Stability

re. spec ski stability I think it's mainly the seat height and I agree the reduced contact with the sides must have some effect.
BTW I'm not having a go at Gibbons just saying the model I have wouldn't be suitable for most beginners. Gibbons and some of the other spec. ski companies also make a more stable beginner suitable ski as well. The spec. skis are great fun in breaking waves.

Just wanted to throw some comments in as often read with interest but normally feel I cant add much more....

This seems to have gone off the topic but I wanted to discuss both.

I paddle 3-4 times a week ( club and free paddling ) on both my Gibbons and Fenn, and I compare the 2 to a V8 and F1 when I talk to non paddlers as the Spec has the weight and width etc to sometimes be in slow motion in tippy situations where as the Fenn is if you think your going over chances are your in. But in saying that it also has the ( for want of a better word ) twitchyness that your so locked in and its responsive enough that you can save it since your hips can pull you back - spec you may just get washed out.

Tiredness I agree as Im a big guy 95+ and its in my chest and shoulders so I always belive thats sometimes my downfall as if I fatigue this tends to throw me around if I dont hold form - only my theory as anytimes I stick a normal size girl they paddle off into the sunset and watched amazed as they come back dry on there first paddle - maybe to do with not trying to over muscle the boat ( like I/men do ).

Just my thoughts and interested what you veterans have to say

Weight must have a big influence. I'm 75 kg and find the Synergy not a lot more stable than the Fenn elite (I read in another thread someone else of similar weight expressing the same view). Bigger guys seem to find the Synergy a lot more stable. Must be the same on the spec. skis?

grasshopper wrote: Re. spec ski stability, I've got an old Gibbons NB spec ski with a mid seat height and also a carbon Fenn elite and would say the Fenn elite is noticably more stable.
I know some of the spec skis are more stable than the NB (also some less stable) but would advise anyone thinking of buying a spec ski as their first ski to try it out and also compare to something like an XT which would be way more stable than any spec ski.

I've had the same experience. I started out on an Unfair Advantage spec ski, which took a long time to master. I can definitely say that I've never paddled ocean ski that is more unstable. Occasionally I still jump on the old Unfair Advantage and it usually takes a while to get used to being perched so high and having hardly any connection with the ski.

And I betcha the main problem is being perched in a small depression in the spec ski versus being in a nice form fitting bucket on an ocean racing ski.

When I first sat in a V8, it initially felt less stable than my V10 because of the bigger looser fitting bucket.
If that bucket was in my V10, I don't think I could paddle it.

I still assert, that being connected in a form fitting bucket is more important than the height of the seat in skis, until the width and stability of a very wide ski comes into play and then the connectiveness no longer matters.