Mack Carr : Poughkeepsie NY
I first met Mack in 2018. At the age of 16 he was already 6ft7in and well over 200lb and showed extremely high potential as an oarsman. Over the last 3 years he has established himself as one of the fastest junior athletes in the country on the ergometer and has been working to gradually show this same speed on the water. Mack was our first US buyer of a Nelo Shell as he was looking for a stiff, fast boat that fit his weight category and looked great. Here’s his thoughts on the brand- Coach Woods
Name: Mack Carr
What Date/Dates Did you Try out a NELO Shell: The beginning of last summer (idk)
What Level of Rower Are You?: Club Level Racer
What NELO Product Are You Reviewing?: 1x100 Super Hwt
What was your first impression of the boat on land before rowing?: This is very different, between the hull shape and the rigging someone has put a lot of thought into this and love.
Once on the water, what was the rowing experience like?: The boat felt incredibly light but strong, to row it was strange, to pick up a shell so light just to discover how efficiency it moved with an un-yelding stiffness that is still as good as the day it arrived was a unique and unexpected experience to say the least
What is your favorite part of the boat? What makes this a great shell?: The general attention to detail and complete after sale support. After buying a nelo I felt as though I'd gotten my complete money's worth the boat was amazing and felt the same or better than any premium brands I'd rowed in and everything was included that I needed, very handy spare parts and rigging kit that funny enough has gotten most of it's use fixing other boats, and a case for both the rigger and boat. You could tell the company was truly dedicated to the complete satisfaction of the client and was dedicated to maintaining their standard for excellence.
What would you change about the boat if you could?: Simplify the rigging and seal the fins on I'd rather not have different fin options and just have one that works (note here, since Mack’s purchase Nelo has changed/improved their fin box design and location)
Will you be purchasing a Nelo? Would you recommend it to a friend? What was your deciding factor/factors?: I knew they were a new brand and I was taking a bit of a risk, but after seeing the incredible quality of boat I have zero regrets. 100% would buy again.
If you could sum up Nelo in one short sentence what would it be?: An incredible blend of performance, beauty, and craftsmanship, with a team behind them that takes great pride in the product and service they provide.