Starboard 2015 SUP Lineup

Myself my wife Abi and friend Bobby from THE SUP HUT were lucky enough to be invited to the 2014 Starboard dealer meeting in Costa Brava spain to check out the 2015 starboard SUP offering…..and boy were we treated.

Starboard has yet again stepped up and its hard not be be impressed by the quantity of boards produced for the Stand up paddle board market.

Over the Three days we were treated to a seemingly endless supply of new boards to try.The 2015 starboard range is as extensive as its ever been but there are a few hidden gems, we tried to spot these and here are Matt/Abi & Bobby notes taken after each day.

Abi As I was 6 and a half month pregnant I couldn’t try the teeny 7’1 Pro I’ve had my eye on for a while but luckily starboard had their whole range of boards for us to try on the beach.

Starboard dealer notes

Touring boards

Interesting enough – Svein Rasmussen & Matthieu Rozier of Starboard International reckon especially in the US that Touring boards will become a large proportion of the market with 7 new models introduced.

Matt key words Stable – not much difference between wood and carbon in weight in my opinion but there must be a difference. The Starshot touring are heavy and hard to speed up so only really suitable in 9’6 models. The 11’6 seemed tippy to me, bobby thought 11’6 and 10’6 seemed very similar.
12’6 definitely fastest and most stable for touring two widths 30 & 31.5

 

 

 

The 10’6 tourer would be my favourite choice as you’ve got an extended waterline making it fast but easy to manage in and out of the water and to store!
The new super comfortable handle makes a huge difference to carry these boards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All these Touring boards track really we’ll even in the choppy conditions which we had . No slapping of noses like the free ride 12’2.

 

Abi I initially tried the 11’6 Tourer which felt incredibly stable and easy to get some speed up, I also caught a few little glides on my way back to shore. I was expecting the board to be unbearably heavy, but with the new ledge handle carrying it a short distance was fine. I wouldn’t want to carry it long distances though.

 

 

 

I then tried the 10’6 and was also surprised by how stable it felt, I think I would use this more than the 11’6 as it was a bit easier to transport and I felt that I had a lot of stability and glide with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could definitely imagine taking this for a Long paddle with a picnic on the front in the summer.
The Fins on these boards make a massive difference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACE BOARDS

 

 

 

 

 

The best weight/ strength ratio = Starboard proven performance and cutting edge designs.

Matt 12’6 sprint tippy but very v fast .
I felt the Acceleration was fastest on the following sprint / race / all star.
The new Starboard Race was very tippy but fast – probably a good drafting board , felt tippy in side chop when waiting for waves where the Allstar would be better with a flatter bottom shape.
14 x 25 race tippy but wave rides well ,
12’6 x 25 allstar really nice but doesn’t feel as fast as other two models
17’4 ace GT glide extroidinaire / any lump or bump / hard to pivot turn
12’6 x 24 Allstar would be a safe bet for racers wanting to jump on and race without a learning curve which the new RACE might involve.

SURF & ALLROUND BOARDS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7’7 easy / 7’4 also do able for 12 stone

Airborne range – fantastic for those who prefer a wider more comfortable board but with performance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7’10 & 8’8 were the stand out boards

8’0 x 28 pro 105 litres – felt nice / flat rocker catches waves easily but tail rocker means this board will work better in larger waves. The performance model.
8’0 x 29 Pro – a little bit easier !
8’5 x 29 115 litres – A great all round board for all conditions / small or big – good control , my favourite at 80kg
8’8 x 31.5  Airborn – Probably one of the best Performance based boards for larger 90kg+ riders, with thinned out rails and 123litres.
10’5 x 32 Wide point easy wave catching / swing weight in nose noticeable for my weight but would be perfect for 95kg plus riders looking for stable flat water paddler and easy wave catching.
11’2 blend – ultimate all round glide
9’0 Hero beginner wave riding /junky waves – would not be suitable for better waves where the 9’5 or 10’5 widepoint would be a better choice .

 

10’0 nose rider – not as nice as the nut series – feels very voluminous in the nose and this is noticeable in the waves when turning, I also felt the wide nose catching when paddling out through the surf.

The new wood look is awesome !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abi 9’0 converse
I spent a lot of time paddling this on the last day in costa brava, dodging the waves but doing some distance. It was again very stable, and had enough glide for flat water. It would be a great board for people getting in to sup and wanting a board they can enjoy on the flat water but also progress to waves.

The starboard widepoints never fail to deliver on stability , below the 8’2, 8’10 & 9’5 x 32 great for easy wave catching and flatwater tracking.

Bobby I found the 8’10” Wide Point (143 Litres) in Carbon or Wood an excellent board for my height 6ft and weight (just under 90Kgs) and surfing abilities. Coming from a Barker Paddle Surf Board 9’ 2” x 32” – I found the board just as stable and just as easy to catch the typical smaller sometimes mushy type of waves we get here in the UK, but fun all the same. On bigger waves the board handled very well, giving me enough manoeuvrability to work the wave and feel like a real paddle surfer!

The 8’ 2” Wide Point (123 Litres) in Carbon was lighter obviously than the wood construction. I found this the  perfect “next level” board for me, given my size & weight it was still stable in choppy conditions. However it would take a little getting used to such a short board and how it paddles. On clean days you would really benefit from the shorter length and increased manoeuvrability to surf waves like they were mean’t to be surfed!

The other option for a similar sized rider would be the 8’8” x 31.5” Airborn which has thiner rails, more aggressive lines, but offers the stability that is needed in choppy conditions.

The carbon boards are not for the budget minded customer – but for those that weight is an important issue in carrying and also performance in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STAND OUT SUPS for 2015 line – The Starboard NUT series 3 sizes 9’0 x 28, 9’5 x 29 11’2 x 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starboard 9’5 Nut has great wave catching ability and smooth surfing It transitions rail to rail really well.
The 11’2 is similar in shape but needs to be trimmed more like any big board in waves.
Both models seem stable ,feeling grounded underfoot not tippy.

The concept of the Starboard Nut is a amalgamation of longboard stability in the nose and Pro series performance and tail shape.
Abi The 11’2 Nut
There was a lot of excitement to try this board, but mainly the shorter versions. I paddled this for 15 minutes and it took a bit of getting used to, with the wider nose and pulled in middle and tail , once you had the sweet spot it was easier to paddle once I had stopped expecting it to be super stable. The guys surfed the shorter version and raved about its performance in the surf!

 

 

 

What starboard say…..

ASTRO Inflatables
The new Inflatable boards from Starboard in 2015 will represent VALUE with a new ergonomic pump and carry bag, the range is split between the budget Zen range and the deluxe which has a new stiffening strip down the centre of the boards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9’0 converse – Great in waves and does not feel like an inflatable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An interesting fact is all the 2015 Starboard Astro range have velcro paddle holders in front of the inflatation point which double up as good handles when managing the board in the water.

10′ Astro whopper – super stable for small waves.

11’2 x 40 Astro Yoga – for those Yoga fans 405 Litres of stability and a handy shoulder carry strap !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9’6 Stream The White water Inflatable developed in collaboration with Dan Gavere.

It felt solid and robust in the pool ! definitely a board to try in 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the kids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7’4 x 25.5 Pro ASAP – great for kids or even adults wanting a small performance board at a fantastic price
10’6 x 24 Allstar JR – Small & Fast , I took this board out for a surf , I loved it – like a mini race board – I want one – don’t know why !? This board is just Fantastic…buy one for your aspiring paddleboarding kids…but find yourself loving paddling it , 150 litres at 80kg it was fun!

 

And finally…. the yet to be named Giant Inflatable – which easily paddled 8 of us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions on the 2015 Starboard boards range – We pretty much tried every board – so get in touch if you’re confused and considering buying a 2015 STARBOARD SUP  from us especially ! Be sure to Check our specials page for discounted Carbon Starboards.