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Flat water boards I bought a second-hand 2020 Starboard Sprint this year as an opportunist. I liked the shaping and was intrigued to see if I was missing out on flat water performance. The speed of a paddleboard on flat water is directly related to the overall length of the board in contact with the water. If you examine the Blitz, you will see that, when floating without a rider, the front and back are approximately three feet and one foot above the water, respectively.
Look at the Starboard Sprint, and nearly every inch of the 14ft is in contact with the water. Couple this with a nose designed to pierce the water, rather than sit on top of it, and you start to see a different proposition. Flat water boards tend to be narrow to minimise drag on the sides of the board. Typically, the narrower a board becomes, the more unstable it is; however, designers have introduced features to counteract this instability-width equation.
The first thing is to create a concave in the hull, which, to my mind, creates a profile akin to a catamaran. The second is to generate greater volume in the board to increase its‘ floatability.’ The Sprint has both of these. To be fair, Michael Booth was still using the 2020 model for most of his racing – i. e., it was not a dedicated flat water board to the extent the newer,‘ needle-like’ Sprints now are. The 2020 Sprint is incredibly stable. You can use it in most conditions that normal paddlers encounter. In a 25-inch form, the rails are not particularly high, and the rail / hull interface has a chamfered edge. This works really well, and I think it helps it in rougher water. Admittedly, I start to feel uncomfortable with it in bigger swells, or when attempting to surf it back into the beach. However, you can lift the nose quite easily, courtesy of the steeply sloping deck, which allows for a quick transition of weight to the tail. In some ways, this board is just as‘ all round’ as the RS. It goes into the wind like a hungry beast, with the nose eats a gentle chop. On a downwind, the massive volume in the nose helps to keep it trimmed in the swell.
On the flat, with its piercing nose, you feel like you are going fast, even when you are not. In my unscientific tests, I managed to get the Sprint to be 0.1 km / h faster than the RS over 10 km. Worth it? In terms of speed gain, probably not. In terms of different experience … definitely. I really enjoy taking the Sprint on the Loch and just bashing out the kilometres. More so than any other board.
People often talk about fast boards, as if there is a definitive ranking of fast boards. But clearly, from the results in the professional scene, the quickest board occurs on the day, subject to the conditions, the rider and probably a spoonful of luck. But many of us want to go as fast as possible, so we are drawn to what is considered to be the fastest board.
On the second-hand market for flat water boards, the NSP Ninja is a popular buy. Other‘ fast’ boards to consider are boards from the One range( some are hollow), the Infinity Whiplash, and speciality race boards from Lightcorp and the Fanatic Strike. Be careful here, though. If the intention is to use the board in anything
but flat conditions, these boards start to require higher levels of skill to keep them working for you. Professionals can make most boards work by having a great intuition of the conditions and how to match their movements to the board’ s behaviour. Most paddlers lack these skills. They rely on the innate characteristics of the board to perform for them. The Ninja is a race machine, but you have to be a pretty special paddler to go out on a fun session in the surf with it.
If you enjoy speed trials, setting Strava segments, or undertaking all your racing on the flat, then a flat water board is a must.
All water boards Allwater boards dominate the race market. They are flexible, highperformance boards that can be used for racing or touring. All major brands have a signature board. SIC now has the RST, Starboard has the Allstar, Infinity has the Blackfish, Sunova has the Allwater PRO, and 404 has the Jump. Choosing from these options is a matter of personal preference, based on looks / brand image, and who else you know has what. All of these boards will perform.
The benefits of a quiver Having been exposed to dedicated downwind and flatwater boards, I would not want to go back to one board, no matter how good it is. I would feel like I am missing out on something. A range of boards encourages the development of a broader skill base. I find I have to tune into each board and paddle it differently. It has also made training more interesting. It breaks the feeling of a