Spotted these on FB. Not sure if they are current 2018 or 2019. It doesn't look like the current 2018 LCF balsa version so maybe the return of full wood/balsa/bamboo.......... for 2019???
If wood , bamboo or even teak is better for the knees because its softer , wouldn't it delam even easier ?
This could be a proto. Starboard is trying to reduce it's environmental impact. They are already making paddles from recycled bottles and I believe there is recycled material in their starlite SUP construction.The wood looks like it's bamboo.
By putting a layer of bamboo on a board to reduce the carbon footprint , what a load of crock , like that's going to make a difference . Like they really care , it just sounds good.
feel like that subject requires more than just thought n words --> ACTION
for me windsurfing means a connection with nature - to be one with the board and the world
too often I am thinking about how I am on a piece of styrofoam, polystyrene, epoxy, plastic, etc
these are some of the WORST products on the planet
man used to live WITH nature
i often marvel how far we have gone away from that SPACE-X may look cool, BUT ...
we can do a LOT better than feeble attempts at making it look like wood
Its odd that if you do go for one of the eco versions they are more expensive. That to me says its more expensive to produce eco materials and therefore probably worse for the environment .
Being in the plastics industry , it would definitely take way more energy ( therefore worse for the environment ) collecting , transporting , cleaning , grading , separating , and adding additives to plastic bottles to make the plastic good enough to make a recycled sup paddle . And you would still have to add a percentage of virgin plastic.
All that to save half a kilo of plastic ?
As stated before , if they make a board slightly stronger they would last a lot longer , ( that's eco friendly ) , but that's the last thing they want.
A starboard retailer is a friend of mine and he told me this, i dont have any further information sorry
^^^
I feel your want for a better environment .
I would think some at Starboard would care , as most of us do . But the money crunchers in the buisiness would not . If they really cared about the environment would it not make sense ( for earths sake ) to make boards last longer for the second hand buyers .. A tiny bit more at manufacturing level could half the amount of boards and pollution the earth needs , it's easy and cheap to do. Just the fact that they try to convince u that the newer model is sooo much better than the last , just cries for u to buy more boards . Bottom line no matter what they say is , buy , buy , buy , they even give the eco inclined an option . If the eco buyers don't buy the more expensive dolphin saving option they will stop making it .
When u say they are ocean loving dwellers like us , only a very small percentage actually are . Most of the entire industry that's needed to make a board wouldn't even get there feet wet , it's only for us rich folk . They just want a wage.
It is just another money making machine like everything else. Playing on conscience to get more sales.
Dont get me wrong I love unpolluted nature , but I just can't accept what they are trying to sell, sell , sell .
If your average carbon footprint is 15 tons of CO2 per year then buying a new board that produces 80 to 100 kg of carbon and should last for 10 to 15 years (about 5 to 10 kg a year) is not so significant ( similar to a mobile phone which has a shorter life). Flying to Hawaii however might produce 2 to 4 tons of CO2. Even driving 2 hours to the beach is pretty significant. Apologies if my figures are a little wonky.
Found a couple of pictures of a 2019 proto iS147 (not the US147). Note the heel recess on the rear foot pads.
Bring back 'Wood' construction Starboard.
I am still sailing three, near 10 year old, wood Isonics, and they are still perfectly sound. Contrary to many far newer 'Carbon' construction Isonics that I have seen that are completely trashed.
I don't think I will be purchasing a new Isonic if they can't offer me Wood construction.