I built this bonzer a couple years ago and took it to the Big Sur campout. Took it out in marginal conditions WAY to big for this board and didn’re really get any waves on it. After the trip, I shelved it and mainly surfed my other boards. Yesterday, I pulled the bonzer out because I had to. None of my other boards are surfable at the moment. The Griffin 5 is missing front fins (plan to foil a pair this weekend). And the twinzer is under the knife with a blown out finbox and I need to foil a main fin for that one too. So, it was only the bonzer in the stable ready to go.
It’s 6’2" with a full, kinda 80’s shortboard outline, and thick 80’s rails. The thing paddles really well and gets in super early! I’m thinking this is due to the thicker tail. I will see if I can dig up pics of it and repost… I know I posted them somewhere 2ish years ago when I built it.
Got some really fun novelty and real waves yesterday. Some OH racers along the jetty just inches above the rocks for 100+ yards and some glassy beachbreak peaks. The racers along the jetty didn’t allow any turns but were just speed runs. The kind where you just trim and pump that feel SOOO good!!! Smooth drawn out turns. Speed on tap but slower acceleration than the twinzer. Felt really solid on the waves that had some backwash which was a bonus. Leaning into a proper bottom turn felt solid and offered much smooth projection. Found out that foot placement was critical (am I seeing a theme here? hahaha). On a couple waves in particular, when I got my back foot in the right spot, the center fin seemed to disappear. Well, to be clear, it was there when I needed to pump for speed but it was gone when I went to turn. Nice! To the point that, after kicking out, I flipped the board over to check and make sure I hadn’t dropped the fin. The beachbreak peaky waves offered opportunity to get up into the lip (not my strongsuit) but, the bonzer did great. Even went for some extended floaters on the end sections. Felt really good up there too. Overall, I’m stoked with the design and will get the board in the water more now.
I’m so stoked just reading this haha. I’d love to see the board, sounds sick.
On a side note, just installed a heater in Malcom’s house in trade for a 6’6 egg with an addition of what he calls the E-wing, can’t wait to be elightened.
Hi Chris, I had similar reactions when I rode my Bonzer compsand years ago. Where you have the back foot changes everything.
I tried mine sometime in the last 6 months, but the combination of waves and me riding so many different boards, didn’t give me the same “great” feeling I had before. Probably need to get it into a better day with more juice.
Chris, you should post some pics of the board to go with this thread. Great to make a discovery like that!
I can relate, most my boards sit for awhile after completion, maybe get ridden once or twice, then a year later I finally get around to giving 'em a serious go, and now most of my favorite boards were ones I had for a long time before I even began to appreciate them!
