Flowrider board reviews, which to buy?

[Biker19]

Are you on the Navigator now? How are the lines if you are?

 

 

 

JC

 

 

 

Yes. Usually about 10 people- we all agreed to ride 2 minutes each - all advanced riders. Virtually no one showed up for boogie boarding so they shortened that for more stand up time - also extended the advanced session.

[xpcdoojk]

Yes. Usually about 10 people- we all agreed to ride 2 minutes each - all advanced riders. Virtually no one showed up for boogie boarding so they shortened that for more stand up time - also extended the advanced session.

 

Wow! That is great news. 2 minutes is a long time, it doesn’t seem that way until you ride that long. I run a camera constantly and the biggest time killer is the beginners loading on the wave sometimes it will be a minute before the staff turns them lose. I have seen some last 2 plus minutes before they are set free. I have seen a few intermediate surfers go for ever up to 5 minutes. I rarely go longer than two minutes as I start to tire, and just slide off to the side. The only exception to that is when we have a lot of the 5 minute types, and long lines, then I will surf til I wipe out.

 

Typically my camera will run up to 30 minutes, when I get home and edit out everything but surfing, the actual surfing time in a general session is rarely more than 12 minutes.

 

JC

Edited April 23, 2018 by xpcdoojk
Added more

[mil76]

Whether I spend 200 or 500, it will not affect my life. I just want the best board for surfing on the RCI ships, that carves well and fits my being 59 and a bit heavy, I don’t care to win BOB, I just like to carve fast and hard at the top fo the wave, that is my one and only goal, I can sort of do that, but I would like to do that better. :halo::') Boards that don’t require me to worry abou them seem to be better. I would like to offer my board to friends in line that I have never met before, and for all of us to have a great time.

 

JC

 

From your description of what you are looking for, and if you are planning to actively allow others to use the board, I would go with the Outlaw. With myself and two teen boys riding the boards hard (as well as others asking to borrow it) every cruise, I end up having to do repairs on the boards at least every other cruise. I have had many chips on the boards but another issue is the foam on the wood boards isn't as durable, although it is grippier. My Carve is at the point where the foam on the front of the board is almost gone, and it is now more of a thin coating of foam-colored Crazy Glue than actual foam. Good thing you are open to sharing your board because with the Outlaw everybody in line will assume it is a ship board and just pick it up and try to use it. With wood boards at least they look different and some people may not assume it is a ship board. We really love the Shuvit, but it is in a stage of its life where I really don't want other people using it for fear of someone causing serious damage to it. If someone is going to put it out of its misery, I'd rather it be one of the three of us. On the other hand those Outlaws just seem to be bullet-proof where the first sign of age is the graphics fading.

 

I only consider Flowrider branded boards since they make you sign a waiver for a non-Wave Loch/Flowrider board on the ship, which in itself isn't a big deal, but you may end up getting asked by the staff throughout the cruise as they cycle through Flowrider shifts if you have signed the waiver. I have ridden Mak and Ash boards, and since I really only ride on cruises, the further jump in price isn't worth it to me. The one Ash board I rode was a brand new fiberglass board which was so slick that I could hardly stay up on it.

 

If you still want me to email, let me know. Based on the rest of the thread I figure a bunch of your questions may have been answered since my last post.

[xpcdoojk]

From your description of what you are looking for, and if you are planning to actively allow others to use the board, I would go with the Outlaw. With myself and two teen boys riding the boards hard (as well as others asking to borrow it) every cruise, I end up having to do repairs on the boards at least every other cruise. I have had many chips on the boards but another issue is the foam on the wood boards isn't as durable, although it is grippier. My Carve is at the point where the foam on the front of the board is almost gone, and it is now more of a thin coating of foam-colored Crazy Glue than actual foam. Good thing you are open to sharing your board because with the Outlaw everybody in line will assume it is a ship board and just pick it up and try to use it. With wood boards at least they look different and some people may not assume it is a ship board. We really love the Shuvit, but it is in a stage of its life where I really don't want other people using it for fear of someone causing serious damage to it. If someone is going to put it out of its misery, I'd rather it be one of the three of us. On the other hand those Outlaws just seem to be bullet-proof where the first sign of age is the graphics fading.

 

I only consider Flowrider branded boards since they make you sign a waiver for a non-Wave Loch/Flowrider board on the ship, which in itself isn't a big deal, but you may end up getting asked by the staff throughout the cruise as they cycle through Flowrider shifts if you have signed the waiver. I have ridden Mak and Ash boards, and since I really only ride on cruises, the further jump in price isn't worth it to me. The one Ash board I rode was a brand new fiberglass board which was so slick that I could hardly stay up on it.

 

If you still want me to email, let me know. Based on the rest of the thread I figure a bunch of your questions may have been answered since my last post.

Yeah, I really do. I am going to put a board in my shopping cart, and I want you to say that looks like what you want. I really like to shop Amazon when it is something people have bought or know about. This is not like Amazon, pretty much pretty pictures and bad descriptions.

 

So, pretty please email me. :hearteyes:

 

JC

[Biker19]

^ in terms of transport - one of the guys mentioned that he got a rolling 40" duffle bag in which his board fits neatly at the bottom and he simply puts all of his clothes on top of it - no need for a separate bag.

[mil76]

Yeah, I really do. I am going to put a board in my shopping cart, and I want you to say that looks like what you want. I really like to shop Amazon when it is something people have bought or know about. This is not like Amazon, pretty much pretty pictures and bad descriptions.

 

So, pretty please email me. :hearteyes:

 

JC

 

Email sent. Also, if you are unsure about placing the order online, don't hesitate to contact them directly. They are really great to deal with and might be able to work with you on colors that are not on the website. When I bought the boogie board, they were able to find me a board that wasn't on the website, but was the exact color and size my son wanted.

[SoulMateys]

JC - I bought the Ash Sharp 39" board, and am currently on Allure riding it for the first time. It's a heavy board, but nice and wide (for my big feet) and turns well. I carried it on the plane (no bag), and put it overhead on top of other folks bags once the bins were loaded. No problem. I'll probably buy a bag pre-TA.

[skiiergirl]

JC - I bought the Ash Sharp 39" board, and am currently on Allure riding it for the first time. It's a heavy board, but nice and wide (for my big feet) and turns well. I carried it on the plane (no bag), and put it overhead on top of other folks bags once the bins were loaded. No problem. I'll probably buy a bag pre-TA.

 

Mr Ski might be interested in this also. He loves the 39" Outlaw. How does the Ash ride compared to the Outlaw. From JC's original post it sounds like Mr Ski and JC are almost twins.

[SoulMateys]

The Outlaw has the four channels in it, which in my experience make carving/hard stops/big splashes easier. The Sharp has a routed channel all the way around the board.

 

The Sharp turns really well, and is pretty stable. It is a heavy, wide wooden board. Solid for carving, spins, etc. Tried a shuvit and barely moved the board around, so that will take some practice.

[Russ Lomas]

xpcdoojk/JC, I'll be on that Symphony TA with you. I've been debating the same thing - I want a durable board I'm comfortable letting others ride when I bring it along. I'm 6'1, 190, 50 years old and really like the shorter boards. I've been looking at the Ash Stub ($300) and trying to decide on 36" vs 39". I was on a 10 day last year with a guy who brought his Ash board (not sure what model) and pretty darn short. I'm kicking myself for not looking at the length...

A 36" board will be far too short for you given your height and weight. I am a few inches shorter than you and few pounds lighter and I was told a 40" board was the length I should ride.

[Russ Lomas]

Mr Ski might be interested in this also. He loves the 39" Outlaw. How does the Ash ride compared to the Outlaw. From JC's original post it sounds like Mr Ski and JC are almost twins.

I think you would find the wood Ash board much more stable and easier to turn than the Outlaw. Depending on the wave, I tend to catch the back corners of my Ash stub board on some waves when carving. You have to be sure to stand a bit more upright, more weight forward, or get your board more across the wave to limit when this happens. I do not have this problem on some waves, but other waves seem to have a thinner water surface or run a bit slower, causing some grabbing. You can get your Ash board made with a round ends as opposed to stub ends. This may help reduce the grabbing affects too on some waves.

 

After you try an Ash board, it is difficult to go back to an Outlaw (my personal opinion and the same for most at my home wave who have their own boards now). I like my fibreglass Mak board now, but it is much quicker and less stable than my wood Ash board. Whenever I hope on my Ash board from time to time it is like driving a big old Cadillac, smooth and comfortable.

[skiiergirl]

The Outlaw has the four channels in it, which in my experience make carving/hard stops/big splashes easier. The Sharp has a routed channel all the way around the board.

 

The Sharp turns really well, and is pretty stable. It is a heavy, wide wooden board. Solid for carving, spins, etc. Tried a shuvit and barely moved the board around, so that will take some practice.

 

Mr Ski doesn’t like the channels.

 

I think you would find the wood Ash board much more stable and easier to turn than the Outlaw. Depending on the wave, I tend to catch the back corners of my Ash stub board on some waves when carving. You have to be sure to stand a bit more upright, more weight forward, or get your board more across the wave to limit when this happens. I do not have this problem on some waves, but other waves seem to have a thinner water surface or run a bit slower, causing some grabbing. You can get your Ash board made with a round ends as opposed to stub ends. This may help reduce the grabbing affects too on some waves.

 

After you try an Ash board, it is difficult to go back to an Outlaw (my personal opinion and the same for most at my home wave who have their own boards now). I like my fibreglass Mak board now, but it is much quicker and less stable than my wood Ash board. Whenever I hope on my Ash board from time to time it is like driving a big old Cadillac, smooth and comfortable.

 

Thanks for the details.

[xpcdoojk]

Mr Ski might be interested in this also. He loves the 39" Outlaw. How does the Ash ride compared to the Outlaw. From JC's original post it sounds like Mr Ski and JC are almost twins.

 

We shall soon find out. Just lost a brother, would be cool to find a twin!

 

JC

[skiiergirl]

We shall soon find out. Just lost a brother, would be cool to find a twin!

 

JC

 

So sorry to hear about your brother!

[IceManCan]

I have a 40" ash and a 38"mak. Love them both.

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[spudstrawb]

Interesting thread. Can anyone tell me what length boards are currently used on the ships? There are usually a couple of longer boards and a couple of shorter boards.

[atgood]

Interesting thread. Can anyone tell me what length boards are currently used on the ships? There are usually a couple of longer boards and a couple of shorter boards.

 

 

 

Ranging from 39”, 42”, and 45” Flowrider Outlaws. It’s been reported some ships don’t put out the 39” even if they have them.

[atgood]

Ranging from 39”, 42”, and 45” Flowrider Outlaws. It’s been reported some ships don’t put out the 39” even if they have them.

 

 

 

Back in April, Navigator had 39” and 42” boards. I believe some of the 39” boards had the diamond texture top and and the quad channels.

[skiiergirl]

Ranging from 39”, 42”, and 45” Flowrider Outlaws. It’s been reported some ships don’t put out the 39” even if they have them.

 

Back in April, Navigator had 39” and 42” boards. I believe some of the 39” boards had the diamond texture top and and the quad channels.

 

We were told in April that all of the 39" were being removed from the ships fleetwide. We were told if you want shorter than 41" you will have to bring your own and sign the waiver that you are riding your own board. Don't know if this has been put in effect yet or not.

[spudstrawb]

Ranging from 39”, 42”, and 45” Flowrider Outlaws. It’s been reported some ships don’t put out the 39” even if they have them.

 

That makes sense. We always ride the shorter of the boards on offer but when we were on Anthem they brought out an even shorter board one day (but no-one was allowed to ride it). I never saw it again on the cruise.

[atgood]

There definitely is a difference in riding a 42” vs a 39”. I learned on a 42” and bought one for my first board. Later on as I got better, I found I prefer riding a 39” so I bought one of those too.

 

If riding a particular size matters, the best thing to do is buy your own board and it will always be available.

 

I’ve found that sometimes even two boards the same length and style feel different on the wave.

 

Riding the same board for consistency will help a rider improve quicker IMO.

Edited June 29, 2018 by atgood

[spudstrawb]

Depending on the wave, I tend to catch the back corners of my Ash stub board on some waves when carving. You have to be sure to stand a bit more upright, more weight forward, or get your board more across the wave to limit when this happens. I do not have this problem on some waves, but other waves seem to have a thinner water surface or run a bit slower, causing some grabbing.

 

I've only ever ridden the flowrider on RC cruise ships. I've never ridden a land based flowrider. I definitely hit the bottom regularly (not every ride though) on the ship flowriders. Is there anyone that doesn't have this problem? It's obviously a weight-based thing as much as anything else, as my 20 year old son (a bit lighter than me) also experiences it but my 22 year old daughter (a lot lighter than me) rarely experiences it. Riding style probably has a fair bit of a role to play as well.

 

I'm certainly tempted to buy a board but it sure would be nice if you could try a few out before deciding on a certain model and length. Just reading on this thread, some seem to like channels and some don't. Then the Waveloch boards come with different types of channels. Then there are different amounts of rocker, different end profiles etc. It's a bit of a maze.

[atgood]

I've only ever ridden the flowrider on RC cruise ships. I've never ridden a land based flowrider. I definitely hit the bottom regularly (not every ride though) on the ship flowriders. Is there anyone that doesn't have this problem? It's obviously a weight-based thing as much as anything else, as my 20 year old son (a bit lighter than me) also experiences it but my 22 year old daughter (a lot lighter than me) rarely experiences it. Riding style probably has a fair bit of a role to play as well.

 

 

 

I'm certainly tempted to buy a board but it sure would be nice if you could try a few out before deciding on a certain model and length. Just reading on this thread, some seem to like channels and some don't. Then the Waveloch boards come with different types of channels. Then there are different amounts of rocker, different end profiles etc. It's a bit of a maze.

 

 

 

To counter bottoming out, you likely are standing too far back on the board. Riding on a bigger board may help too. The ship Flowriders are not near as powerful as the land based ones so bottoming out is going to happen. The wave characteristics will vary slightly from ship to ship which may explain why you will have more of a bottoming out issue on one ship but not another.

 

The best way to sample a lot of boards is to take a Transatlantic cruise on a ship with a Flowrider. Those seem to be popular with people with their own boards and with any luck you could try out their boards. Helps to make friends while standing in line.

 

Just Flow!

[spudstrawb]

To counter bottoming out, you likely are standing too far back on the board.

 

I actually moved further forward on the board in an attempt to`overcome the problem, plus I probably have more weight on my front foot than a lot of people do. I did guess that the ship flowriders might be underpowered compared to the land-based ones and one of the instructors did mention to me one day that the flowriders installed on the voyager class ships were less powerful than those installed on the freedom class ships and oasis. If true then I imagine that all of the newer ships would have the lower powered variety? It would be interesting to find out.

 

I've considered a TA a number of times but it is essentially on the other side of the world to us, so not all that cost effective. Having said that though, we've done a couple of Barcelona to Dubai cruises and 4 Caribbean cruises. One day we'll probably do a TA but I may well already have a board by then.

[Biker19]

The ship Flowriders are not near as powerful as the land based ones so bottoming out is going to happen. The wave characteristics will vary slightly from ship to ship which may explain why you will have more of a bottoming out issue on one ship but not another.

The one in Hollywood, FL seems to be on par with ones on ships. It's wider and the drop in is steeper, but the water seems similar.

 

Biker, who thinks weight has very little to do with bottoming out.