I have ridden and still have a Martin Potter Minami, 6’ 1" from 1989.
When I got it I thought I wonder if it will make me surf like Pottz…? (Ha)
Tha amazing thing is that it showed that it’s the shaper that dictates how a surfer surfs.
It’s got Vee but not a lot of tail rocker and it ‘makes’ you surf that way. Easy to point but damn it shoots off. Pottz was famous for getting distance in his bottom turns and floaters across sections and the board makes you surf it like that. It’s not a board you can load up with a dozen turns down the face like Slater, it’s a speeding beast for big manoeuvres.
I did own a KS Slater board from around 93 with the full concave, banana rocker and it also makes you surf it the way it’s shaped. Less than prodigious projection but wow it could twist and pivot on the spot with a lot of effort to get it going.
And I’ve got a ‘Straight Up’ 80’s Occy board and it has these chunky rails that you need to use your legs to drive it into the face to make it turn.
The idea is that irrespective of the surfer, it’s the shaper that dictates how the board performs and trying to fight the design is very difficult.
I know people can do reverse airs on 9 foot mals but the basics of design create the performance.
Sure the surfer can complement the design or the shaper can complement the surfer.
Anyone else ridden pro boards ?