Thought about trying a different style of board from than 6'2-6-4 standard shortboards hence looking at purchasing a Bonzer Egg (6'8) for general beachie and point surfing. Anyone surf these boards and can you comment on the performance in less than perfect surf?
Cheers
Guys, really appreciate this info and its helping me out a ton.
Thanks.
Corn,
Take alook at The surfy surfy web page. They along with Moonlight glassing have a long relationship with the Campbells. The Egg shape does very well in less then stellar conditions The term flow best discribes the Egg surf experiance. The Bonzer set up gives the mellow let it flow Egg some drive, and holds well when things start to get hollow. Just my take on it.
I have a 7'6" bonzer egg (hws homebuilt), love it in everything but mush.
Seems to want a wall or fast section, then it just comes to life!
BTW, I studied the surfy surfy blog before building this board - lots of awesome eye candy, lots of bonzers, and they are really committed to the bonzer egg.
http://www.surfysurfy.net/2010/04/bonzer-egg.html
Also read Burnsie's review on his 7'6" Campbell bros. bonzer egg: "deceptively high performance" - quote from Rich Pavel
http://oldguysrip.blogspot.com/2007/10/76-campbell-5-fin-bonzer.html
Also saw this gem on the Big Sur thread (not so eggy in the nose, but nice shape nonetheless!):
I own a magic 7’0" Bonzer 5 Egg that Malcolm shaped for me a few years ago. Truly a magic board. It’s seen it all - waist high mushy walls, head high+ quick beachbreak waves, and overhead to well overhead reef & point waves. It’s very versatile, and has alot of drive, even in the small & weaker stuff.
I’ve also ridden MC Bonzer 5 Eggs that were 6’4" & 6’5" sizes, and thought that they were great board with a very wide range, that can be a great alternative to your regular shortboard and fish or performance fish shapes. JP and the Moonlight crew will be your best resource to get more information about these boards, some sample dims, etc.
Hope that helps.
Mark
If you size the B5 eggs down 4 or 5 inches from your standard shortboard, you will have a HP bar of soap that is capable of taking on well overhead size surf. 2 to 12 they’ll handle it. They make great micro boards.
I own a magic 7'2" bonzer egg with a few refinements and a slightly less magic 7'0" bonzer egg with the EB5 variation. The latter is looser but lacks the drive and hold of the 7'2" when it gets hollower. Probably my fault, I should have just listened to Malcolm's take instead of heading off on a tangent. I have also tried a friend's stock 7'0 bonzer speed egg which I am trying to buy from him at the moment because it is magic. Out of about 15 or so boards I have had over the years before the Bonzers, 3 boards were "magic".
All of the bonzer eggs seem to work from waist/shoulder up to about double overhead with the 7'2" being the most versatile, probably because of some extra volume. Moving up or down 1/2" of fin and trying the 101 bamboo fins has also improved the range of the boards.
I recommend dropping Malcolm an email and arranging a time to meet or call to talk through the usual facts and agree dim's. Moonlight will still glass, which is a plus as they do a beautiful job.
You will have inferred that my take on them is that they are the best boards with a wide range I have had the pleasure to enjoy. Hope you do too.
Ok, done the research and deciding b/w 6'8 and 6'10, its tough becuase going from a 6'2-6'4 shorty I'm inclined to be freaked out going to 6'10 although I know it will be awesome and reading above can make a difference in the more powerful waves, I guess its down to what you want to use it for, me probably 3-5 beach breaks in the main, so thinking 6'8.
Just to throw a spanner in the works.... Malcolm recommended that I went for my normal board dims on my first bonzer. That let me work out that I like what the bonzer does without having to factor in too much in terms of the variation of the board. If you normally ride a 6'4" standard shortboard then it seems likely that a 6'8" is going to seem cumbersome for you until it gets well overhead and you want the length and volume to get in early. Once it is that size, you might want to think about adjustments to the standard egg shape by bringing in the nose a little to a more contemporary shape (for late drops - this works very well for me) and Malcolm recommended bringing the tail in (which I probably should have gone with, but did not).
I recommend getting on the phone to him, telling him what you are after and listening better than I do! There is a classic thread here somewhere in which shapers discuss the good and bad instructions, information and requests they receive from punters. It is well worth a read before making that call. Malcolm's standard speed egg shape that I have surfed in a 7'0 is a magic board so each bit on tinkering may customise it to make it work even better for you, but it may not.
Final tuppence worth - I would stick with the glassed in side fins unless you are going to travel a lot with it.
Enjoy
Greenstick,
Good spanner. Have a call into MC.
here's the thread for the blue / green one in the pic that Huck posted above:
Ok...that was different.......
I have just surfed my new 6'8 MC Egg...there is a comment from each post above that relates to my first thoughts.
Not having even tried a single fin ever this was a pretty interesting experience..sort of exhilerating and confusing.Generally i got a total buzz from this board, its no "easy paddler" maybe becuase of the centre fin drag but the way it enters the wave is luxurious, i loved it(4 ft closey and bumpy today), you could drop into steepish waves which was great (Greensticks i agree about pulling the nose in as I went over the handle bars once looking into the eye of a semi close out...but only once).
The forehand was great - flow is the word as described above.It holds the line great and in barrelling waves will be tops.
Back hand was a little trickier as I was getting into stepper sections than usual due to this board and the board could have easily made all but it took a couple of waves to trust the craft, once on the speed really takes over an this will take a little getting used to with the foot positioning required to cut back sharply enough, but it will come.
Couple of things
- this board performs at a higher level than I thought it would (looks can be deceiving)
- I have a 6.5' centre fin about a quarter of an inch from the top of the box - I would like a little more drive so can anyone recommend a fin for this - I'm 215 pounds.
- duck diving was a little tough I havent ridden a roundish nose before but its more technique or lack of from me. Sorry for mentioning this.
- i can see how a smallish bonzer would be super fun slipping all over the place.
Totally different and enjoyable experience in 4ft junky closy surf - it will take time to master but signs there its really worth it.
Hey!
Great to hear that you enjoyed the board.
With regard to the rear fin placement and a need for more drive, try knocking the fin back 1/8" and have a good read of the fin placement section on the Campbell Bro's bonzer5 website. There was a discussions thread on there about alternative fins also, but I am not sure where that section is now. I have tried a few different fins. My preference is to stick with the bonzer rear fin, but go up 1/2" when it is well overhead, but I have chatted to people who enjoy flex fins on smaller days and the 101 bonzer fins are a more flexy, much lighter version of the bonzer fin. Great for small days over sand, but they do not like rocks.... My mates stock 7'0 speed egg seems to like the 6.5" fin all the way back in the box which I could not believe when I saw it but was very sweet underfoot. Please let me know how you get on with fin experimentation.
I am 195lbs and generally get away with a 6.5" on days up to head and a half.
If you liked the board on a messy day you are going to love it when it cleans up and lines up, even better when there is a hollow section.
Can we have some photos please ?
Bonzers are awesome !
Single fin?
How many fins on your bonzer?
Bonzer is not a single fin.
Ok yeah fair enough.
you really need to read the bonzer site on fin placement! and then move the fin around in 1/8 to 1/4 inch steps till you find ‘the spot’ for you. and the 101 fins really make a major difference—i’ve used mine in panama, the maldives and here on the right coast, no problems–so light they float, takes a lot of weight out of the tail. and the flex is perfect.(my opinion, of course)
Yep have looked at the site and my fin was way to far fwd have moved it back to the recommended length and suprise the board had heaps more drive and seemed a better balanced. Will check out the 101 Fins.
Caught some 3 foot clean wally waves today - this is the fastest board i have ridden.
Cornholio,
How about dimensions and descriptions of your board. Board porn is always appreciated.
Interested in possibly going this route too.
Saw this one on erBB. Not a 6-8, more like a 5-10, but looks fun (could be GWS’s?)-
