Hello, I bought a Starboard Gen R in November 2024. It is 14 ft, 23 inch. I think that there might be a problem with the board, maybe in construction or perhaps the fin box as it doesn't track properly.
I have paddled it now over 20 times and have found that I am able to paddle only about 6 -10 strokes on my right side before needing to changed to the left on which I have to paddle over 30 strokes to have the board heading the right direction. As soon as I start paddling on my right, it verves to the left very quickly. I have been out in very calm conditions as well as some less calm and done lots of tests, paddling towards markers to check this issue. I am also an experienced paddler, with many hours on the water and I have also paddled on a range of race boards and I have never had this problem before. I can normally average about 20 strokes on each side.
I took it to a guy, recommended by Starboard and he reckons that the fin box is straight, and thought it was the fin. But I have paddled with different fins, and still think it doesn't track properly.
Wondering if anyone has ever had an issue like this? I am having trouble convincing Starboard that there is a problem and would like to know how I can demonstrate it. I am getting a friend to paddle it to double check their experience with it, but the the shop I bought it off/through are saying that it is unlikely Starboard would accept a warranty claim based on the 'testament of other users'. Which is kind of annoying, because if multiple users are saying there is a problem, isn't that proof there is something wrong, even if I don't know what the actual problem is....
anyway. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I will say, I love the board, but I'd love it more if it went straight!!
thanks.
Just push the board on flat water, you can record a video on it and see if it goes straight.
Add some weight (water-filled basins, rocks, etc) to have it sit better in its water lines + adding inertia for a longer ride.
That's I guess the only objective way to demonstrate a flaw.
At the start of the video show the board upside down to show that you are using the factory fin, and the hull bears no trick.
PS: I would check first the fin box alignment by putting a 1cm wide plank (plywood, cutting board, ...) into the finbox to have a flat surface to put a (long) ruler (wood beam) along its side.
Thinking of it, maybe something in your paddling movement (a subtle roll? a rock+roll ?) makes the hull of this specific board react strongly, causing yaw. And this may not have happened with your other board hull shapes.
I.e. rolling a board to the right may make it turn more or less to the left depending on its shape.
Try paddling with your body as still as possible to check this, e.g sitting down with a kayak paddle?
Or just sit on your board and pull yourself forward with a rope tied to a buoy or the beach.
Are your feet parallel, off centre or one slighly forward of the other?
Also are you stronger on one side when you are paddling than the other
I would say it's more likely to be your paddling style/technique than the board itself.
I got one of these during the summer because I found a brilliant deal on a demo model and I wanted something for fitness training on the flat days that can cover distance, since I was getting bored of paddling around in circles on the 8.2 Pro for fitnesss and stability training.
I don't know if there is something particularly wrong with your board, or your technique, but I haven't noticed any tracking issues with mine.
