Author Topic: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.  (Read 11567 times)

LeeBee

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Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« on: March 01, 2015, 07:29:16 AM »
Good morning. I am about to purchase a Mistral M1 14 Ft. SUP (rigid), without having ridden one, I know the brand from many years windsurfing so I know the quality is good. I am 195 lbs. (6'3") and paddle on flat water (lakes). Would view myself as an intermediate level paddler. Anyone out there own or have ridden one have a comment?
Thanks/LeeBee
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
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JimK

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2015, 08:47:59 AM »
lee

SUPER FAST, SUPER Tippy Light but kinda fragile Need to replace the stock fin for sure

Whatelse do you wanna know

JimK
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LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2015, 08:58:08 AM »
Thanks.
How big are you and do you paddle on flat water or chop?
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2015, 09:07:35 AM »
Jim,
One further question, are your comments for the regular M1 not the Open Ocean model which is narrower and lighter?

Thanks
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

JimK

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2015, 09:14:26 AM »
I'm a BIG (6'1 285#) guy paddled that board in flatwater (demo) I know it is a low volume raceboard
It was relatively stiff flex wise

JimK

Area 10

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2015, 09:25:22 AM »
LeeBee, if you are talking about the M1 that was in sale in 2014, and has these dimensions:

DIMENSIONS 14’0“ M1 Race
LENGTH 14’0“ | 427 CM
WIDTH 27.5“ | 70 CM
THICKNESS 6.9“ | 17.5 CM
VOLUME 315 L
WEIGHT 28 LBS | 12.6 KG

Then it is a very stable and pretty tough board that makes a good cruiser/racer crossover. Two of my paddling buddies have them and they are fast on them. The nose works well and the sheer stability that the wide tail gives you means you can get the power down. I have tried it and liked it a lot. It tracks very well. They DW quite well for a raceboard too. But the 2014 model at least had a huge standard Tuttle Box fin that was complete overkill. One of my friends has cut his down and prefers it now. It is a board that is likely to be preferred by guys who are over 80kgs, and/or powerful paddlers. It is quite a big board considering it's width.

I would have thought that JimK's comments were more true of the 2014 M2 or maybe the M1 Pro rather than the M1. But I haven't tried any of the new 2015 models.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 09:39:41 AM by Area 10 »

LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2015, 12:45:56 PM »
Thanks. I will proceed, as it is in the range I wanted to go with reasonable stability.
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2015, 02:10:10 PM »
Area 10,
Again thanks. It is a 2014 model like the specs. you listed. At my current (fat) 195 lbs. and hopefully future 185 it sound perfect. I suspect also  JimK rode the M2 or M1 Open Ocean version. At under $1400 delivered it should great deal and I can either cut down the fin after I get my sea legs on it or find a Tuttle box fin, I used to use them on my windsurfers. I think it will make a great cruiser for our small lakes here.
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2015, 02:10:34 PM »
Area 10,
Again thanks. It is a 2014 model like the specs. you listed. At my current (fat) 195 lbs. and hopefully future 185 it sound perfect. I suspect also  JimK rode the M2 or M1 Open Ocean version. At under $1400 delivered it should great deal and I can either cut down the fin after I get my sea legs on it or find a Tuttle box fin, I used to use them on my windsurfers. I think it will make a great cruiser for our small lakes here.
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

Area 10

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2015, 04:39:47 PM »
I think it's a shame that Mistral have essentially turned the 2014 M1 into the Ventura cruiser. The old M1 was, like the SIC X14, a very user-friendly raceboard that is flattering to the semi-serious racer but is stable enough for use as a touring board. There seems to be a rush by manufacturers right now to create two types of distance boards: (1) uber-tippy and fragile (and expensive) race boards that are basically torture to paddle for most people; (2) big fat wide slow heavy barges for the 300lb brigade, whose only race aspirations are to get to the fast food store first.

But most people who get serious enough about SUP to contemplate buying a fłat water board probably want something in the middle. Something they can race, and will flatter them when they do, but also stable and tough enough to serve duty for expeditions and snooze-cruises with friends.

But I guess this is just the almost inevitable slide into over-specialisation that might cause a slowing in the growth of participation numbers. In the UK at least, tippy race-only boards have surprisingly little value used, and slow heavy tourers don't do too well either. Versatile race-capable but user-friendly boards do better IMO. Maybe part of the problem is that boards here are twice the price they are in the US. So you are going to want to get a lot of use out of your board if you are gonna spend the equivalent of $3-6k USD.

LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2015, 05:25:05 PM »
Area 10
I agree but in today's world the recreational market is like business, where planning is based in the 90 day quarterly reports. I bought a Hobie 16 back in the mid 60's (yes I am old), and raced it for close to 20 years. I then windsurfed for another 20 plus and while the boards evolved but not at the crazy rates as with the SUP's. Looking at the $4,000+ "throw-away" boards these days is like the $10,000 mountain bikes I see when i go down the road to Moab, UT if folks are stupid enough to support an overpriced product, someone will make it. Frankly as someone who raced surf skis for years, it is embarrassing to look at SUP prices vs. a high end ski with current pricing.
I am happy to get a nice high performance board for modest money and no have a hernia putting it on top of my car, and be in good enough shape at 72 to go fast enough to enjoy it. I am sorry the cost in the UK is so prohibitive.

LeeBee
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

Luc Benac

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2015, 05:37:08 PM »
I am happy to get a nice high performance board for modest money and no have a hernia putting it on top of my car, and be in good enough shape at 72 to go fast enough to enjoy it.

That is the spirit. When I stopped competitive mixed martial arts at 42 years old I though that my sport world was over. Now at fifty, I enjoy yoga and sup with no plan to race ever, and I will keep your words for when I get to 72.
Happy paddling on your soon new board.

Cheers,

Luc
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capobeachboy

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2015, 06:19:53 PM »
I think this is the M1 you're referring to, although this is a 12'6" pictured.  I did some work with Mistral for several months last year and got to spend some time on these boards and for an entry level racer or fast touring board they are great. Not as light as some but very well made.  Some don't like the Powerbox fin setup but you will never rip it out and you can buy some beautiful weed and race fins for that box off eBay for a fraction of the signature fins out there (under the windsurfing gear). Another option would be letting Larry Allison loose with it and do some twin keels and a ventral setup. Either way it's a beautiful well made board that has a nice glide, is pretty stable, and surfs all right too.  It's a great downwinder for California conditions too.  The M1 Open Ocean that replaced this model is more of a downwinder for big water like Hawaii or the Gorge.

I do have a Mistral M2 Flatwater in hollow carbon that is very fast and probably the only one in the US.  I'll be posting it up in the classifieds soon so keep an eye out.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 06:23:37 PM by capobeachboy »
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LeeBee

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2015, 07:07:07 PM »
Thanks all for the information and kind words. If you stay in shape you can just transition to something that still brings you pleasure; my Maui and George windsurfing days are over, but paddling on a beautiful lake here in the mountains of southwest Colorado does just as much for one's soul.
2019 Mistral Stealth 17' 6" x 24"
2019 Mistral Interceptor 17' 6" x 24"
2017 NSP Ninja 14' x 25"
2016 JP Australia All-Around 11' 8" x 31"
Stellar S16S surf ski
Kai Barton ARES OC-1 outrigger canoe

robon

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Re: Mistral M1 Race 14 Ft.
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2015, 12:38:14 PM »
I'm confused. The topic of Mistral SUPs came up on here before with similar comments that go both ways in terms of quality and performance. So, the newer Ventura touring boards are basically the old M1 race boards, but lower quality or am I missing something? Has the fin box been updated to a standard size? I like the specs and if it really is stable at 27.5", then the Ventura sounds like a great option for having a fast touring board.

 


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