Big Sur postscript- Sand Dollar Beach board?

General Discussion
1

Thinking about the surf this past weekend at Swayholics 2012.  Sand Dollar is a peculiar wave.  I’ve gone 4 years in a row and it’s always been big (big for a So Cal guy).  Solid overhead.  It’s a deep water, kind of lumbering wave…that often squares up inside.  The take off zone is pretty big.  When you see the lines on the horizon, it’s kind of guesswork how far out to paddle. Some times it will break well outside where you were sitting.  Sometimes it won’t (I was hanging back for those that looked like they were going to break outside but didn’t because they seemed the best…but I also got caught inside big sets at least three or four times hanging back, and basically had to eat humble pie and go in and walk back to the paddle out spot).

I don’t know about you guys but I always think back to a session (Saturday morning was THE session for me) and think what would have been the ideal board?

So let’s hear it from those that know the wave.  Maybe post up .brd files or sketches with an explanation of your reasoning.  I’d be really interested to hear your solutions…

2

http://www.quivermag.com/node/2085

 

http://www.quivermag.com/node/2245

3

Hi Jeff,

I was watching Tim with the Resin Head board on the first morning.  It was a work of art.  I’m in the same place as you, needing something special for the deep water swells.

I think something like Resinheads Orange board is my next one.  I also really like Bill Thrailkill’s boards.  Something similar to either is what we need.

4

CJ’s 7’2" 5 fin minigun went really good under Ian’s feet in that session that was overhead and unruly.

My 6’4" twin felt good that session too although I could have used some more paddle power. Not to catch the waves but at least to move around the lineup…

I’m thinking of building a 6’8" - 7’0" 5 finner similar to CJ’s… Probably even cut a blank from CJ’s rocker template.

EDIT: I’m also wondering if/how the twin setup would translate to a stepup???

5

Yea, but you and Ian are younger than Jeff and Me!  we need to make it easy!  Watching you two all stoked and smiling on the ugly afternoon!  Ahh to be young again!

6

[quote="$1"]

Hi Jeff,

I was watching Tim with the Resin Head board on the first morning.  It was a work of art.  I'm in the same place as you, needing something special for the deep water swells.

I think something like Resinheads Orange board is my next one. " 

[/quote]

 

....good thread , it's nice to see a design thread  , where someone is actually thinking .... " what board would have worked well [?better?] in these waves " !

 

what sort of bottom contours do those blue and the orange ones  have , please ,  " resinhead " ?

 

  and what would be the nose rocker and tail rocker [dimensions ] on them ?

 

  ( not that I have ever ridden waves like that , but I'm just curious to know what you have in your head , in terms of numbers , when you shape these ? and , what size blanks did you start of with , on each , please ?)

....Yallingup , here , "may" be a similar type of wave when it's large , from what I've seen ?

 

  those two boards look sleek !

 It would be lovely to see footage of how they go ...

 

..... takeoffs , turns , trim , tubes , that sort of thing ?

 

  Only because it always interests me to see the results ... much quicker , more objective , and clearer than reading , for me .

 

  cheers 

   ben

7

I tried to analyze Tim's board by laying the bottom against a picnic table and sliding it around.  Near as I could tell, it was basically flat up front fading to a shallow single concave which faded to a shallow dual concave fading to a flatter section behind the fins.  Really basic.

Tim's skill and wave judgement played a big role that session... easily as important as the board. 

Keith Melville also paddled out early on Saturday and patiently waited for a bomb.  I watched him assume a nearly perfect position, paddle in, take the drop, draw a clean bottom turn and pull in to trim.  Everything was perfect except the wave (as many did that day) decided to close out.  No problemo.... Keith pulled a kick out and escaped unscathed.  Had the wave held up, he would have had it nailed.  As I recall, he was riding a board similar to Tim's.

Keith and Jay both shape some nice boards.

8

illilbel,

Didn’t you build a big wave board for big fat waves at PV Cove a few years ago?  That seems like a good choice for the wave when it gets big and rolly.  Mike

9

Good memory Rooster.  I was even thinking that that board would have been the ticket, kind of heavy, good glide, catches waves like a longboard, turns nice…however one caveat-  I can’t duck dive it.  If I get cuaght inside I get rolled for major loss of yardage.  I have to find the magic compromise between paddle and diveability…

10

At Sand Dollar, the paddle out is cake as most of you know.

Just walk around to the channel and paddle out dryhaired even on the bigger days.

At other beaches where this isn’t an option, ditch and swim under can work.

And sometimes is the only option.

11

Chrisp is right about the paddle out.  But, that same rip pushes a lot of water across the bay to the north so there is a constant paddle south to stay in position.  That takes some of the wind out of your sails after awhile.  You’ll see in about 20 years Chrisp!  Mike

12

Yup Mike,  

These kids don’t know how good they have it.

But Kieth and Tim made the older guys proud.

13

F…yah!   O:

 

14

"

Re: [everysurfer] Big Sur postscript- Sand Dollar Beach ...

Posted: October 3, 2012 - 11:20am | #11 (permalink) | Back to Top

Yup Mike,  

These kids don't know how good they have it.

But Kieth and Tim made the older guys proud. "

 

....? WHO is "tim " ???

15

…

spoke out of turn…

Apologies

16

Late morning Sat I stood on the bluff for over an hour trying to get some photos. 6-10 foot California. No channel. You can paddle out in the rip along the rocks and then pick and choose or duckdive. The duckdivers were good at diving but not good at catching waves........

 

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17

Most surfers were having trouble getting into postion because the wave does not break in the same spot every time. Most surfers were undergunned. Guys would paddle their shortboards and miss the wave or wait for a late drop and not make the section........The Sway's crew had different equipment......and caught more waves than the other surfers out there...

Keith, Tom, Mark, Ian, CJ, Evan, Chase, Mark M....no standard shortboard for these guys.......

 


18

Hey Ray, I was probably one of those guys getting caught inside. hahahah.  I was on a 6-8 but if I  paddled too far out when a set came then I couldn’t get into the wave.  So I started hanging back and then I got caught inside.  Whenyou get caught inside on a day like that you basically have to head for the beach.

 

Which is why I posted this thread.  I’m thinking I should make a mid length board, something around 7-6, specifically for Sand Dollar, which, as Rooster pointed out, would probably be good for PV Cove which is one of my local spots…

 

thinking thinking thinking…

19

Besides the age factor, there was also a crowd factor later in the morning.  Keith defied both. He made a good call charging out there real early. He definitely lived up to the  “old guys rules” motto, going on the ugly afternoon too.  Props to Keith.

At PV Cove there is a major crowd factor.  One of my friends has taken to riding an 11’ Skip Frye to get waves out there…so where do you draw the line?

20

Sand Dollar can have alot of lump and bump at the top of the wave, let alone the face. It is more often that than clean and glassy. That makes a big difference getting in and staying with the board. There can be a big difference between a 7'6" and a 8'6" in dealing with that.

You guys are talking medium size Sand Dollar. Monday and Tuesday was a lot bigger. Forget duckdiving. Pitch and dive.

...Chipper; Tim has multiple personality disorders and is incognito for the time being....