I’ve seen a lot of testimonials to the greatness of the CI Flyer, but not so much on the Flyer II. Can anyone with experience on the Flyer II chime in on the pros and cons? Does it live up as advertised to surf better in bigger surf…and how’s its’ performance in smaller waves?
I’m 5’10, 185 lbs, and have been surfing >20 yrs. I wonder if there are any recommendations on established models that would pick up waves QUICKLY but remain fast, loose and perform well vertically and down the line in 2’ - 10’ surf. Is there any such thing? Is there a board designed like the Flyer that would perform better than the Flyer when it gets bigger, but keep its’ small wave performance?..or could tweaking the dimensions a little give the Flyer the same performance in larger surf? Lastly, what are some other models by JC, Lost, Rusty, etc. that would mimic the Flyer or Flyer II’s performance?
I’m narrowing it down thanks to your help from previous posts…please keep 'em coming…any recommendations on specific models and dimensions to suit my size would be much appreciated! Need to move fast to get something new for a couple upcoming trips to DR and Ireland. THANKS!
You can catch waves quickly if you’re on the peak :D. My personal preference is I haven’t found a thruster all around from 2-10’ waves. I’ve got friends who can operate that way with a Fish or Quad large swallow, but that’s all they surf. They’re anti thruster though.
Flyer II is a good all around board but it isn’t good for anything. IMHO I think Merrick just slapped a swallow tail thruster together to have in his inventory.
I have a CJ fishy swallow thruster thingy by Bill Johnson when he was with Rusty. But Rusty doesn’t make that same board. Since Clark, can’t find a one like mine. That is same design but rear wide pt, thinned out rails and double bump and that is looser, faster and has a wave catching range closer to the Flyer than that a Flyer II has
If waves are ankle high to OH . . . the Flyer is much better than II. Planes faster and allows for shortboard ability, like you can race down and do one snap or cutback with the Flyer on the weak wave, while the Flyer II allows you catch it but not do that 1 maneuver.
FLyer II will do the same but a bigger one, but then its too big for your size. And the rails the rails, uh, I no likey. No workey. Bad rails. My friend swore by this board and she had 2 sizes, one small and one big. She’s big on swallow tail thrusters. In higher and faster surf the rails turn against you, much like the Flyer’s does.
The MBM was much better for an all around board. I have one and it works only in 3 ft to mid OH-DOH. It sucks below 3 ft, unless you have a big one.
I found out best Cali combo is (if you want to keep it Al Merrick) Flyer for small waves to OH. Then a K step up or that semi gun for OH to DOH. MBM for perfect 4-8 days. But this is for cali. We get small waves and few epic days.
This is just the kind of feedback I was hoping for…a comparison of models. It sounds as if the Flyer II isn’t the perfect choice…I too have always had a sweet tooth for swallow thrusters and twins…but since everyone’s riding a squash or round pin these days I think I’m ready to give one a whirl. Actually never rode either and am not sure what difference either one will really make in the grand scheme of things.
The Flyer sounds like a great shape…but I’d need it to perform up to 8 -10’, and it sounds as if it wouldn’t do that. I wonder if I got one a little bigger…say 6" 8" and added larger fins when it got big if that’d work. Still wondering if anyone else has a template that might offer the best of both worlds. I’m strangely tempted to go with a JC, Lost, Rusty or something else anyhow because there are SO many CI’s out there…but I also realize there must be good reason for this, and obviously have to go with what’ll work above all else, plus I’m having a harder time getting feedback on any of those other shapers’ models. I’ve got a decent, but not great small wave board, so I may have to find something that’s best at 4’ - 10’ instead. I guess the true object of my quest is that when I travel I want to bring one board that I can use in good conditions, but can still be used if I get skunked on size!
The Flyer has a slight “bump” above the fins, and the rail line kinda straightens out from there to the tail. It gives it a pivot point. …Lost has a model like it, and the Rusty 1980 has it. These are modern versions of 80’s outlines with modern bottom contours. They are great in small to a little overhead surf, any bigger, and they get squirrely. i love my version!!
Thanks Nelmo. Wondering if you ever tried larger fins on your Flyer in oh+, and whether or not it took away any of the squirreliness you mentioned. Also I wasn’t quite clear which version you have…CI, Lost, or Rusty?
The Rusty site shows an '84 and an '89 with no mention of an '80 model. Have they discontinued the '80, or did you perhaps mean one of the other? Also, do you know which one of the Lost templates is the one you refer to in the post. I gather that all other things being equal these two models are similar in rocker, countours, vee, and the “bump” ahead of the fins as the Flyer…and should therefore surf essentially the same?
K small is shaped nearly the same as the flyer . . . the only thing I noticed was the rails were smaller, not as thick, and less volume . . . just extrapolating the shape, since I’ve only seen them 6’4" or larger and the comparing Flyer was a 6’ . . .
The guy at the shop said K-smalls (when ordered in right dims to your weight, I order my small wave sb’s a few larger than recommended dims because I have to compete with longboarders, but my decent wave boards on the mark . . .) are not as forgiving, looser and easier to release (tail and rail to rail) than the Flyer. I like the Flyer.
One thing to note with the Flyer is it doesn’t live up to its name in fast, steep, hollowness in OH. I took it out one time in summer, in those conditions . . . didn’t have fun. It tracks . . . but I think its because of its nice soft rails . . . can’t dig them in.
If you can score Merricks at close to pre black monday prices, good. All the shops here say $750-900 for future Merricks. The ones that have current pre black monday inventory at pre black monday prices have most CI’s gone except for the eccentric shapes like Sashimi.
Thanks Nelmo. Wondering if you ever tried larger fins on your Flyer in oh+, and whether or not it took away any of the squirreliness you mentioned. Also I wasn't quite clear which version you have...CI, Lost, or Rusty?
The Flyer will not hold on as steep a wave face as other models due to a combination of the tail bump in planshape and the rail thickness. You will have to turn down the wave instead of tracking across it, and try to generate speed off the bottom (which is also a little harder on bigger waves). It is not a board for barrels, it is a board for generating speed on smaller waves.
Don’t try to fix it for bigger waves by just playing with fins. You’d need to straighten the rail line and thin the rails in to the tail and move the WP at least 2-3 inches forward to get a better all-rounder.
And whereas there is nothing wrong with a Merrick, there are millions of other boards out there that can get the job done as well.
DSC- I personally dislike full rails like what are on the Flyer (I) because of the lack of edge control and the propensity for them to facilitate turning the board sideways (“skid out”) when trying to dig them in through the bottom turns in more standing-up style waves… However, I did find thatsubstituting a set of FCS FG-5 fins (FCS “vector” fins) on my CI flyer (at 6’1" x 18.75" x a full 2.25") helped bring the board back under control a bit and allow me to steer the board better off the tail and hold a little better off the bottom.
how about visting your local foam mower and buying one of there models instead of a mass produced model. why pay such a priemium for a board so that all his team riders get them for free.
but I would add that the Ksmall has less rocker and concave than the Flyer
I guess the true object of my quest is that when I travel I want to bring one board that I can use in good conditions, but can still be used if I get skunked on size!
Dave, this can be done but its a real challenge…if youre a really advanced surfer with serious talent its dooable…I travel with only one board (im kind of OCD about this) but I bring one thats a bit biased towards OVH surf cuz when it gets small i feel like im not really missing anything special…I’d much rather have a board that gives me confidence in OVH to DOH surf…in this case, a good clean all rounder is better than a Flyer…Hobgood/Rusty thumbtails come to mind
The comparisons and viewpoints have been great…I knew I could count on you all. Now to sort through it all - thanks for all the help! Dare I ask for advice on the best allrounders with rockers and rails that’ll help me pick up waves but still surf aggressively…so far MBM, Rusty/Hobgood…any other favorites? And specific dims for my size? Again I’m 5’10", 180 lbs and am thinking in the 6’6" X 20 X 2.65"…any thoughts?
im 175lb and my travel board is similar but 19 in wide instead…anything between 18.75 and 19.5 would work well…too wide and you start losing control when the waves get solid/fast…you could also go thinner too, say 2.5 max…but that depends on your tastes
i agree with the previous post that working with a reputable competent shaper is better for non DIY’s…but im strickly a DIY’r so thats out
Obviously CI and Rusty and Lost are interested in enticing people to buy off the rack. Which is why they have different lines of boards, each one in different sizes.
6’6"x20x2.65 is big enough for a lot of 200+ pounders.
At 6’0" and 185-195 lbs, my all-arounder dims are 6’2" x 19" x 2.25", plus/minus an inch or two on the length, 1/4" in width, and 1/8" thickness.
This is for surf in the stomach-high to 1.5OH range. I play with variations on foil, rockers, and rail thickness. Much longer than those dims and I feel as if I am pushing a bit of rail and volume ahead of my front foot (when coming off the top, either carving or fins free, I want the general pivot point at my front foot and not ahead of it) and the nose feels “lifty” when I am trying to re-direct back down to the bottom of the wave; much wider and the boards don’t rock and transition rail to rail as quickly as I’d like; much thicker and they feel boaty and don’t like to engage and interact with the wave (but also remember I do not want to ride on top and skip over the water, I want the board to mesh and interact with the water and wave face- that is my personal preference).
For smaller stuff I go true fish or fishy-thruster. Bigger and I’ll go to more of a step-up-style thruster. I also like to ride a lot of experimental/funky boards, but I described my “go to” boards above as if I had to pick one and only one to ride.
Thanks folks…for the education and great advice - and mostly for taking the time to respond to the threads in the first place. I’ve gotten some great stuff here, and now I’m gonna go find something along the lines we’ve discussed that just looks and feels right to me and gets the blood going. Probably something in the 6’4" - 6’6’ X 2.5", and around 19"-19.5".
Keep helping those who need it…your expertise is appreciated!