Condition: seeps water in through the Venturi drains (about 3 ounces every 4 hours in the water).  I suspect this boat was a custom order originally but the gel coat did not go as expected. I bought it new but have had to do some extensive repairs to THE FINISH. The boat is completely structurally sound. I use automotive polyurethane to finish repairs rather then messing with colored gelcoat sooo the color match is only aproximate.

$800.00

At the time I bought this boat out of Jude Turczynski's “bargain” bin it was probably the best thing I could have done for my wing paddle stroke development. It is SKINNY!!! Not only is it skinny but the hull under the paddler is almost a complete U. So it is Potentially very fast. But, in order to get that speed the paddler needs to drive the boat with a very efficient and balanced stroke or they will: 1) immediately fall directly out of the boat 2) do allot of hard bracing 3) rock left and right onto its minimal secondary stability and bleed off all their foreword glide. So, for this paddler, on flat water, this boat demands a pretty significant amount of concentration and deliberate form. BUT when you jump back in your 17” downwind boat you will feel like a MONSTER!!

The S1-Z is a little shorter then the average industry standard (at least until recently) and in fact was one of the first boats to pull length down. It has a very elegant rocker profile that makes it one of the most fun wake riding boats I have paddled. With the Huki 7” weedless rudder it just loves to carve and dive down a nice glassy bump pushed up by the dead rises plying our local salt creeks. I have paddled this boat mostly on hot glassy summer days when I really wanted to work my form or just do deliberate intervals following working boats. I always thought of it as a safer alternative to a K-1 that I don’t have to drag to shore and dump out when I fall out. I am positive that a really good paddler could downwind it in lined up conditions like Oscar in his 560.

Huki, as far as I know is the only American made surf ski out there, and one of the few that are hand laid up by or under the eyes of the designer. It is laid up from high quality S-glass and Epoxy so it is not as stiff as carbon composite boats but is much or resistant to puncture and ESPECIALLY the spliting that carbon boats have tendencies towards.

But, here is the highlight: THE STEERING!! I have paddled a fair amount of surf skis and I believe that Huki's steering is by far the best. From the beginning Jude has had all the the components for his steering systems costume machined for his boats and also developed his own rudders in house. The result is a no stretch, no slack rudder  that feels like the first time you put low profile tires and wheels on a performance car. Because the whole system is stainless you can feel everything the boat and wave under you are doing directly through your toes. It is un canny, and it is hard to give up when you move into boats by other producers. so much so that I have spent allot of time trying out other materials and rigs to attempt to even approach the way a Huki boat steers on a wave crest.

There are Huki Boats around here that are 4 or 5 years old that are still relevant, solid and competitive, especially when conditions are good. I have full confidence that a competent K1 driver could race this boat very successfully on potentially rougher flat water courses such as bays, lakes and inshore.