Hi DJ
That review was on the Hobie 12'6 Elite which has a width of 28.8 inches. The Hobie 12'6 Race is a little narrower at 27'7 inches. Give Scott a call and try them both out, you have been wanting to for some time. I would love to hear your thoughts.
DJ, thanks to Gords I had the opportunity to paddle the 12'6 (27" wide) in the Bridge to Beach last month. Whilst my skill and the conditions didn't yield a great result, the board is superb. I have raced in flat water against a Bark and in my humble opinion the Hobie is quicker - it has great glide like its 14ft big brother. It is also excellent on ocean runners, the wave piercing nose and water dispersing deck make it really predictable on down winders and in chop. It is well finished and the build is A1; really the only thing it lacks is more traction on the back deck - easily remedied with a some deck tape (like the one I paddled) or an application of Monster Paint Traction.
I'd like some feedback on the Hobie particularly if it surfs 1' to shoulder high well, or not.
Thanks
I took the new 12'6" Hobie for a spin and really liked it.. It's fast and stable.
To be honest I don't think it's as fast as my 14' Javelin but it is a longer board and more tippy.
I can't imagine using it in waves or surf but you never know.
I'm sure Dogman can do it but you would want to be careful and remember the board's not made for that.
Here's a few picture that I've not posted before.. It's a great looking board and great quallity.
DJ
Hey DJ would I be correct in assuming that the hobie is noticably faster than the starby 12.6 x 29.5 ?
Great pics of Jason.. I've seen Jacko doing the same on the Jav but some people just have enough talent to make anything work in the surf..
DJ
The Hobie race boards have rolled rails (round shaped)
until 18 inches from the tail.Then it changes to sharper rails(right angle shaped)
This shape ( to this shape L.
You need to have your back foot where the sharp rail
is to turn.(otherwise the board slips sideways as the rounded rail can't bite into the wave.)
Standing so far back lifts most of the board out of the water.It's great to surf a 14footer with only 2foot of it in the water.
On fatter more rolling sections you then walk forward to the deck pad and back again in steeper sections.
In the pics DJ put up I think the deckgrip doesn't go back far enough. I have monster grip all the way back as my back
foot is usually further back than where that grip finishes. Monster grip won't hold water
and weighs nothing, lugging a wet full deck grip around a 10km race may make a diff. That's why the Hobie deck grip is
shaped and contoured the way it is.
Fin type is interesting as the narrower longer type of fin
loses drive when turning tightly and creates a vortex behind
the tail which is startlingly loud. Putting a broader based fin
enables drivier turns.(horses for courses)
Surfing a race board at an overhead sucky reef break is obviously
inviting death but, as BOP style racing is growing, and hitting the beach right between the finishing posts could make a diff.
Like doing burnouts in a van.
It's fun cause ya shouldn't be able to do it!
looks very surfable to me. got to have a go on one of this puppies
looking at the vid, sure, it has a piercing nose, but as the man said, to goes to flat pretty quickly, so i look at the shape along with the hobie 'piercing to flat'- yeah, no worries.
imo if you can't surf a dw 12'6 board, it's not worth getting
cheers
Danny & I will have the new 2011 Hobie Elite 12'6 (28.8 wide) and 14' Race at the Kawana Speed Series tomorrow afternoon if any Sunshine Coasters (QLD) want to have a look at them or demo them after we use them in the time trial.
Should be better conditions this week than last weeks 25 knot head winds !!
Come say hi
I'd really like a comparison of the Hobie 12'6'' Elite and the narrower Elite Race if someone has a crack at both of these back to back, particularly
Paddle speed
Stability
Surfability
for 68kg with some surfing and paddleing experience.
Thanks
Gday Aussie,
Bit of a coincidence I've got a demo 12'6'' Elite Race at the moment and I think it's a great allrounder but its a little hard to make a solid choice without trying both, although the general opinion so far by others, at my weight would be the Race.
Thanks for your reply, and look forward to any feedback.......