starbies are defs a lot more stable for heavier guys and i just found a lot less work but i always think boards are a very personal opinion thing so in other words dont listen to me lol - see what others say and defs get a go if u can

I,m not an expert and lighter (90kg), rented the 8.5 at Fuerte and I could barely paddle on it.
In 45min I did catch 2 waves due pure luck.
I did swim and fell in more as standing on it, never felt comfortable.
Changed the board to a Hokua9.3 wich felt immediately like my own board but better in the Surf.
After a long doubt I commited to a few weeks of Pasta, bread and peanut butter only ;) and bought today a 2th hand Hokua9.0 that looks like new except one easy to repair ding.
Its just a tad wider and 8l more volume as the 8.5 but that makes a big diff!




Naish stated on the website that they are bassicly the same boards, but modified to suit different weights, seen them together it makes sense to me. They look almost identical (the 9.0 a tad more gunnier), both small and as true rippers.

Also something to keep in mind is that a Naish feels always a bit lower as quoted while Starboards have more volume as quoted.
I don,t know about the SUP,s but a 81l windsurfboard from Starboard is in real always a 3-5l more.
Thats no problem at all when you stay with one brand, but if you switch, one 125l board can be a lot smaller as another 125l ;)

Now if that white stuff we call snow and ice can dissapear, the teprature changes from minus7 till+ and a bit of swell come in I can try my new part of the family

Ok, so this is more what I was talkin about.

If there is someone else keen to help me don't hesitate. I really apreciate it!!!

Like I said, i'd really like to try the 8'5, but missed the only chance I had this far.
Anyway, I'm a guy who likes being challenged, and I wonder if this board would be the right one to keep me on 90 kg.

As for the 9'0, I tried it last year at a time I was riding the PSH 9'3 ripper which is the best board I owned for bigger surf. At the time, I was 98-100Kg, plus 3.2 wettie and felt that the board was sinking more than the PSH (as expected), but it was actually more stable. Super efficient, easy to stand on even in 45 km/h offshore wind and a frickin dream on the wave. Compared to my PSH, it as a lot more surfier, easier to throw around, a lot easier to set a on-rail turn and a lot better to surf on my backhand. I felt that due to the pronounced kick tail it was actually easy to hit the lip vertically on my backhand.

For a long time was was kind of tempted on the 9'0 but then I lost my mind and got a brushed carbon pocket rocket, which is an amazing board for small, fat gutless waves. Super light, easy to throw around due to its lightness and super loose on the wave. Nose rides, helicopters, 360s, reverses... just fun.

It accelerates faster than anything i've tried on crappy surf.

But back to the 9'0, at 90 kg, i'm sure you're gonna be totally stoked on the board.

Have fun,
Johnny

Hi johnny

I'm weighing in at 105 and have jumped on my wife's 8'5" quite often. On a clean day I do o.k but add a little wind, no good. I don't think at my weight I could ever feel too comfortable on it and if you add a decent swell then I would probably be spending more time trying to balance than on a wave.

having said that have tried a 8'10" fanatic pro wave and loved it. More volume though however more stable than the 8'5"

james

Thanks for your input James!

Which board do you usually ride?

911 psh ripper & 92 fanatic pro wave

Hi Jonny
Just going to throw my experience into the mix: I'm 80kg & 6' , and have a son who's 70kg with a Hokua 8'5. I'm obviously not as good as you , but have been SUPing for 4 years. I have a McTavish 9'0 ( 29" x about 130L) which I love - stable yet slashy. If I'd have bought the 8'5 for myself I'd have sold it after the first session - difficulty setting up for a wave due to the instability was particularly frustrating. BUT - after 5-6 sessions on it I am a total convert. My son loves it and rarely lets me have a go if we're out together. I've found that I'm now used to the instability - it is still unstable - but I don't fall off much, only once in an hour out yesterday. When you're on a wave it is pure joy. The shape really works , but you'll find it takes a few session to suss out how to stay on it - particularly in chop. Steve