Starboard Kode 113 Carbon

Surf recommendation: We recommend the Kode to sporty freeriders with advanced riding skills, less so for riders who want to learn the power jibe. Jumping, fast planing manoeuvres and a sporty feel are the board's strengths. For pure racers, the very outside strap position is missing.

Add bookmark

[Board] Starboard Kode 113 Carbon : [Tester] Manuel Vogel : [Spot] Dahab

On land: In the Starboard Kode, the large 38 mm fin is solidly anchored in a tuttle box. However, the selection of freemove fins is smaller than with the more convenient Powerbox. The deep cut-outs in the tail could also have been taken from the slalom board. The soft, easy-to-adjust straps garnish the board in a rather moderate freemove position on the deck, with the outer straps sitting a good distance away from the rail. The straps can also be attached far inwards: On the rather narrow tail, once as a very centrally orientated double loop and of course as a single in the middle. The round deck shape ensures a comfortable stance. Thick in the centre (the volume has to be hidden over a length of 2.38 metres) and thin rails - this results in a very rounded deck shape throughout, similar to the Tabou 3S. The centre of gravity is concentrated around the area of the front straps. The comparatively small, almost flat "V" in the rear part of the underwater hull may explain the rather sporty planing characteristics.

On the water: The Starboard is coded for fun, which the board conveys from the very first metre. The very stable, wide board should appeal to committed manoeuvre surfers in particular. The red racer runs particularly freely, light on its feet and lively over the water and is easy to motivate to take off. The board appears significantly smaller and more agile on the foot than the more comfortable representatives, such as the Exocet Cross, but also requires more guidance in choppy water; with a little body tension, however, the Kode flies cleanly over the chop. The more inwardly oriented straps are positioned comfortably on the rounded deck, from where the board can be manoeuvred extremely quickly through the jibe. It glides through the turn at high speed, reacting very quickly and directly to foot control, but needs to be actively steered, especially in wavy conditions. Instead of a stupidly simple automatic jibe, the Kode comes with a proactive sports programme and without ESP. This ensures a lot of driving pleasure and great manoeuvring potential.

Web: www.star-board.com

surf measurement: