2014 Nugget - anyone ride yet?

[sarc]

Have they beefed up the construction? I've noticed many postings about heel dents and other deck failures.
My 2012 Whip is heavy and tough as nails... I just re-glassed heel dents under the front pad after A LOT of really heavy use and abuse... could not ask more from the construction. Now it looks and rides as new.

When North started advertising flex in their 2013 bamboo boards... I was not surprised that they started breaking.

The 2013 norths, white, with bamboo, were beefed up. The 2012 were bamboo colour, and lighter. The 2011 were also heavier than 2012. Think you might have a 2011? Heel dents can cause delamination from foam, which then makes it weaker. How many problems with the bamboo boards were there ? ( I have the lighter bamboo whip !)

I got the first year they came out so you are right, must have been 2011? Anyway after stomping the BEEJEZUZ out of it all I got was some heel dents after 3 years which I fixed with 4 layers of good quality glass+epoxy... really can't complain, I'm really impressed by durability so I hope North has gone back to same construction.

[SupaEZ]

2 sizes....5'2" and 5'6"............both 21" wide i believe

I caught a glimpse of the "back fins" from the quad set ....on the new Nugget...
.....they are not swept back like on Nugget 2013...plus seem a bit bigger

Mmmm. At first glance, still in packet, they looked like the yellow ones from last year ? Mebbe they are going to use those up first.

Check out this short video
You see the fins at 6 seconds and at 12 seconds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z27pQvb5qLY

[L0KI]

IMO they switched from the Firewire Sweet Potato shape to the Baked Potato shape...
The Baked Potato has the same deep double concave as the Sweet Potato/Nugget.
The 2014 Nugget rails seemed to be thinner too which would correspond with the Sweet Potato to Baked Potato difference, better rail2rail.

+1

[14ToeSide]

If you are in the Clydesdale Div the New Nugget compared to the 2013 will be a -The Low end and the Glide through the turns. I can't understand why they Jack with Great designs!! They have also Screwed up the Whip for 2014. Tri Fin now and narrower tail.

[letsgoflyakite]

If you are in the Clydesdale Div the New Nugget compared to the 2013 will be a -The Low end and the Glide through the turns. I can't understand why they Jack with Great designs!! They have also Screwed up the Whip for 2014. Tri Fin now and narrower tail.

It's kitesurfing industry law. 'newer and changed must be better' NOT

I paid a bit over the top for the s/h 2013 for this reason. For me it's sits well with my other kit.

[coleman]

If you are in the Clydesdale Div the New Nugget compared to the 2013 will be a -The Low end and the Glide through the turns. I can't understand why they Jack with Great designs!! They have also Screwed up the Whip for 2014. Tri Fin now and narrower tail.

not sure they jacked with the design....more like hijacked the baked potato and threw out the sweet potato design. by most accounts in firewire forums people are preferring to the sweet potato. i would bet that the same performance gains will be found with this years model as well. a bit more nimble and slashier. the rear fins for sure look bigger on 2014.

maybe they have some kind of relationship with firewire because these look like identical boards.

[SupaEZ]

Size: 5'2" x 21" x 2 3/8"....volume 28.9 L.....rider weight 60-85 kg

Size: 5'5" x 21" x 2 7/16"....volume 32.0 L ....rider weight > 80kg

Fin set: TS-M + " NQ set "

NQ are the 2 back fins... a bit taller....shaped different and have a more vertical leading edge

Quad fin.......diamond tail...bamboo tech...cork shock absorber...responsive flex construction

The added length was to improve the overall surfing ability

Tail is pulled in and integrated rail shape is similar to other high performance models in the range

It will retain the light wind ability of the previous Nugget according to Sky Solbach

Early planing...creating speed....upwind ability .....are the top 3 features
Also has nice pop for airs and stability in chop according to North

[letsgoflyakite]

If you are in the Clydesdale Div the New Nugget compared to the 2013 will be a -The Low end and the Glide through the turns. I can't understand why they Jack with Great designs!! They have also Screwed up the Whip for 2014. Tri Fin now and narrower tail.

not sure they jacked with the design....more like hijacked the baked potato and threw out the sweet potato design. by most accounts in firewire forums people are preferring to the sweet potato. i would bet that the same performance gains will be found with this years model as well. a bit more nimble and slashier. the rear fins for sure look bigger on 2014.

maybe they have some kind of relationship with firewire because these look like identical boards.

Yes, I bet they have. I think it's called sit back, wait until some else designs a great board, wait for the feedback, and then copy it type of relationship. Oh, and spend weeks and thousands in RD and come up with the of adding another sheet of mat to make it kitesurf specific.
Firewire should make a real dog of a board next time, that will screw north up

[letsgoflyakite]

Size: 5'2" x 21" x 2 3/8"....volume 28.9 L.....rider weight 60-85 kg

Size: 5'5" x 21" x 2 7/16"....volume 32.0 L ....rider weight > 80kg

Fin set: TS-M + " NQ set "

NQ are the 2 back fins... a bit taller....shaped different and have a more vertical leading edge

Quad fin.......diamond tail...bamboo tech...cork shock absorber...responsive flex construction

The added length was to improve the overall surfing ability

Tail is pulled in and integrated rail shape is similar to other high performance models in the range

It will retain the light wind ability of the previous Nugget according to Sky Solbach

Early planing...creating speed....upwind ability .....are the top 3 features
Also has nice pop for airs and stability in chop according to North

Well tell Sky Solbach it doesn't retain the light wind cabability of the old one. Even looking at a photo you can figure that. 2 mins on the water and you know for sure.

Instead of RD, maybe copy a firewire and spend the money coming up a gem like this...

"Early planing...creating speed....upwind ability .....are the top 3 features
Also has nice pop for airs and stability in chop according to North"

Anything else it does North ? Does it 'create' it's own wind and waves too ?

Sooo, IMHO the new board is very good, just different from the old. It doesn't get going as well as the old one in light winds, but has a more performance edge. It looks good too, not podgy like the older one.

[AGK]

It looks good too, not podgy like the older one.

+1 on the looks -- I love my 2013 Nugget, but is has about the stupidest and ugliest graphics I've ever seen. The 2014 isn't pretty, but at least it's less ugly and lost the faux-hip movie quotes and random words.