I have a couple buddies that have gone to a rounded pin tail. I have NEVER surfed one (always surfed squash or swallow), my understanding is that they are designed for bigger surf with more juice. The reason I just became more interested is that I have an oppertunity to get an Al Merrick used Black Beauty (the board Curren used to beat Occy at Jbay in the 80s).
AM says that the board is best used in overhead surf, but how would it surf in shoulder high stuff? (I surf a lot at Trestles and a bit at Creek, and unlike Hawaii, it isn’t always head high, and I don’t want to be on a dog if it isn’t juicy enough). How would this board surf compared to a squash. it is 6’6" X 19 1/4" X 2 3/4" rounded pin, V-bottom with a slight concave on each side/towards the rail. I have really never bought into the “Al Merrick makes the best boards in the world, and I will ONLY own those boards”, crap that some do, but I have always been a Curren fan and loved the way his boards look and his style of surfing (plus I grew up in the 80s). This board doesn’t seem like a TRUE big wave board of today, as it seems to have a lot more volume/width/thickness, so maybe it would be decent for me? (btw, I have a 6’10" surftech and a 6’8" custom shortboard that I am looking to go smaller, that is why I am looking at a 6’6"-Would this board surf bigger or smaller than a traditional squash tail, my guess is smaller?)
the black beauty isn’t a standard shortboard of today. It’s got beefy rails and is designed for those ‘flowy’, full rail transitions occy and curren made so prominent and places like bells and j bay. On a standard shortboard though, i just started using a random pin and it tightened up my roundhouses considerably. Maybe do some more research but if you want a fuller-bodied surfboard that maneuvers well and does some of the work for you, i’d go for the black beauty.
the black beauty isn’t a standard shortboard of today. It’s got beefy rails and is designed for those ‘flowy’, full rail transitions occy and curren made so prominent and places like bells and j bay. On a standard shortboard though, i just started using a random pin and it tightened up my roundhouses considerably. Maybe do some more research but if you want a fuller-bodied surfboard that maneuvers well and does some of the work for you, i’d go for the black beauty.
Interesting, I am more of a “flowy” type of surfer and like to take what the wave gives me instead of trying to do too much vertical ripping on the wave so many kids you see today do (maybe because I am old?). Perhaps this might be a good option for me?
yes, depending on your weight and ability, the black beauty or red beauty are both boards that are an easier transition and will do some great maneuvering, and even will do some of that vertical ripping if you end up wanting to do that one of these days.