I’m in the market for a higher volume board to go with my 55L Omen Emissary for marginal days and to possibly start playing/dabbling in the parawing space.
I’m just under 80kg and thinking something in the 75L-85L range.
The Carver’s are currently available on sale for $1385 which saves a fair bit of money when looking at other options around the $2K mark.
Thoughts on the 75L or 85L Carver today? I know the design has been around for a while but as an intermediate trying to improve skills in the surf I don’t feel like I need the absolute latest state of the art board, just a friendly shape with a little more volume.
Even the DW versions to me felt fun and surfy, I would think if it’s a deal then it’s a good bet. I’ve seen some pretty beat up examples still going very strong
I believe I sold that board when I had 3000 miles on it? It served the next rider for a full season and then it’s on it’s 3rd owner now? Going strong!
My review on my new Carver with custom dims is almost done. Just adding photos, a few clips, and some notes on parawinging with it.
It’s my all time favorite board. Hard to find any faults in it. I’d prefer 5’10" over 5’6" for my riding preferences if I was choosing between those two.
@Wouzel Thanks for the feedback. Read through your review which is great.
I consider myself an intermediate, whatever that means.
The last couple days I’ve been riding in side-off winds which can be a little lighter and gustier on the inside. The issue I’m trying to fix is in those conditions, common where I ride, if trying to get up and going on the inside, I need to be up on my knees looking at the windline and swell to time my start. With my 55l it can be a bit trickier as I need more time, time to get up, get to the surface and up on foil. Was thinking that with more volume this makes waiting on my knees easier and the time to get on foil less?
At times I’m definitely on my knees waiting not moving so your comment about the board being tippy has me wondering. My 55L is 5’6" x 19.5 so I’m comfortable with a narrow board but the additional volume will probably mean I’d be bounced around a lot more.
I’m kind of torn on the 75L or 85L. Is your preference for the 5’10" based on length or volume (or both).
I think the tippy feeling is something you get used to. People who always ride sinkers seem to feel they are way more stable. For me, I’m so accustomed to neutral volume that it’s a non issue, but being on a sinker for me feels uncomfortable. So, it’s just putting the time in and learning the balance.
The nice thing about the 5’10" 85l is that you will be able to stand and taxi really well with minimal wind in your sail. The 75l 5’6" will not have that same luxury and you’ll get better at using it, but it will always be a notch down from the 85l. Those holes, light zones, dead areas are extremely common in the gorge and are why I’ve come to really value boards around 6’ +/- a few inches and neutralish volume. Yes, I give up a sliver of performance in the air but I never worry about falling, can ride my smallest foil, the Silk 650 more often, and can always use a little less sail. Those benefits more than make up for whatever loss I have in a little more board size. If you go 85, just prepare yourself mentally to go through the paces of relearning your low end possibilities and I think you’ll be stoked.
*edit to your edit @tgaunce My preference is stronger towards the 5’10" length then it is for the 85l. My current Carver is 5’11"x77l
Carver was fun to ride, it was my second wingboard! But a little on the heavy-side. I know Bryan goes for a lighter construction, so maybe he has had a nicer experience
Yep! I get mine without foot inserts and ask for 10lbs. Any lighter and I’ve found it gets thrown around by the 40+ knot winds unfortunately. That being said, most of the production 85l boards I’ve seen come in at 12lbs which is respectable for a production board IMO.
