Fluidesign Intermediate v Sykes Mould 37

[Splat...@hotmail.com]

Hello All,

I am about to buy my first single scull and have decided to choose between a Fluidesign Fluidfirst and a Sykes Mould 37. I am 88kg, 184cm tall.
Just wondering what peoples opinions are on the two. I have ruled out Filippi and Hudson based on the customer service received in Australia.

Cheers,

Anthony

[gsl...@gmail.com]

They are both very nice boats to row. Not sure what will fit you best or what you will like better.
Personally I don't like the Fluid Riggers. They are big and heavy and have a lot of wind resistance. Would rather see that weight in the shell with a bot mounted rigger. They do turn well and are relatively easy to row. The single skin hull is very light. The claim is they are more impact resistant because it doesn't have a core that can get damaged. I think this is true for smaller impacts but from what I have heard they are not as robust for larger impacts. A fellow club member who I trust told me he has seen more than one break because the bow or stern line was tied to tight on a car rack.
People who have Fluid's love them, but personally I like the Sykes much much better.

That said take what any one person says about any top quality racing shell with a huge grain of salt.

[Chip Johannessen]

I have an older Filippi F-15 wingboat and a Fluid Elite super lightweight. I'm interested in speed but took up the sport late, am now 50+, you get the picture...

For me the difference between my two boats has more to do with feel. The bow rigger in the Fluid makes the cockpit very open which is great. Also, the shoes can easily be adjusted to create a stance as wide as the shell permits, which I really like, it seems to help balance and comfort. Finally, the rigger makes banging noises if you don't exit cleanly so it encourages you to row well.

That said, the Fluid definitely has a slightly squishy feel compared to the tank like Filippi. The hardware in the Fluid is all stuff you could find at Tru-Value, the Filippi requires specials tools and feels like it was built by an aerospace company. One is Canadian, one Italian, Sykes is Australian right? Row them both if you can.

[Splat...@hotmail.com]

Thanks for the information so far. Sykes are Australian.

I will have the chance to row a Fluidesign, but not the Sykes. They have no boats available for test rowing and I don't know anyone who has a Mould 37.
I have spoken to a very well respected Australian Coach who holds the Sykes in high regards, and though I trust his opinion, it is always good to hear what more than one person says.
I have no doubt the Sykes is a great boat, but it is a huge leap of faith to spend nearly $12k on a boat, without being able to row it to see if it is a great boat for me.

[Gregory Smith]

Hi, I have no experience with the Sykes, but I am an extremely pleased owner of a fluid intermediate. The boat sets very well, and is very stiff. It was huge step up from the 2004 wintech I was in before. I am not sure if this correlates to Australia, but the customer service in the US has been stellar.

I am not sure how to judge impact resistance on the hull, but I've had no problems.

[Jim Dwyer]

If you are in Australia then get the Sykes. That is a no brainer. If it
ever needs a repair the factory is accessible.
I have a Hudson and the customer service in Canada is as good as Concept 2
which is amazing!

Jim


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