Just unwrapped my new 2015 Starboard Ace 14x25, only problem is I will have to wait until tomorrow to paddle it.

Do you use this board/model for most of your racing etc? downwind?

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PhilBennett said..
Do you use this board/model for most of your racing etc? downwind?

He sleeps in too ha ha think it's his board of choice all round might be able to change his mind if I get out in front of him one day

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PhilBennett said..
Do you use this board/model for most of your racing etc? downwind?

This will be my main board for DWing, although I also have my eye on an SIC Bullet. Flat water I will get a dedicated flat water board.

Wow, got mine out the box yesterday and today huey gives me a 25 knot seabreeze to test it out. It does feel different. More volume in the forward half, quite a bit. Deeper dugout and different deck grip, smooth pad, slightly less rocker also. The deeper tray and the vents seem to keep the dugout a bit dryer than older models. I did get one wave break into it and wow, it holds some water. That's pretty rare. I think it feels more stable and the new rocker seems to accelerate into runners quicker and it seems to stay planning longer so u have more time to link another. The smoother deck pad makes slight foot adjustments easier. With more volume up front, I am surprised that this new shape seems not to plough into the trough as much, I think that's due to that extra volume. Overall I am impressed. They have managed to make something already very very good even better.

Wow, got mine out the box yesterday and today huey gives me a 25 knot seabreeze to test it out. It does feel different. More volume in the forward half, quite a bit. Deeper dugout and different deck grip, smooth pad, slightly less rocker also. The deeper tray and the vents seem to keep the dugout a bit dryer than older models. I did get one wave break into it and wow, it holds some water. That's pretty rare. I think it feels more stable and the new rocker seems to accelerate into runners quicker and it seems to stay planning longer so u have more time to link another. The smoother deck pad makes slight foot adjustments easier. With more volume up front, I am surprised that this new shape seems not to plough into the trough as much, I think that's due to that extra volume. Overall I am impressed. They have managed to make something already very very good even better.

Wow, got mine out the box yesterday and today huey gives me a 25 knot seabreeze to test it out. It does feel different. More volume in the forward half, quite a bit. Deeper dugout and different deck grip, smooth pad, slightly less rocker also. The deeper tray and the vents seem to keep the dugout a bit dryer than older models. I did get one wave break into it and wow, it holds some water. That's pretty rare. I think it feels more stable and the new rocker seems to accelerate into runners quicker and it seems to stay planning longer so u have more time to link another. The smoother deck pad makes slight foot adjustments easier. With more volume up front, I am surprised that this new shape seems not to plough into the trough as much, I think that's due to that extra volume. Overall I am impressed. They have managed to make something already very very good even better.

Is there an echo in here?

in here?

in here?

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Zeusman said..
Is there an echo in here?

in here?

in here?

I didn't know which one of Scott's posts to green thumb, so I green thumbed them all. Sounds like Brian Szymansky's legacy lives on at Starboard.

Bit of an ipad glitch there!

Took my GPS out to see how my times compare on my usual run. 2 minuites quicker. Ave speed 11.4 km/hr. Not bad, not elite but thats just the engine, not the baord!

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Scotty Mac said..
Wow, got mine out the box yesterday and today huey gives me a 25 knot seabreeze to test it out. It does feel different. More volume in the forward half, quite a bit. Deeper dugout and different deck grip, smooth pad, slightly less rocker also. The deeper tray and the vents seem to keep the dugout a bit dryer than older models. I did get one wave break into it and wow, it holds some water. That's pretty rare. I think it feels more stable and the new rocker seems to accelerate into runners quicker and it seems to stay planning longer so u have more time to link another. The smoother deck pad makes slight foot adjustments easier. With more volume up front, I am surprised that this new shape seems not to plough into the trough as much, I think that's due to that extra volume. Overall I am impressed. They have managed to make something already very very good even better.

Thanks for the useful info. Good to hear it's more stable and faster.

When you mention that there's quite a bit more volume in the forward half, is the nose thicker or wider or both? Maybe the reduced rocker adds volume on the nose bottom while the top deck of the nose maintained its line.

Is the 2015 Ace any harder to surf than the older model? With the reduced rocker and with the rear standing area slightly sloping down, I was wondering if this affected the surfability and ease of raising the nose to get over bumps.

I have the 2013 14x23.5 Ace and it's my favourite board.

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Scotty Mac said..
Took my GPS out to see how my times compare on my usual run. 2 minuites quicker. Ave speed 11.4 km/hr. Not bad, not elite but thats just the engine, not the baord!

How long is your usual run - either in km or time? I'm assuming it was in downwind conditions - if so, how windy? Thanks.

Howdy Argosi,
Yep, downwind conditions, 20-25knot sea breeze in the gulf here. The run is about 7.5 km and it was 36 minuites I did it in, i have to check the exact distance, be still on the garmin. 38 mins was my quickest time previously. Yep the foward part is a bit higher so it almost looks like the old 27 wide board but squashed into 25. The tray is cut lower and the nose and rocker is re-designed. The new nose and rcoker seems to handle that step that you sometimes get in front of chop and feels more confident driving over it. Overall the design has improved for sure. Its would be intersting to see the new 23 also.