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Carbonology · Surfski

Carbonology Flash X LV

The Flash X hull with the volume taken out: same 6.35 m x 42 cm footprint, deck down to 33.5 cm from 35 cm, seat 38 cm wide and 18.5 cm deep. The hump is lowered for leg drive, the footwell extended for adjustment range, and the cockpit rails are cut away for catch entry. Carbonology’s CEO describes it as a longer, thinner Zest X LV sharing that hull’s rocker.

Length
6.35 m
Beam
42 cm
Deck
33.5 cm
Lightest
9 kg
Source image flipped
Source image flipped
Carbonology Flash X LV, studio side profile
studio side profile · carbonologysport.com

Specifications

Length
6.35 m
Beam
42 cm
Deck height
33.5 cm
Category
Surfski
Usually paddled by
Racers
New price
A$3,300

Layup weights

Glass Vacuum14.5 kg
Hybrid12.5 kg
Carbon11.5 kg
Honeycomb Deck10.5 kg
Full Honeycomb9 kg

On-water profile

Stability
5
Traced hullMedium confidence
Speed
9

Modelled from this hull's traced beam and depth at its design weight. Medium confidence. Speed is our rating. Both are given at the hull's own design weight.

These ratings are Surfski Index estimates, worked out from published dimensions, traced hull shapes where we have them, and reviews. They are not supplied by the maker or timed on the water. How a ski feels depends on your weight, skill, set-up and the conditions, so use them to shortlist skis and paddle one before you buy. How we rate.

Stability here means how steady the ski feels sitting still on flat water. Where two craft have overlapping ranges, we can't say which is more stable. Downwind handling is a separate thing, covered in the evidence note below.

Evidence note

This band is based on a trace of this hull’s geometry. Qualitative context includes 1 paddler report and 3 linked sources.

Speed is also checked against the traced hull. Measured from this boat's side and plan photos, the shape alone rates 9, and the score shown is moved a third of the way toward that. What that means.

Suits: Downwind and open-ocean racing for experienced paddlers under about 75-85 kg. Not a boat to learn in.

Paddler weight

Carbonology rates this hull for paddlers from 40 kg to 85 kg.

The maker’s published range. How this is worked out.

Generations

2023-

Low-volume Flash X, drawn for advanced paddlers under about 75 kg and explicitly designed with women in mind. Kira Bester won the Cape Point Challenge on one.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Fastest hull in the range for a light paddler, on the maker’s own account
  • Lowered hump and extended footwell give a genuine leg drive for a short-legged paddler
  • Race-proven: won the Cape Point Challenge for Kira Bester

Cons

  • 42 cm and low-volume: unforgiving for anyone still building a brace
  • Band tops out around 85 kg, so a heavier paddler wants the Flash X
  • Only 0.5 cm narrower than the Flash X on the dealer’s figures; the real difference is volume, not beam

What paddlers say

Hein van Rooyen, Carbonology Sport CEO, on the design: "It turns very well and catches waves and runs the same as the Vault in testing. The rocker is also the same as the Zest X LV (Vault) and also has a very nice glide feeling from the longer waterline" (via Australian Paddle Sports). This is the maker talking about his own boat, not an independent report.Reported experience

Where to buy

Carbonology Sport ↗

Dealers:

Ocean Paddler · AU ↗Australian Paddle Sports · AU ↗Ocean Paddlesports · AU ↗PaddleZone · AU ↗

Australian Paddle Sports 2026: Glass Epoxy Vacuum A$3,300, Hybrid Carbon/Glass A$3,900, Carbon Foam Epoxy Vacuum A$4,500, Carbon Full Honeycomb A$5,700, Clear Carbon Full Honeycomb A$6,000.

Sources

BetaRatings are estimatesRatings are estimates. How we get the numbers. Prices checked October 2026, may be out of date.