Dane’s Review: 2008 Naish Stand Up 11’6″ EVA
Board Tested: 2008 Naish Stand Up 11’6″ EVA
Paddle Used: Werner Spanker
Date: April 2, 2008
Location: The Event Site – Hood River, Oregon
Conditions: Flatwater paddling, 0-5 mph
Rider: Dane
Gender: Male
Height: 5’5″”
Weight: 135 lbs
Skill Level: Beginner paddler, Advanced kiteboarder
Yesterday evening I had a chance to get out on the 2008 Naish Stand Up 11’6″ EVA board, and having never done stand up paddling before I didn’t really know what to expect. What a fun time! The water was completely flat and there was nary a breath of wind, so we launched from The Event Site and paddled up and around Wells Island. With kiteboarding out of the question on such a calm and warm spring evening, it was great nevertheless to get on the water, no matter the sport.
The Naish 11’6″ is a large board that is incredible stable, thanks to its wide 30″ of width. This was my first time stand up paddling, but I had no problem just hopping on this board and taking off. The board tracks really well, and with my background in canoeing I initially tried to keep a straight line with a series of J-strokes. I soon figured out that while J-strokes work well they can be a bit fatiguing in stand up, and a far more efficient way to track is to use your weight and bury the rail of the board. Shifting your weight to the side that you’re paddling on is a guaranteed way to flip a canoe, but the Naish hardly flinches!
As it is a large board, the Naish 11’6″ takes some effort to get moving, but once it’s going it carries a lot of momentum and feels nigh unstoppable. Despite its size it has a very narrow tail, which makes it easy to handle and surprisingly maneuverable.
