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Page 2 of 2 On the lightest layups, I've found that the exterior can be dented with hard impacts. I think the foam core is getting squished. My 2+ year old S1-X has a handful of small dents near the center of the boat...perhaps from slamming my paddle shaft against the hull while attempting remounts after a wipeouts in rough conditions. Huki offers more durable layups with only a modest weight gain. As one would expect, all the rudder hardware is non-rusting stainless steel. The rudder cables can attached to the cross yoke at two sets of locations...offering an adjustable response rudder. A threaded knob and lock washer affix the cross yoke to the rudder shaft. One can switch from one rudder to another in less than 30 seconds. I sometimes bring a couple different rudders to races and wait and see what the condition are before deciding which to use.  Adjustable rudder bar Performance on the Water I find the S1-X to be a good all-around surfski for all conditions. As mentioned above, it's both fast and stable. (I found the surfskis prior to the modern 21 foot by 17 inch skis to be good surfers, but dogs in the flats and would pound into the waves going upwind.) I probably do 20-30 point to point downwind paddles each summer when our Northern California winds are blowing, and my S1-X really takes off in the waves. The extra stability of the S1-X allows many intermediate level paddlers to paddle a fast ski, and the top paddlers can use it too without giving up any speed. Deck Height The fore deck of the S1-X is lower than most other skis. This could be good or bad depending on one's perspective. The S1-X is definitely more prone to pearling than the high deck skis. On occasion I find this to be an annoyance in the steep and close together waves I see on my downwind runs in San Francisco Bay. I've paddled the S1-X in some good downwind conditions in Hawaii and along the coast here in California (going both upwind and downwind) and I find the low deck height to be less of an issue in the ocean than it is in San Francisco Bay. The ocean waves, while taller, are farther apart than what we get in the Bay. In upwind ocean conditions the S1-X seems to easily ride up and over the ocean waves rather than the wave going over the top of the ski, and I seldom have deck height issues going downwind in the ocean either. While the S1-X fore deck is lower than most skis, it's very similar the fore deck heights of most of the Hawaiian OC1s. And the "Hurricane" OC1, one of the most popular in Hawaii, has a much lower fore deck. I suspect that the low fore deck is less of issue (perhaps is of benefit) to light paddlers, and more of an issue with heavy paddlers. Even so, my frequent training partner is around 220 pounds, and he is able to paddle his S1-X well in a variety of conditions. But would the S1-X be a better all around ski if the fore deck was higher?  220-pounder... Options, Options, Options Every Huki is custom made to order. You can get exactly the ski you want...a ski fit to you with the exact options you want. There's a nearly unlimited array of combinations of colors, layups, and all the other options. Eleven standard layups, six different rudders, any color you want, fancy appearances like Hawaiian cloth inlays, hatches, weed deflectors, bungee tie downs, lock hole through footwell divider, etc. If the Huki website doesn't offer what you want, you can ask.  Dave Jensen - during 2006 Wavechaser Champs (on US Surfski Champs Course) Summary The Huki S1-X is a well made boat that offers both stability and speed. If you need something more stable, you probably won't find it in a 17 inch wide boat. It can go fast on the flats, upwind, downwind, and sideways. What's to like - Stable without being slow
- Build quality
- Aesthetics
- Custom made with many build options
- Lightweight. Layup options for a bullet proof boat at a moderate weight gain.
- Surfs very well
What's not to like - The adjustable pedals work, but aren't comfortable in bare feet, and they slip if the knobs aren't super tight.
- The low fore deck can make for a wetter ride in certain conditions...probably more so for heavy paddlers.
For more information on Huki products, click here.
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