PICS BELOW…
I was just wondering if anyone has experience and/or opinions on this board?
there is one for sale here in aus, apparently surftech only bought a few out here, you cannot buy them here though, this one is second hand but immaculate condition, just curious about your thoughts on the quality and ridability of this board,
thanks heaps,
Rob
oh, does anyone know how much they are new in the US? apparently the few that were brought over to aus sold for $1650 AUS, roughly $1300 US.
Not my style of board, so I haven’t tried it… but I have a few Surftechs… one is a 9’6" Yater that I have a blast on. Floatier and stiffer than taditional boards, but light enough to flick around, and very durible. A lot of pro-longboarders are riding Surftechs these days… and not just ones who are paid to.
New Surftech longboards retail around $850 - $950 US.
Thats awsome- a tailpad on a noserider. I think it’s on the wrong end! -Carl
yeah!
a tail pad on and old school style board!
ying and yang!
east meets west!
thats the first thing that would come off!!!
That looks fun I reckon!! Robbo you must be gettting a sick longboard quiver by now. good on ya!
that was what I thought of the shape when I saw it Josh… FUN!
yeah I have 3 longboards now, pretty amazing for a guy who is still learning!
I think I enjoy swaylocks and looking for new boards as much as I do actually SURFING!!! it’s all part of it I spose.
here’s my quiver to date!..
home made hws, 9’6", 2006
southcoast longboards stylemaster, 9’5", 2004-5ish
1964 Gordon Woods, 9’8"
4)?..surftech, david nuuhiwa nose rider!!!..
ps, isn’t it ironic that the oldest board in my quiver cost me by far the most $$$!!!
better look after those “Bics” boys!!!
hmmm, I hijacked my own thread… apolagies to myself, any info on the surftech would be great please!..
Thats awesome Rob!
if i had the money i’d say get it! I like the way your quiver has a pattern to it. nice stuff! it would be good i reckon to have the surftech board and feel the difference between it and your other boards being that their all single fins. One a heavy board and one really light.
Cheers mate!
Nice Quiver. I agree with Kendall. I own a 10’ Surftech Velzy Classic. Floats really good. Paddles fast. I call it the Crowd Beater.
Lots of people on this forum hate Surftech.
When the waves are small and my style is in a slump I pull out the Crowd Beater and go cruzing.
Oh yeah, mine came with a 10" carbon fiber fin!
how come people hate surftech? are they considered pop-outs?
i’m more interested in how it rides than what others think anyway!
any more info’s would be great guys.
Nice quiver, I like 3) looks like it’s in great condition. I have a 9’0" Surftech Randy French HP. I love it, light and quick, responsive. I bought it 5-6 years ago and it still rides and looks great. Randy owns Surftech and used to own Seatrend, a sailboard company. He’s been shaping for years. It’s great to see them doing well.
I found a 9’0" Haut Surftech on the freeway, or at least my refinisher found it and brought it by. It has two dings which I need to fix. If anyone lost one recently PM me.
The only thing I don’t like is the fin. The Surftech fin was an 8" hatchet. I think this is their standard fin. Too much fin with the small thrusters. I put a little 6" flex fin in and it works great with the small thrusters.
Surftech fin
DW
how come people hate surftech? are they considered pop-outs?
they are the very definition of “pop-out”.
i’m more interested in how it rides than what others think anyway!
so am i (says the surftech-hater)!!!
I’d tell you to pick it up…hold it under your arm, feel the rails, sight the rocker down, etc. and if it feels good and you can afford it, get it. You may be depriving yourself of a good board, no matter what the manufacturing process/country of origin that was used to build it. My motto is… ride what u like…who cares what others ride or what they think…go surf! You might want to remember that the Nuuhiwa is designed for noseriding, and that it might suffer in other aspects of waveriding. Buying a used surfboard is like buying a used car…check it out for structural/mechanical integrity, and it don’t hurt to ask the owner why he/she is selling the board.
Hey Robbo. Let me start by saying I’m not a Surftech hater. They have their good and bad points as do the rest of the construction methods. But I would never buy one.
A mate of mine had one a few years back and from memory it had a hard edge in the tail. Not the best rail for noseriding in my opinion. The three boards you currently own would be as good at noseriding if not better than the Nuuhiwa. Because they all have 50/50 rails and are on the heavy side. I think he surfed his other boards pu/pe and Tuflite better than his Nuuhiwa. As foamdust says they may be lacking a little in other areas being designed as a noserider.
My mates board had a twist through the tail, and I have read on other fourms that people have noticed the same thing. I have worked on a number of Tuflites with twists. Hard to say if it is in the moulds or the way people store them. But either way it would be worth checking to see if there is a twist there.
Its a bit hard to tell what the quality of the workmanship is like, as it is hidden under the paint job. I have’nt seen one yet with heel dents in the deck. You will need to be mindfull of not leaving it in direct sunlight for long periods. As they get very hot very quick, particularly the dark ones. I have seen plenty, with all sorts of print through, blisters and in some cases large bubbles appearing in the laminate after prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. I personally would not leave a dark coloured pu/pe board indirect sunlight for a long period either. But the eps foam does seem to be more affected by the expansion of the air / gas in the foam than pu foam.
Don’t be fooled by what some people say. They do ding and they do snap. And they are more expensive to repair. platty.
thanks Platty, much appreciated mate, all your advice taken on board (pardon the pun!)
hmmm, I hijacked my own thread… apolagies to myself, any info on the surftech would be great please!..
Hi Robbo - It’s interesting how ahead of his time Gordon Woods was w/ his fin placement
That looks like a real nice one!
Hi Robbo, noticed you asking some questions about the Nuuhiwa I have for sale on eBay.
Thought I’d answer your questions rather than you being led up the garden path by those who have not ridden or owned this type of board.
Firstly, the board has no twists or faults. I would have clearly stated any irregularities had they been there. The board is as good a second hand board as you’ll find anywhere without doubt.
Anyway, I won’t make this post a ‘sell’ as I’m not fussed whether it actually sells or not, I’m quite happy with it in my quiver for a rainy day regardless.
With regard to performance though, Surftech’s are a completely different ball game to your poly / glass boards. My quiver consists of a 9’5 South Coast StyleMaster, 9’6 South Coast Momentum, 9’5 South Coast Signature (No.6 of 25 made and just about to sell), 9’5 Noosa 66 McTavish (No.4 of 10 made in late 1998 prior to them being produced as a stock shape), 9’1 Bonga Perkins South Point, 8’0 Jackson Semi Gun, 7’6 South Coast single fin ‘short board’ and I have a new 9’6 McTavish Noosa 66 being customed as we speak…and obviously the Nuuhiwa that is hopefully out the door.
Looking at your quiver, you’ll find the Nuuhiwa a different experience than say the StyleMaster. They float ‘on top’ of the water rather than the rails cutting in to the wave face. They are a board that excel on glassy 2 foot peelers and are not a board for onshore slop or ‘vertical’ surfing. Over your way, a clean Palmy day would be ideal and it is not a board for say Curly.
I purchased it for the purpose of surfing those clean offshore days at The Farm at Shellharbour. It is a long hill climb after a 3 hour session and carrying a log was just far too much work so the Surftech weight factor was my major influence. My theory was based on the fact that they noseride insane, pivot and manouvre with ease and although the sensation may not be regarded as ‘pure’ compared to poly boards, I can have a great experience on a piece of equipment that allowed me to access spots that logs are just too much hard work. Ala Crescent Head walk around from creek to rocks for example.
Now, to answer the jibe about the tail pad. If you’re able to drop knee turn (not sure of your ability), you’d understand the back foot is at the rear. My drop knee’s are ‘hard’ on the back foot, to reel the board 90 degree’s and as such, the pad was put there as protection from compressions. Glide and trim surfing provide rail to rail sliding without the need for the pad but it was preventitive measure to ensure no compressions through the drop knee’s. That would clear that one up know doubt !
Anyhow, you have a good collection happening and this would certainly provide another alternative for you to crusie and stroke into some peelers with no fuss and maybe open up another avenue of logging for you.
Cheers, Chris.
Just wanted to add some further comments to my earlier post as I did not clarify the comments on availability and prices of these boards.
Surftech Australia dictate what Surftech boards come into Australia and which do not. The decisions are based on what they feel will sell as opposed to which may not based on our ‘standard’ surfing conditions. (Which I feel is crap as we dictate what and where we ride and should not be influenced by other’s thoughts - but they are the importers and outlaying the capital I guess so we can’t argue that point).
Surftech Australia seem to have a few major outlets in the greater Sydney area on the East Coast. Jackson Surfboards Caringbah, Dripping Wet Manly, Natural Necessity Gerringong and Byrne Surf 'n Ski at Wollongong. I have known the people involved in these outlets for some years and have also built a repore with the Surftech guys so have an understanding of what is what.
The Nuuhiwa’s were not on any original ‘wishlists’ for boards being imported. Much the same as the other classics such as the Yater Spoon for example. We have only been exposed to maybe half of the entire stocklist available worldwide.
A shipment arrived in Oz and included around 10 Nuuhiwa’s. Whether this was an accident is not my place to say but we got lucky ! This board is one of those few. Maybe common place in the US for these boards to be available, but not here.
The price of these boards was $1695. This price was not negotiable. Some outlets offer sweeteners such as a cover or tail pad but others don’t. The US cost of these boards is irrelevant, the $1695 AUD price includes royalties, all the chunks taken out by middlemen and so on.
My information is not ‘apparently’ as stated. It is fact based on the fact that I purchased the board, have a good knowledge of the industry and am an avid surfer.
So, anyone interested, take a look, if you like what you see whether the colour, the weight, the plan shape or whatever other way you measure quality and just buy it, ride it and get stoked by it - simple ! And if you don’t like it or get bored or find another to get even more stoked, just re-sell it ! Easy.
thankyou chris.