Compensating for winter wetsuit weight

Please! turn down the caps lock. An old mate of mine owns a successful surf shop in the UK and he told me that British surfers don’t really trust or want British shapes due to lack of British born shaping and surfing superstars. They want the foreign labels such as JS, Channel Islands, Firewire etc. Would you say this is a correct assessment of the UK market?

Just seen that Tiki have some McKee boards

http://www.shop.tikisurf.co.uk/Mckee%20Surfboards/Surfboards/268/107/onlinesurf

I’m guessing surfing69 may have just moved from the Canaries if he’s grovelling in a 2mm!

 

Can’t help but feel there’s a lot of misinformation about the UK and the market here… I grew up surfing here and have at different points worked in the surf industry. Not for a few years, but I know many who do.

 

While it’s true that the recent boom in popularity has produced a load of people new to surfing who can be hooked by international brand names and the associated marketing dross, there are many people who will only buy customs from established UK shapers.

 

If I was surfing69, I would strongly consider making a visit to one of these shapers. If that’s not possible, then take a shitload of photos of the current board, email them to someone like Bro Diplock, along with a quick video of myself surfing and have some faith. He will come up with the goods…

 

…Oh yeah, and the glassing will be on a par with anything you will find anywhere :slight_smile:

 

My 2p: If someone is getting that eggy about adding a 1/4" of outline to offset a heavy wetsuit, they are either a) Getting a little too pedantic or b) surfing at a very high level indeed.

 

If it’s the latter, I would already assume they have a well-established relationship with a shaper.  So my next question would be ‘Why don’t you ask your shaper?’. However, the last board was off-the-rack. So my feeling is it’s a case of the former.

 

I’m 6’1" and 84kgs. 25yrs exp with some former competition exp at national level. Normally ride a 6’1" x 19 x 2 1/4" but would comfortably order a 19 1/4" with a fuller rail for winter. Probably slightly thicker foil throughout as well.

 

I remember years ago Ross Clarke-Jones stating that any board would work for him as ‘long as it floated his carcass’, adding that unless you surf at WQS/CT level, then what’s the harm in taking a few surfs to get used to a board?

 

Way too easy to overanalyse these things I reckon.

So… you’re saying add some thickness? … not necessarily add width?

Little more thickness throughout, a hair more width. Keep the length similar…

 

…oh yeah-just get used to surfing in a 5/3mm too! lol! :wink:

dont be afraid to try something new,you will be ok as long as you dont stray too far from what u are used to.The dimensions of you former surfboard 5`11 181/8 21/8 are pretty much the dimensions of the high performance surfboard, suggest 5`10 x 181/12 plus x 21/4 flatter deck and the rail will stay fuller naturally but wont be thick because the board is 21/4 thick,which is not very thick. Bottom contour can also be flat from rail to rail,keep the nose conventional and add a nice old school bump wing and tail lift, ( occy / rusty 1984, but with 2010 volumes) .The board may surf a little different but u will still be able to relate to its action and get the performance you are looking for.I am presently working on these type boards for some guys that need a secondary board to the high performance board.

well he has come to the right forum!

http://www.chillisurfboards.com/surfboards/stepdown

what I meant was that the extra planing area is what will stop the board from bogging not thickness. However maybe more important than planing area is the rocker and hull contours. Riding69 from the description of what you bought it looks at least on the surface that you chose well. It must be really cold in Scotland now, but if you have had a chance to ride it let us know.

Tiki in north devon are now stocking the mckee range and will ship one to you if thats what you were after. I was looking at them the other day. Nice boards

As strychnine said, can’t go wrong with giving diplock a shout.

Anyone reading or participating in this thread should keep in mind that this, at present, is a purely subjective discussion. One such discussion embarked upon to answer some questions and assist in formulating others.

[quote="$1"]

With all the extra weight of rubber by board just doesn’t perform. I need more foam. But how do I get it? Length, width, thickness? How will it affect my boards performance? And how much extra do I go for? Arrrrgh!!! So many questions...

[/quote]

Therefore all contributions expressed in this thread hold value, and it is the responsibility of those willing contributors to find and develop that value; for in so doing, it’s not just the discussion that we advance, but it is all whom are engaged in the discussion that advance. It’s not only ourselves, but surfing itself that we advance.

 

I think it wise to keep this in mind. Now, to my boards:

 

Got rid of the Chilli very quickly. Didn’t like it because there was too much foam involved leading to a bunch of performance issues. One being the extra width + boxy rails = (for me, my body weights, style of surfing etc, etc) a board that was too reluctant for my liking to move from rail to rail. This one issue leading to more issues from, speed generation to, on the rail turns etc, etc (I could go on)

 

I happen to think that, in the context of this style of surfing, a board has to connect with your body and that together, as a cohesive unit, you work/ride your waves. I felt no connection with this board. Yes, I’m sure if I took the time I’d have learnt how the board wanted to be ridden, but remember, as I stated at the outset of this discussion I do have a particular use in mind.

[quote="$1"]

it’s gotta float me and let me surf at least close to how I want to surf.

[/quote]

I want to ride particular waves in a particular way. And quite simply the chilli that I had under my feet wasn’t letting me do that.

 

I’ve now picked-up another 5’11” this time the dimensions are 18 1/4”x 2 3/16” but as all you shapers out there know these dims alone tell very little about the board.

 

I’ve only ridden this one once to date and it’s not so far off-the-mark that I feel I need to get rid instantly. It is a step closer towards the direction I want my winter wetsuit clad surfing to go.

 

The model is a Simon Anderson. It’s still very different to my McKee but I’ll be taking a bit more time with this model than I did with the last.

 

For anyone that fails to remember the point of this post:

[quote="$1"]

So, the objective of these posts is to gather the collective insights from the wealth of knowledge that is accessible through the Swaylocks shaping community; to best equip me in making the most informed decision I can when making an off the rack purchase.

[/quote]

I’d say mission accomplished.

 

Again, for those of you that have contributed constructively, thank you. I’ll take what I’ve been learning back into the line up and return to letting my surfing do the talking.

Aloha.

Now you are being constructive and analytic. With that kind of information I’m sure the shapers here at swaylocks can be alot more helpful, also if you work closely with a shaper with that kind of information he should be able to make you a board like you want it. Might take a couple of iterations though.

regards,

Håvard

Stoked you found what you needed after all.

 

Should you want any info on shapers in the UK, then please feel free to drop me a PM.