Shuri Araki won his third straight ICF long-distance SUP racing world title on the Katana. Now Starboard is bringing his signature board to market alongside the wider Tsurugi model.
By the time Starboard opened pre-orders for the Katana, Shuri Araki had already raced it to a world title in Sabaudia, Italy. He developed the board with his father and coach, Takuji Araki, around the short, quick strokes he uses on the racecourse. The Tsurugi takes the same idea and gives paddlers three wider sizes to choose from.
Why the tail is worth watching
Watch the back of the Katana in the launch footage and you’ll see it dip and rise as Shuri paddles. Starboard calls this shape the Narrow Box Tail. The idea is that its sharp edges grip the water as the tail dips, helping the board hold its line, then release as the tail rises. Starboard says the extra tracking could also let racers use a smaller fin.
There are some thoughtful details up on deck, too. A gap between the two main deck pads lets you feel where your feet are without looking down. There’s also a small pad right at the back for when you step back for a buoy turn.
What’s the difference between the Katana and Tsurugi?
The Katana is Shuri’s signature board and the narrowest in the range. It comes in one size, 14′ × 20.5″, with 290 litres of volume and a listed weight of 9.5 kg. Starboard recommends it for elite racers up to 75 kg.
The Tsurugi is also 14 feet long and uses a slightly wider tail designed to make the board easier to control. The 21″version has 285 litres and is aimed at skilled racers up to 75 kg. The 23″ comes in at 300 litres and is aimed at intermediate racers up to 85 kg. The 25″ has 325 litres and is for riders up to 95 kg or those who want more stability underfoot.
All four sizes use Starboard’s Carbon Reflex Sandwich D2 construction and come with a Flash Plus carbon fin.
What we’d like to try
The 23″ Tsurugi is the one I’d like to take out in side chop. Shuri makes the Katana look settled at his race cadence, but how much of that tracking can you feel when you’re taking a longer, slower stroke? That’s the part I’d want to get a feel for on the water.
Starboard is taking pre-orders and quotes four to six months from order to delivery. Local arrival dates vary by distributor.