Stability-  Sit in this boat and the first thing you will notice is that the seat is very high. Really, this is probably the most stand out difference between Nelo and the rest of the field. Both boats will really appeal to K1 paddlers because they minimize the difference in paddling position between the two and may just save some injuries. Of course, as we raise the seat we tend to swim more. We had many different and sometimes conflicting feelings about this boats stability. The only consistent conclusion was that the secondary stability was less than most of the top contenders on the market, such as the V12. But, that is likely the trade of for the hi seat. Because of this, it is difficult to contrast against other skis because it feels “different”.  If you are used to K1s, and positively controlling your position at all times, you may find (as some of us did), that you have more control. However, developing paddlers may find it a challenge. All of us felt comfortable in both skis in flat water, so an ocean review will be welcomed (Wesley?, Robin?). 

Speed-  I bought a V12 ultra last month and it has been my primary boat since. I did two 500 meter sprints with ample rest in between and used a rolling start to help minimize the weight difference between the Ultra, and the WWR layup.  I hit 2:19 both times. Though this is certainly not the final word on speed, it does look promising for the Vintage. No one else offered a timed sprint.  Holm (East German Olympic sprinter) felt the Vintage was slower and had less acceleration than the Ocean ski. But, all things are relative, he is a powerhouse, and his primary boat is an Epic Legacy. Overall, I think we all felt the speed was very good, and certainly competitive. Some of the boats we contrasted with are the V10L, V12, Fenn 6, and Huki S1X.

Summary- It is good to see that every time we turn around, someone is putting out a new ski these days. They are just getting better and better all the time. But as consumers I think we are getting more demanding. Simply coming out with a beautiful new ski that matches the competition really is not enough. I think Nelos new skis do have an edge though.  They are really going to appeal to the flatwater paddlers because of their K1 like cockpits. The medium Ocean Ski will appeal to skilled women/small men, that for years, have had only a choice of a Huki S1A, or a hull that will fit Oscar Chalupsky. As for which model to choose? I think the Ocean Ski is the one that will appeal to the masses simply because it is faster. However, we really need to be honest with ourselves, because the average paddler will never be able to get that extra speed in the humps. Again, we totally recommend the Ocean ski as a flat water rocket that won’t disintegrate in small chop and boat wakes. And yes, we would recommend the Vintage to any capable paddlers that want to win races.

Cliff Roach
 

          Nelo's New VINTAGE Surf Ski       by Cliff Roach

Much of this review is built upon the prior review of Nelos “Ocean ski” .  You may want to check it out if you have not already. I would like to point out again that this is a flat water review. We, as a group are not ignorant of surf skis, but we rarely get to the ocean. Rowan and I did Blackburn this last weekend, but that is the first open water for us both this season. We are also not affiliated with any manufacturer or supplier, so we are free to speak our minds. Vadim bought both the Ocean ski, and the Vintage and was nice enough to share them with the group. He was the coolest guy at the lake this month!!!!!!! So, after a few days with a half dozen paddlers of various levels, we hope to provide some of our collective thoughts. Again, we hope some full time ocean paddlers can pick up where we have left off.

  Whats in a name?- I am guessing there is something lost in translation. Nelo makes the world renowned Vanquish K1, and also a Vanquish Vintage, that is a slightly less tippy masters K1.  There is nothing “vintage” about a brand new surf ski. This boat is state of the art and deserves credit as such. Nonetheless, there is uniformity, in that the Vintage, is a slightly less tippy version of the “Ocean Ski”.  In fact, when placed next to each other, even a Nelo owner would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two boats. The Ocean ski is 16.5” wide, and the Vintage is 17.5”.  The hull shapes are grossly the same, and the length is the same. So, it is no surprise that they handle much the same. When I first heard they were coming out with a more stable ski, I envisioned something along the lines of a Huki S1R, Epic V10Sport, Think Evo, Mako Xt etc. It is none of those. Nelo apparently will not be entering that niche market. This is clearly a boat designed to win. It fits right in with the top hi performance skis out there. In a way, we are forced to elevate the Ocean ski to an Elite category.

The Build- The Vintage comes in one size fits all. The layups are the same, and as with the Ocean Ski, this layup was the WWR, Nelos heavier layup. This boat felt heavier than the Ocean Ski, that also states a max of 31lbs. There seems to be a fairly wide range of actual weights in these first skis. Fortunately, if you visit Mississippi Kayaks web site (mkayaks.com), Janet Findlay has taken the time to actually weigh each individual boat in inventory (sorry, no Vintages yet).  Some of the guys felt this boat to be a little heavy during acceleration, but virtually all of our skis are 24lb range. The finish is flawless, and as nice or nicer than any out there. When I reviewed the Ocean Ski, I complained about the need for tools to adjust the pedals. I sort of understand the mentality that it is an elite level ski and therefore should be set once only. But, I was hoping they would make the Vintage tool-less. They did not. Each time we swapped paddlers, we needed several minutes to make the conversion. Maybe some folks like this? It is lost on me.  On a positive note, both boats have adjustable foot plates for tilt and height. The Vintage plate comes down a little lower than the hi flying Ocean Ski, more surfski-like. For shorter paddlers, you may find your heel lands in the venturi cut out, but this is easily fixed with a little foam and tape. Janet Findlay mentioned that Nelo may be including pads in the next delivery. The Vintage came with bungees behind the seat. Nelo is still not sure whether to put them on all their skis, or offer them as a kit/option. For now, half of Janets inventory has them and half do not. I suspect she could remedy that for you though. The seat was plenty wide for me this time(yeahhhh). If anything I had a little extra room. The Ocean seat was tight for almost all of us. Apparently Nelo is making a XXL Ocean ski that should be arriving here in the states in the next month or so. It will have a wider seat and is rumored to have a larger volume hull too. For reference, I also fit nicely in the V10 /V12, Huki extra wide, and find the Mako 6 slightly “pinchy” at the bottom. Myself and at least one other paddler found the seat a little flat, with some mild sacral pressure, but obviously seats are very subjective. Overall, it is a nice seat.  There is much more room for the legs than in the Ocean Ski. The cockpits overall in both boats are tighter than many of the popular skis out there. But, I think many K1 paddlers will like this. In general, the cockpit of the Vintage is more surf ski-like, and the Ocean ski more K1 like.