# Honcho Guru

> Surfski by Honcho, out of production. Canonical page: https://surfskiindex.com/surfskis/honcho-guru/
> Cite as: Honcho Guru, Surfski Index, https://surfskiindex.com/surfskis/honcho-guru/ (checked 2026-10-15). Terms: https://surfskiindex.com/using-our-data/

## Specifications
- Length: 5.8 m
- Beam: 50 cm
- Deck height: 33.5 cm (estimated)
- Usually paddled by: New paddlers

## Ratings (Surfski Index estimates)
- Stability band 7–9 out of 10 (dimension estimate, low confidence).
- Speed rated 4 out of 10.

Modelled from published beam, length and deck height. Low 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. Method: https://surfskiindex.com/how-it-works/#limits

Evidence note: This band is estimated from published dimensions. Qualitative context includes 2 paddler reports and 3 linked sources.

## Paddler weight
Honcho rates this hull for paddlers from 50 kg to 120 kg.

## Suits
First sessions, club racing and easy touring; workable downwind once it is up to speed.

## Hull
5.8m x 50cm beginner ski with an optional 20-litre dry hatch in front of the cockpit, which made it the closest thing to a touring ski on the market in 2009. Rounded hull forward, flat bottom behind the seat, and a single large scupper drain. Honcho reworked the cockpit after early boats were criticised for being too wide.

## What works
- Optional 20-litre dry hatch, unusual on a ski
- Reviewed as extremely stable
- Footplate adjusts in seconds

## Trade-offs
- Standard rudder was reviewed as too small to bite downwind
- Brand is gone: no parts, no warranty, no dealer
- Hard work to accelerate onto a run

## Generations
- 2008-2010s: Honcho skis were designed and built in Cape Town by Andrew Fyfe, who came to boats from a long career in fibreglass manufacture. The range ran from the Oceans Pro race hull down to the Guru, one of the first purpose-built beginner skis on the market.

## What paddlers say
- Rob Mousley reviewed the Guru for surfski.info in November 2009 and wrote that "this ski is extremely stable", noting that a group of older paddlers at the club asked to try it and "none of them came close to falling out".
- The same review found the rudder ineffective: "I found it quite hard work to accelerate the ski onto the runs but it behaved well once it was up to speed", and recommended fitting the larger rudder Honcho offered. Andrew Fyfe confirmed the small rudder was deliberate, to cut the roll a beginner feels when turning.

## Sources
- https://surfski.info/media/kunena/attachments/1589/WidthxlengthsurfskisJuly2025_2025-09-08.pdf
- https://surfski.info/forum/19-boats/2754-honcho-reviews.html
- https://surfski.info/latest-news/story/301/surfskiinfo-review-%E2%80%93-honcho-guru.html

## Prices
Current new prices and dealers: https://surfskiindex.com/surfskis/honcho-guru/#buy