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Pakenham South, VIC, 3810
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Forums > Stand Up Paddle   Board Talk & Reviews

Naish Nalu 10'6.5 as a noserider???

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Created by supthecreek > 9 months ago, 8 Jul 2013
supthecreek
2676 posts
8 Jul 2013 2:18AM
Thumbs Up

Looking for feedback from anyone who own the 10'6.5

My interest in this board:
I am searching for a good, fairly high performance, "longboard" SUP
I want a board that rides well on the nose... good control, solid feel.

I recently bought an 11' board as a tester... not bad... but maybe too much board. Still searching.
I am reluctant to drop down to a 10' board for this... I already have an 8'10... don't want them too close in size.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Jimmy29
38 posts
8 Jul 2013 4:35AM
Thumbs Up

See if you can demo a Laird Pearson 10'6, it could be just the board you're looking for
I had one for a year - great board - not tried the Naish.

Flying High
NSW, 217 posts
8 Jul 2013 11:14AM
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I don't have a long board background and still ride short boards in good surf.
I find the 10'6.5 easy to get up on the nose and it has a really nice pin shaped tail, which if you weight up makes it manoeuvrable.
I do think the standard side fins are too large and it performs better for me without them or a smaller GX fin but bear in mind I am 80kg.
I don't know what the other board you are referring to is and to be honest without riding it I couldn't give a fair comparison.
Having said that I think the Naish 10'6.5 is a classic shape, it feels right under feet and is definitely a keeper for me.

supthecreek
2676 posts
8 Jul 2013 11:48AM
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The Laird has never excited me... just personal preference.

FH - Thanks....I agree about the side bites.. I have found that I like a bigger single fin when longboard SUPing, which means I can get the cheaper GS model
I can relate to your comment that it feels "right" under foot... I get that... It's what I'm looking for.

vee8
NSW, 64 posts
8 Jul 2013 4:32PM
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I took out the side fins on my 10`6.5 nalu and fitted a large 10" longboard hatchet fin, makes the board an awsome nose rider, it also holds the tail in solid on sucky sections. Reckon the nalu is a classic longboard shape

colas
5158 posts
8 Jul 2013 3:46PM
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For a noserider my opinion is that you want:
- thin, low volume rails, especially in the nose, 50/50 or classic depending on your tastes.
- low front rocker
- semi-pointed nose outline for fast waves, more round or square for slow waves
- generous tail rocker

I have only tried a 2011 10'6" nalu (I understand the newer ones may be a tad less bulky), but I found it having too much volume to offer a performance ride. The rails have so much volume you cannot use them as a "wing" to plane on it foil-like in the wave on the nose. It has a good outline and tail rocker, but the rails, especially in the front section are too bulky. It is a good board, but for performance there are much better choices in my opinion.

Begin by taking your weight in kg, add 30 liters and you should have the volume you should seek in a board for performance (110l for a 80g guy). More volume and you will most likely feel that there is "too much board". Less volume is doable, knowing that you will tire faster in chop. Then, look at the rail volume in the front and you should have a good rule to select appropriate boards.

Trying to find a pic of a non-Gong board for example, found this of Rob Machado, now this is what I call performance rails on the nose ! (but too much rocker for my taste)

surfinJ
674 posts
8 Jul 2013 8:44PM
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If you can, try a PSH 10-6. When I swapped once with a naish it didn't feel as naturally surfy.
Tail looks thick to me.

Pieces of 8 has a 11x31 that nose rides and performs. The 10-6x28 or 30 is also great for performance and nose riding.
Must be a bunch of other longsup shapers out there, just gotta find them.

10' and under feel less longboard, more like the prone hybrid.

Tassiedevel
TAS, 2249 posts
9 Jul 2013 11:18AM
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Looking at longboard type SUPs myself , the Nalu 10 6.5 at 160 liters is a bit too much volume for me .weigh 75 kg .

Anybody tried the Nalu 9 foot , wondering how stable it is at 27 3/4 wide , sounds nice though .

Tried the Jimmy Lewis striker 8 11 in flat water , very nice board , felt instantly at home on it , reminded me very much of my favourite longboard .

Flying High
NSW, 217 posts
9 Jul 2013 5:38PM
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Select to expand quote
Tassiedevel said..

Looking at longboard type SUPs myself , the Nalu 10 6.5 at 160 liters is a bit too much volume for me .weigh 75 kg .

Anybody tried the Nalu 9 foot , wondering how stable it is at 27 3/4 wide , sounds nice though .

Tried the Jimmy Lewis striker 8 11 in flat water , very nice board , felt instantly at home on it , reminded me very much of my favourite longboard .


Yes it has a lot of volume and it may not suit you, but there are some boards that feel just right and this is one of them.
There were a lot of retailers and general riders I spoke to prior to getting this board and they all said the same thing, it's a great board.
Demo one if you can.

jusrelax
QLD, 17 posts
9 Jul 2013 6:02PM
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Have you considered the coreban icon looks like a good nose rider not a classic longboard shape though . I've been looking for a longer sup for those fun days a bit of an allrounder the coreban caught my eye. My other board is a 8/8 jp .cheers

Sollies
WA, 12 posts
9 Jul 2013 11:19PM
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I know you don't want to drop to 10 ft but I have been loving the Starboard Nose rider as a long board.
Great pin tail and a joy on the nose in any conditions.
Still have my short board at 8'11 and a 12'6 race/cruiser.
I think Waldren is doing a nose rider also.

Slab
1111 posts
10 Jul 2013 3:02AM
Thumbs Up

You need some of these - real noseriders!

www.gong-galaxy.com/magazine/news/

I'd like a shot on the Laird too.....

Bolero
NSW, 57 posts
14 Jul 2013 9:02PM
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The nalu can get a little slippery on the nose,i am not saying you can not ride there but just be aware of how it is constructed .

supthecreek
2676 posts
15 Jul 2013 2:13AM
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Bolero
do you mean slippery as in: no pad.... needs grip?
or:
slips on wave face because the shape does not hold well on wave face while on the nose?

I expect to put nose treatment on any board to enhance grip.

DavidJohn
VIC, 17509 posts
15 Jul 2013 10:33AM
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Select to expand quote
supthecreek said..

Bolero
do you mean slippery as in: no pad.... needs grip?
or:
slips on wave face because the shape does not hold well on wave face while on the nose?

I expect to put nose treatment on any board to enhance grip.


Needs grip..

DJ

Flying High
NSW, 217 posts
15 Jul 2013 6:15PM
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Select to expand quote
supthecreek said..

Bolero
do you mean slippery as in: no pad.... needs grip?
or:
slips on wave face because the shape does not hold well on wave face while on the nose?

I expect to put nose treatment on any board to enhance grip.


I put surf wax on the front of mine rather than grip and that's fine

Bolero
NSW, 57 posts
15 Jul 2013 7:50PM
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Yeah sorry,as mentioned by DJ and Flying High,needs grip or wax on that front deck to help keep you on the board longer.

Simondo
VIC, 8020 posts
15 Jul 2013 10:18PM
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Select to expand quote
colas said..


Great photo!

Do you want to discuss nose ride mechanics? This pics has it! (Even though Rob is not on the nose!)

At the mid point, the wave face is "lifting" up... You can even see it... look closely. This 'lift' is what you want when you are on the nose...
When on the nose, you want the lifting face under that rail, right up front, and you actually want the 'folding down' wave, forcing the tail down... It's like a see-saw... It's mesmerising!

Ask Lacey, he knows, he's a Longboarder!

supthecreek
2676 posts
16 Jul 2013 12:35PM
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Thanks for all your input!

Today I went out at y local break.... small glassy little peelers... and there is a guy on a 10'6.5 Nalu

Can I try it? ... Sure!

I really liked the feel of it... good paddler, comfortable under foot, and it was very easy to turn in very small waves (1')
It had no nose treatment or leash, so I just tested it turnability... it was great... could "S" turn in the hook with little effort, stepping back and using the new increased tail rocker. I ventured forward of the pad enough to feel the nose... it should be fine with some grip.

I was riding my 8'10 at the time, and the adjustment was no biggie.

I think it's my next "Long" board

Fredup
6 posts
28 Jul 2013 2:47AM
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well, you could always come down and give my 9-6 tipsup a go. i started off riding it with a 10" pivot fin and had a hard time w/ the board. more recently, i've dropped down to a 9.5" relatively thin and sweptback fin, kind of like a greenough 4a, and it improved the board a bunch. stability while paddling is better, turning on the wave is better, and noseriding (if that's what you can call my feeble attempts) is not messed up by it at all. pretty cool! plus, it's got everything colas mentioned: thin rails, hardly any nose rocker, and a good bit of tail rocker. i'm loving the thing.

supthecreek
2676 posts
28 Jul 2013 4:20AM
Thumbs Up

Fredup
Nice!
My buddy "Linter" from the "zone" has the same exact board.
I surf with him a bunch in the off season. I pretty much surf around home in the summer, so I have not made the trek to his state since he got it.
I should be down his way in September to give it a go. I look forward to it!

KennyK
QLD, 395 posts
28 Jul 2013 10:24AM
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Hi Mate,
I have been a longboarder for probably 20 years now and recently demo'd the 10.65 Nalu. I found it to be super, super stable for my 88kg frame, and as a noserider I was surprised at how well it held in through a particularly critical section when I was on the nose. Surprised because I wouldn't have expected it because it does have chunky rails through the middle of the board. Naish have built up the rail volume to aid stability. But that goes against the grain for a noserider because you want the water that flows from beneath the board to wrap over onto the deck in order to hold the tail down. That is why classic noseriders have 50/50 rails and are fairly thin, some even have chimed rails. You don't want the water to release from the rail as a hard edge will allow.
I had a Starby Drive which I found to be a decent nose rider, it has softer rails forward of the fins than the Nalu and not as chunky even though they are still rather chunky.
Although I am still yet to get a demo on one, I consider the Hobie CM LB range to be the best looking longboard style sup around. They have a deck that chamfers down to reasonably thin rails, classic longboard plan shape, single into double concave. The rails have a harder edge toward the tail than a classic noserider, but I suspect that it won't be too much, to stop it being a good noserider.
There is always a trade off, harder rails = faster & quicker acceleration, more drive, superior hold in steep, fast walls.
Softer rails = slower, (in terms of a long board allows the board to hold back in the pocket rather than accelerating out of there, you want to hold back in the pocket to set up for your noseride), easier to turn, easier rail to rail. Not the best in long hollow waves as the rails don't hold too well in the face, and the board is often too slow to make the fast sections.
This description is only to give you an idea as these are really the 2 extremes, there are combinations and variations that fall somewhere in between.
It's about knowing what you specifically want from your board and in what conditions. Also where you are prepared to compromise, because if you are are like most of us you will only have 1 or maybe 2 boards to handle everything. Whereas in reality, if you want the perfect board for every style of riding and every different type of surf you will encounter you will require a vast quiver.
Well, that was a rather long winded reply, hope you find it useful.
Regards,
Ken.

supthecreek
2676 posts
28 Jul 2013 12:19PM
Thumbs Up

Kenny
Great reply.... thanks. Classic noseriding is an art and requires different equipment. That has been the difficult part of the quest... hard to find the right mix. Thanks for you views on the 10'6.5 and the Hobie CM LB... I'll check it out.

colas
5158 posts
28 Jul 2013 4:41PM
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KennyK said..Whereas in reality, if you want the perfect board for every style of riding and every different type of surf you will encounter you will require a vast quiver.


So true.... for instance Gong has 4 "classic noserider" production models with varying rocker lines and shapes, in order to adapt to waves of different speed:
From front to back:
10'10" large board with a general shape for slow waves, but a nose thinned out for better handling in more hollow or fast conditions
10'1' square nose, maximum lift for slow waves
9'9" with tail & nose streamlined for noserides at speed on fast hollow waves
9'6" a bit like the 10'10", but with less inertia (I had it during one year)



And this is only for the "retro" noserider lines. There are other lines for performance noseriders...

I am not trying to say promote Gong, just saying thet there are many, many kind of possible "longboard" shapes...

BrisKites
QLD, 1292 posts
2 Aug 2013 4:16PM
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supthecreek
2676 posts
6 Aug 2013 12:09PM
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Great shot BrisKites!

Homeally
VIC, 409 posts
7 Aug 2013 12:06PM
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Video Footage of Beau Nixon shredding with the 10'6.5 GS. In it, He throws buckets and nose rides into a Helicopter. Yeah, safe to say one of the best boards Naish have developed.




Also here is a shot of Beau nose riding the sucker




Photo courtesy of Homeally Photographics and Naish Australia

supthecreek
2676 posts
7 Aug 2013 11:39AM
Thumbs Up

Thanks Homeally

Slab
1111 posts
8 Aug 2013 4:04AM
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colas said..

KennyK said..Whereas in reality, if you want the perfect board for every style of riding and every different type of surf you will encounter you will require a vast quiver.


So true.... for instance Gong has 4 "classic noserider" production models with varying rocker lines and shapes, in order to adapt to waves of different speed:
From front to back:
10'10" large board with a general shape for slow waves, but a nose thinned out for better handling in more hollow or fast conditions
10'1' square nose, maximum lift for slow waves
9'9" with tail & nose streamlined for noserides at speed on fast hollow waves
9'6" a bit like the 10'10", but with less inertia (I had it during one year)



And this is only for the "retro" noserider lines. There are other lines for performance noseriders...

I am not trying to say promote Gong, just saying thet there are many, many kind of possible "longboard" shapes...


Coolas - think the Soul looks a nice noserider but the only things putting me off all the designs is the noserocker - looks so low I reckon I may well get a bit frustrated....just nice to have a bit of lift to make things a bit easier. Fine of course if you have nice long clean waves.

colas
5158 posts
9 Aug 2013 4:40AM
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Select to expand quote
Slab said..
the only things putting me off all the designs is the noserocker - looks so low I reckon I may well get a bit frustrated...


Actually, When I first saw these kind of boards, I was thinking the same thing... no way I will be able to keep this nose over the surface. But in fact, the boards has rocker, but "hidden" more in the middle and the tail. And once on the water, it works!
The benefit of a low entry rocker is glide, and not pushing water when you go to the nose, so you can actually ride the nose by carving in the wave face with the inside rail, and react to wave changes by piloting the rail.

Of course, you will not want such a rocker for a "performance longboard" shape. But for a noserider, it works surprisingly well in a lot of conditions.


djansen
QLD, 77 posts
9 Aug 2013 11:26AM
Thumbs Up

I have both the 11.4 Nalu and just recently purchased the 10.6 GT 2013 formally the (10.6.5 2012). I road this board (10.6.5) last season on a demo from Ocean Addicts on the Sunshine Coast.

The 11.4 although probably the most versatile board for Flat Water, Family Fun and surf I found to be a bit too big for my everyday surfer.

I just purchased the 10.6 GT (From Ocean Addicts thanks guys for the advice and my painfully lengthy enquiries) and sooo glad I did coming from a plethora of 9.1 - 9.2 mals of all shapes and sizes and Noosa being my home break I just got out of the water this morning and although small the 10.6 performed extremely well. Nice stability, nice sunken deck, rails are nice and don't grab. The fins come standard M7 but I opted for the Naish side fins from my 11.4 (wood) cause I like a stiffer side fin.

For specific Nose riding you do need to go to a Nose riding shape (Logger) but you loose the fun in all the other stuff. If your looking for a daily rider that handles ALL conditions from 6inches to 6 foot then the 10.6 can handle it. There is a reason why so many people have chosen this board.

If your after a specific Nose rider then a specific board is probably recommended (Take Rob Machado's board that is a typical Logger) but not much fun doing cut backs or turning for that matter let alone the weight just carrying it to the water!

Hope this helps



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"Naish Nalu 10'6.5 as a noserider???" started by supthecreek