About Nelo Surfskis
The Nelo lineup of surfskis are the 510, 520, 540, 550, Vanquish, 560, and 600 double. Nelo is the leading company in top-performance kayaks for World and Olympic competitions and they bring all their design and manufacturing technology to the state-of-the-art surfski lineup. In 2017 Oscar Chalupsky joined the Nelo team bringing a lifetime of elite racing experience to the Nelo team!
Nelo Surfskis Comparison
Nelo Surfski Sizes
Nelo is the only company that makes surf skis in sizes. All carbon skis are available in ML, L and XXL. The specs that increase with size are bucket size, and volume. While weight is one aspect of selecting a size, hip-width, leg length, and skill level are also important. Given all these factors our chart shows a lot of overlap.
Read More about Nelo Surfski Sizes
ML – under 170 lbs (77kg)
L – 150 to 200 lbs (68 to 90 kg)
XXL – over 180 lbs (82 kg)
Nelo Surfski Size Chart
Email Chris at Info@FastPaddler.com for more info
About Nelo
Nelo is the leading company in top-performance kayaks and canoes and the major innovator in canoeing, from boat design to services and technology. This know-how poured into new areas and Nelo now has a strong footing in all paddle-related sports, from Rowing to Stand Up Paddle. Nelo is an experienced and versatile design and manufacturing team that also produces strong composite shell equipment under other brands.
The company was created in 1978 by Manuel Ramos, a former paddler himself, and is now located in Vila do Conde, Portugal. In 2015 Oscar Chalupsky joined Nelo as CEO of Surfskis, bringing his long history of success in both surfski racing as well as surfski design and manufacturing. Nelo has offered Surfskis since 2009. While they were very fast with great ergonomics, the low stability allowed only truly elite paddlers to take advantage of their high-end performance. Oscar’s goal is to revamp the Nelo surfski line, designing and producing boats that work with a broader level of paddlers while keeping the Nelo tradition of providing high-performance, ergonomic boats. The 560 family was the first Nelo Surfski to be redesigned, followed by the new 520, 600 double, 510, and 550. Anyone who has paddled the 560 and 520 can testify that Oscar’s work and Nelo’s renewed dedication to the surfski market are definitely on track!!
NELO
SURFSKI
CONCEPT
MORE MANEUVERABLE
by moving the pivot point forward
IMPROVED STABILITY
by lowering the seat and keeping the “K1” angle
WEIGHT IS REDUCED
by making a stiffer, more responsive, shorter boat
EASY TRANSPORT
light and garage-friendly length
Nelo Surfski Advantages
- Designed for Performance – All Nelo Surfskis follow the long heritage of performance products that Nelo has been bringing to the market for over 40 years. Whether you are looking at the race-bred 560 or the entry 510, all of the skis have similar performance characteristics – with the main difference being increased stability for a slightly less top-end speed as you move down in the line from 560 to 520.
- Ergonomic Paddling Position – Nelo has always been know for putting a very strong emphasis on ergonomics, and the new Nelo surfskis continue to reflect this trait. The bucket is positioned with the bottom of the seat slightly higher than the bottom of the bucket where your heels sit, giving you a “K1′ like position that facilitates better rotation and less strain on your lower back. The shape of the back of the bucket provides just enough support without impeding rotation, and the footwell is just wide enough to allow movement without restriction.
- Narrow Catch – All the Nelo Surfskis, like their world champion K1s, provide very narrow catches allowing the blade to enter closer to the centerline of the boat maximizing the all-important catch phase of the stroke. Also, the angle of the hull at the top of the gunnel near the catch is angled properly to allow setting the blade very close to the hull at the start of the stroke.
- Shorter Length – All Nelo Surfskis are shorter than the traditional surfskis. Nelo has extensive experience with creating the highest performance K1s at 520cm (17′), gaining an incredible knowledge of length vs drag (created by wetted surface). The shorter length allows for faster accelerations, easier transport, and better maneuverability on waves. Another benefit is the ability to create a better, overall constructed product while keeping the weight down (due to less material required). This allows for a very strong, stiff, durable SCS construction at 10.5kgs (23lbs) and WWR construction at 11.5kgs (25.5lbs) that would weigh approx 15% more if they were the typical length of 640cm (21′).
- Adjustable Footplate – The new Nelo Surfski footplate offers comfort, performance, and flexibility. 3 different footplate angles, easy precise adjustment, and included solid pull bar with GoPro mount (soft strap optional).
- Easy Remounting – All the Nelo Surfskis are some of the easiest to remount in the industry, primarily due to the low gunwales at the bucket. While lower gunwales do create for a wetter ride, a bow waveguard and very fast draining bailer keep the bucket empty.
All Nelo Surfskis are constructed with “UNICO” technology, which has no seams that have been traditionally used to connect the hull to the deck. Nelo first started using seamless construction in the previous generation of surfskis, the OceanSki, and VintageSki and has carried it over to the current new models, providing the stiffest boats possible while eliminating the chance of a failure at the seam. If you notice in the 560M below, you will see a cosmetic edge that transitions the deck to the hull, but no seam. This line fades as you get to the bow.
Constructions | 4-WWR, 12.5 Kg | 7-SCS, 11 Kg