Boardriding Maui Paipo, lightwind..or any wind.

[herbert]

I thought I would share this in some forums in case anyone was curious about this board as I was.

This is my impression of the Boardriding Maui (BRM) Paipo. I have used the board in about 30 sessions. Since I can be too wordy, I'll begin with my conclusion: It is really fun, quite fast, can carve a nice turn down a wave or spin and slide when you want it to, works well as a light wind board yet despite that it is really, really fun.

More details: Delivered by U.S. Postal Service from Maui. Very light. Ordered and installed the fins that BRM has. But I have friends with the Paipo using their own twintip fins. Putting it next to my traditional surfboards, I see it does pretty much match their rocker characteristics. So it will pretty much carve like the directional surfboard it is. The tail and nose are wider. It has no bottom concave. Given all that and the small fins for a surfboard and dramatically thinner rails than a regular surfboard it feels like it has low drag, hence the light wind planing and speed.....it is much better in low wind than my Mako King and has about the same lightwind ability as a Spleen Monster Door I tried in alternating testing. Maybe the Door has a bigger flatter area without rocker...advantage in light wind...but the fact that I am strapless on the Paipo seems to allow me to move around foot position...so in my estimation they end up around the same....or at least pretty close. Perhaps another rider would find differently, esp. someone with more Door experience. But the important thing for me is that the Paipo is way more fun than the other light wind capable boards I have tried (Naish Fish/ Door). I weigh 190 lbs (about 87 kg) and using the 17m Cloud I can comfortably kite at 10 to 11 mph, have serious fun and make it easily upwind at 12 to 13mph. I imagine one could easily do better if lighter and more skilled than me.

This board can really glide and cut through chop. Where I kite it can be really choppy (which is why I often liked the mako more than my surfboards). The Paipo is like a magic carpet....smooth. So I quit the mako because I prefer more surfboard type turning of the Paipo. The flex seems to help that turning. I'm sure it could be made with less rocker and less flex (like a fully traditional paipo or alaia) and it would go in ridiculously light wind....but then it wouldn't turn and carve the same.

My biases that I am aware of are: That I bought it, so I am psychologically invested in liking it. (but I bought and disliked other boards). I lean toward preferring surfboards. I surfed first and learn to kite on a surfboard. So I like the Paipo because it is fundamentally a surfboard.

This is a seriously beautifully performing and elegant board. It will stay my go-to board for almost all conditions. Clearly the ancient Hawaiians were on to something when they created this shape.

-- Don Herbert W.

[tautologies]

Nice write up. I agree. The board is just so much fun.

[1968]

It sure looks fun. How hard would it be for somebody comeing from a twin tip to be able to cruise with the shinnster?

Thanks,
K.

[Séb]

It sure looks fun. How hard would it be for somebody comeing from a twin tip to be able to cruise with the shinnster?

Thanks,
K.

Very easy! Easier then any surfboard. Jibe are also easy to learn on the Shinnster/Paipo. I perfectly agree with the review here! Very fun board that can be riden in a very large wind range. I did some back to back tests in LW and I found out it have about the same low end then a Shinn KG150x50 but way more fun to me.

[tautologies]

Yeah I don;t think it would be too hard.

[Comar]

Hello Herbert,
Thanks for the good review

Do you have some pics of the board on a table/ground to see the rocker?

And one to have a look of the outline?

Thanks.

[herbert]

Comar, Here are some pictures I had already. The rocker is a pretty standard surfboard rocker. Obviously, surfboard rockers vary. But I think this would be described as moderate/ average or typical for a surfboard. The nose rocker starts pretty far back and is gradual. It is just enough, that even with our choppy conditions I can move my feet from way back to way forward and not likely pearl (nosedive). Small tail rocker.

The question asked about ease of transition from a twintip. The answers given I agree with. I would add an example. I met a nice fellow on the beach yesterday. Just uses twintips. Not surfboards and never strapless. I let him use my 17 Cloud and the Paipo in marginal wind conditions. He took off and kept upwind immediately....on tacks in both directions. Obviously he'll want to learn the foot switch and such....but he was comfortable kiting on the board instantly.

I am in reality even much more enthusiastic about the Paipo than I even let on. But I figured no one would believe me. I am thinking about buying another one in case they ever stopped making them I would never want to go without having one. I know I could not make one myself with all the correct flex and thinness.

[Jzh_perth]

Hi Herbert. Great review. In Perth we are about to get the Shinnster and I'm hoping to line up a test rode soon. Specifically, I'm looking for a LW board to use with a flysurfer speed 3 21 in sub 10 knots at my local beach. I've ridden the Mako King recently ( strapped and unstrapped) and that was fun, but I've not had the chance to ride any of the Door style big TT's. Can you comment on the Paipo v the big Doors in terms of early planing. ? How much bottom end do you feel you give away with the Paipo because of the rocker ? I should say I'm not really looking for TT for jumping etc, mainly free riding so strapless will be fine. It's mainly about something dynamic and fun in light wind and small waves.

[Comar]

Thanks for the pics and explanations Herbert.

[tautologies]

Hi Herbert. Great review. In Perth we are about to get the Shinnster and I'm hoping to line up a test rode soon. Specifically, I'm looking for a LW board to use with a flysurfer speed 3 21 in sub 10 knots at my local beach. I've ridden the Mako King recently ( strapped and unstrapped) and that was fun, but I've not had the chance to ride any of the Door style big TT's. Can you comment on the Paipo v the big Doors in terms of early planing. ? How much bottom end do you feel you give away with the Paipo because of the rocker ? I should say I'm not really looking for TT for jumping etc, mainly free riding so strapless will be fine. It's mainly about something dynamic and fun in light wind and small waves.

Why not get the BRM paipo? Not only does it look great it is super solidly built.