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Do I want a North Nugget?

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Flyboy
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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Flyboy » Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:04 am

Interesting - so the Knee Swacker like the Nugget seems a little more oriented towards waves, but in a bigger size than the Nugget. So, there are now a lot of different directional, "non-wave" boards on the market, ranging from full on race boards, to speed- oriented free-ride boards to wave-oriented free-ride boards. This makes perfect sense to me, as full-on wave boards are not the logical design for general riding. It's taken a while to shake off the overwhelming dominance of the TT, but it seems like directional kiteboards are now starting to show the same range of options as exist in windsurf board design.
So for light wind with my statistics, what would you recommend.
I think it really depends on what you want your board to do. How often do you get conditions with decent waves that are too light for the Celeritas? My home turf is the Great Lakes - we don't get waves without a significant amount of wind, so a light wind surfboard doesn't really make a lot of sense here. Personally, I just bought a 2011 Cabrinha 178 raceboard. I figure I will use it rather than my small directional in anything under 14 - 15 knots. I couldn't quite get my head around the idea of a "modern" full-size race board - I just want something that will plane early, go upwind really well & still be reasonably comfortable to ride ...

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Billy B. » Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:32 am

hudstur wrote:So I go to my local kiteboard shop to learn more about the Nugget. Now I am confused. My trusted shop recommended the Slingshot Dialer or the Cabrinha Skillet or SubWoofer to check out. I am 226 lbs, 6'2" and want to balance out my quiver of North Xride, Mako 150 and Slingshot Celeritas 5'8". So this would be for a lightwind and/or small waves here in s. florida.
I know larger riders who love the nugget, the other boards mentioned are nothing like it. Try to find one to demo!

Does your local, trusted shop carry north?

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Billy B. » Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:44 am

Flyboy wrote:
Thanks Flyboy, that is some good info to ponder on the freeride v.s. surf style board. since I have the celeritas for surf, maybe the Nugget would get me goin with my Dyno 17m.
Well it's not really "info" - more an "opinion"! :brainshit: I've never riden the Nugget, so I can't speak from personal experience. The Nugget sounds like a good "one-board" quiver (except for the lack of a 3 strap option, which, in a board that width, would seem essential). But as you already have a good surf board, I'd be inclined to get something a little more low-wind/speed oriented than the Nugget ... just an opinion.
The nugget is double concave, so unlike the knee swacker mentioned later in this thread,it has no need for a three strap set up, the knee swacker is more like the freeride from north.

The double concave allows you to ride half the board once planing so the board is very turning and rides like a surf board, it just has awesome lower end, much lower then any other surf board.

I can ride mine around 7 knots with my dyno 17.. Only a knot or two more then my north 69 race board.

I don't want to seem rude, but you admit not ridding the nugget but then go on to offer advise against the nugget? Maybe you should ride one before making more suggestions? It has amazing low end and rides a wide wave size from ankle high to bigger..

Last years board with 16m in 8-12.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ji20yH9Du7U

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Flyboy » Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:31 pm

I don't want to seem rude, but you admit not ridding the nugget but then go on to offer advise against the nugget? Maybe you should ride one before making more suggestions?
I haven't "offered advice against a Nugget". It seems like a good option. There are lots of other options. Have you tried all the other boards so that you can definitively say what's the best choice for someone else? :-?

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Kamikuza » Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:40 am

Flyboy wrote:There are lots of other options.
In the easy-riding, not-a-raceboard but still strong in lightwind, can ride waves but not a surfboard, fun kind of option?

Pretty sure Billy has been on raceboards too...

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Billy B.
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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Billy B. » Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:02 am

Kamikuza wrote:
Flyboy wrote:There are lots of other options.
In the easy-riding, not-a-raceboard but still strong in lightwind, can ride waves but not a surfboard, fun kind of option?

Pretty sure Billy has been on raceboards too...
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=nAmgj93Y6mY


Yup...

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Billy B.
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Gear: 2014 north gear

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Billy B. » Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:06 am

Flyboy wrote:
I don't want to seem rude, but you admit not ridding the nugget but then go on to offer advise against the nugget? Maybe you should ride one before making more suggestions?
I haven't "offered advice against a Nugget". It seems like a good option. There are lots of other options. Have you tried all the other boards so that you can definitively say what's the best choice for someone else? :-?
I have ridden several of the boards mentioned in the thread, but most importantly I have ridden the board the thread is about, like I said take one for a spin, it is unlike any of the other boards out there. With recommendation like " it should have a third strap" I think you have the wrong impression of the board the thread is about. I am a team north rider though so I am a little jaded...

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Flyboy » Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:04 am

I am a team north rider
Ah. Now I get it. :cheer:

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Billy B.
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Style: Learning,... as in I am still learning.
Gear: 2014 north gear

All of it
North and Race boards
North twin tip and directional yummyness.
Surfboard and strapless play stuff.
Brand Affiliation: I am a North snowkite athlete.
Location: Utah ish
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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Billy B. » Fri Nov 23, 2012 7:20 am

Flyboy wrote:
Thanks Flyboy, that is some good info to ponder on the freeride v.s. surf style board. since I have the celeritas for surf, maybe the Nugget would get me goin with my Dyno 17m.
Well it's not really "info" - more an "opinion"! :brainshit: I've never riden the Nugget, so I can't speak from personal experience. The Nugget sounds like a good "one-board" quiver (except for the lack of a 3 strap option, which, in a board that width, would seem essential). But as you already have a good surf board, I'd be inclined to get something a little more low-wind/speed oriented than the Nugget ... just an opinion.
This comment indicates, some thing different then a nugget, this is what I am referring to. The nugget has a amazing low end compared to lots of surf boards including the SS celeratias I have ridden both off them and the nugget has a five plus knot lower end if you know how to ride fins, like a race board even more. The nugget is magic and it is not for everyone, but try one. Enjoy your cab race board it is a super fun shape! :bye:

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Re: Do I want a North Nugget?

Postby Flyboy » Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:36 am

This comment indicates, some thing different then a nugget, this is what I am referring to. The nugget has a amazing low end compared to lots of surf boards including the SS celeratias I have ridden both off them and the nugget has a five plus knot lower end if you know how to ride fins, like a race board even more. The nugget is magic and it is not for everyone, but try one. Enjoy your cab race board it is a super fun shape! :bye:
First off: kudos for your restrained response to my childish provocation! :wink:

The thing is, I'm totally on board with the concept of the Nugget. Why? Because I have had a somewhat similar custom board for the last 3 years & I like it so much that it is pretty much the only board I have used, in all conditions, since I got it. My board is significantly smaller than the Nugget, so it's low end might be 2 - 4 knots higher than the Nugget, but benefits from the smaller size in stronger winds. I'm pleased that after years of obsession with TTs, followed by a not always logical fixation on surfboards, the big board manufacturers are finally coming around to the realization that a lot of kiters' needs are better served by a more versatile design than a straight-ahead surfboard.

My previous comments have to do with 1) what your local conditions are & 2) what other boards you already own. Where I kite locally, there's not a wave to be seen when it's under 15 knots & nothing decent until it's over 20 knots. So, personally, I'd be more inclined to have a low wind board that is more "freerace" or "freeride" oriented than the Nugget. Someone with a Celeritas is going to be good to go in 15 knots. I do understand that there are some places that can get decent waves with pretty light wind.

The Nugget would seem to be a perfect all around directional board for someone switching from TTs, but I still maintain it would be well served by having the additional inserts to allow it to be ridden with 3 straps, as that would enhance it's performance in light wind & as a bump & jump board.


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