Our thoughts and findings on the Naish Nalu 11′6
Perspective
We know this board inside out. It was the staple platform for our paddleboarding school for a whole season, so we’ve seen how it works for all types, weights and abilities of user. We’ve also used it ourselves in every sort of conditions from mirror flat to fairly big surf.
Design & Variants
The basic dimensions of 11′6 long, 30″ wide could describe a lot of boards out there. But what sets this Naish apart is the volume that they’ve crammed into that plan shape. It’s thick.This allows a relatively large amount of nose and tail rocker, but huge volume underfoot through the mid section, resulting in a kind of ‘raised up’ ride. You’re high off the water. The rails are not sharp nor thin in the tail.
The board comes in two variants, the AST, with its all-over soft deck covering, and the ‘Epoxy Wood’, which has the pretty looking wood laminate and comes with a rubber deck pad (that you fit yourself) to cover the rear half.
Our findings
One hell of a board. Genuinely very hard to fault for all-round use! We have been consistently impressed by just how user-friendly the shape is. Unlike so many boards, it doesn’t seem to have a ’sweet spot’; that point where you need to stand for the board to work best. It feels like you can stand almost anywhere on the Naish, it just doesn’t seem to mind. Which is fantastic for when you’re trying to negotiate very shallow water, you can stand way forward and get the fin almost completely out, and cruise comfortably through water just a few inches deep. It also makes it great for teaching as it’s so user-friendly and tolerant, and also really good for two-up, taking kids for a ride etc (particularly as the extra thickness means that they’re well up out of the water, and don’t get wet).
It’s also extremely fast. In very flat water it’s probably no faster than most midlength cruisers, but when it cuts up rough it really comes into its own. Hacking upwind against steep chop, it just cuts through and over the rough stuff, leaving other boards in its wake. We were consistently surprised by just how good it was in these conditions, making difficult conditions so easy that it’s only when you looked around to see where everyone else was that you even realised that theywere difficult. (And conversely, when you weren’t on an 11′6 you just had to put up with having your butt kicked when you turned the corner into the wind…)
At the first 2011 NZ Hyundai Surf SUP race, in and out four times through the surf at the legendary Piha – two out of the top three riders were on Naish Nalu 11′6s. How impressive is that! It really underlines the fact that when it cuts up rough, when you need to concentrate on everything else that is going on around you; getting out through the sets, getting the best rides in – a board that is hugely forgiving and versatile will so often be the fastest.
In the waves, it’s actually not at all bad considering its volume. Because it has a lot of rocker, it really does turn. Obviously its ponderous, and can hardly be described as snappy. But if you dig the paddle in and lean, it pivots well. And you’ll catchanything on it, because it’s so nicely directional and easy for your run-up that you can accelerate very quickly up to speed. Because it’s single fin and the rails in the tail are pretty thick, you’d expect it not to hold in at all well, but we’ve had the board out in surprisingly big and steep surf (like well overhead) and not once has it lost grip. The thing is, if you’re a surf pro you’re not going to be on this board anyway. But if you’re wanting a board to get to grips with the waves on, then this is a great choice as it holds your hand every step of the way. (It should be mentioned that obviously one thing against it for wave use is its bulk; if you’re learning, don’t use this near other people, especially groms etc in the shorebreak directly inside of you. Bear in mind that if you’re on a 10′ leash then with this board you have a 25 ‘kill zone’ all around you. You won’t make any friends if you biff them with a board this big!)
Which construction to go for? Well, the Epoxy Wood is a little bit lighter and definitely looks more pretty, but it’s more pricey, and actually on a board like this there is a whole lot to be said for being able to walk wherever you want on the board – because you can, and you will!
So, all in all, this is a highly recommendable board. It’s just a great all-rounder, and hugely user-friendly with it. OK, it’s big and it’s not the lightest, but you can take this board anywhere and have fun on it – as can anyone else.
Weight Recommendations: Despite its plentiful volume, being 30″ wide, it’s not that ideal for real heavyweights. Width is everything when it comes to weight support, volume is actually much less significant. If you’re knocking on 100kg or more, you’ll have an easier time on a wider board. At the other end of the scale, we’ve had 9 year olds happily charging around on this board, loving every minute of it.
Overall – it’s now a four year old design, but it’s as relevant as ever (as the Piha event proved!). Well priced, extremely tough (our school boards were testament to this!), and amazingly user-friendly. Naish really got this one just right.
Expert Review originally published at out partner site Stand Up Paddleboard Talk
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