New V10

I wonder how strong the leg leash plug is? Is it reinforced?
I have a v10 Sport, and recently had a stack on a wave which caused my leash to rip out my footstrap from its footings. (the leash was tied to the footstrap). Not a huge wave I will add. Sadly sending my Garmin310 to the bottom of the ocean.

MaxB wrote: I'm not too convinced by this emergency steering bungy off the back deck leash point talk, but you wouldn't think it would be too hard for a manufacturer to come up with a way to lock the tiller bar as an emergency steering feature. Would work a treat on any boat with an access port/cover that can be removed by hand.

I actually tested this on an Allwave CX ski that not only had the anchor point, but has the bungy installed permanently. I have to say it worked incredibly well and I could steer perfectly with one pedal.

But you're right, an alternate is to lock the rudder and some folks carry a bit of foam rubber or a piece of duct tape to jam the rudder straight.

Ah, bungy-ing the rudder full-lock to the broken cable/line side, then steering by pulling it back with the opposite pedal (assuming the line on that side is still functional). OK, that makes sense. Thanks!

Back to the topic at hand.

I picked up my new V10 Ultra from Tony King this afternoon and went straight out for a paddle on Middle harbour.

Firstly I should state that I currently have a V10 Sport Elite and a Stellar SEL Excel. I bought the V10 to replace the Stellar which although a great boat, my legs went dead after 45min and I just couldn't resolve the issue.

First impressions of the v10 are very positive. It's new design is very smart and clearly a much improved and better developed craft than its predecessor and for that matter most other skis on the market (to the eye anyway).

Compared to older Epic models the details around the branding and labels looks a little cheaper. You can see the quality of the branding stickers is not as good and where they cross the seals there is air underneath the labels and they already look like they may come off..... nit picking a little here.

On the water.

Basically I jumped in, took off and didn't stop once until I had finished my paddle. Didn't fall in, didn't brace once! I just loved it. It felt like that ski intermediate paddlers like myself have been looking for! Both primary and secondary stability are very good.

It really did not feel like much of a step up from the Sport, but was quite significantly quicker (than the SEL too). At the end I did a 1km at about 85/90% and averaged 12.5km/hr which for me is quite quick....bit of tail wind too

I tried a few remounts just to be sure and found it very easy. I think the lack of depth of the seat bucket compared to other elite skis like the Elite for example make it just that much easier to get back on. A counter to that is the obvious fact that you are going to get wet, but the bailer I found fantastically efficient and very easy to use. Being able to keep paddling and open the bailer without missing a stroke like I have to in the SEL is a big advantage. Plus it is supper efficient at getting the water out of the boat fast. My one concern with the bailer is that any item on any marine product that requires 9 nuts and bolts will at some point become victim to the ravages of salt water. Less nuts and bolts would be an advantage, but time will tell.

A caveat to all of the above is that I have so far had just the one paddle, but first impressions count and after initially thinking I would need much more time in the ski before doing a race, I am already confident enough that I being doing the Bridge to beach on Sunday...I'll report back after that.

Anyone looking for a Stellar SEL?.....going cheap!

So MarcD, did it have a leash point in the cockpit?!

You bet. Well positioned roughly under knee bend.

MarcD,
I was poised to splash on a SEL when I heard of the new V10. How does the primary and secondary stability compare? Can you comment on the build quality of the two?
I found the SEL faster and more stable than my Legend so if this ski is faster and at least as stable as the SEL, the better cockpit will make it the deal for me.

If I did not have dead leg issue I would have stuck to SEL no doubt. Its stability is amazing.
Build quality I cant fault.
Certainly suits tall paddlers.
Havnt had v10 long enough to fairly compare.

Hi All,

I took my new V10 out for a paddle today on Middle Harbour in atrocious windy conditions so I can't really say much about speed compared to other boats paddled. However, my first impressions are that there is nothing holding the boat back (like the V10S feels) and there is no constant movement (like the V12 for example).

I leaned the boat over in side-chop a few times to see if I could tip it but it feels very planted.

AND THE BAILER IS AWESOME. truly so easy to use. just keep it closed until you cop a footwell-full and then just open it up for a few seconds with your foot until empty. You can easily select one of the 4 or so opening levels with your foot or toe. It is definitely the next step up from venturi or the bailer that the V12 uses.

Can't wait to get it into the surf to see what it can do!

I had my first go in mine yesterday on some good fast runners on the bar at Bundeena. Really stable and predictable, like ed I couldn't get a proper reading on the speed with so much wind & tide around. There is a short video here - vimeo.com/60892114

Cool video ek syndney. Some nice long runs in there!

Does anyone know if there is a V10L version of the new V10 in the pipeline.

I'm 5'8" and 68kg and looking to step up from my V10 Sport and think the new V10 may be more boat than I need.

Thanks

evidently new v10L & v10 sport due before the end of 2013

Took my new V10 Performance on the water for a first time today. I was a bit apprehensive, since when I sat in it in the shop, I thought that the bottom of the seat is a bit too tight for my hip bones. On the water it felt OK.

Having sold my 2011 V10 Sport Performance about three months ago and not paddled a ski since, my memory of the V10 Sport were a bit vague. But, to me, the V10 felt initially a bit less stable, with secondary stability lower than the Sport and kicking in later. Felt more stable than what I remember a V12 was for me during a test paddle, the seat is a bit wider too.

The cut outs at the catch work very well. The way the foot strap attaches is better than the old style - now it comes from behind the foot plate, giving you an extra 1/4" or so foot width. The foot plate is same old Epic - creeks under pressure on dry land, did not notice it on the water. I have the Big Foot option, which is taller. Works well for my big feet (US size 15), but the balance point is the same as the small plate, so if you do push with the balls of your feet, the plate tips forward too easy. If there was a center rail like in Stellars, it would be ideal.

The bailer, looks to be a bit less than a "polished design" to me. Aesthetically it is ugly and the gel coat under the boat has an edge all around it - IMO Epic should have sanded down that to the level of the rest of the hull, but I imagine that takes time and costs money... I thought e bailer does require more speed to drain on flat water than my V10 Sport with my custom bullet did. It also seems to create a lot of drag when nearly fully open and it feels it is fighting itself - lots of water gets back in through that "fountain" someone mentioned above. Granted, it drains very fast if you paddle very fast, but for me, as a low-power recreational paddler, I would have preferred a design that is more efficient at low speeds. I imagine it would work brilliantly downwind, but not ideal for when you rely on your own power... When closed, it lets some water in, so I have to open t periodically, sprint to empty, then close it. Every 2-3 miles or so I get probably a few cups of water in. I have long arms, so I found it easier to operate by hand than by foot.

The nose seems to ride a bit deeper on the water than I think it should, maybe my 190lb with feet almost all the way forward load it more than ideal towards the front, maybe the decreased rocker is the reason.

In the few minor boat wakes I got the chance to catch, I noticed the ski was very controllable, the tail happily sliding around controlled by the rudder (I had the small wheedles today) and the nose was planted well. The stability seemed to increase nicely on these little runners and it felt almost more reassuring than on the flat.

I feel the seat is low, would prefer a higher seat and lower legs position. The seat is shallow though, so easy to remount but let's water in a lot. Luckily, I fill-up the seat pretty well so there isn't much space for the water. The hump seems low enough for me, but I am tall - I can almost straighten my pushing leg, so no complaints there. The leg room might be a smidgen longer than the Sport, by about may be 1" - I have 3 holes available now, so long enough for even shoes, where the Sport was at the limit and a notch short for e with shoes.

The cockpit is a bit narrower than the Sport everywhere, except at the feet as mentioned above (but still has less volume there due to the more vertical sides).

And yes, there is an attachment point in the cockpit.

I am looking forward to take the ski in a bit livelier conditions - catch some better boat wakes or out on the Bay for some short wind swells (sorry, no ocean for me nearby). I feel the boat will do really well in downwind/wake riding conditions, where I felt I was occasionally reaching the limits on the V10 Sport in terms of top speed and was wishing for a bit more to stay on some particular boat wakes that specific tour boats tend to make in my area. Looks like the V10 would have that added speed without considerable loss of stability.

I feel the updated ergonomics and the added extra bit of challenge are worth it compared to the V10 Sport for me. I'll have to experiment with the bailer to see if I could somehow improve its low speed draining, making it more waterproof when closed, and minimize the fountain of water gushing in the cockpit when it is open...

Well done Koch...

Interesting, I can open the bailer just a little and it drains easily without the fountains, but it does not fill the cockpit up, it drains away immediately. I will also never paddle with it open, it is so simple to close and open with your foot why would you want all that drag, it also only has the fountains when EMPTY. I generally open the bailer when coming to rest and slowing down it is so efficient it drains that quickly, 3-4 strokes.

There is also a trade-off having high sides and the ability not to remount easily, or having lower sides having the ability to remount easily but have a bit more water in the cockpit, but with a bailer that works that fast it is not a problem for me.

I love the V10, much faster than the OLD Sport, but a little more unstable, you cant have both! I will be getting the New V10 Sport and will see the speed differential between two NEW designs, not between one that is nearly 10 years old and a new one.

I also generally don't paddle on dry land so creaking of the foot plate would not concern me?

I can tell you that I just started paddling a surf ski in Jan of this year, I was able to paddle the HAWX elite without falling in the first time, I was slow could only avg about 5.0mph to start out , but was also nervious, and new, iv only got in about 20hrs of paddling in it, and have a long way to go but it is nice. And on the same course im now avg about 6.0 or faster depending on current, fast foward to now and I am able to paddle almost full out, im working on my stroke now, I would not hesitate to get in a HAWX they are stable yet fast. if you want any pics or any information just messg me , I do not work for or have anything to do with VAJDA just love the product and highly recomend it.

Nemo wrote: Hi all,

Thanks to everyone posting about the new v10 and vajda hawx. I was looking at one of these for my next ski. Stability wise, I wonder how the two compare. Don't know much about the hawx, It looks very nice. Just looks like it would be tippy.
Thanks

A quick follow-up from my first time out about ten days ago. Yesterday was my third time out with the new V10 and I like it better now. There was some light wind kicking-up 1 foot waves on the river, plus the usual boat wakes. I took the opportunity to paddle in all directions against, parallel, at an angle to the waves. I managed to relax quite a bit after a short while and could start concentrating on my form. In the wind waves I only had to throw the very occasional brace, pretty much all of the time just paddling with a bit of a bracing component thrown-in the forward stroke. The wave period was too short to surf well in such a long boat, but I could still catch the occasional "rogue wave" set and get some downwind-like time.

More interesting were the large boat wakes I had this time. I dumped twice trying to align myself to the steep wake of some large tour boats. Remounting was easy . On the third pass of the boat I changed my approach and, instead trying to go parallel to it (which resulted in the swims), I cut straight through the wake and turned after the boat. Even though I let the boat too far ahead of me while doing this (surfing the third wave maybe, which is not as good as the ones closer to the boat), I still managed to hang onto the wake for a while, going pretty fast. These are long boats that make big but smooth and long-period waves. I the Sport I never capsized trying to surf the side waves besides that tour boat (the Sport is more stable than the V10), I'm pretty sure I would not have been able to hang on that center wave behind the boat in the Sport - the V10 has higher top speed.

So, overall, I'm getting quite comfortable in the new V10. I also started to get better with using the bailer - as others said, kick it open/drain/close, unless I am downwind and keep it open. When fully open it drains empty as slow as 5mph, and drains extremely fast. When half-open I still think it does not work as well as a ventury with a bullet. The sides of the ski are pretty low and lots of water gets in the cockpit paddling in the steep-ish wind waves as well as going through confused waves where several boat wakes meet, so being able to drain fast is nice.

After only three times I feel I am almost as comfortable in it (in the same conditions) as I was on the Sport earlier in the year. I started to better feel its stability so I can stay centered and not have to brace much, though it being less stable, it will I'm pretty sure always require some level of bracing during forward stroke in unfavorable conditions (something that is not necessary in something like a V8 for instance, and probably less needed in a Sport). I can't wait to take it to some real swells on the Chesapeake Bay.

I have uploaded a short youtube video from our downwind route at the Aland Island. I´m in V10 sport old version and my paddler friend is in NEW V10, sorry about the music