Starboard has been making windsurfing boards for years, so it is no surprise that they are becoming known as one of the top manufacturers of standup paddleboards in the industry. A few weeks ago we got our first shipment of the 2009 Starboards, and with it a new 8'5" Pocket Rocket stinger. Since then I have not been able to take my eyes off it, and I was waiting for the perfect day to test it out in the waves. Yesterday morning I got a call from a friend who was down on the south side of Matanzas and said it was going off, waist to chest and glassy, basically perfect SUP conditions. So I jumped in the Suburban, dropped by the shop, and threw the brand new 8'5" in the back. It fit perfectly without even having to put the seats down!

For a little background, I have been standup paddle surfing mainly in the waves now for a year and a half. I started on a Kites Etc. 11 foot big orange epoxy single fin, and then last fall upgraded to a 10'10" Vec epoxy tri-fin. Both boards were very similar in shape. I weight 215-220 pounds, and both shapes were a good all-around shape to start out on, and work great in small mushy waves. I have also ridden them both in overhead waves, and when it starts to get a little more hollow, the extra length in the nose makes it easy to pearl, which can make for some pretty spectacular wipeouts. So I have been anxious to try something smaller, especially after seeing some video of Kainoa Mcgee riding a 6'5" SUP in California on Vimeo recently.

My first few paddles I noticed that the board was almost as stable as my 10'10", but wanted to curve hard to one side when I started paddling. So I had to really lean to the side I was paddling on to get the board to go straight. But after a few strokes that was not a problem. I managed to paddle all the way out through the small whitewater into the lineup without falling, and turned around and got my first wave no worries. Once on the wave I noticed that the board was slower than my longer board, but also turned MUCH faster. It actually felt alot like my 6'2" fish that I ride on smaller days. I did not need to use the paddle as much when turning because the board reacted so fast, but in flat sections on the wave I had to paddle a little to keep it moving.

The other thing that I noticed immediately was that the board did not glide nearly as far per paddle, so I had to paddle more frequently and it was more work to keep the board moving. This made it more difficult to get into waves, so I found the need to place myself more in the peak and inside a little more in order to catch waves. This actually helped to put me more in the steeper section of the wave too, which is where the board wanted to be, where on a bigger board I would be running away from the steeper section of the wave. After all, they call it the "Pocket Rocket". Once I was able to get into some steeper waves, the board accelerated through the turns and was really fast from rail to rail. This is due to a pronounced single-concave from the nose through the front 2/3 of the board (for paddling stability), transitioning into a convex tail.

After over 50 waves in a 2 hour session, I was ready to call it a day. The carrying handle made it a breeze to get the board up the rocks and back to my car. Of course as I was paddling away the wind turned offshore, and cleaned up the surf even further, and I thought about going for another sesh! But responsibility won out, and I headed on down the road.

This morning was session #2 on the 8'5", with a little smaller thigh to waist high perfect peelers and offshore winds at D Street in St. Augustine Beach. I was able to get a little more dialed in, making a number of floaters and even a small barrel.

After 2 sessions on this board I would say that it is perfect for an avid surfer or an experienced SUPer that is looking for a high-performance board for medium-sized waves, and wants to ride waves like a shortboarder. It would be ideal for someone 150-180 pounds. For heavier guys, I would suggest maybe the 9'0" Stinger or 9'8" Element or Super Fish. But if I keep paddling that board every morning, in about a month I might be down into the 180 pound range! It is a definite workout, but worth the effort for the difference in performance. I am IN LOVE!!!

We will have some more boards coming in next week, including a few demos and rentals starting next weekend once the boards come in. Swing by and check them out!