Carbonology Atom First Impressions

I received my new ski yesterday so here are the first impressions after a short paddle last night in some small chop in Durban bay.

Weight - under 14 kg for a vacuum glass ski.

Finish - excellent, close to Epic.

Rudder and pedals etc - same adjustment as Epic so very easy and quick to adjust. Pedals are carbon as is the rudder.

Cockpit Comfort - Narrow but comfortable. Will fit some foam under my butt as I always do but felt good. Feet lower than seat.

Stability - Coming from a Red 7 Pro 70, it feels different. It feels a bit looser in the water which comes from more rocker and being a little shorter. Definitely a top end ski not for novices but intermediate paddlers will be fine.

Speed - The Atom is FAST. At least as fast as the other top end skis.

Upwind - Awesome. As long as you are under the designated 75 to 80 kgs it is good into chop with no slapping and it pierces waves well. In big chop it might get a bit wet but will have to wait for a bigger day.

Downwind - Again, very different to the Red 7 Pro 70. It feels looser and because it is shorter seems to "fit" onto smaller swell better. I am unfit at the moment so my acceleration onto waves is not strong but it feels easy to pull over the "next wave". Changing direction on the run feels easy - dfferent, but easy. It is not necessary to lean the boat as much as I found with the Red 7.

Turning - The Atom turns well around cans and when surfing.

Drainage - There are two Red 7 type scuppers which drain very well. I feel three would be overkill as the volume of the cockpit is not as much as other skis.

In summary, I am happy. As a 73 kg 5 ft 10 paddler still learning to paddle these surfski things the Carbonology Atom feels like a boat that will help me to grow and to improve my results this year!

I agree with your comments. It's a boat that you will have to get used to and after about 3 months you get to anticipate the movement better. Yes twichier than an V10 on the primary stability , but as you say, an intermediate paddler should have no issues. With the other boat being a V10L elite the differences are marked.

Being in a similar weight range and having the carbon version it's great into the wind and generally quick. It's wetter downwind but just looking at the ski and you'll understand why, however this isn't a big issue, just close your eyes.
I have a single scupper which is more than enough.

I however have to have a butt pad - no exception, must have to do with my boney arse. I also like the smaller cockpit.

Martin,

First up let me be transparent, I do have a vested interest in the Atom.

As a lighter paddler I am not surprised at how you love the boat and your feedback is both welcome and similar to what others have given.

I have now paddled the boat - an Atom Carbon at 10.7kgs since late Dec 2009. I am 102kgs and 195cms - a long way outside the 75 to 80 kgs mentioned! I have trained both into and with the wind. I have raced in downwind and flat inner harbour races.

The personal comparison I have is that in two highly competitive similarly down wind races two weeks apart I improved my time against the winner of my category from 109% to 105%. The only difference being the boat.

I put my improved speed down to the fact that the boat cuts through the top of the chop in to the wind and enters the run easier down wind due to the lower volume in key areas of the ski. As a result I can push it along faster an easier for longer, quite iportant as I get older.

I can assure readers that this boat works very well for heavier people, and I can personally vouch for those up to 102kgs.

The important factors that larger people need to consider (and they will only know by trying one):
1. Do your hips fit comfortably?
2. Is your leg length and preferred knee bend accomodated
3. Is the breadth of your feet and ankles accomodated

All the above work for me at 102kgs/195 cm tall/36 waist

I am more comfortable, faster and happier in this boat than my last top end boat.

I have long believed that the skis have gone too long and unnecessarily high volume, that is not to say that there are not a lot of people who paddle them exceptionally well.

By the way the winning name from competition should probably have been "Barnacle" 'cos she sticks like glue when wash riding!

Hope you have many more enjoyable paddles in your Atom

Regards

Mal

Martin,

First up let me be transparent, I do have a vested interest in the Atom.

As a lighter paddler I am not surprised at how you love the boat and your feedback is both welcome and similar to what others have given.

I have now paddled the boat - an Atom Carbon at 10.7kgs since late Dec 2009. I am 102kgs and 195cms - a long way outside the 75 to 80 kgs mentioned! I have trained both into and with the wind. I have raced in downwind and flat inner harbour races.

The personal comparison I have is that in two highly competitive similarly down wind races two weeks apart I improved my time against the winner of my category from 109% to 105%. The only difference being the boat.

I put my improved speed down to the fact that the boat cuts through the top of the chop in to the wind and enters the run easier down wind due to the lower volume in key areas of the ski. As a result I can push it along faster an easier for longer, quite iportant as I get older.

I can assure readers that this boat works very well for heavier people, and I can personally vouch for those up to 102kgs.

The important factors that larger people need to consider (and they will only know by trying one):
1. Do your hips fit comfortably?
2. Is your leg length and preferred knee bend accomodated
3. Is the breadth of your feet and ankles accomodated

All the above work for me at 102kgs/195 cm tall/36 waist

I am more comfortable, faster and happier in this boat than my last top end boat.

I have long believed that the skis have gone too long and unnecessarily high volume, that is not to say that there are not a lot of people who paddle them exceptionally well.

By the way the winning name from competition should probably have been "Barnacle" 'cos she sticks like glue when wash riding!

Hope you have many more enjoyable paddles in your Atom

Regards

Mal

Updated Impressions:

I agree with BigMal - sits on wash like nothing else.

Everything said above is accurate and I'm loving my new ski.

The only concern (maybe I just need to adjust?), is that it sometimes buries the nose and loses a bit of speed on medium sized runs. I will have to get stronger and fitter before putting this in stone - perhaps I just need a bit more oomf to get it through.

Oscar tells me I'm a moron for paddling a K1 in the sea - he is hilarious and of course the V10 is the only option!

If I had R 15 000 I would have got one - maybe when I win the lottery.

I feel I will then have the perfect two boats - Atom for flatter days and the V10 when it gets hairy!

Just got off the phone from Gary Butlion,a South African now living here, who is going to make the boats in Bunbury, Western Australia for the Aust/NZ market.

He has 25 boats on the way to WA to get him started and will be getting started on building boats in the next couple of months.

Great news for the WA ocean ski crowd!