I spend several months of the year on an isolated section of coastline. It has a righteous point reef setup that breaks most of the time, 1-8 feet. Only problem- its choked with kelp and seaweed. So thick Ive got pressure dents on the bottom from impacting all the floating crud! Also doing a lot of swimming (no cord). So I`m open to your suggestions. Alternatives to the standard surboard with fins that SNAG. Muchas gracias.
Get yourself a bag, pool toy, mat. Neumatic is da kine. Just keep your knees up!
I have an old Morey “Mach” body board. I want to go faster than something that was made for a lighter guy (Im 240-250 lbs). Body surfing is out of the question. Impossibly slow for my break. Maybe a kneeboard? Havent been a knee boarder or tried a “fish” with those 2 shallow keel fins. How well do they surf through thick kelp/seaweed? Two of my boards are single fins. So I made several 5" to 7" radical swept-back shapes (NO SNAG “in theory”)- but disappointing. I`m guessing my situation is also a problem for many other surfers too?
Contact Dale Solomonson at Neumatic Surfcraft. He’ll set you up fine no matter what your size. Browse through the archives here to get a feel as to what a mat can do…
My surfmats run very fast and smooth over thick kelp. Shallow water, too. Everything I build is custom, designed around the rider`s weight, height, expected surfing conditions and general ocean experience. No problemo Greg! Dale
would a surfmat work well on one of those wind slop days? I wouldnt mind playing around on one when its windy…how much do they run for an average model?
Hi SlingBlade, Yes, the mats I make work very well on wind slop days, particularly if theres some length to the wave... the farther you travel, the faster youll usually end up going because theyre even quicker over chop (think hovercraft). A good mat design will allow a competant rider to glide (often accelerating) over nearly dead water... where most others face a flat spot or channel and usually kick out, a mat surfer can often just continue sliding along, drawing together sections on the way inside toward the shorebreak. While their characteristic glide has been compared to 12'+ longboards... in contrast, my mats are very portable, compact and weigh less than 26 ounces. I know this sounds strange, but mats dont feel, handle or perform like anything else in the water, standing, kneeling, sitting or laying. There`s at least a couple dozen contributors to Swaylocks who own/use my equipment, a number of whom may also be willing to voice their opinions. Just ask… for reference, check “Search Swaylocks” under “surfmats”, or read the recent Swaylocks thread, “Surfmats”, Wednesday, 7 May 2003. Everything I build is custom handcrafted, includes a slender drawstring bag, written information, repair swatches and continuing correspondence with myself, if so desired. The price is $295.00 which includes U.S. Priority 2-3 day shipping. It all translates to a lot of fun: Spring has Sprung Lee V. – Friday, 4 April 2003 “Minus tide Del Mar 7th Street and the faithful are bumming; 15 knot onshores blowing out a lumpy 5 foot wind swell. I’m the only person with a grin on my puss. I just finished one of my “funest” sessions in years… on my pool toy. And to think of all those lost days before enlightenment. Thanks Dale!” Newbs
Re: Spring has Sprung Lee V. – Friday, 4 April 2003, at 11:47 a.m. The only bowls I smoked were the ones in the water, connecting the dots for 1/4 mile long rides… so it was a day for the records, mine anyway. You need “fruther” details? Picked up speed from the peak and carried it through the flats to the next peak and so on and so on. Try it, you’ll like it…well maybe not. Your mind is as closed as mine once was. Quit posing and have fun… Re: Spring has Sprung Fred W. – Friday, 4 April 2003, at 6:08 p.m. 1/4 mile lnog rides on a boogie? Thats a whopper! No thanks I`ll be standing tall on my longboard from the peak through the flats and so on and so on! No bellie boards here! Re: Spring has Sprung Lee V. – Friday, 4 April 2003, at 6:34 p.m. Sorry Fred, been there, done that. No way a longboard was gonna do the things I was doing on my mat (not a booger). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; use the right tool for the job! Have a nice weekend and stay wet, Fred. Newbs Re: Spring has Sprung thinkmat – Friday, 4 April 2003, at 10:52 p.m. Let me push this post a little “fruther” along!! Last Sat. afternoon was a classic mat session for me! River Jetties and Brookhurst street had epic Santa Ana conditions going for it …plus a low to high tide push with long tapering peaks and few out to reap the rewards! Dale’s Mat was twisted, squeezed, and flown at warp speeds! Glad to hear you got out and had fun Newbs! It’s all that matters! (pun intended)!
just do what we do at out break and poison the kelp with industrial chemicals. the best time is at night just boat on out there on a flat swell and spread some week kill on the area.
Thank you for all the good words about Dale`s surf mats. My order for a custom “Neu” is forthcoming! “Clive”- I sincerely hope your commments are nothing more than a sick joke. Does anyone know how it is to surf with a “fish” kneeboard in thick kelp? Muchas gracias.
Fish don`t work too good in thick kelp. There is a better way. Thumbs up to the surf mat guy.
I don’t doubt that the mats are great, but seeing as the original question was about getting around the kelp… I ride a paipo board from Hawaiian (sp?) Paipo Designs with no fin and its no problem going over the kelp. The problem is kicking back through it and taking off just when a big old kelp loogie gets ahold of your ankle. I imagine you might have the same problem with any kicking powered surf gizmo. It is nice to have a short leash though and keep it on top of the board to avoid that problem.
I ride a kneeboard (quad) in heavy kelp and it handles it pretty good but I tend to stay high on the wave face so I don’t notice much “snagging” of the kelp. I don’t have any more of a problem paddling/kicking out than I would on a regular board. I’ve only noticed a difference when duck-diving since I can get my kneeboard deeper than a regular board I sometimes find myself coming up under a kelp “net” which can be a pain.
Was that you at sharks this morning?
Nope, I was at work. It probably was “Kneeboard Tom”. A school teacher with lots of time on his hands.
I took my second home made flexi-flyer out for its maiden voyage at low- tide, overhead Swift Street back in '69. It took me three weeks to build it. First wave; picked a nice line between the bulbs when the suckout dragged a paddy you could stand on right in front of me…snapped the tail right off at the fin…never even pulled a turn on it. Spent the next several months trying to figure out a fin system that would be stiff laterally but would break away toe to tail…Finally gave up and only surfed flexies at high tide.
Ive had some experience with different surfing things. Im not a young man anymore. Im a big guy and have personal reasons why I havent been satisfied with the feel of bodyboards or paipos. No offense Kim. If I have to ride something laying I don`t want to be sunk underwater. The idea of getting something truly custom fit to my size-- w float that I can change and bendability sounds like great news. I still plan on "fish"ing for a kneeboard before next winter. Anyone ever make a finless kneeboard? A telephone call to Mr. George Greenough is next up for his opinion on thick kelp + kneeboards + surf mats. ¡gracias a todos por una gran discusión!