I'm thinking of buying one of these, and looking for other people's experience with these or similar boards.

Anyone had a chance to try these on the ocean?
I tried Kode 112 on the river, and it worked well. I was also quite interested in a 115 S-Type at Reg's (which is not gone...).

...Or suggest an alternative good ocean board between 110 and 118L, with a single rear strap option?

Thanks in advance...

Something to bear in mind is the S-Type's rather unorthodox volume to width ratio.
I have the 104 and 126 S-Types and their widths are 60 and 67cm. They are fantastic freeride boards for the larger sized sailor. They feel much smaller than their volume would suggest.

Obelix

I've got a 5 year old 104L S-type and love it . It's excellent in moderate and fresh winds and chop < 1 metres. It's my "bread and butter" board. I run it in the ocean straps out and back, and use a 33cm B&J fin. Although, there's a bit of a knack to get them on the plane and make them go fast and up wind.

Shear tip: Interesting observations, cheers . Just a question: Is the "104L:" rating of my board a virtual volume ?. If so, what's the real volume of my board ?

J

Great info guys.
BTW, I'm and advanced beginner, about 97-98kg.

A friend fron the GPS team rides an under 100L S-Type and he is 5-10kg heavier.
He is really good though and I'm not

It's excellent in moderate and fresh winds and chop < 1 metres.
The speed is less important to me, but the ridability in exactly these conditions is paramount, so this is encouraging.

Check out the ISAF website for actual board volumes. The 126 S-Type is actually 123 litres. My 2005 104 S-Type is 103 litres, but the 2007 104 S-Type is 105 litres.

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul!

source: http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/ISAFListSlalom-[8370].pdf

[edit]: copy 'n' paste the above link for it to work correctly

Select to expand quote

shear tip said...

Check out the ISAF website for actual board volumes. The 126 S-Type is actually 123 litres. My 2005 104 S-Type is 103 litres, but the 2007 104 S-Type is 105 litres.

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul!

source: http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/ISAFListSlalom-[8370].pdf

[edit]: copy 'n' paste the above link for it to work correctly

Now that's an interesting page.
So the S-Type 115 I wanted to buy is actually 117. It would have been perfect...

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul!
...I coudl not uphaul the 7.5m on 131: Carve

I'm exactly your weight...today, but have had no experience with these boards but have short listed both as my future "big guys" wave board. For some reason I'm leaning towards the Kode, maybe their vid's have done their job, they seem to be able to cover everything I'd like to get into.

And on the other hand I'm also keen on a Exocet-Kona 10.5-11.5 so go figure. (shrugs)

Select to expand quote

nosinkanow said...

I'm exactly your weight...today, but have had no experience with these boards but have short listed both as my future "big guys" wave board. For some reason I'm leaning towards the Kode, maybe their vid's have done their job, they seem to be able to cover everything I'd like to get into.

And on the other hand I'm also keen on a Exocet-Kona 10.5-11.5 so go figure. (shrugs)

Kode video? The Starboard one?
The problem is you never see the video of the size you want to buy. It's always a 70kg guy on the small size board.
Still, I did like Kode 112, although at my weight, it needed good 7m sail to move in 16-20 knts.

Select to expand quote

Obelix said...
Kode video? The Starboard one?
The problem is you never see the video of the size you want to buy. It's always a 70kg guy on the small size board.
Still, I did like Kode 112, although at my weight, it needed good 7m sail to move in 16-20 knts.

I did a google on the Kode and their promo came up "Starboard Kode 2010 Action Video.mp4", there's some shots of lightweights on smaller volume Kode's ripping it up in the surf but also a brief flatwater blast on what looks like one of the bigger volume boards (woody version). The 2011 promo just shows lightweights jumping and wave slashing which tells me nothing about the larger volumes.

After reading about the similar rail and rocker lines shared in the Kode family, albeit the 114+ litres ones being wider, I guessed if the little fellas can be sailed aggresively in waves the larger ones should too, hence me thinking a "big guys" wave board?

In comparison I recently acquired an '04? Fanatic X-Cross 140 (135 litres) and only just started blasting around with it with a 7.5 Ezzy Freeride on flatwater in a minimum of 15 knots solid, in gusty conditions I shlogg. I'm also guessing in bumpy outside swell, as yet untried, it'll become a handful as its got a tiny bit of V at the tail and a very featureless bottom. It''ll bounce around at speed in chop. Hence me looking around for a future board, the Kode's got more wave rails and lots more V under the straps to the tail, good stuff for chop and of course waves with not too much rocker that it takes forever to plane.

You'd no doubt have more sailing days than I would with a Kode 112/114 in WA...our winds suck in NSW for heavier guys. Hence me thinking wave longboards from Exocet.

What fins do you have on your existing board.
http://www.tabou-boards.com/boards/2011/boards/3s i choose this one because i had 600$ worth of fins already that came of a mistral..
they are both good boards but think of the bigger picture with the fins
dont do what i did and end up with 4 boards with 3 different types of fin boxes.
now i just run single turtle low wind high volume or wave lock style high wind low volume..

I did a review of my use of the kode on my blog
www.redsurfbus.com/2011/01/starboard-kode-112l-review.html

Not ridden the s-type, but would recommend the kode112 as an all rounder that is pretty good in most conditions for me at 85-90kg.

I wouldn't recommend an S-Type as a wave board, they have very flat rockers. Big guy's freeride board on the other hand...

Select to expand quote

Obelix said...

shear tip said...

Check out the ISAF website for actual board volumes. The 126 S-Type is actually 123 litres. My 2005 104 S-Type is 103 litres, but the 2007 104 S-Type is 105 litres.

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul!

source: http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/ISAFListSlalom-[8370].pdf

[edit]: copy 'n' paste the above link for it to work correctly

Now that's an interesting page.
So the S-Type 115 I wanted to buy is actually 117. It would have been perfect...

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul! ...I coudl not uphaul the 7.5m on 131: Carve

I cant uphaul my 95ltre board & Im only 64kgs..although Ive havent tried a lot

Select to expand quote

sboardcrazy said...
I cant uphaul my 95ltre board & Im only 64kgs..although Ive havent tried a lot

Obviously you have plenty of volume to uphaul based on your your weight, but other things come into play as well. It depends how the volume is dstributed over the length, and width comes into it a lot - all together it give you the extra stability to aid uphaul.
With most lower volume boards, primarily designed to be high wind boards, uphaul stability is not usually in the design breif.

Select to expand quote

busterwa said...

What fins do you have on your existing board.
http://www.tabou-boards.com/boards/2011/boards/3s i choose this one because i had 600$ worth of fins already that came of a mistral..
they are both good boards but think of the bigger picture with the fins
dont do what i did and end up with 4 boards with 3 different types of fin boxes.
now i just run single turtle low wind high volume or wave lock style high wind low volume..

Interesting looking board. Forgot to mention, I'm actually looking for a SH board.
Fin wise, I have a 33cm American Box on Bombora, 48cm Deep Tuttle on the Carve, and a previous board leftover 34 JP weed Power Box...
I like the Power box the best, but the buy often depends on the budget constraint, and the board you want is not always available SH.

I'm still breaking the boards, so a brand new board with a nose broken would be hearthbreaking .

Select to expand quote

redsurfbus said...

I did a review of my use of the kode on my blog
www.redsurfbus.com/2011/01/starboard-kode-112l-review.html

Not ridden the s-type, but would recommend the kode112 as an all rounder that is pretty good in most conditions for me at 85-90kg.

Incidentally, read it yesterday, and it was encouraging.

Select to expand quote

I wouldn't recommend an S-Type as a wave board, they have very flat rockers. Big guy's freeride board on the other hand.

I think, both of these boards will be on the wish list and whichever comes first. A bit of preference to the Kode, as I had a chance to rent it out.

Select to expand quote

sboardcrazy said...

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul!

Can you believe the 93 is actually 99 litres? Thats the difference between waterstart only and uphaul! ...I coudl not uphaul the 7.5m on 131: Carve

I cant uphaul my 95ltre board & Im only 64kgs..although Ive havent tried a lot

I can uphaul 6.8m in the chop. 7.5m makes it a sinker (too much sail resistance in the water). Can uphaul both on the river.
Still, prefer to wait for a bit of wind and waterstart it.

Anyway, I would not expect to uphaul anything on 112-115L board.

Select to expand quote

busterwa said...

What fins do you have on your existing board.
http://www.tabou-boards.com/boards/2011/boards/3s i choose this one because i had 600$ worth of fins already that came of a mistral..
they are both good boards but think of the bigger picture with the fins
dont do what i did and end up with 4 boards with 3 different types of fin boxes.
now i just run single turtle low wind high volume or wave lock style high wind low volume..

You talkin' to me? (with a bad impression of Robert De Niro)

If me I have a Caveman Freeride II 42cm on the X-Cross, it's a Powerbox and yes I'm trying to stay with Powerbox fins as I already have 2 boards with them. The Kode uses a US box.

Thanks for the link, useful information as I want to have a play with the local speed guys as well and be competitive. Just need TOW.

Select to expand quote

DavMen said...

sboardcrazy said...
I cant uphaul my 95ltre board & Im only 64kgs..although Ive havent tried a lot

Obviously you have plenty of volume to uphaul based on your your weight, but other things come into play as well. It depends how the volume is dstributed over the length, and width comes into it a lot - all together it give you the extra stability to aid uphaul.
With most lower volume boards, primarily designed to be high wind boards, uphaul stability is not usually in the design breif.

Especially when your stuffed..

Select to expand quote

shear tip said...

I wouldn't recommend an S-Type as a wave board, they have very flat rockers. Big guy's freeride board on the other hand...

I'll second that. I have a 93 S-Type.

Great for ocean blasting (got a 30 knot nautical mile on mine at Safety Bay last week), but too bloody quick to use as a waveboard.

And the rocker is way too flat, hence the speed.

For allround ocean sailing I'd go the Kode unless speed is a priority. Love my S-Type, but I'd describe it as a fairly advanced free ride option.

Might be a bit more progrssive in the larger sizes?