Fenn Swordfish

Took my new glass swordfish for its first downwind run from Gordon's bay to Strand life saving club. This boat is just magic. It is so stable and just glides down waves. I battled with a think evo mk1 for nearly a year. Could not master the lack of primary stability. I have a perfect remount in any conditions due to that boat.

I just love how you could lean the boat back and bury its tail in a wave while it just glides down. Not a hint of broaching. Then as soon as the nose pops out of the water you put the power down to link the next run. Its just a fantastic boat. Fast and stable. What more do you want?

Leash attachment points

Been paddling my glass vaccum swordfish afew times now. Im so impressed by this ski, the lenght is perfect for the small/step waves here and the ski feels very lively and easy to turn. Goes well upwind due to the low nose volume and catches runs easily propably due to the larger volume in the tail. Only problem right now is that ice is starting to build on my home bay, had to hack trough a few mm of ice to get to open water saturday morning. Cant wait for spring and going further out the coast for some bigger conditions, right now im sticking to the paddle machine in the garage.

Hi all, it's my first message on the forum. Excuse me for my poor english but I'm french...(nobody's perfect!!)
I started paddling 8 months ago on a very old fenn XT. Great to learn and for my body (1,92m for 110kg). I would like to have a new boat now, intermediate style, but the problem is that I don't find any boat with the same width than mine (44cm for my actual seat width). I've read that the Fenn swordfish has 2 width possible. The Wide seat model is 2cm wider than the classic one. Does anybody have the seat size of the classic or wider one? I leave in Tahiti and the problem to leave on a "lost island" is that you have to pay and buy a model if you want to try it (nobody have it for the moment)
Thank you for your answer

Votre anglais est beaucoup mieux que mon français!

I have a demo Swordfish on my car right now that I'll be paddling over the weekend so I can measure it and let you know!

But when I asked Fenn, they did say that there is only one size seat in the Swordfish now, which is wider than the original narrow size.

I've just measured my old Swordfish, at the very top it measures 400mm, obviously it gets narrower as the bucket deepens, as far as I know it is the narrow (first) model available, I've had to add 10mm hip pads both sides. Its possible the wider model is the same at the top but wider further down like the Stellar SES narrow and wide model?

Thank you very much for your quick answer! But...I'm so sad to read that I won't be able to put my big buttom in a swordfish...will I be obliged to stay with my 23,4kg old XT?... (I've tried a Stellar Sei yesterday and the 41cm seat is to thin for me...

Sorry I forgot the link
www.oceanpaddler.com/skis-kayaks/fenn-skis/fenn-swordfish/

mikatahiti wrote: Thank you very much for your quick answer! But...I'm so sad to read that I won't be able to put my big buttom in a swordfish...will I be obliged to stay with my 23,4kg old XT?... (I've tried a Stellar Sei yesterday and the 41cm seat is to thin for me...

Have you tried the normal width Swordfish with a pad ? I use a 1-2cm thick pad with a teflon pad ontop in the bottom of my swordfish and it fits me perfect, I have hips to wide for many boats.

I am having a similar search. Here is my story. try a Carbonology Zest. It impressed me see here

www.surfski.info/forum/19-boats/18350-wh...d-paddler.html#23656

Hi, I can't try anything else than fenn epic or stellar because there is no seller of anything else here.....the carbonology zest seems to be great and light....

AR_Junkie wrote: Have you tried the normal width Swordfish with a pad ? I use a 1-2cm thick pad with a teflon pad ontop in the bottom of my swordfish and it fits me perfect, I have hips to wide for many boats.

I use 2 pads in my old XT because it helps me to stay straight Cause if I don't my pelvis Glides forward (not easy to explain in english lol).

i dont understand how a pad can help me to feel better in a Narrow bucket?

Excuse me you all non-french-speaking people...

Bonsoir Mika. Je pense qu'il te suggère de mettre le pad sous tes fesses, au fond du siège pour être assis plus haut et dégager les os de tes hanches ainsi. Le souci c'est qu'en te surélevant tu vas perdre en stabilité.
On n'a pas beaucoup de choix à Tahiti... alors je t'envoies mes idées en vrac :
1- Changer pour un XT... en carbone ! avantage, tu connais déjà l'engin et tu vas gagner en poids.
2- Contacter le gars qui importe les Stellar. Peut-être qu'un modèle te conviendra ? Il a récemment fait une journée de test de ses différents modèles.
3- Achète un Swordfish, et si tu ne rentre pas dans le siège, tu vas voir un de nos magiciens de la fibre (Are Va'a ou Bernard Richmond ou Tehuritaua ou un autre) il y aura bien quelqu'un qui pourra te modifier le baquet à ta convenance.
Bon courage et à bientôt sur l'eau.

See the "Is there a new fenn swordfish coming out?" thread...

The new Swordfish seat is just over 41cm wide at the top, so it does seem a bit wider than the current one. It's also extremely comfortable - and I didn't find it too wide at all.

I had great fun with it in the rough water, I'll be off to paddle it on flat water (and hopefully wake riding behind Nauticat) in Hout Bay in a bit.

Hi Robin

Hein tells me you have a Zest and enjoy it. Could I ask you you to compare the bucket widths on the Zest, Evo II, Swordfish and Epic V10 and V10 sport.

Based on your posts I am guessing you have regular access to these skis/

Also could you record if the bucket tapers or is parallel sided. I found the Zest really comfortable. The bucket is parallel sided.

If I remember the Swordfish tapered as it went down Hence the ability to get comfortable by going up in the bucket.

It is interesting for me that not one ski manufacturer lists bucket width in their information. They all list overall ski width. The Swordfish I paddled had really thick Gunwales. Such a waste of prime bucket width.

Hey Matthew, I'd go further and say that I love the Zest! (Even though the Zest bucket tends to take the skin off my arse... I have to apply vaseline liberally around my coccyx to prevent it.)

I can certainly compare the bucket widths of the Evo II, SF and Zest. I'll measure them tonight. I don't have as ready access to the Epic skis, but I should be able to measure them when I return the demo SF to Orka...

Personally I dislike a wide seat - the original V10 Sport springs to mind. The V10 Sport seat has improved radically since then however!

Rob

Hi Rob I was told so but did not want to put words in your mouth.

If you look at my thread lapsed paddler...

I am looking for a ski to fit my fat ass. Hence all the questions. I like extra waterline length and for this reason the V10 looks appealing. Just worried about fit.

Thankfully I paddled the Zest without any Coccyx damage. Actually I would say the bucket was a perfect fit. I have always liked to be able to move around on a ski. Hence the ask for a little room. Cartwheeling skis up Llandudno beach taught me the value of a little body English when muscling a ski straight on a wave.

Ski's are terrifyingly expensive nowadays. So I want to make the right decision.

I can see I will be driving to Durban a lot to get me offshore ski legs back once paddling properly again. Also I work in PE a lot and Hein has offered me access to a ski when down there.

This surprised me!

Zest: Just under 43cm
Evo II: 40cm

So the new shape Swordfish falls in between the two.

Thanks

Hi Rob
I jumped in a new (old) swordfish today, and had my hips jammed against the sides. I hope the new one is appreciably wider, as you state. Can you advise if there is much if any taper in the seat bucket on the new sword?
Thanks