KATANA & TSURUGI
TWO BOARDS. ONE NEW WAY TO RACE.
Now available for pre-order.
Most race boards reward power. The Katana and Tsurugi reward rhythm.
Designed by Takuji Araki with his son, multiple ISA and ICF World Champion Shuri Araki, these race boards are built for a short, fast stroke. Instead of pulling long and hard, you take more strokes per minute, and the board turns each one into forward speed.
A slicing nose cuts clean through chop. A narrow box tail with sharp 90-degree edges bites the water on every stroke, then releases for less drag.
Built for a short, high-cadence stroke, they track straight, stay stable and keep the nose high upwind, downwind and in side wind.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST →
By registering your interest, you help your local distributor plan early demand
and bring Katana and Tsurugi boards into the first deliveries for your region.
Order-to-delivery lead time: 4-6 months
Delivery time to the shop may vary by location.
Check the first arrival date with your distributor.
A PATENTED TAIL THAT WORKS LIKE A FIN
At the heart of both boards is the patented Narrow Box Tail™. With every stroke, the narrow tail dips into the water and lifts out again, a bit like pumping a foil.
When it dips, its sharp, straight edges grip the water like two extra small fins. This keeps the board on a straight line, even in chop and side wind. When it lifts, the edges let go and the board picks up speed. Because the tail does part of the tracking, you can race a smaller fin with less drag.
Two deck pads with a small gap between them let you feel your foot position without looking down. A small extra pad at the end of the tail locks the board in for tight buoy turns.
“Every stroke, the tail sinks and pops up, just like pumping on a foil.” — Takuji Araki, designer of Katana and Tsurugi boards, and Shuri's trainer.
The White Paper tells the full story: the race results, the Okinawa roots behind the shape and the nose artwork, a full shape breakdown, and the sizes and construction, so you can see which board fits you.
READ WHITE PAPER →
KATANA or TSURUGI?
The Katana 14' x 20.5" (290 L) is Shuri Araki’s signature board, made for elite racers up to 75 kg who race at the front at a high stroke rate. It weighs only 9.5 kg.
The Tsurugi uses the same concept with more width and a slightly wider tail, so it is easier to control:
14' x 21" (285 L): skilled and elite racers up to 75 kg
14' x 23" (300 L): intermediate racers up to 85 kg, and the best balance of speed and control in the range
14' x 25" (325 L): heavier riders up to 95 kg, or anyone who wants more confidence underfoot
All boards are built in Carbon Reflex Sandwich D2, Starboard’s lightest full carbon race construction to date, and come with a Flash Plus carbon fin.
