I wonder if any of you guys can give me your opinions? I particularly like Mark Martinsons designs and have at different times owned and ridden a few of his shapes in Tuflite. (over here in the UK a PU Robert August shape has always been hard to get hold of) I love his 10,6" W2 model which is a great glide and trim machine. I also like his 9,4" Wingnut Noserider which goes against conventional noserider design yet works really well. The wierd thing is I tried his 10ft stepdeck and just couldn't get on with it. In small clean waves where I thought it would excell I couldn't catch a thing. I tried it many times and always had a frustrating surf session whenever I took it out. Why?
As Wingnut pointed out it is basically the same board as the 9,4 only bigger...so what's going on? Anyone had a similar experience with this design?
Many years ago I remember the magazine spread sheet ads for the (re-issued) Weber Performer. The ad declared ' it's wide flat bottom gives it bizarre mush skating ability'. I imagined the same concept would work on the Martinson...or will it? Is there too much flat wetted surface creating suction and drag? Tom Wegener would probably tell me a flat bottom will only work in a steeper face/more powerful wave where the resistance is overcome...i.e a displacement hull is faster/easier to paddle through water under a certain speed.
Come on you guys...someone must have some ideas?
That Martinson is sat on the used racks of my local shop and I'd love to bring her home where she belongs...if I could only figure out how and when to use her!
I had one of those but the problem I had with it was not so much catching waves as turning… it was “sticky” and always seemed like a car with a bad alignment. I finally took off the very pretty, custom RAugust fin, and put in a different one. that’s all it took; the board worked so much better (for me).
the RA fin was real skinny and raked....kind of a high aspect ratio deal. I know Wingy rides his PU version with a big old Wingnut Big Daddy fin. Worth considering I guess.
Thanks for that Ken, much appreciated guys for all your comments. So have I got to eat my words about lighter boards? Can you go too light? I've been in both camps (depends which surfing DVDs I've been watching this week..ha ha!) but seriously...everytime I'm drawn back to heavy boards I regret it. The lightness feels good to paddle and greater sensitivity whilst turning etc.
So what about the Martinson step-deck? Should I try it again...re-evaluate it? just get determined to get it wired? or just accept it's not a user friendly design and forget about it? Maybe a bigger fin (wont help wave catching but will feel less squirely and more solid for nose work) I always put BIG fins on all my boards. So is this kind of board better in sizable surf? too light for small gutless waves? (our waves are like your east coast conditions)
Where's Mr. Martinson when you need him ? !! ha ha!
Try an experiment. Tape s 4 oz lead fishing weight to the tip of the nose and see how it goes. If it catches small waves more easily, then the lightness is an issue. If not, I donno...
I have ridden a Mark Martinson Stepdeck for quite some time. I had a 9’0 Robert August - Mark Martinson Predator Stepdeck 9’0 x 24 x 3 with the classic predator spray.
Story:
I picked up the board from a first point local as a favor to my buddy in SB. He has the board new since 92.’ I rode the Predator all day before I drove it up to my buddy. I couldn’t believe it. Most intuitive board I’ve ever surfed. Paddled better than my 10,’ sped up so much on the nose, turned with ease. I flipped out and told my buddy Jack that I had to be first in line if he ever thought about unloading it. Sure enough, 10 days later he calls me and tells me to come pick it up. Loved that board. It surfs 1’-8’ easy. I foolishly traded it for a Skip Frye swallow tail gun, which was also a
magic board, but the Predator was better for Malibu’s breaks.Funnily enough, I was talking to some guy at my work out at Bay St. on how I wish I could get that board back, or another one like it. So when I got into work I started looking. Someone down in O.C. literally posted the board right as I was looking. I called and put a hold on the board. I’m going there tomorrow morning to get that sucker back.
Opinion:
I can’t imagine the board being as ‘magical’ in a 10.’ I rode a regular 10’2 Martinson (not the stepdeck) and it was alright. It seemed too long and would generally just outrun the wave, be a bitch to turn and it was so light (it was a poly board, not tufflite crap) - didn’t have much flow to it. It just caught waves easily, and noserides were disappointing (manly rode it at San-o). I would take out my 10’ Tyler Riddler or 9’11 1966 Bing DNN if I want to ride a real log and noseride.
HOWEVER, the MM Predator Stepdeck in a 9’0 is another story. It’s much more versatile in various conditions. It’s cheats five with ease and has some real speed to it, kicks into a high gear on the nose. They call it the Predator for it’s wave catching ability and it’s very easy board to paddle and get into the waves. I think when these were first made they were designed as a semi-transition board from the big logs, the new stepdeck allowed for the speed the board needed in a smaller board. Also it’s a very easy board to manage, carry if you have a hike, and it’s never the wrong board to take out.
Also for anyone who is reading this who’s not a small guy, don’t fret. I’m 6’0 a 195lbs dry. The one I had was shaped by Martinson, great rails. I’m thinking that Mike Mitchinson is shaping these right now. With the classic Spray Color, wood tail block, fin, 6oz bottom, double 6oz deck, classic logos all for $905 I believe. Just got quoted yesterday. That’s a great price for a great board. If you’re going 9’0+ then 100% definitely go with the 24" wide. You want the board to live up to it’s name.
