Like most of us buying a new Huki ski, we relish the idea of thinking about all the great options available to choose from, like color, rudder size, seat option, etc. The fact that this was my third new Huki did not diminish my excitement for latest designed Huki, the S1X Special. I ordered the Kevlar/sglass version around 28 pounds. I purposely order a slightly heavier layup to ensure it does not move around in big conditions like the very light weight boats tend to do.
Owning, the other High Performance Skis (HPS), the V10L, Mako 6, and Legend, I could not wait to get the Special to see how it performed in comparison. My reasoning for getting the Special was that it would be the best combination of speed and stability in rough water which is a recurrent theme for me.
With the exception of my Evo and Legend, I have paddled the Special in the roughest conditions including the Double Beaver Race in Jamestown, Rhode Island, this summer. Two thirds of the way through this race in the roughest section of the race (4 foot very confused seas) my right paddle blade all but separated from the shaft. So despite the fact I had very limited use of the right blade for 25 minutes, I stayed upright in the Special using the 7 inch rudder. The blade did separate entirely as I limped to Mackerel Cove. This experience and others, leads me to believe it is one of the most stable skis of the HPS. It seems to nestle down nicely in the choppy conditions and has excellent secondary stability. In following seas, it performs flawlessly due to its pinpoint steering and ability not to see/saw on the top of a wave.
Seating is comfortable with a fairly deep bucket and steep hump. As in all my Huki’s, I enjoy the wide seat option that fits me nicely. As I paddled the Special more, I played with getting the leg length and the angle of the toe pedal adjusted perfectly. Specific to me, my left hamstring would often tighten after 90 minutes. Finally, after much experimentation, I settled with a 1/2inch spacer in front of the 4th cable stop. This took up enough space to allow the correct leg length and corresponding toe pedal angle to relieve my tight hamstring.
In some of the other HPS my legs want to splay more, but with the Special I get less of this, therefore my legs are straighter. It seems like I fill out the entire cockpit more in the Special than other skis.
As far as speed, we all know stability is one of the major components in getting the most out of your performance. The stability of the Special allows for this. Also contributing to the stability and speed of the Special is the ability to change the rudders for specific conditions. I have several rudders for the Special which include the 4in, 7in, 8in, 9in and a sawed off 9in that comes in at 5.5 inches. The smaller rudders can be used for training to decrease stability and then in a race you can switch to a longer rudder and feel even more stable. The 4in can be used for flatwater racing. The bow slap noticeable with the S1X is a non-issue with the Special..
My experience with all my Huki’s has been the build quality has been superb, the ability to customize your ski is a superb feature, and the rudder system is the best in the industry. Also, it should be worth noting that the Huki web site explains how the boats perform in varying conditions. I have found these descriptions to be very accurate. So overall, the Special did not disappoint. It has excellent secondary stability for bigger conditions, precision steering, and comparable speed in its class. ~Wesley
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