Here is a question for the ages: What is the fastest wave riding vehicle available? Using only the power of a 6’ wave breaking hollow, what’s the fastest a human can go? Included in consideration should be: Paipo, Kneeboard, BodyBoard, HandPlane, ShortBoard, LongBoard, Gun. Who makes it, what does it look like, what is the shape of the bottom, the outline, the rocker. Anything that requires a jetski to get into a wave doesn’t count! I think the fastest board I’ve ever ridden was an Eaton Zinger 9’4", drawn in nose and tail but too wide. I don’t have that board anymore because the width made it hard to go from rail to rail.
THE FASTEST: about 9’ to 10’ long, 2" nose rocker, 0" tail rocker, full length 1/4" deep concave bottom w/high polish bottom and rails, full length razor sharp blocky edges, 2" thick nose x 4" thick widepoint x 2" thick tail, 10" wide pointed nose, 18" widepoint placed 6" ahead of center x 9" wide pintail, rigid carbon graphite single fin 6" tall x 4" base x 1/4" thick, 1/8" thick carbon graphite stringer, rigid laminated EPS with epoxy and carbon graphite, board weight about 3 to 4 pounds, experienced paddler and rider, 5-6" to 5-8" tall, buffed out at 140 to 150 pounds, dragging no leash, at an empty 6’ hollow, glassy point break, potential 300 to 400 yard rides. Aaaahhhhooooooooooooooh baby!!!
I think that Miki Dora had a lot to say about this subject back in the day. I recall something along the lines of a 7’4" single fin pintail “drawn to the limit” on a low tide overhead day at Jeffrey’s Bay. Who knows, he might be doing it right now somewhere out there as we speak…
6`10" x 24"x 3" thruster pintail kneeboard. Not much rocker, maybe concave in bottom under knees area.
12 ft`er by Ambrose M. Curry III . A made in Kauai concave
speed is not the key to better surfing. Why do kooks think this? too fast of a board would be almost as disfuctional a to slow of a board. bigger, faster, harder or super sized is not what it is about.
I had a 9’ tom parrish back in 76 for riding Sunset. Pintail, downrailer, 21 wide about 3" thick. I’ll always remember that board it was fast.
steve lis on fish at hanalei or bunker speckels on fish at jeffrey’s both early seventies
I asked because there are days when the waves have good shape, but are too fast for anybody to make. I figured if I had the fastest board, and could ride it correctly, I could make more waves (and go realllllllly fast while doing it, of course.)
…clocked @ over 70 mph.Herb
a skimboard at the wedge
Herb, As fast as a Mako is, the acceleration that they can achieve is insane. Skip
…Yeah Skip,blinding fast out of the hole.The Mako’s 0-60 has been compared to full blow rails for acceleration.Herb
minimal wetted surface, minimal rocker to create form drag, dead hard rails for release. Anything else increases one or more of the above, all of which create drag. Another benefit is that the paipo has very little flotation so ducking under is no problem whatsoever. The down side is that they have no glide until they’re planing, and are slow to paddle (kick along); but the question only asked what’s the fastest in the water. Phooey on the shark - if he’s around, I won’t be, especially on a paipo; then it doesn’t matter.
I want to correct my earlier statement. Almost any choice vehicle, the skill of the rider is what counts.
I say, we load up in a few small boats and get dropped off outside some fabo peeling glassy 4-6’ break, and hop out, fins attached with Paipo’s and Neumatic Surfcrafts in hand…and see who is the fastest! If handguns and longboards think they can beat us, fine… Go ahead, just try it. 
Birdie http://www.speeedfins.com
Try getting into the wave earlier.