Windsurf.me.uk

Find out everything there is to know about the WindSUP Inflatables and their Rail Edge technology here!

Volume: 261 litersLength: 341 cm / 11'2"Width: 81.5 cm / 32"Tail Width: 39.9 cm / 15"Thickness: 12 cm / 4.75"Weight: 12.2 kgFin: 2 x Drake Shallow 22 (2 x Astro US Box)Sail Range: 3.0 - 7.0m²

Low-Down:

As with all board categories, Starboard have an extensive WindSUP Inflatable board line-up, comprising of no less than seven designs (from 9’0” to 12’6”), with all except the shortest available in two different constructions – Deluxe or Zen. The Deluxe construction uses “6” ultra-stiff drop-stitch” and comes with a fully retractable daggerboard casing, whilst the Zen technology opts for the lighter 4.75” drop-stitch and a centre-fin system. The boards themselves are named after the hardboards in the Starboard SUP range of the same dimensions, so this 11’2” x 32” being the Blend for example, said to be “the all-rounder with extra glide”.

Features:

The Rail Edge Technology mentioned above is the star feature of Starboard’s WindSUP Inflatables, and is unique amongst the group here. The board itself has real quality to its finish and detail, with a double rail-band for durability, a neoprene carry handle on the tail that doubles up as a paddle holder, and some of the most industrial eyelets on nose and tail for use with leash or tether. It comes complete with the brand’s new ‘magic bag’ with wheels, their V8 double action pump and two Drake Shallow 22cm fins.

Impressions:

The 11’2” was submitted for this review in Zen construction, as it is understood to offer more crossover performance between the two sports, being lighter and more suitable for paddling. Listen to Starboard’s marketing gambit however, and you can’t help but feel the main focus is about one feature of the WindSUP range alone - their Rail Edge technology.

Now, having tried the board for ourselves, we can understand why! As you’d expect of a board with its increments, the Starboard performs admirably in light winds, being stable and easy underfoot and gliding forward as energy is transferred. And as with all the inflatables here, its buoyancy and lightweight help it to accelerate smoothly as more power is applied. But the Starboard’s story doesn’t end there… When the other inflatables seem to reach a planing wall, where the friction coefficient imposed by the board’s rounded rails drags the board back off the plane, the 11’2” simply keeps accelerating. It is actually comfortable on the plane and to top it all, is A LOT of fun. It's not all positive and rosy – the Starboard is far from the most maneuverable here … yet for the glide and acceleration ease, there has to be some trade-off or sacrifice.

Dare we say it, but such is the low planing threshold and ease of the Starboard that it could make a great tutor for the progressing rider to gain the feel of planing techniques. Now who would have thought that of an inflatable board just two years ago? Will footstrap inserts suddenly appear on the 2017 version…? “Why not?” we say! The board will lose none of its SUPing or entry-level windsurfing capabilities as a result, yet could become a truly definitive progression platform. Watch this space.