Starboard Maui Downwinder Video
September 20th, 2010 by davi 
This was sent to us via email by Karen Baxter.
Aloha All –
This is a great youtube video of Connor and Bart. The Original DVD is about 20 minutes, put together for Starboard Advertising & Promotions.
Bill Boyum – Videographer
Keith Baxter – Jet Ski Driver
Connor Baxter – Starboard Team Rider
Bart de Zwart – Starboard Team Rider
(click thumbnail to launch video)
Enjoy!!!
Aloha –
Karen Baxter
So cool!!! Really enjoyed it! Great training video too! Mahalo!
The video looks fun and really had a great time watching it. Thanks!
Evan, looks like the bug has finally bitten me. I’m trying to decide which distance/race/downwind board to buy. I’m not going to be a hard core racer but will enter races for fun, to socialize and to support good causes. I want a board I can use a lot for fitness paddling with an emphasis on downwind runs that also goes OK into the wind. If you have a second, I’d value your opinion or if you’ve addressed this already, a link.
I’ve checked out your vids on specific boards and found the board comparison vid you did with Bark vs. SIC to be the best board to board comparison I’ve been able to find so far. Good info.
For a guy who wants to do fitness distance paddling with a priority on downwind runs, not racing, which hull design would you recommend…the design similar to the one found on the Bark Competitor and Dominator (piercing/canoe type), or the design found on the Bark Expedition, SIC F14 or C4 Vortice XP (big gun surfboard type)? In other words, which one board type would be the best all around board for the needs stated?
Mahalo, mala pono,
gary (Srfnff)
Gary – If you can, you should demo whatever boards you can to see what you like. It will depend on the conditions you ride in and how much buoyancy, etc you prefer. I really like the steering system on the SIC boards and rarely ride non rudder downwind boards these days. It’s just so much easier for me with the rudder.
What are the conditions like for where you’re planning on riding?
I haven’t been riding boards with the piercing canoe destroyer type noses lately. Most of that is due to doing SUP downwinders only in windy conditions. When the wind is light, I now ride an OC-1 Pueo.
The Bark Expedition is more like a big surfing SUP. In fact, it surfs really well for a 14′ board. I use it to surf waist high waves on light wind days but never to race. It’s more of an all around type board.
The SIC F14 is really for windy conditions and for guys under 200 lbs. I ride the 14′ Bullet and love it in 15 mph and up. I’m riding the 17′ Bullet in 10-20 mph.
It’s hard to say what board is best for you until I know more about the conditions you’re riding in and what features are most important. i.e. stability, weight, etc.
Aloha,
Evan
Evan, thanks for the great info, much appreciated. Since I posted I’ve had a chance to try a couple Angulo carbon prototype racing boards, and three Barks. The 12-6 Competitor (Tuflite at 32 lbs), the 14′ Dominator (ProElite construction at 28 lbs)and a 14′ custom Bark (carbon at 20 lbs). Of all the boards I liked the 12-6 Competitor best because it is stable, paddles well and is durable. I was surprised how well it paddled at 32 pounds compared to the other two Barks. It seems like the Competitor would be a good all around entry level board that I won’t have to baby like the lighter weight ProElite and/or carbon boards.
Here’s how I’ll be using the boards. #1 Primarily for fitness/distance paddling. As part of the fitness paddles I’ll do some downwinders in moderate wind swell conditions with wind speeds of 8-16 mph. The fitness paddles will be a combination of smooth water ocean paddling and mostly light (but maybe some moderate) downwind runs. Nothing like the Maliko runs on Maui and only sometimes like the Hawaii Kai-Waikiki runs I’ve seen. #2 Occasionally I would like to do a “real” downwinder, like from Davenport to Santa Cruz (14 miles). (http://grwcsantacruz.com/davenport_downwinder.php) But I would have to work my way into that by doing smaller downwind runs. #3 “Racing” to socialize and to support good causes like the Jay Race etc. In other words, not to compete really, but to have fun, have a goal to reach, paddle with friends who are getting into distance paddling, and to use as motivation for regular fitness paddling etc.
I’ll be paddling a friend’s custom Bark Expedition this morning which will give me a comparison with the boards that have piercing front ends or bows like a boat.
Thanks for taking time to provide your insights and info. They are always valuable to me. Mahalo and best of luck at the BOP!