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Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

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BigSky
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Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby BigSky » Sat Jul 07, 2018 2:37 pm

I've been on the waiting list for a while for a Groove Skate. I still want one but tired of being told 25 days. Somewhere in the Groove Skate thread someone mentioned Kanaha Shapes and I went to the site. https://www.kanahashapes.com/shop I ordered the 42" (106 cm). I had some back and forth with Horacio, who was awesome, and received the board in short order. It's beautiful, crazy light and has what I would call tons of rocker. Put it this way, absolutely no issue with touch downs whatsoever. I installed inserts for a front hook although it's so light (paired with a Lift Foil) it just sits there for a while making strapless pretty easy. I can't tell you how much I love the board. I don't understand how something so small is actually easier to ride for a beginner/intermediate than a larger board; this is his largest board, btw. There is no yaw or movement - It's just locked and stable. I've used it in winds down to 12mph with a 10m BRM and had no issues water starting. Well, I guess my first 2 or 3 took some adjustment but it's so easy now. I'm actually frequently starting immediately on foil without trying and I can only assume it's the rocker or lightness. Don't care, just really cool.

Other musings from a beginner/intermediate:
I found my development much quicker with a shorter mast, first 60cm then 76cm. This helped because I would walk out and start. Playing around where I could stand made it infinitely more easy to learn, especially because we frequently have winds directly onshore and huge tides. I used it exclusively for over a year and never thought about it. I've read about how others say a longer mast is easier. I finally forced myself to use my 91cm mast. They are right. It's so much easier to cruise along and not think about ventilating/breaching. It was an incredible experience and well worth the additional effort to reach deeper water for the initial start. God, I'm having so much fun with the small board and long mast. Cheers.

Board bags for hydrofoil. I can't find anything that isn't 160cm. I store the board with mast attached in the back of my pickup. I'm not gentle on gear and don't want to worry about it. I had an idea this morning that I love. I have an ION Neoprene Jacket that's a medium. I tried it on the board and it works awesome, at least for me. Hope someone finds some of this helpful. Cheers. BS.

Image

Poor man's board bag
Image

Board tip
Image

Underneath, the hood is over the tail
Image

mmac
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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby mmac » Sat Jul 07, 2018 4:03 pm

Can they install mast tracks on those boards?

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby junebug » Sat Jul 07, 2018 4:08 pm

Over the past few weeks they increased the price by $100. I’m kind of disappointed, because I don’t think anything changed other than a little positive press.

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby grigorib » Sat Jul 07, 2018 4:17 pm

BigSky wrote:
Sat Jul 07, 2018 2:37 pm
...
Board bags for hydrofoil. I can't find anything that isn't 160cm. I store the board with mast attached in the back of my pickup. I'm not gentle on gear and don't want to worry about it
...
First of all it’s a great review. Those boards are awesome and I’m eyeballing 32” one and debating whether to wait for 3’6” Dwarfcraft micro

Speaking of bag. The best idea I’ve seen so far is to use a keyboard bag, a synthesizer/piano keyboard bag. I think you’d love it.

BigSky
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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby BigSky » Sat Jul 07, 2018 4:56 pm

That's a great idea, Grigorib. I just ordered one off Amazon for $30. It will take a little Macgivering to get the mast to fit but not much and I'm an expert at destroying things. Thanks for the tip.

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby TomW » Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:00 pm

Can you post pic of rocker?

I looked at keyboard bags, good idea!! Right length, But they are all 40cm or under in width...

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby salvino » Sun Jul 08, 2018 2:34 am

Big sky,

The move for me from medium/large Dwarfcraft 54 to a short board was incredible. This freedom of extra swing weight, ball and chain, unnecessary equipment is so liberating. Allows moves to happen with so much more finesse and ease. I’m currently on the grooveskate and it’s incredible. But I also have been riding Sync RR which is also incredible.

I ordered the Sync cause was worried about delivery of grooveskate before a vacation. They came a day apart. But great equipment never goes unappreciated. There is about to be a huge market for custom short, pocket boards as the fillers look for second board.

And they should, because progression is so tied in to this.

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby OzBungy » Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:21 am

I have a 120cm J Shapes carbon board. The light weight and short length is a joy. Initially everything on the surface is harder but foiling gybes and carves and foot swaps are effortless. You get used to the sinking behaviour on the surface, your technique adjusts and the problems go away. Short, light boards rock.

Shorter masts are great for shallow water and smooth conditions. They seem quite good in waves. I'm not sure whether it's because I can go shallower and stay in the clean wave zone, or because they work well in waves. In chop they're a nightmare. Everything is harder. The worst is where you have wind blown waves and side chop. The foil pops out in both directions. :-(

I have found the best value is in getting custom made bags. Our custom bag makers cost a little more than the generic cheap bag, and a bit less than the premium bags from the big brands. When I got my 120cm board I used an old Dakine TT bag. It worked just fine, except the zips were stuffed. Metal zip sliders suck. Salt water damage is likely to be a problem with keyboard bags.

I would look at one of the many TT travel bags available.

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby Foil » Sun Jul 08, 2018 7:38 am

OzBungy wrote:
Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:21 am
I have a 120cm J Shapes carbon board.
I have found the best value is in getting custom made bags. Our custom bag makers cost a little more than the generic cheap bag, and a bit less than the premium bags from the big brands. When I got my 120cm board I used an old Dakine TT bag. It worked just fine, except the zips were stuffed. Metal zip sliders suck. Salt water damage is likely to be a problem with keyboard bags.

I would look at one of the many TT travel bags available.
Nobile boards at one time gave a great bag with every new twin tip, fitted with a chunky nylon zip with all nylon runner parts, these are great for both my foil boards,
They have lasted for around 10 years and still look newish, the ones with metal runners or metal bits of any type are completely rubbish,
the worst zip is the one on the Moses bags, looks great but lasts less than one holiday, thin fragile aluminum puller breaks off quickly and the thin alli runner just melts away in weeks, great looking bag ruined by a cheap zip.

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Re: Kanaha Shapes review and other intermediate musings

Postby jash999 » Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:06 am

No one has mentioned the Zeeko pocketboard that has standard tracks and decent looking rocker, length about 110 cms. Anyone tried it with a big wing?


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