Kona One vs 11'8" windsup

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120

I'm thinking Kona is planing a little later but faster when powered up, can handle higher winds, rails upwind, what else? Better daggerboard?
Windsup surfs better?
My concerns are it looks like Kona has no single rear footstrap position?
And what about this new quick lock fin on the latest Kona? How does that work? do you have to use a special fin?
I remember reading somewhere here a member was offering to sell his Kona, who has a used Kona for sale?
I see on their web site they have a new entry price Kona for $500 less, what is known about this?

nw30 · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:23 pm Post subject:

Or consider the Starboard 8-10 x 32" Wide Point in AST construction, it has plugs for foot straps, and 2 different positions for the mast base.
It's very stable, uphaulable (if you still do that), fun to sail, and chances of cracking it are very slim because it's not sooooo long, and has no wood veneer.
I love mine.

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120

Well the deal breaker for me on the SB is the us fin box.
I'm thinking the SB is more for surfing, I'm more biased towards planing in the footstraps, big sail and fin.
Does the SB have a flat tail?

nw30 · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 11:26 pm Post subject:

The '12 and newer, have flatter tails than the '11, I have the '11 which is a bit more wave oriented with more tail rocker. They have 3 fin boxes, but running just one 8 or 9" single fin makes it a better flat water board. You could even put a pointer type fin (10" or longer straight blade) in for great upwind sailing, never tried that though on my board, but I'm sure it'd work.

DanWeiss · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 2296 Location: Connecticut, USA

I can't directly compare the Kona One to the Windsup but can comment on some other questions you made.

The new fin bolt system is nothing new, just more convenient because you don't need a screwdriver to tighten the fin bolt. The fin screw has a lever connected to it. Mistral used a similar design nearly 20 years ago. If you somehow loose or damage the stock fin bolt, you can easily oder a replacement or merely use a conventional bolt of the same specification, just like any other board.

The less expensive version of the Kona One is called the Step One. It's the same shape as the Kona but comes without the deck pad and uses a less expensive centerboard system.

Sailboarder · Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 656

Yes, the K1 has a better daggerboard. The WindSUP will plane earlier and the K1 will glide better since it's narrower. For my normal up and down inland wind, I'm happy with the K1 compromise. If I want to experience earlier planing for the few days with stable marginal winds, I will get myself a Free Formula type of board that will plane much earlier, instead of a WinSUP that will gain only a 2 knots in planing threshold, but loose a few in gliding speed.

I think Speenie has a K1 for sail. There used to be one for sale in Mtl on Kijiji and one in Quebec City on windsurfing.qc.ca. Good luck!

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

"I remember reading somewhere here a member was offering to sell his Kona, who has a used Kona for sale?"

That would be Spennie.

MalibuGuru · Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9300

With regard to the Kona's and other large SUP/Wind and wave boards, I'd advise against using footstraps in the waves unless you had a carbon constructed board. (I fractured my ankle with a large wave board recently)

IOW's, I feel the newer larger 110+ liter wave boards are sufficient to get out on a light day. Exocet makes a 9'2" carbon wind/sup board, but this is pretty big to get into the critical section of the wave.

I have the new Quatro 118 quad, which seems to work in very light wind, and is very light and nimble in the surf.

d0uglass · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:41 pm Post subject:

Beagle-

I used to own the Kona and now own the 11'8. Here are my thoughts on the different aspects of their performance:

Early Planing: I felt like the Kona needed 1-2 knots more wind to plane than a light-wind shortboard would need. For the 11'8 the planing threshold is more the same as what you'd expect for a big shortboard.

Speed: I'm sure I haven't seen the true "top speed" of either board. They both go fast and stay pretty controlled when powered up. The Kona is a little more comfortable to sail overpowered, though, especially when having to bash over/through rough water.

Jibing and Carving: The 11'8 carves and jibes better.

Glide: Both boards seem to glide about the same to me in flat water, although the wider 11'8 may get slowed down a little more by head-on chop.

Daggerboard: Kona daggerboard is more powerful for upwind sailing, and the gasket makes a better seal. The 11'8 daggerboard works adequately for getting you upwind, but it doesn't give enough power to let you "rail" the board. The 11'8 daggerboard also has a flimsier gasket more prone to catch water and break.

Waves: The 11'8 is better for catching and riding waves and swells, both because of its shape and because of the centered footstrap options, which the Kona does not have.

Beginners: Beginners like the 11'8 better because its more stable and the daggerboard isn't as sticky to operate.

-James

LUCARO · Joined: 07 Dec 1997 Posts: 661

HI Steven

What is it about the carbon constructed board that makes you thing footstraps are OK?

Please tell us more about how you hurt your ankle as well.

thanks

Roland