It’s done! I took it out yesterday- too mushy to get a real feel for it. Was up to my neck in water the whole time. It’s basically like body surfing until you catch a wave. I gotta get more confident with the board, what it can and can’t do. I’m gunna go check the waves right now- it’s a beautiful day, first blue sky, sunny day I’ve seen in a while! I’ll write more about it later. -Carl
congratulations man, that looks so sweet. got me seriously tempted to make one myself. love the orange, i mean really really love the orange. and that tail looks sweet. glad to hear you’re having fun on it.
tom
Oh, shite!! That board looks BEA-OOOOO-UTIFUL, Carl!
Carl
This has been an awsome thread, spoon looks great.
I have been wanting to make one for years, but I don’t think the waves I usually surf are suitable. Still after seeing your board, I may be forced to have a go.
Thanks for sharing.
Lets see some more pictures too!
sweeeet…like the bat tail…i might have to ro that route on my spoon…colors look real good…hope you get some waves(as il be the next in line)…
Congratulations, Carl! That’s an “A” board. For a first-timer, A+.
congratulations carl. thanks for sharing the entire process with us. i’d love to see some shots of the board in action. happy surfing to you mate.
Nice… Really Nice.
go for it… that sucker will make waves like we all dream about
doc…
Flexspoon endorses Carl’s spoon. Great work and documentation.
Leashes. I’m glad you read that thread. And now you’ve found out that
when you let go of your spoon it doesn’t go far anyway.
Something really helpful is to go in a pool with spoon and fins to get used to moving
around with it and test flotation. Take it down to the bottom and try to bring it up.
Learn the resistance. Very important. You can guide it or fight it. Lead it around by
the nose and the rest will follow.
My one piece of advice that you may have already discovered:
When you dive under a breaking wave or whitewater BEFORE the energy/turbulance hits you
angle the nose of the board upward so that the energy will push you up. Otherwise it
will drive you down. A surfboard bobs to the surface, a spoon goes where the energy pushes it.
How about a pic of you flexing the tail?
Let’s hear some more riding impressions!
…snort. Swimming pool my a**. No- just kidding, the first time I took it out, I was kind of nervous. I sorta waded out with my churchills on and dropped the board in the water. Plop. Sorta stood there for a moment and watched the tail sink. I was thinking “oh- neato, this should get interesting…” paddling out for the first time was SLOW, as I was having a hard time figuring out how to get me and the board into the lineup together… its sorta like swimming with a piece of plywood in front of you. You have to keep moving and keep the board angled correctly, so that you (sorta) stay on the surface. I have taken the board out almost a dozen times now- (I’m in the water alot) most of the days were not right for it, but I’m just trying to get a hang for it- I’m just realizing finally how you have to sort of slink/slip up your knees and not “pop” up, because that seems to cause the board to stall and suck me back up the face… I am starting to take off later and deeper- today I had the best wave so far- right in the curl, going so fast that I literally fell off the back of the board at the end. Of course, I’ve only had like 3 wave total like that, where I can really start to feel things- It’s been more like a squirt here and a voom there, and the rest of the waves I am flailing. The learning curve is very steep, it’s not paddle out, jump to your knees and start shredding… dang! The amount of physical effort required is enormous. After 45 min to an hour I am shot. And I consider myself in good shape. I switched over to Viper fins a couple of days ago… faster. Need to do some grinding on the board… it’s too stiff from 6 inches up to the mid point. At least I know what I am searching for now. Also, I think the tip may be flexing too much. I am definitely getting more used to maneuvering the board around when I am kicking around. Though the F**King shortboarders paddle circles around me… I have to sit pretty far in from anyone else… threes a crowd on that thing. EVERYONE paddles around me constantly. Everyone also stares. History lessons abound. I find myself searching for waves in the strangest places now. Where no one else is… hmmm… ran across an old-school spoon rider that circled around after driving by me in his car- told me some secret spots… thats enough for tonight! -Carl
Yowza!
I had fun just reading that, Carl 
Sounds like one of those things where its so unusual that you feel you’re getting away with something wicked. Like the black helicopters are going to drop in on you if you paddle (kick?) out to one of those secret spots.
Keep up with the posts, ok?
Thanks
Ben
Carl,
Now you know why Greenough gave it up for something more versatile. You need some push to get them to plane and even then it takes a turn or two to get up to speed. Still, when it comes together, there is nothing in surfing that will give you that feeling.
I found holding the board in front of you like a kick board is the way to catch waves; push it over the crest, onto the face and let it drag you into the wave. Sounds funny but it’ll work with some practice. I sat in the main lineup at the Point and Slot with everyone else and always caught my share and those were the days when the shortest board was 7’.
[=1]
Quote:
[ 3]And I consider myself in good shape. I switched over to Viper fins a couple of days ago… faster. Need to do some grinding on the board… it’s too stiff from 6 inches up to the mid point. At least I know what I am searching for now. Also, I think the tip may be flexing too much. I am definitely getting more used to maneuvering the board around when I am kicking around. Though the F**King shortboarders paddle circles around me… [/]
[/]
Haha Carl, you’re getting an attitude. You’ve already crossed the line into “our” world.
Switching fins was wise. You have to power to motor spoons around. It’s a workout every time. Alot of guys go to the even longer UDT’s (by Deets), and trim the tips and soften the blades up a little bit. They work great.
You also picked the toughest spoon to start on. Edge boards are sophisticated and touchy. The basic velo is more forgiving and the payback is quicker.
Carl - sounds like you’re having fun!
Quote:
its sorta like swimming with a piece of plywood in front of you
That is it. Going from plywood kneeboards to a spoon was easy for me, going from foam board to spoon must be shocking.
Quote:
I found holding the board in front of you like a kick board is the way to catch waves; push it over the crest, onto the face and let it drag you into the wave. Sounds funny but it’ll work with some practice.
LeeV has that right! you can pull yourself into some waves that you would think were uncatchable.
Quote:
The amount of physical effort required is enormous.
Compared to paddling a foam board no doubt. This is the no-compromise aspect of spoons. Everything is geared for performance on the wave with no consideration for paddling, taking-off or just sitting. As Greenough said “Do you want to paddle or ride waves?”.
Quote:
I switched over to Viper fins a couple of days ago… faster.
This is a compromise area - you need quick acceleration and manueverability more than power and thrust. I always felt that if I’m going to kick for hours less powerful fins were better.
Quote:
Need to do some grinding on the board… it’s too stiff from 6 inches up to the mid point. At least I know what I am searching for now. Also, I think the tip may be flexing too much.
Show us a pic or 2 of the flex. Tuning the flex is a huge challange. For years I thought I was riding flexible spoons. Then I got an edge board from PG. What an awakening! Now I really knew what flex was…until I saw and touched Greenough’s carbon edge board which made mine seem stiff. Another Greenough quote "Whats constitutes good surfing ISN’T how it looks…
but HOW IT FEELS".
The right amount of flex is what FEELS right to/for you. The only way to really find out is to grind and ride. The analogy of race car development is so appropriate. Surfboard tuning is changing fins or getting a new board. Spoon tuning is grinding and glassing - changing and adjusting the suspension, the balance, the handling. Glue on a pad for flotation. I took one that was a square tail and trimmed it into a fish tail. add runners.
Keep us posted on your progress as you have embarked on a never-ending journey.
Hey are you ready to make another? I’ve got 2 or 3 projects…
farout that spoon is soo awsome. since seeing the endless summer ( i know i know ) when i was a lot younger
i’ll always wanted to try out a kneeboard and/or spoon.
any chance of getting a pic of it in the water beeing ridden ??
That spoon is a real thing of beauty.
Cheers
Chris
carl man im loving reading all this , building my stoke while working on my own spoon here in socal…
flex…are you holding out on us man???.where are the pics of that square-to-swallow flexy w/runners on flexspoon.com???
cheater5…hows the NZ surf now??,i should get a taste on thursday…4’ sw due …
skamatt its going to be awsome tomorow. going to go with mates for a search. offshore and huge just how
i like it. Will try and get pictures if i can YEEEEEEEEEEOWWWWWWWWWWW!
Carl – It was great to talk to you at the Logjam. You surfed your way to the podium and a very close 2nd place, nice job! I was stoked that you went home and brought over the new flexspoon for us to check out. The engineering and R & D that went into her was very impressive, and deserving of “flexspoons” official endorsement.
I was also impressed to learn more about the young “Arrow” crew of shapers working for Bob Pearson. It really seems to be a good blend of shapers taking the reins. You guys kicked ass.
You all should have seen the little crowd that gathered around flexing the tail and fin. Very Cool!
One saga blends into the next. I’m following Carl with another one of these spoons but more in the Velo line. A teaser is attached, the rest are at http://www.flexspoon.com/forum//viewtopic.php?t=81&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60
Hope you enjoy.
manowar: checked your thread at flexspoon. great spoon mate. well done. happy surfing.