Naish wants to shake up the wave market with two new models. We asked Naish product developer Michi Schweiger about the ideas behind the concepts:
Michi, how does the Global Quad differ from its predecessors, the Assault and Assault Custom Thruster, in terms of shape?
The Global is a completely new shape that we developed together with Ricardo Campello. It's a fast but manoeuvrable all-round waveboard that works particularly well in onshore and sideonshore conditions, planes quickly and has great potential for jumps. It has a "V" in the underwater hull in conjunction with a quad set-up.
Is the more radical Hookipa Quad a continuation of the Assault Custom Quad? Is this shape new or is the predecessor model continuing here under a different name?
The Hookipa Quad is a refined further development of the Custom Quad. We have adapted the underwater hull and improved the water release at the trailing edge. The edges in the centre area have also been given a little more "release" so that they produce less resistance and the board glides better. All in all, these are rather small but important changes that influence the riding behaviour slightly but retain the DNA of the original shape.
Have the boards changed in terms of their design?
The construction has also changed somewhat. The boards now come as a "PVC S-Glass Sandwich", with carbon reinforcements at certain points. The aim is to achieve the right stiffness to get the balance between durability and a stiff, sporty feel when riding. The construction also has a double stringer in the underwater hull to increase durability.
We were able to test both Naish waveboards for two days on the North Sea. You can read our impressions here:
Naish Global and Naish Hookipa in detail
The Global Quad is designed as an all-rounder and is available in a total of four sizes (75/85/95/105 litres). At 220 x 57.5 centimetres and with more parallel edges, the 85 litre board we tested is somewhat narrower than some other boards in this volume size. The tail is fitted with quad fins from MFC. The Hookipa Quad, which will be available in 78/84/88 and 96 litre sizes, is visibly more radical - we tested the 84 size. The bow and stern of the Hookipa Quad are very narrow, the outline is rounder, the edges in the stern area are much thinner - and the underwater hull also has significantly more curve (rocker) than is the case with the Global.
The designers of the Hookipa Quad have also opted for a monoconcave underwater hull throughout, while the Global Quad has a V for comfort and a smooth ride. All straps are double-bolted on both boards, yet the weights of 5.87 kilos (Hookipa Quad) and 6.29 kilos (Global Quad) are quite light.
How Naish Hookipa and Naish Global ride
The Global Quad is quite stable in the water in chop, with the first gust the board pulls away well and reaches a high top speed. The planing position is controlled and offers an almost rail-like feeling, yet the board glides lively and sportily free enough to prevent boredom - and even less experienced wave surfers feel completely safe on their way through the surf. The comfortable straps and the fact that the stance, which was very narrow in the past, has been adapted to normal dimensions also contribute to the feel-good factor on deck. In jibes, the Global turns surprisingly tightly over the back foot, making it ideal for tight radii against the wave. The Global Quad is also pleasingly balanced on the wave. With less speed, the board produces nice tight turns over the back foot. Nevertheless, the board can also carve long radii with good control and takes the speed well up to the lip of the wave. Only with a lot of wind and high speed on the wave does the shape reach its limit in terms of turning ability.
The Hookipa Quad appears - and this is absolutely intentional - more specialised and more demanding in every phase. The narrow bow and stern sections alone ensure that you have significantly less tipping stability when bobbing and crossing waves - and the 84 Hookipa Quad doesn't just feel one litre smaller than the Global Quad 85, but rather ten. If you are wavering between two sizes, it is better to choose a size larger. When planing, the Hookipa Quad needs to be loaded sensitively and ridden more actively - but if you have this sensitivity, the board delivers a surprisingly good planing performance - including powerful acceleration. On the narrow tail, however, crossing white water becomes a rather shaky affair. The ride on the straights is less rail-like and more lively; every twitch of the toe is immediately translated into a change of direction. This means that the Hookipa model rides much more radically on the wave - the radii can be varied playfully and with less pressure. Even at high speeds and powerful ocean waves, the radii remain easy to vary. Conversely, there is also a noticeable lack of planing potential with little wind or wave thrust, which pays tribute to the narrow tail with its thin edges.
Naish Global Quad and Hookipa Quad - the surf summary:
Nine out of ten wave surfers get everything right with the Global - planing performance, control and manoeuvrability are at a really good level, which makes the Global not only a globally usable wave board, but also a universal one. Whether in thick North Sea waves or as a flat water board for strong winds, the Global Quad takes it all in its stride and doesn't really have any weaknesses. Only those who aim for maximum turning even in big waves will reach the limit in terms of turning ability.
The Hookipa Quad, on the other hand, has no place in flat water, wave beginners will also quickly be overwhelmed here, so the target group is much smaller. Nevertheless, the Radikalinski can be just the right thing for certain surfers and spots: If you're more concerned about whether you should try an aerial or a wave 360 on the next wave than about getting out safely over the surf, you'll get maximum turning potential here.
The Naish Wave models
- Global: 75/85//95/105 litres
- Hookipa: 78/84/88/96 litres
- Prices: 2699 Euro
- Info: www.naishsails.com
