FIT
The bucket design of the 560M is an ergo design, it’s a narrower fit for smaller hips but it’s tapered to also accommodate larger hips.

HANDLING

SPEED
Flat water speed was the easiest to compare: The 560M is amazingly faster: I don’t feel bored, and it doesn’t feel like I am pushing water. The Spark is quite fun DW, but a “drag” for training on flat water. It’s rocker doesn’t help there.

 

I used to say that the 560M was a clear choice for paddlers who were 75 kilos or less. I take that back, because it’s more tricky than that. Now, and from having place several paddlers in the 560M, I will recommend the 560M to paddlers that are specifically:
Less than 70 kilos for rough water.
Less than 75 kilos for calm water (including flat water).
Short or long legs.
Narrow hips, or a little wider.

nick

  • Less wetted surface, leading to less drag which counters speed loss from less water line
  • Shorter boats will be comparably lighter in all layups
  • Easier to store in your garage
  • A little less to manage on top of your car
  • Easier to manage off the water
  • More maneuverable on the runs, especially smaller stuff
  • Faster acceleration (especially for lighter paddlers)
  • Arguably faster overall for paddlers under 100 kg

Needle Nose

For me, this just feels right. So right away I’m more at ease in the boat. But there is a lot of hard science around the benefits of a narrower catch. It has been noted by some that the narrow rounded bow pierces through small waves with less loss of speed than a larger volume bow

Minimal Hump

Maybe because of my long legs, but i have never noticed an issue with the hump in any of the surf skis I’ve ever paddled. That said, many paddlers who have come from boats with formidable humps in the cockpit, have really appreciated the almost non-existent hump in the Nelo boats. The efficiency of cockpit bailers has improved tremendously and essentially made the need for a hump to displace water volume in the cockpit obsolete.

Shallow seat / low gunwales

The hugely effective bailers combined with wave deflectors to prevent water from entering the cockpit have also enabled the designers to go with shallower seats and lower gunwales in order to make remount exponentially easier. Having watched paddlers struggle to remount boats, this feature cannot be overestimated. As Oscar says, if you really think about it, if the cockpit is going to get swamped with water, it will get swamped. The higher seat walls and gunwales aren’t typically going to make a considerable difference.

So to net it out, the evolution of surfski design is starting to show that while shorter/lower volume boats, with minimal humps, and shallow seats may be a wetter ride in certain conditions, when you consider the full spectrum and most common paddle conditions for most paddlers, the pros outweigh the cons, and more so when you consider the efficiency of the bailers and the bow defectors working together.

Additional Features and Functions of the Nelo 2017 Surfski Lineup

  • Adjustable Footrest Angle – I’m not 100% certain, but I believe this may be another first. Nelo has designed the center footrest such that the angle and height can be adjusted to meet the paddlers preference. This is a great new feature and I know from experience that having just the right angle can make a huge impact on stability and leg drive
  • Adjustable Rigid Foot Strap – Another new feature for surf skis, the Nelo boats all come with an adjustable, but rigid foot strap, which also includes a mounting dock for a waterproof cell phone case or GPS unit. Anyone who has ever battled a flopping foot strap in the surf zone or during a remount will appreciate the benefits of this. It does take a bit of adjustment to get it right, but once you do, it comes in very handy.
  • Foot operated bailer – This isn’t new for surfski, but definitely a must have for any downwind paddler. The 3 position bailer can very easily be operated with the foot and there is a bright indicator to quickly and easily remind you if it is open or closed. The bailer is very effective. I don’t know exactly how it compares to the Epic bailer, but I would guess very similar