OPHION PADDLES / REVIEW about the RAPTURE by Paulo Simões

PAGAIA RAPTURE da OPHION / Surf Test por Paulo Simões



Pedimos a Paulo Simões que testasse a nova OPHION Rapture topo de gama com pás em carbono e tubo em carbono e kevlar. 950 gramas de pagaia que, pela descrição do nosso colaborador e instrutor de kayaksurf, está mais do que aprovada! Ficam as palavras de quem sabe.

We asked our friend and kayaksurf instructor Paulo Simões, to test the brand new Rapture paddle made by OPHION. According to the brand, the Ophion Rapture paddle is designed to be dynamic and powerful, while maintaining stability and precision. Now, read the review of Paulo...

OPHION PADDLE / REVIEW about the Rapture Model


Paulo Simões / kayaksurf & waveski instructor

Model: RAPTURE
Lenght: 1.85 cm
Feather: 45º
Blade Size: 44x 21 cm
Ergonomic carbon/kevlar shaft

A pagaia não é só lindíssima mas acima de tudo funcional sendo também extremamente leve. Tem acabamentos de arte. O alumínio destaca-se brilhantemente sobre o carbono. Não sendo totalmente ergonómica permite ao kayaker menos experiente uma posição de mãos alinhada constantemente com a pá. Assegurando que está bem orientada nos momentos mais críticos. O que mais se destaca são as ondulações na pá. O que em pensava antes de utilizar veio a se confirmar. Ao pagaiar sente-se claramente uma diferença de tracção de água. Esta fica "bloqueada" dentro das ondulações permitindo puxar ou empurrar mais água que fica presa dentro da pá. Exige mais força, porém, fazendo uma clara diferença na rapidez com que se entra no "drop". No "surf" desliza fluidamente na onda servido quilha nas manobras mais arriscadas. Estou supreendido pela arrojada e conseguida diferença das restantes pagaias. Sem dúvida um salto que irá exigir das restantes empresas igual inovação.

The paddle is not only beautiful but above all functional and is also extremely lightweight. It is very well built. The aluminium is brightly on carbon. Not being fully ergonomic allows the less experienced kayaker one hand position constantly aligned with the shovel. Ensuring that is well targeted at the most critical. What stands out most are the ripples on the shovel. The thoughts I had before I use it, came to be confirmed. When I start to paddle, I felt clearly a difference in strength of water. The water is like "locked" within the ripples and that allows pulling or pushing more water (that gets trapped inside the blade). It requires more strength, however, making a clear difference in the speed with which it enters the "drop". In the "surf" the wave slips fluidly keel served in the most dangerous manoeuvres. I am bold and surprisingly, the difference achieved with the other paddles. No doubt a leap that will require other companies equal innovation.

VISIT OPHION:

Obrigado Paulo ;)


SCKSF 2010 / PHOTOS

Boas ondas!

luis pedro abreu
http://www.kayaksurf.net/

BULLIT X's REVIEW by MARC WOOLWARD

NOVO MEGA BULLITT X'S / ENSAIO por MARC WOLLWARD


Fotos: Caroline Janganant

Marc é elemento da nossa NEWS TEAM e adora testar novos kayaks. Mal soube que a Mega estava prestes a estrear este Bullitt, já comentava que queria testá-lo rapidamente. E assim foi! Malcolm emprestou-lhe um Bullitt X's e Marc escreveu o que achou. Está tudo em baixo.

Marc Woolward, one of our NEWS TEAM members, just love to test new boats. Here is his review from the newest Mega surfkayak: Bullitt X´s. Enjoy it!

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BULLITT X'S / REVIEW by MARC WOOLWARD

Let me start by saying that I LIKE SHORT BOATS. I appreciate the dramatic snaps and super late drops you can make in them. But I also appreciate that I often get my ass beaten by boaters in longer boats in the less than ideal conditions in which we generally compete. At the end of a long day of surfing the Merlin in a growing swell at Widemouth, I spent my last 20 minutes of energy giving the XS a go.......



The XS possesses all the advantages you'd expect of a long boat; paddles fast, easy to catch waves early, carries speed through soft sections, nice roomy cockpit. It also has a couple of features you'd normally expect of a shorter boat like the Merlin.

The stern has been modified, with slightly more rocker and a narrower tail. This results in a significantly snappier change of direction, as well as tail slashes its very easier to rapidly change direction and cutback on a dime. More similar to the Merlin than the old Bullit S.



The bow is also very different. It has more rocker than the original which allows you to hop foam piles much more easily without fear of being catapulted backwards if you get it wrong. This increased rocker, together with a modified deck and softer forward rails make the boat much more forgiving on steep reentry. This means you can take off later, go harder off the lip, and snap roundhouses on smaller waves without fear of pearling the nose and getting worked. The forward deck modification, in particular, makes a dramatic difference - it sheds water really well and doesn't get stuck underwater like you'd expect on the earlier model.

The XS is a very good combination of the benefits of a longer boat, particularly in poor conditions, with many of the performance benefits of an advanced HP model.

MW

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Thanks a lot Marc!

WAVESKI / NEW INTERVIEW

Boas ondas!

luis pedro abreu

http://www.kayaksurf.net/