Wide point slightly forward, wide but not crazy wide noses and pulled in round tails is what I’m talking about. I’m not talking old school, just the above outline with modern rails, bottoms and foils. Anyone ride them ??. I’ve progressed to a 7’er now and when I get the wires out of my knee I’ll be thinking of a round tail quad for beachies. I was just thinking a standard shortboard plan shape but I’m kind if interested in the Minnie driver type boards.
Any thoughts??
Minnie Driver type ? Looks more like a longboard…
Hey beer fan I’m just about to make one for a mate who was sold one too small for him. I’ll let you know how it works out . Hope the knee goes well and I’ll definately visit soon as we have bought a place in bulli. Don’t move till March but won’t be far to pop down for a wave…cheers rich
that isn’t the famous actress MINI DRIVER
at the wheel of that cartoon is it?
… ambrose…
Made this one last spring. Its 6’3x20.75". I am an intermediate surfer at 52 years young. Started when I was 49. My local is a pitchy and racey reef point. I like it. Modeled from the mini driver. quad.
My version made about 4 years ago…more like a step up…
6’4" x 19", bamboo deck and bottom, over balsa rails.
I surfed a Firewire Unibrow for about a year. It has a pretty similar shape. In the right type of waves the board excelled. I found as long as the wave picked up fast and wasn’t mushy, it was one of my alltime favorite boards. I really liked the tail on it. I always rode it as a quad with smaller then normal rear fins.
Karl,
Really like the bamboo.
A buddy of mine got one last winter and loves it. Surfed it on our nica trip the whole time, from thigh high colorados to double over head Panga Drops. Surfs it in Jersey Regularly all year round. Def seemed like it went better for him when the wave had a little more of a curve. I’m about to try my hand at more of a roberts dream catcher style board myself. I’ve been seeing Brett Barley charge pipe on his pig dog model by Super-Branded same basic concept.
pig dog link
http://www.superbranded.com/pigdog#.VH0SdzHF9oo
Brett at Pipe on a 5’8" Pig Dog
Bulli?, you’ll be able to surf sandon point regularly :). Let me know when you’re in mate.
Some great boards in this thread, especially the home made ones. seems like this kind of board is pretty versatile. Ideally, I’d want it for small but sucky waves up to a little overhead, which seems to be what it’s good for based on these reviews. I’d get josh to make it though.
Good motivation to get my knee up to it. I may take the twister ( my JD keel fish ) out soon. Probably only be cruising and weaving but I think my knee could handle that :).
I’ve surfed with Bret Barley in some serious surf (to me). He’s on another level and shouldn’t be compared to us mere mortals. ;^) Good guy with a good head on his shoulders.
This isn’t Brett but its a shot from a shot from a session 2 years ago (time flys) at lighthouse on one of the heaviest east coast days I’ve seen. Brett and Fisher Heverly (pictured) were taking turns wipping into the bombs. Saw some things that day that were absolutely mindblowing.
My grom riding my interpretation of the Mini Driver
I recently got a 6’4" Mini Driver. Thought that despite it’s intention to be used in good/hollow surf, it looked like a decent all arounder. I found that while I could catch waves with it relatively easily even on small, mushy days, it wasn’t the type of board I’m most comfortable on, which is basically a flatter, bigger-nosed type of vehicle better suited to the front foot. So, after one week of ownership, it’s on CL. I know people who absolutely rip on them, but I don’t surf like they do. Learned what these type of HPSB shapes can do, however, like extremely late drops that I’d never try on my other boards, and make these easily without any nose digging. Everything is a trade-off.
So you can make late drops that you’d never try on your other boards but decide to sell means that you are limiting yourself to paddling out on slopey days or digging rails and going over the falls. Does not make sense to me.
I don’t generally find it necessary to take off under the lip, but I put myself in that position to see if that shape makes it easier, and it did. What it didn’t do is paddle well enough for me to get the couple of seconds necessary to get in before it’s that critical. I can see the value for days when the swell is better and the waves are hollow, but on days like that, it gets so crowded that I either don’t go or I try to find a shoulder that’s open. And besides, hollow days aren’t the norm and for me, it’s better to have a board that works and feels better in the conditions that happen most of the time. Nothing wrong with the mini driver at all, just recognize my limitations and preferences, and like riding other shapes better. Like I said, everything’s a trade-off.
I think I’ll end up getting a similar shape from josh. Im back in the water but I really can’t load up through turns as yet, so something that’s fast and drivy will be much better for me than snappy and loose.
Still haven’t been game to go backhand yet. Can handle sucky waves but I can’t put a lot of grunt into the turns. So fucking annoying, but I just have to wait I suppose.
Beerfan, I was thinking along the same lines as you and was hooked on the Mini Driver shape. I got Josh to make this for me last Christmas 5’10 x 19.5 x 2.5 loves the sucky hollower waves but does need a punchy wave to make it work. Definitely not a groveller, I’ve had it in overhead waves with no problems. Love it.
Wow…pretty board!
Ah fuck yeah!!!. Sweet mate, I’m thinking of around 6’2", same width and thickness.
Should complement my other 2 JD’s nicely :).
