2021 Nelo 1x — Hebdon Hammers

How do we define good value when it comes to a boat? Some folks define value as the least expensive shell that floats; others define it as the fastest boat money can buy. Still others value craftsmanship and features above all else. I’m going to define my conditions for good value later in the conclusion, however, in order to have that discussion, we need to talk about a newcomer in the rowing space: Nelo.

History

I don’t usually do a section dedicated to the history of a company, as these reviews are long enough already. In this case the background of Nelo, the manufacturer, matters quite a bit. Nelo is not a newcomer to the human-powered recreational boat space; they’re one of the biggest manufacturers of racing kayaks out there. Their Kayaks have been rowed to the podium at every (summer) Olympic games since 1996. While they may be new to the rowing scene, they’ve been working with boat design and manufacturing for a very long time.

Looks and “Cool Factor”

It appears that when Nelo entered the design phase for their first racing single, they approached the process with a combination of design features that are proven, and some that are only proven in the world of Kayaking. This outside-the-box thinking permeates the design approach in many ways, some of which I’ll address later.

I think that the immediate impression one gets from looking at a Nelo is going to be the paint job, which is both striking and unusual. There are many colors and patterns to choose from, including the orange and black combination seen on the review boat. What astounds me about these patterns is that the paint is gel-coat; I’ve not seen such creative use of the medium up until these shells. Gel coat is a super hard coating that is usually sprayed into the mold prior to carbon layup. I’m not sure how they’ve managed to produce these patterns while utilizing that process; it seems like the masking would be incredibly difficult. Notably, Nelo will work with you on the paint appearance and pattern, so the sky’s the limit on this one.

This is a bow rigged boat, featuring a clear-coated rigger that forms a fairly organic arc behind (in front?) of the rower. A nice touch here is the Nelo logo embossed into the rigger, oriented toward the bow. I don’t think I’ve seen that on any other boat. However, If I were to be picky, the finish on the rigger isn’t as nice as it is on other brands (Hudson in particular). The orientation of the carbon weave isn’t perfect, and there are two noticeable parting lines (I assume) halfway up the “arms” of the rigger. Again, I’m being picky about this and none of it affects the functionality.

Taking a look at the hull design, there are some really interesting things going on. If we start at the stern, you can see where the boat looks like it’s been chopped off. This is a feature that I saw with the Van Dusen Advantage as well, so it’s either a case of “borrowing” a design feature (which happens far more commonly in the boat building world than you might think) or a case of design convergence. Either way, at speed the water doesn’t seem to create vortexes around the stern, instead sliding smoothly away.

As we move along toward the middle of the boat, the hull transitions to a pretty steep “U” shape. From what I know (I’m not a nautical engineer) boat design is a compromise between speed and stability: a “U” shape is fastest, but unstable. A “V” shape is stable, but slower. Nelo has chosen another option entirely, which is seen as we move past the cockpit toward the bow. The bottom of the hull flattens out and the bow shape becomes something approaching a hexagon. If you look at the top profile of the bow, there’s a sort of flat deck, met by slab-like sides that form the “top” of the hexagon-like shape. I tried to capture this in photos, but it can be hard to make out. Overall, the effect is very unique in appearance. But how does it row?

Stiffness

On the day that I arranged to do the test row, the wind picked up a bit and made rowing very tricky. I tried to find sheltered spaces to do some short pieces and test drills, but honestly I could not spend as much time out and rowing continuously as I had hoped.

What I did pick up is that, even in rough water, the stiffness of this hull is exemplary. There was no flex at all, and the overall impression was like that of piloting a battleship (I imagine). The boat felt like it was carved out of stone, even as waves were heaving it around.

The bow rigger, and its connection to the boat, were similarly rigid. Under power strokes I couldn’t feel any “springiness” or bounce in either. Even during tap drills, where sometimes you can feel a little bit of flex along the vertical axis, it all felt absolutely rooted.

Handling

With the strange hull design, how does this boat handle? The closest analogue I can give is that it’s very similar to a HUDSON single, but more extreme in every way. To explain further, at low speeds I found it to be a huge challenge to stay on center. It wasn’t necessarily more tippy, only that keeping it dead plumb upright was a bit trickier. At speed, however, it snaps to attention and almost feels like it goes on auto-pilot. As long as you’re pressing the pace, the hull is so stable it seems as if you could afford to make a small mistake here or there and the set wouldn’t be disturbed. This handling quirk could be an advantage during a race, where you’re focused on trying to make it across the line, and muscle fatigue makes holding great technique all the more challenging.

Comfort and Features

With regard to comfort, I honestly didn’t get much time where I could ruminate on how the rowing station felt; I was spending more time making sure I kept the correct side of the boat up. But, that’s OK because there’s a lot to talk about with regard to features.

On the topic of skegs, there are multiple to choose from depending on where you’re rowing (shallow waters with weeds) or in what kind of racing you’re doing (head racing versus sprint racing). You’d have to communicate with the company on what your situation looks like, but they’ll connect you with an appropriate skeg.

Spacers are one of the smallest details that makes a large impact on the user experience, and Nelo got these right. In fact, they’re the best spacers I’ve ever used (with Active Rowing’s new spacers a close second). I don’t know how they did it, but they snap on and off with reasonable force, and yet stay secure once in place. The edges are rounded to make them easier to get into place, and they have a slightly longer tab on one side as well.

Like HUDSON (Yes, that’s how they want it spelled), the seat tracks are shaped opposite of the norm, with convex slides and concave wheels. This design seems to eliminate slop in the axles, and greatly reduces water and grime adhesion. I’m a big fan of this combination, and barring patent violations, would love to see this on every boat.

The foot stretcher mounts are completely different from what you’ll see in any other boat; they’ve eliminated the toothed plastic strips, and replaced them with smooth aluminum rails. There’s an internal cam that snugs them tight when you turn the handle. I have so often seen rowers shaking or beating on a boat as they try to move their feet before a row; this is one area that has seriously needed some development. It is a revelation to pull a lever and easily slide the feet to bow or stern smoothly and without binding up. However, this system still needs refinement: when I applied power-10 levels of pressure, the stretcher moved a bit toward the stern; it’s possible I didn’t tighten the cam enough. Secondly, because the rails are made of extruded aluminum that’s been sliced into sections, there are some sharp edges that could easily cut an errant fingertip. Perhaps plastic caps could be designed to prevent this? Overall, however, I am a huge fan of the innovation in this space, and want to see further development.

Value and Conclusion

Let’s come back around to the question of value. Nelo seem more “hungry” than most boat companies in the way in which they’ve analyzed the minutia of current boat design, and then innovate in places that have remained staid for so long. We have a unique hull design, unique and varied paint options, and features designed to make a rower’s life just a little bit easier.

I don’t normally quote pricing in these reviews, as most manufacturers would rather you get in touch with a representative to find out. However, Nelo lists all pricing on their website, so you can check it out for yourself. That said, at the time of writing this, you can purchase a brand new Nelo with a boat cover for $10,500 USD. Frankly, I don’t believe you can get a better, brand new boat for that same money anywhere else. The Nelo 1x represents possibly the best new boat value you can buy. It’s not as perfect or refined as other, more expensive options, but this shell will get you in that league for thousands less.