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Post number : #1 |
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Topic : |
Kona first ride |
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Date : |
4/2/2006 3:29:04 PM Author :
steve |
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The first Kona Style arrived in the USA and we have been busy putting it to the test. I was more excited about this board arriving than any board in a long time. Sometimes when you look forward to something so much you end up disappointed when you actually get it. After spending some time with this board I can say that it has more than met all my expectations.
When the board arrived John and I took it to the beach and saw that the wind was straight on shore at about two knots with 2 to 3 foot surf. The first test was to try some stand up paddle surfing. This is a sport that neither of us have done and learning in 2 to 3 foot surf is not ideal.
The wind came up to about 3 knots so we rigged a 6.8 Cuben fiber Phantom. Once we got a boom in our hands we could quickly feel the potential of the board. We were able to catch a few waves even in the less than ideal conditions.
The next day Eddy and Josh from Windsurfing magazine came over and we had a little better conditions. We went to the inside of Ponce Inlet and rigged the 6.8 again. With the daggerboard down in 6 to 8 knots the board railed and glided right along. The full EVA deck with no obstructions was really comfortable on bare feet. It brought me back to a simpler time in windsurfing when cruising was just tons of fun. It was not long before we were breaking out those old rail ride tricks. The only difference now is we have an EVA rail so no more shin scrapes. We rigged up a 9.5 to see if it would plane and it did for short periods of time. I think 10 knots will be needed to fully plane all the time.
We then took the board across to the beach where we had side-on conditions in about 8 knots of wind. We put the 6.8 back on and put a 32 cm freeride fin on as well. We looked down wind and there was a guy trying to make a 20 meter kite work with no success. Before long Eddy was catching waves and riding both upwind and down in conditions that most of us would never windsurf in. Once you catch a wave it feels like a giant longboard but totally surfable . When we started packing up we remarked how lucky we were to score such a good day. Eight knots of on shore wind was never a good day till the Kona arrived. I am convinced that I rode the future of light wind windsurfing and its is called the Kona.
Best Regards:
Steve Gottlieb
Exocet
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Post number : #2 |
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Date : |
4/3/2006 2:11:55 AM Author : Pete |
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Steve,
Thanks for the info. Am looking forward to hearing reports from the first dozen or so customers. Couple of questions...
1. You said..."The full EVA deck with no obstructions was really comfortable on bare feet"...do you mean that you removed footstraps? If so, was this 'cause there's enough grip with the EVA?
2. When you say..."Once you catch a wave it feels like a giant longboard but totally surfable"...can you say more, please. How's the speed for riding waves...is it too fast so that you end up way out in front? Can you cut back at all, even if they are huge "roundhouses"?
TIA,
Pete
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Post number : #3 |
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Date : |
4/3/2006 1:38:06 PM Author : Armand-Exo |
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Hi Steve,
Very glad that you loved the board so much, I was lucky enough to ride the Kona in Thailand last Friday: wind was 12-15 knots with a 9.0 camber sail. I must say I was immediatly comfortable on the board, first sailing upwind with the dagger down the board did rail up nicely and was performing very well. Then I put the dagger up and the board got on a plane like a freeride board !! The most amazing is that you don't need to change the mast foot position or the footstraps positions the be planing ! Really fun and surprising.
Will post soon photos of the Kona riding waves !!
Cheers
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Post number : #4 |
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Date : |
4/3/2006 9:53:50 PM Author : Will |
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Steve,
I have some Kona questions. What type of fin box does the Kona have? What is the upper wind range of Kona in say light chop gusty 5 to 25 mph winds. I ordered a Kona from Wardog and can't wait to try it out here on the Calif central coast.
Big question...are you able to make progress up wind with on shore wind and breaking waves in non planing conditions. That is a big problem where I sail as the wind is usually 5 to 10 mph in the surf zone going to 5 to 20 mph outside the surfline. If this thing works like I hope it does I think Exocet will sell a ton of these. Any comparisons with older model sailboards yet? Thanks for the info.
Will
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Post number : #5 |
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Date : |
4/4/2006 4:21:15 PM Author : Steve |
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Hello:
I did have the footstraps on the board but I have not spent much time in them as the wind that I have tested in was light. The EVA grip is perfect with just the right amount of grip. If you are just going to use the board in light wind the footstraps are really not needed. As far as riding waves with it, timing is everything. You do not want to drop in late because it is a very big board. In light wind it was very easy to control the speed and stay on the section of wave you want to ride. The Kona uses a power box which makes fin changes very easy. It is kind of the opposite from most boards in that I would use a small 32 cm fin for non planning conditions and something larger for planning. It is no issue at all staying upwind in the surf. With onshore conditions just kick the dagger down and the board punches through the waves very easily. Once outside just tack over and sheet out and wait for the right wave. Make sure you kick up the dagger before getting on a wave or it will get ugly.
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Post number : #6 |
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Date : |
4/4/2006 7:35:30 PM Author : Scotty |
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Hey Steve that sounds great, just got a few questions for you, but do forgive me if I sound a bit clueless as I'm not a surfer though I do wave sail on shortboards.
When you surf on the waves with the Kona, do use the footstraps on the wave at all?
When you talk about a fin, would a fin which is workable for planning conditions likely to be a problem in the waves, or are the type of turns in the size waves you use a board like this in not such and issue?
What size waves would you recommend as a limit to this sort of board? I'm thinking that our soft mushy swell we get in the summer is the right stuff really, nothing over a couple feet?
I think this concept of a board is great as I like going out in waves, but so many times we get skunked by the wind. Where we are taking a kite could be fun, but with so many reefs and boilers, the risks are pretty big if you get it wrong!
Anyway I'm keen on the board, but I really want to wait till the Pacer 380 comes out so I can save on shipping and have both boards shipped together. I guess I'll wait till next summer and stick to my IMCO for now!
Scott
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Post number : #7 |
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Date : |
4/4/2006 8:11:34 PM Author : Drew |
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So how much is a Kona in the US?
Wardog...?
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Post number : #8 |
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Date : |
4/4/2006 10:00:10 PM Author : Armand - Exo |
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Hi Scotty,
Ben Van der Steen tried the Kona two days ago in France, conditions were onshore wind 15-20 knots and waves up to 2 meters -6 feet- faces.
Waves were not steep and he could surf pretty well , doing bottom turns , hang five etc... Ben was using the stock fin which didn't seem to be an issue.
Seing the big smile on Ben's face after his session you could tell he had lots of fun !
Hope this helps
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Post number : #9 |
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Date : |
4/4/2006 11:01:40 PM Author : WARDOG |
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Hi Drew,
The MSRP on the Kona in the US is set at $1099...
I'm confident from Steve's reporting, and the design premise, that this board will be good for miles of smiles on the early adopters and those that
follow...:-)
Can't wait to see pics of Ben's wave rides on the Kona...
Just to show you that beeeeeg boards are capable of good wave rides...here's a few of Sean Ordonez on a 12' standup paddleboard...
http://www.surfingsports.com/sean_ordonez/slides/sean_ordonez_hookipa1.html
http://www.surfingsports.com/sean_ordonez/slides/sean_ordonez_hookipa2.html
A friend took my 11'4" SUP with mast track out and caught a few rides as well...
http://surfingsports.com/cali_standup_paddleboarding/slides/cali_sup_windsurfing2.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/cali_standup_paddleboarding/slides/cali_sup_windsurfing_03.jpg
http://surfingsports.com/cali_standup_paddleboarding/slides/cali_sup_surfing4.jpg
WARDOG
http://surfingsports.com
(remove XXX in addie to respond directly)
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Post number : #10 |
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Date : |
4/4/2006 11:59:11 PM Author : Ron |
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Sounds great, I want one
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Post number : #11 |
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Date : |
4/8/2006 1:13:51 PM Author : Armand-Exo |
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As promised some pcs of Ben van der Steen riding waves with the Kona Style !!
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Post number : #12 |
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Date : |
4/8/2006 1:28:41 PM Author : Armand-Exo |
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more
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Post number : #13 |
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Date : |
4/8/2006 1:29:06 PM Author : Armand-Exo |
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+1
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Post number : #14 |
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Date : |
4/8/2006 1:29:40 PM Author : Armand-Exo |
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Ben happy with his session
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Post number : #15 |
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Date : |
4/8/2006 1:46:26 PM Author : Thomas |
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Duuuuuuuuuude!!!!
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Post number : #16 |
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Date : |
4/8/2006 3:06:16 PM Author : Bob |
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Nice. Apparently this board is very versatile. What kind of fin-box does it have? Will it carry a 10.0 with comfort?
Thanks
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Post number : #17 |
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Date : |
4/9/2006 9:50:53 PM Author : Gunther |
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Hi Steve and others,
This looks really interesting, as I am looking for a good pointer with centerboard for low wind conditions. Any idea how well it points and how early it planes in relation to classic centerboard raceboards , e.g., IMCO, Mistral Equipe etc. See my earlier thread on this.
Cheers,
Gunther
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Post number : #18 |
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Date : |
4/10/2006 10:51:51 AM Author : Patrice (Exocet) |
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The Kona plans early about 9/10 knots for me 9.0, the top speed of the board is good, I manage to bring the board at 28.6 knots on 9.5 in 15/16 knots of wind.
The upwind angle is similar to the OD according to the test I have runned so far
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Post number : #19 |
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Date : |
4/10/2006 12:38:12 PM Author : steve |
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I have spent a bit more time on the kona in higher wind. It has some huge advantages over a traditional long board in strong wind. With the duck tail the planning surface is not so far back as the board planes the duck tail lifts from the water. Thiis allows the board to work without an adjustable mast track. The other big plus to this design is the boards pointing ability with the dagger up. With a traditional long board once you kick the dagger up the board will not point well. With the kona it points as well as most 70 cm wide freeride boards. This makes this a fun board for planning or non planning conditions.
Best Regards:
Steve
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Post number : #20 |
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Date : |
4/10/2006 2:32:31 PM Author : Vincent |
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Hi,
Rode it this week end as well. It is the first longboard that I rode that behaved on the plane just like a big free ride board (in the straps, sailed locked) both upwind and downwind. That duck tail is indeed very smart as the mast is in the right position both both planing and non planing. I got it going at fairly deep angles downwind and the nose always stayed clear of the chop.
Fun and certainly very original. Proof is that during FL windfest demo this week-end that board almost never came back to shore -even though it was windy enough for shortboards!!
Best regards.
Vincent.
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Post number : #21 |
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Date : |
4/10/2006 7:11:31 PM Author : gunther |
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Patrice,
thanks, this helps me taking a decision. I will order the boards for my daughters. Presume you have no distributor in Indonesia?
Regards,
Gunther
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Post number : #22 |
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Date : |
4/10/2006 7:21:01 PM Author : gunther |
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Sorry, Patrice, can you explain 'soft EVA rail' (Kona Style) to the non-initiated...
Thanks,
Gunther
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Post number : #23 |
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Date : |
4/11/2006 2:56:57 AM Author : Patrice [Exocet] |
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Soft EVA is the material that you have on most begginer boards, the aim of this material is too be soft and very friendly use when you are more or less a begginer, as well on this multi-purpose board the choice of EVA on the deck was important for stand paddle or longboard surfing
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Post number : #24 |
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Date : |
4/11/2006 5:11:16 AM Author : Howard |
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Wow. See cut from the Aerotech forum;
Sailing the Kona
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Florida Windfest was a blast as usual, but the highlight for me this weekend was trying out all the new gear. We lucked out with strong gusty winds of 15-25mph (sometimes more) on Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. The coolest board out was the Kona. I tried it Saturday morning in light to moderate wind of 8-14 with a 6.8 (Cuben) Phantom, then again on Sunday in 20mph+ with an 8.0 Rapid Fire. In the light air, it is just narrow enough to move easily through the water in subplaning conditions, and doesn't have the aircraft carrier feel to it. I would say in general it reminded me of the old superlight in light air, but a little smaller. In getting up to a plane it gradually accelerates without a hard transition from nonplaning to planing. The big difference between the old school superlight type board and this is once it is planing it is pretty fast. I didn't get much planing on the 6.8 and didn't have it dialed, but on the second day with the 8.0 it was a blast - full tilt going downwind with the board coming completely out of the water in the chop, an experience not dissimilar to formula except without the "if I fall my equipment might explode" feeling. Also, sailing full blast on it was considerably less physical than formula, though obviously it is not quite as fast. The duck tail acts as a "wheelie bar" - when the nose starts to fly up, the duck tail (normally out of the water) makes contact with the water and puts the board back down. It sails upwind with the centerboard up just fine in solid planing conditions, about 5-7 degrees less than a formula board but better than most other shortboards and much better than the old style raceboards. Perhaps best of all was the jibing. It carves a beautiful planing jibe, nice and long, like you might on a bottom turn on a surfing longboard. Everything about the board is comfortable.
Over the course of the last two days I saw people doing light wind cruising, light wind freestyling, teaching their kid how to windsurf, and full tilt blasting all on one board. There are better boards out there for each little set of conditions, but for somebody looking for one board, or for a board they can share with family and sail in light air up to heavy air and not make a major sacrifice in performance, this is a cool board. I am also hoping we can race it as a one design fleet once we get a few more boards out there.
__________________
Tom Ingram
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Post number : #25 |
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Date : |
4/11/2006 9:37:50 PM Author : gunther |
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Patrice,
KONA Style: we are not beginners, would call my daughters intermediate, and I am surfing since 72, mainly long distance, no acrobatics. How resistant is the EVA agaist UV and wear & tear, as these boards have to last for a long while (to get them there where I need them is a major logistical exercise). Price difference to standard Kona?
tks,
Gunther
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Post number : #26 |
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Date : |
5/4/2006 4:01:31 PM Author : tony fish |
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Any one who has the picture with KONA board and hang five action ?
If you do, please e.mail me.
I really like to see this move.
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Post number : #27 |
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Date : |
5/5/2006 9:54:36 PM Author : toi |
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See link to the Kona site on the front page of the Exocet website.
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Post number : #28 |
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Date : |
5/9/2006 5:04:50 PM Author : thomas |
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Had my Kona debut today. Light winds with 5.5 Hot Sails Maui SO...flipping, spinning, gybing, heli-tacking, trying to railride!, backwind, fin first... Very stoked. Then the wind picked up a bit so I rigged an 8.0 no cam and went planing. The thing actually jibes well and I came out of the turn planing. I had to move the straps from outboard setting to inboard to get comfortable.
itīs soooo pretty!
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Post number : #29 |
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Date : |
5/11/2006 6:15:40 AM Author : Tor |
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Hi guys,
I like this one from Tom Ingram in the US;
"The board really has a great design, so good that I worry people will think that I'm exaggerating and that it is just hype like they've heard so often when a new board comes out."
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Post number : #30 |
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Date : |
5/24/2006 1:58:09 AM Author : Ed Dietrich |
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I'm really excited about the KONA and looking forward to seeing, and riding one. I checked in with Storm Warning in Hood River, where I live and they told me they were not going to carry one, which is a shame. Even in the Gorge, we get plenty of days where a board like this would be a GAS! And it would be fun to race against the Formula guys in light wind, but mostly just for the fun of cruising.
Hope to see/ride one soon.
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Post number : #31 |
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Date : |
5/24/2006 3:19:16 AM Author : steve |
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Hi Ed:
We will be attending the Windfest in the end of June in the Gorge. The plan is to have a kona there. I hope you can come by and give it a try.
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Post number : #32 |
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Date : |
6/16/2006 2:50:31 PM Author : carsten |
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I Just sailed the KONA well powered 6.5 and this thing works. congratulations you just reinvented windsurfing. this board is accessible light wind fun for beginners and and the same time very entertaining for experts....this is what can make windsurfing a sport for the masses again, now you can sail in light winds a couple of times a year and still have fun. Can I buy stock in exocet? I am sure that it will be difficult to build them as fast as you can sell them
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Post number : #33 |
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Date : |
6/16/2006 7:51:38 PM Author : Rod in Miami |
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I ordered a Kona last week.I was told that that it would not arrive until late July.Oh well. My question is ,are there two Konas or one, If so do both have EVA decks.I really want the EVA so I can teach some of my frends and I hope the right board was ordered . Thanks ...Rod in Miami
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Post number : #34 |
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Date : |
6/16/2006 8:14:36 PM Author : jrpla |
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HI, Rod
Only the Kona Style have the Eva deck
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Post number : #35 |
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Date : |
6/17/2006 10:28:04 AM Author : John I |
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Steve didn't bring into the US many (if any) regular Konas without EVA. He felt that the benefits far outweighed the slight weight increase by going EVA. Nonskid on the skin is really harsh if you were to use it as a tandem surfboard. Lots of cross over uses. Not all ideal, but crossovers nonetheless.
The most remarkable aspect about long boards in general that I had forgotten about is the sail range extension factor. If it's blowing 5 - 25 any sail will do, practically.
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Post number : #36 |
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Date : |
6/17/2006 3:10:21 PM Author : Rod in Miami |
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Thanks jrpla and JohnI . Since my dealer, Waterplay, ordered directly from Steve I assume that I'll get what I wanted.Now all I have to do is wait and hope the Kona style arrives sooner than later. Thanks everyone for the response....Rod in Miami
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