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Shinn Monk in Egypt

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Séb
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby Séb » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:24 pm

heinzbush,

In fact you are right about a 136x44 being a good size for you at 95kg (209lbs). But if you tell me you will ride mostly in 20+ knots I would still recommend a 134x42. Me at 196lbs (near 90kg) I am perfect with the 134x42. A smaller board, whatever the brand is just more agile, lighter, more fun to ride with. And the Monk is incredibly good at building speed so you can still generate a lot of power from it's speed. It also depend on your riding style, if you want to do only freeride then a larger board will be ok and will let you ride when the wind drop a little. If you like more aggressive riding, speed, big air, kiteloop, a smaller board will feel better under your feets. Usually when it is blowing below 18 knots I am on a surf board. So of course if I was using just one board I would have to select a larger one but I will always prefer to have two boards in my quiver. A King Gee with a Monk is a perfect quiver :wink:

I ride my Monk Forever 134x42 at 196lbs from about 16 knots to 35 knots and the best range is above 20 knots but not because of the size but mostly because of the way this board handle higher speed and power, the more windy it is the more this board "Shine" :D

I will get my new Monk and Ultrasonic this week, can't wait to try theses!!

heinzbush
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby heinzbush » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:36 pm

ok, makes sense... thanks...

I guess in the end there is no perfect solution... I ride mostly above 20 knots at my home spot, but I travel a lot and will now also get a 17 lightwind kite, to cover all wind ranges from maybe2 - 40 knots with a 4 kite quiver... Especially for travelling I don't want to have two boards, but I am looking for a "one board fits all solution"...

My assumption is that by going for the 136, I might loose a bit on the "light feel" but gain a lot on the lower end while still having fun and I will still be able to get some big airs (in low and strong winds)...

choices, choices, choices... :angryfire:

Séb
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby Séb » Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:47 pm

Considering this I think your idea of getting a 136x44 is a good solution.

L0KI
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby L0KI » Mon Oct 21, 2013 12:17 am

Captain_East wrote:Hey, I'm a beginner trying to get some progress. I'm 180 lbs and 5'9 (182cm). I ride mostly in the Red Sea of Egypt (Dahab, Ras Sudr, Gouna). water is almost flat but a bit choppy sometimes, 12 knots to 22 knots.

Riding SB 12m, board : Cabrinha Chopstick 139 - LF Recoil: 130

I know my gear sounds inadequate, that's due to I live here in Egypt and it's not so easy to buy sporting stuff.

The question is .. Would it be a good Idea if I get a Shinn Monk Forever 2013?
I think the 134X42 Monk Forever, if you want a little extra planing surface.
The Monk Forever 136X44 is pretty big for 180 pounds, beginner or not.
Another really good choice for you would be the Shinn Red 135X41.

MikeBirt
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby MikeBirt » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:51 am

heinzbush wrote:I dont fully get why people ride the Shinn Boards so small... I understand its not about length, but about the surface area for which the width is more important...
efficiency and surface area for sure..
heinzbush wrote:As an example - I ride my 165*44 Mako King well overpowered without any issues - I chose the King for its feel and how it behaves in the waves... Following the "logic" of Shinn riders, I should weigh 200kg to ride this board.... :) But even my girlfriend with her 68kg loves the King!!
It's a completely different technology of board though - Mako is more like a surfboard.. It has a lot more drag and it's easy to stop the size from overpowering you. If it were more efficient this size would get out of control very quickly.
heinzbush wrote:I also want to order a Monk Forever and I weigh 95kg - I would have chosen the 136*44 without hesitation,
That is the right size for you... except for exceptional circumstances.
heinzbush wrote:but now I got all "confused" by the size/weight I read on the web...
So going "smaller" would mean to take the 134*42... but the Monk should replace my Best Armada which is 138*42... why would I go smaller? If I would have asked for the proper size on the Armada, there would have been no doubt its the 138*42...
It can be argued that the 134x42 could work for you but at 95kg you'd have to be a very slippery rider - make no mistakes, be light on your feet and have impeccable power delivery, keeping the kite singing and keeping your board speed up. I'd still say that 136x44 is right for 90kg+. Not sure on the Armada, it may well be stiff, flat and wide in the tips allowing you to ride such a small size. The monk has a medium rocker but quite narrow, small tips, so as shinn boards go, it's one of the smallest in feel for it's width/length.
heinzbush wrote:Here is a theory - it might be cool to have a smaller board since it looks more like a pro... maybe even take the handle off to save weight...
Nope - weight is largely irrelevant. The difference in board size is down to feel, practicality and how you ride. Smaller boards feel livelier and have more control at speed, but in extreme cases lack pop, upwind ability and if your speed drops so will the ability to get going again - they don't pick up and go anywhere near as easily. They also have smaller sweet spots (less range). What you gain in the smaller board is a much more nervous and lively feel, and top end control, but it's at a cost.
Too big a board will be fine until you get really powered, then you ankles/shins will get tired trying keep the rail sunk into the water to maintain full bite - and usually you'll loose this battle long before the board loses control, but for your weight they would have to make a 140x48 Monk for you to claim that the board could potentially be too big for you.
In my mind you want the biggest board you can get away with that does not in any conditions ever tired your shins ankles in trying to keep the rail buried.

The other thing I would say about boards vs sizes in general is that efficiency plays a big role. Shinn boards are naturally very efficient, and they build speed and apparent wind easily. Compared to some boards (mako included) they have a high cruising speed, so you can get away with a smallish board.

In the Shinn range the Monk is the king of absorbing power, it'll just soak it up, raising speed without losing control... One of the reasons why is so much fun to ride powered, it's just goads you into pushing your luck a little bit further..

Lastly - at 95kg you'll find that the more recent 'forever' versions will be the ones to go for. The 42 and 44 wide Monks had the biggest upgrades when the forever was introduced. By comparison they have a lot more drive, and are FAR superior in sweet spot and range for 85kg + in the new version.

hope that helps..

MikeBirt
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby MikeBirt » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:51 am

double post
Last edited by MikeBirt on Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

MikeBirt
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby MikeBirt » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:05 am

Séb wrote:I will get my new Monk and Ultrasonic this week, can't wait to try theses!!
The Ultrasonic is a really interesting board..
Very different to the style of board we have had so far. It's unmistakably in a Shinn in the tech - you can feel all the same engineering in the way it rides, but it's unquestionably not the kind of board that is easily bullied.
If you push it, it will push back. It never gets out of control, you can never accuse it of being unrefined and uncontrollable, yet unlike any Shinn so far it will show you your limits, and I stress that's your limits, not it's limits.
When you really start to explore the extremes of the thing it's like having an argument with someone that you'd never stand a chance of winning.. and so the learning curve starts again. It has for me at any rate. Many riders plug and play on it straight out of the box, but no mistraking that it's different to the Street/Supershinn for sure...

heinzbush
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby heinzbush » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:35 pm

Hi Mike,

thanks for the long answer :thumb:

I already have my new Monk Forever with me... unfortunately not yet in the water though, just had surgery on the wrist 4 days ago to take out the k-wires after a radius distal fraction :(

although I was kiting already (dont tell my doc :) just very gently with my Mako... I will save the Monk to go nuts once my wrist is at full strenght :)

MikeBirt
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby MikeBirt » Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:25 am

heinzbush wrote:I will save the Monk to go nuts once my wrist is at full strenght :)
Ah, good luck, well done, hope the wrist heals well, and stay in the water in the future ;-)

Captain_East
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Re: Shinn Monk in Egypt

Postby Captain_East » Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:41 am

although I was kiting already (dont tell my doc :) just very gently with my Mako... I will save the Monk to go nuts once my wrist is at full strenght :)[/quote]

Wishing you speed recovery, Stay safe :)


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