New 2010 McCoy Model: Astron Zot

General Discussion
1

Hi there,

Because i’ve read so much on the McCoy Nugget on this forum i thought i would post to let McCoy fans know that he has a new board out: The Astron Zot. 5’6-6’2, 22 wide, 3+ thick and only in single fin. It’s a fine looking machine, tyical of Geoff’s stuff. After riding a 6’4 nugget for twelve months i decide to get something smaller -  i was thinking the Pot Belly. While in the outlet in Manly, i spied the Zot, but i’ve never had a single fin experience and to be honest chickened out. I grabbed a micro all round nugget 5’8 - love it aready. Just wanted to let you guys know that McCoy has produced something unique again (certainly in appearance). When i get another spare $860 oz dollars, i’ll go for one. Marc at the outlet said that it is by far the loosest, most responsive and fastest McCoy he’s owned so far (he talked me out of the Pot Belly for this reason). Here is the only pic i seem to be able to find: http://ameblo.jp/plunging/image-10428162345-10366643329.html

thoughts?

2

I haven't tried the Zap, but the video that was posted of that guy surfing a left in Indo certainly sparked my interest. Looks like the Zap wants to naturally flow rail-to-rail.

 

There was a guy selling a used 6'2" Zap on ebay here in the UK the other day, but I think that would be a touch too big.  

 

I rode my friend's 6'6" allrounder a couple of times and while it felt like a mini-mal in some ways, I was surprised how well it turned. That had a thruster setup.

 

I don't know anyone that had ridden an Interchange or a Splinter Nugget and I would like to try one of those, too. 

3

I’m not that interested in the single, just thought i’d mention that McCoy has a new board out. I’m very happy on both my mccoy thrusters - one is the all round nugget, the other the all round micro nugget. the 6’4 is excellent for surf 4ft and above, whereas the new 5’8 seems to rip in 1-4ft. i forced myself to learn to ride off the backfoot. i found fish to be a two trick pony (for me anyway) - whereas my nuggets seem to be able to draw great lines, severe lips and find the barrel. What sort of quad do you ride? Everyone seems to be on one of those at the moment - very fast from what i hear too.

4

I would suggest having a go of a single Mccoy before you purchased one also try all three of the gull wing fins. I had a single pot belly, i had moments of pure joy then the next wave pure dissatisfaction loosing the old tail i could not find the midle ground of knowing what would happen in different conditions. Geoff is right that there is nothing better to ride in a tube than a sigle fin. I just felt that all the conditions had to be glassie and perfect for the single to be joyful. If you live somewhere where it is barrelling and perfect all the time get one but if you want one as your dailly driver like i did don’t get one. On the other hand i grew up riding thrusters and have since found joy on twins and quads. Which if you have a good chat to Geoff and he thinks you are a competent surfer he will go the hard sell on the single he comes across as believing that more fins are a waist of time. My Brother persisted for longer than me on the single pot belly and felt  the same in the end. We both felt that a 1 + 2 option would have been cool to try on the pot belly but we were talked out of this idea by Geoff it is not what the design is about we were told. In the end we stayed true to the design and lisened to the shaper and were not happy kinda sux but you have to have a try. Just one opinon i have not met someone that has been fully stocked with a mccoy single besides Geoff. As my current shaper said to me we have progressed both in rocker, rails and fins i will put you on something that will get you going and that he did.

I paid over $1000 for mine go for it if you can get one for $860

5

http://www2.swaylocks.com/node/1019132

this mentions the Zot re worked old idea of Geoffs but the thread is a good read 

http://forum.surfermag.com/forum/showflat.php?Number=1615069&page=0

also good read

6

Gerry Wedd (of Mambo art fame) has an Astron Zot:

 

http://weddwould.blogspot.com/2010/02/real-mc-coy.html

 

I think there is a lot in McCoy’s theories, but I have to say my experience pretty much mirrors that of Crex. It’s probably not a coincidence that my background is very similar as well.

 

I had some really fun surfs on my 6ft single, but I found it perplexing more than rewarding for most of the time.

 

However, I would love to ride this new model if I had a chance. I still have a lot of time for some of the things McCoy comes up with, but if like me, you grew up on a diet of concaves and sharp edges in the tail of your board, then the ‘jump’ to get the most out of his boards may be a frustratingly wide one…

 

The number of fins is not the main thing to get your around I reckon, as I learned to surf on an old 70s singlefin and have had some brilliant singles in more recent years, too.

 

It may not be another coincidence that my magic board of late is a tweaked version of a Speed Dialer quad. With a Lokbox setup, this board has a massive range and has more speed than I realistically need most of the time. It may not be the most forgiving board, but jeez, it’s rewarding. Any board that has me running up the beach, laughing hysterically after the first surf is definitely a keeper.

7

I like most of Geoff's theories having tried quite a few.

Except I don't go for the wider tails any more.

They were excellent in smaller waves of all conditions and caught everything paddled for, but were a restriction for me in shoulder height and bigger. In perfect waves they went great, but so does everything.

8

A 5'6" x 22" x 3 1/4" Zot.

 

Would love to try one!!

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9

Strychnine,

I’ve beem riding McCoys, ST 7’, 7’6 and 7’11 single and tri, and the 8’2. The tri fins have been good, but the 7’11 single was, basically, a real dog. I’ve tried various fins: the gulwing, starfin (best of the singles), spitfire (good, but not as good as the starfin), various dolphins. Recently I had FCS plugs fitted to the 7’11 single using the McKee quad formula.

What an absolute tranformation! It  now performs better in every way: much, much more drive; speed to burn, fantastic turning ability, smooth and agile. It really makes me wonder where Geoff McCoys head is at, the McCoys seem made to be quads.

I’ve also had quads fitted to my 6’8 single, but haven’t caught any decent waves with it yet. I’m off to Indo in a few days and just wish I had time to have quads installed on the boards I am taking (the 7’ and 7’6).

Its a real test of just the fin configuarion when you use the same board with different configurations.

Cheers,

Dave

10

I have been riding a 5'10"x213/4"x3" astron zot for the last 3 months and it is a trip which can be pure joy or a little frustrating

I think the zot is a big improvement on the nugget because of the wide point pushed to the centre and the tail on mine anyway

not having the width and bulk as the nugget. i have tried this board in many types of waves and what it loves is a small tight

hollow wave, short peaks and sucky twisty sand banks. It doesnt like fat waves and ones with sloppy bases.

They are definitely a turning machine and not a glider like a fish, you dont throw everything you got into a turn like a thruster

they work best when the upper body is calm and the knees and ankles do the work. They are great for tight radius turns and continous

rythm. If you want to surf the same as the other hot guys at your beach it wont be for you but if you have funky wave in mind and wont

to surf it your own way maybe you will have more fun than imagined.

11

I have been riding a 5'10"x213/4"x3" astron zot for the last 3 months and it is a trip which can be pure joy or a little frustrating

I think the zot is a big improvement on the nugget because of the wide point pushed to the centre and the tail on mine anyway

not having the width and bulk as the nugget. i have tried this board in many types of waves and what it loves is a small tight

hollow wave, short peaks and sucky twisty sand banks. It doesnt like fat waves and ones with sloppy bases.

They are definitely a turning machine and not a glider like a fish, you dont throw everything you got into a turn like a thruster

they work best when the upper body is calm and the knees and ankles do the work. They are great for tight radius turns and continous

rythm. If you want to surf the same as the other hot guys at your beach it wont be for you but if you have funky wave in mind and wont

to surf it your own way maybe you will have more fun than imagined.

12

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 i have tried this board in many types of waves and what it loves is a small tight hollow wave, short peaks and sucky twisty sand banks. It doesnt like fat waves and ones with sloppy bases.

They are definitely a turning machine

[/quote]

 

That is exactly what my 6'2" McCoy Stumpy (Thruster) surfs like. Very loose

13

Hey Tombstone, interesting to hear your thoughts.

Was the Zot a custom for you? How tall/heavy are you?

How does it go on your backside? I found my 6ft allround single a bit of a puzzle going backside for some reason.

14

I have personally found it’s best to go as short as you think you can stand with this design and then take a couple of more inches off.  There is a lot of float in them and when you go with the shorter rail, I think you get what they were originally designed for.   Folks talk about not liking the single, but singles ride differently than multi fins.   I love mine and I have a hard time switching back to multi fins which require much more work to keep going.   It all depends on how you want to surf.   I tired of trying to turn like everyone else.  I like the different lines and the feel of the wide tailed singles.

 

I used to ride quad zaps even as late as the mid 90’s.  I like them, and you are right the wide tails work great, but you still have to keep them going rail to rail. 

15

Well, I like singles, twins, thrusters, quads and bonzers, but… Have to say I’m feeling the quad love myself at the moment!

 

I think it’s fair to say that not all singles surf the same, also. I’ve had some great singles in recent years and the best of them have had some kind of combination of concaves through the bottom and low rails.

 

Don’t get me wrong-I like the Nugget design too. I feel McCoy offers something unique to people who are open minded enough to try them; ‘usable float’ that does more than simply offer enough foam to let you paddle down a wave, forgiveness (on SOME versions!) and a nice flow through turns.

 

However, the single fin Nugget for me was too much of a ‘niche within a niche’. By that, I mean there only seemed to be one source of drive-the fin. Some people drive off rocker predominantly, some off the rail line and nearly everyone needs a fin set-up that will work will thses elements to offer them the right recipe for them.

 

For me, the single Nug was too curvy-both rocker-wise and through the planshape, to offer me the drive I desired. It was a fast board, but more ‘point and shoot’ than one that responded instantly to my attempts to create speed. I always felt that some kind of fin or fins on the rail would provide this, as, lets be honest, you want the drive to come out of your turns-when you are on a rail (or should be ;-p). Fins on the rail seem like a good idea in this instance, but I am not a designer and I’m sure things are not that simple.

 

Personally, quads with a straightish planshape are my drug of choice at the moment. Not the most forgiving boards, but jeez, they feel good on a rail… Also, the quad I’m on right now has speed to burn without being worked rail-to-rail. In fact, controlling the speed is more of an issue than creating it.

 

I emailed Geoff a while back and asked him if he had considered a twin or a quad model. He said he had messed with twins (maybe not surprising) on the Nuggets and had good results, but felt he wanted to develop them some more before offering them as an option. I would jump at the chance to try one.

 

Back on topic though-love the look of the Zot and I bet it’s a whole load of fun in the right waves!

16

No the board was not a custom i was up in Byron around xmas and was talking to Geoff and was interested in something

short wide and thick for summer. I had recently ordered a quite standard shaped round tail from him that i was very

happy with that was 6'6" thruster i was going to go a little shorter and wider thinking around 6'3". I am 6'2" and 88 kilos had

many mccoys over the years and love them but dont ride them exclusively. Any way geoff said to come by the factory  he wanted

to show me what he was up to with the zot, and he had a little selection there as i said i wasnt that jazzed to get a single for

little waves even though he loves them. Anyway when i saw them they were so cute and sexy,no  one puts together small board

curves like mccoy, in my opinion. I took a 5'10" basicly it looked right and felt great, geoff would have prefered i take a 6'0"

because of my size, but was interested to see what could get away with.

To the question of backhand surfing i was nervous how it would go, but it kept surprising me and as i said i think i is an improvement

on the nugget for myself as i find i surf off both feet these days and slghtly more forward on the board than is required by the nugget

with wide thick tail and narrow nose, blame that on longboarding and such. The first bottom turn is often the trickiest for me dont try 

to jam too hard as it doesnt like it get a flow and weave going on the wave and it gets better and better try to keep the speed up as

they dont pump like a thruster you have rely a lttle more on the waves power for drive. But where it comes into its own is it is not limited

on where can turn it or place it on the wave to access speed. I find you can play around much more on the wave little turns, stalls, that 

keep you in the pocket and the board has surpising hold. My board probably is a bit small for me but i have figured out the types of

waves i like to ride it in and use it in that .

Anyway that is my take on the astron zot .

Gotta love that name.

17

 

It’s a single fin. You don’t pump single fins. You carve them, so they absolutely don’t pump like a multi fin.  Some find that a strange feeling now because we have mostly been surfing the same style for 30 years.  I spoke with Geoff a few years ago about redoing all his old stuff and he was dead set against doing it.  Guess he changed his mind.   The Astron zot from my conversations with him was never really a model he put out…just a super wide tailed Lazor Zap shaped for Cheyne.  Guess that changes also. I’m glad. Geoff has made some of the best contributions to this sport.

My Mccoys are all wide and I have never found them to have any problems when the surf get’s over head.  In fact, that’s when I appreciate them all the more, because I have yet to see a McCoy single spin out.  So you are correct in your take.  I still ride the other stuff sometimes, but I’m just addicted to the feel of the soft rails, rounder bottom and holding power of the wide tailed singles.  Another thing to mention is something Cheyne once told me.  You should ride a board for a couple of years before you make a real judgement on it unless you feel it’s a real dog.  It take some commitment to make that switch and most folks are either too impatient or have to keep with with all the promises being made by shapers out there about their new thing being the new sliced bread.  What Geoff is doing is not new.  It’s been going on for awhile.  The nugget is going on 20 years and Cheyne was riding this type of design back in the mid eighties. Nuggets I mean…not zaps.  See movie Scream in blue. 

 

I see Firewire has the Dominator, which is a nugget knock off and some of the reports I have read on it are just what we found in the early eighties when shapers copied the Zap.  Edges and or concaves on wide tails cause them to become less stable as the surf get’s more power and hollower. I tried many of them and always ended up back on McCoys.  As for Twins…I always like the Double Flyers pin twins with six channels. 

 

Nothing new under the sun.

 

Glad you are enjoying your wide little nugget.  Try it slightly larger and see what happens.

18

Good points there.

So-2 years to suss a board out! Wow! I thought giving a board several months was patient! Haha! He’s probably quite right too.

Wish I’d hopped on a Nugget when I first saw one about 12yrs ago now…

19

Owning surf shops and a surfboard business…I have tried it all over the years.  I still try or ride different things sometimes, but over all…my main go to boards have been the same Mccoys and a couple of our produced similar style Horans from 99 and 2003.  They are in great shape and don’t feel even slightly dead.  I am actually thinking of  getting me just another thruster since it’s been so long since I have ridden one.  I dropped a bunch of weight and most of mine were done for me when I was heavier…so I want to go much shorter.

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Could someone post a rocker profile shot of one of these badboys? I’m drooling !!