Boards at Boost Mobile Pro 2007

General Discussion
1

Hello

Just curious if anyone knows what ranges/types of boards the top pros were riding at this year’s trestles contest.

Those guys rode a few average wind-slop type days during the week of the contest much like conditions most

surfers have to deal with on a regular basis. So, I would like to know what the pros chose for these types of

average/marginal conditions.

Sunny Garcia re: his loss to A Irons: “It’s unfortunate to lose in that fashion: the ocean was flat.” Of course,

it was waist to chest but i’ve always found it funny the way hawaiians call those conditions flat.

I am particularly curious if anyone knows about Pancho Sullivan’s boards. He’s one of the biggest guys there (~215 lbs)

and made it to the finals past a bunch of little guys. Some of the post-event press attributed his success largely to

luck but I think this was unfair. Pancho himself said he spent the 6 weeks before the contest working on small wave

technique and fine tuning his equipment, likely with some local shaper. Plus, if you watch his heats, he looked solid.

Also curious about Slater’s boards, if anyone knows. He seemed to have quite a range of choices at his disposal

and cycled through a few of them. Wondering what he settled on in the end.

Thanks for any input folks.

BA

2

I recall hearing the announcers talking about Pancho’s boards as being in the 6’2" to 6’3" range, around 19" wide and 2.5" thick. I was listening intently, as I’m in the 215 lb range too. Way too small for me, but he was definitely tuned in and ripping. I saw his first heat live, and had to hoot when he did an extended cheater-five at the end of a really long right-hander - great sense of humor from a pro-shortboarder in this day-and-age.

3

Just shows ta go ya…partly about the board but a whole lot about muscle, reflex, balance, wave reading alla that good stuff

4

during an interview Kelly said the board he was on was a Flyer. but i am sure it was far from the Flyer or Flyer II that is standard CI produce.

5

Depending on body size:

170 lbs - 5-10 = 61 x 18 3/8 x 2 3/16 rounded squash or thumb tail single barrel concave.

180 lbs - 6-00 = 61 - 62 x 18 1/2 2 1/4

190 lbs - 6-00 = 62 - 63 x 18 3/4 2 5/16

200 lbs - 6-00 = 63 - 64 x 19 x 2 3/8

210 lbs - 6-00 = 63 x 19 x 2 1/2

It’s not the bible only an observation.

These are the dim’s for guy’s who know how to surf in relation to their weight. (Length varies)

Quote:

Hello

Just curious if anyone knows what ranges/types of boards the top pros were riding at this year’s trestles contest.

Those guys rode a few average wind-slop type days during the week of the contest much like conditions most

surfers have to deal with on a regular basis. So, I would like to know what the pros chose for these types of

average/marginal conditions.

Sunny Garcia re: his loss to A Irons: “It’s unfortunate to lose in that fashion: the ocean was flat.” Of course,

it was waist to chest but i’ve always found it funny the way hawaiians call those conditions flat.

I am particularly curious if anyone knows about Pancho Sullivan’s boards. He’s one of the biggest guys there (~215 lbs)

and made it to the finals past a bunch of little guys. Some of the post-event press attributed his success largely to

luck but I think this was unfair. Pancho himself said he spent the 6 weeks before the contest working on small wave

technique and fine tuning his equipment, likely with some local shaper. Plus, if you watch his heats, he looked solid.

Also curious about Slater’s boards, if anyone knows. He seemed to have quite a range of choices at his disposal

and cycled through a few of them. Wondering what he settled on in the end.

Thanks for any input folks.

BA

6

After a posting faux paux corrected by Benny, hopefully this question has found it’s appropriate thread:

Did anyone else notice that everyone seemed to be riding boards with very relaxed looking nose rockers? Several of the standout performers were really stepping on the tail to keep the nose from pearling when reentering from the lip on the steeper lefts. The flavor last year seemed to be relaxed rocker with flipped tip, this year it looked like the flipped tip was gone – almost 80’s looking (of course this is from a 3”x5” window on my computer screen).

7

I’m not sure the pro’s board choices are valid for “average” surfers. #1- their skill level is off the charts compared to average joe. #2- they surf 7 days a weeks a couple times a day, so they are in way better shape than average joe. If you’re a weekend warrior like me, i believe you’re best off sizing up or disregarding comletely what the pros ride.

8

in reply to the “what the pros ride is not for the average joe”:

the pros and what they ride has been fundamental to the emergence of progressive

equipment and design in the average joe’s quiver. for instance, the thruster. more

subtly, triple concave. furthermore, some pros choose to ride equipment that is, in

fact, not very far off from what quite a few above average surfers ride regularly.

perhaps some actual, experienced shapers could weigh in on the realistic “size” of

the difference in an “average” board and a “pro” board, but i have

personally ridden quite a few boards that pros had jettisoned from their quivers

and found some of them to be great. of course, they are glassed a little too light …

another reason why what they ride is relevant: the adjustments that pros

make to their quivers for different conditions can be informative about currents

in shaping philosophy/fads/science. and can give one ideas about how to adjust

one’s own quiver, etc. for conditions. in particular when they are changing their

equipment to adapt to conditions that are similar to one’s own home breaks.

these guys do indeed surf way more, and try way more boards, than most of

us do. that is why their choices can be informative.

not to say that pros’ rides ARE for the average joe …

anyway, it will be interesting to see how the pros change their quivers over the

course of the next few contests: france, spain and brazil could all be plagued

with atlantic indolence.

i think it would be a great resource if the ASP would keep detailed statistics on

equipment used over the contests/years. historical value, interest for fans, etc.

9

in the old days most shapers would put in more time on a pros board than yours,today with the advent of the computer it could or could not be the same so to believe that a pro board is relevant to your surfing is about as an analogy that Tiger woods golf clubs could make you great or Barry bonds bat make you a great hitter this list could go on remember Shawn b at pipe didnot look like your typical surfer the list is endless ,age ,skill waves and the old time in the water is your best teacher if you free your mind from what pros do and work with a shaper you might come up with what works best for you it may not look like the pro model you want but very well could give you the best time of your surfing life. every day i see these guys riding these potato chip boards that physically they look right for them at their given weights age ect… but they don’t have the skills to ride them or the waves so they catch few waves and wiggle and waggle and go nowhere when you free your mind from the commercial trap you will be on your way aloha…

10

I have pics of Kelly and Pancho getting in the water. Kellys board did have a flyer lam on it, he was riding a squash for sure, Pancho was on a slightly larger (dude is big) rounded pin. Both boards looked pretty thin. When I have some time, I will try and post some pics.

11

During the Slater v. Knox heat I recall the announcer referring to Kelly riding a 5’'10", which he used instead of a 6’1". Don’t know any other dimensions.

12

Yes; A local here asked Channel Islands, and they told him Slater’s board was a Flyer–5’10" x 18-1/2" x 2-1/4".

Quote:

During the Slater v. Knox heat I recall the announcer referring to Kelly riding a 5’'10", which he used instead of a 6’1". Don’t know any other dimensions.

13

I was at the trestles event for round one on sunday and got to see a bunch of the boards in person. basically guys were riding squash tail thrusters in the 5-10 to 6-2 or 3 region. Of more interest was that quite a few tried out quads and perimeter carbon or some variation on the perimeter theme. These guys all ride boards that are thin and narrow…ie 18.5 wide and 2 1/4 thick.

I wouldn’t bother to post this info except that I went and surfed trestles on the monday following the finals in almost the exact same conditions the event was held in. Usually I would have paddled out on a slightly larger board, but I decided to take a 6-1 perimeter stringer board I shaped recently for a trip to costa rica. its 18.5 and 2.25 wide and thick respectively. The board performed great, just like it did in costa. The point i’m trying to make, in world class locations if you surf well, these boards will work well for you. The idea that we shouldn’t surf boards that the pros surf applies to guys that don’t surf that well or that often. More importantly, guys who can’t own too many boards or make poor board selection choices for the conditions will be constantly frustrated by a short thruster.

Example: I used to snowboard a lot (150 days/year), i lived in mammoth lakes for two years and competed quite a bit. It was bewildering to see guys that rode pretty well show up for a powder day with a super short board (they sink in the powder snow). It took me a while to realize that some of these guys just didn’t own a versatile snowboard and could only afford one board. However, when the conditions were right, they ripped on their boards. Not bad snowboarder, just bad equipment choices.

Surfing is exactly the same way. Unless you live someplace with year around surf (lucky), you are stuck with a fish or a funboard if you can only have one.

Thats why I started shaping and have too many in my living room. Hope that is someone finds this insightful. I just get tired of people saying that only the pros and elite ams should ride these boards…its just not true…

14

Raska23,

Make sure you print out a copy of your post and keep it until you are 40+.

You may find the passage of time will throw new light on your thoughts and also what you ride.

One of the best thing about riding diverse board shapes is riding the different parts of wave faces they take you.

15

i completely disagree

i surf up to 20 hours a week in often overhead conditions

and ride 20 wide 5 fin at 2 1/8 thick at my height long

its not a fish and its not a funboard

its just a good board for the conditions i surf in

dont have the luxury of a jet ski

and often are in the water for 3 to 4 hours in cold water.

so far from what a pro rides its not funny

ive ridden those type of boards of which you speak

they seem flimsy pieces of crap that fall apart and covered in dents first surf

feel sluggish and loose there pop after about 6 or 7 surfs

in fact a local guy i know goes through about 4 or more a year

its a joke on the consumer that thinks there getting the best equipment

just cuz pros ride them

16

Raska, I think a lot of people could ride smaller boards if they really tried, the problem is that the learning curve for some isn’t worth it. I see some of the same young guys (under 40) EVERYTIME I go out, riding logs. Either they haven’t experienced “sex” (riding a shortboard) or they are just too afraid to try and stick with “making out” (riding a log). All of my buddies that I have gotten into surfing progress from a longboard and ALL admit that they like riding shortboards (or fish) better. BUT, where is that line? for everyone it is different. a 40 year old guy who gets in the water 2 times a month, weighs 215 pounds and didn’t grow up surfing everyday is not going to have as much fun, OR even catch nearly as many waves (thus slowing his progression) if he were on a 5’10" potato chip.

Also a LOT of it depends on crowds, if I had lowers ALL to myself on a good day (never happens) I could ride a MUCH smaller board, because I wouldn’t have to worry about catching the wave early and trying to battle all the time.

I am in my mid 30s, surf 2-3x week and usually surf from Church to Cottons (occasionally riviera) and my smallest shortboard is (superlight) 6’4" X 19 X 2.5 (I have a fish that is 6’0" but that doesn’t count). If I went shorter than that, I am not having as much fun or progressing because I am not getting the wave count.

17

Geez guys. So many experts. And such conviction that what YOU ride is best for EVERYONE else. Ride what you enjoy riding - no matter what your size, fitness, or age. It’s all pretty relative. I’m going to be 60 in a week or so. Do the history and the math and you’ll know how many different designs I’ve had the pleasure to sample in my life. At this point in time, my preference in waves up to a few feet overhead (including 2 foot slop) is a 6’1" x 18 3/4" x 2 3/16" tri fin. Sometimes I make a fool out of myself and other times I carve a few turns, but it’s always fun.

These are refreshing times for surfboard design - probably more going on right now than at any time since 1967 when long boards were replaced overnight by short boards. So many design options for shapes and construction are available.

But please, try not to be so critical of high performance short boards of any construction. They really are a wonderful design capable of great performance.

18
Quote:

They really are a wonderful design capable of great performance.

I don’t think that ANYONE is agruing that, I think people just get tired of the surf industry and image that EVERYONE is supposed to ride a 6’0" clear shortboard with a Merrick, R. or Lost logo on it. Obviously these boards work well for the right surfer, thats why they use them in contests. It is also refreshing to see Frankenrieter, Machado, etc…working a fish or single fin. Sometimes I think that surfing has taken the wrong turn as far as style goes, and it is cool to see those guys do what they can.

19

thanks for all the great input - love to hear about a 60 year old guy on a short board. i havent seen too many guys like

that over the years … the guys i have seen were great surfers though. have a couple friends who are riding longboards

and they are in the mid-40s. both complain about going stale on those shapes and are leaning towards some shorter shapes.

both guys rode my 5’10 recently and both really enjoyed it.

i’ve been experimenting with numerous different shapes over the past couple years, though i’ve ridden shortboards since

the mid-80s. have added/subtracted twins, quads, longboards and fishy thrusters from my quiver. tried a couple surftechs

too and did not like them at all. particularly bad in bigger waves.

what i’ve learned: it’s hard to beat a traditional thruster for waves that have lots of power – e.g. punchy bowling barreling waves …

i find that thrusters provide more control over speed & direction than other shapes though, strictly speaking, it may not be the

fastest down the line shape for the open face. twins are great in weak/mushy stuff but can be really fun in bigger glassy barrels too. found

the twin to not generate as much speed in the barrel though – this could be my lack of experience cause i’ve only ridden

my twin once in over head barrels. found it fast getting into the tube but not as good for getting out … feel like the thruster lets

you drive through the barrel with more force and control than the twin — twin just felt like i was tracking along and i couldnt

really grab the power while in there. felt like i missed making it out of a couple tubes cause i didnt have the thruster’s drive to count on.

not sure if this makes sense to others but it’s my vague impression.

also found that some times a long board is the best choice. and it is incredible the way your equipment affects the the way and

where you turn on the wave.

i’m 5’11, 165. favorite board ever: 6’0 T.Patterson thumb tail thruster with glass on fins. 18.25 2.25. chippy and a drag to paddle but once you got some power under it, it was the greatest, most responsive thing i’ve ridden. before that board, i used to stick with the

6’2 length, minimum, with extra width, thickness. picked up the patterson from a pro (bout my weight and height) for a hundred bucks and absolutely loved it. so, i had the opposite experience of what some swaylocks folks are saying ::: i used to exclusively NOT RIDE what the pros rode cause i figured “well, they’re pros” then picked up this board – against my will basically because it was cheap and i needed a board — and found it was magic.

2nd favorite board - an old blue hawaii 6’1 channeled thruster circa 92 – not sure what it was about that board but i felt like john from cincinnati on that thing. my wish was its command.

20

its all kinda relative

what you like to watch and how you see yourself

this guy absolutely rips a shortboard

yet doesnt surf anything like asp pro

and the board hes riding is a performance board but not what pros ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS9kTzCtZWo&mode=related&search=

i can surf a chip

i just think they suck

pros boards are pretty limited by the materials as well

they dent and ding like shit

so they might be okay if youve got money to burn

but they look a bit thick for my liking

feel a bit boaty

i like the look of the new surfech TL2 though

eps,environmentally friendly,hard to damage,wont suck water, and it appears they flex good as well