It’s been 25 years since I surfed the Florida East and Gulf Coast beachbreaks, and my skills were modest then. My 9-10 Con round pin is just too much board when the surf is sloppy/junky. I’d like something that will fit well into 4’ to 6’ faces, catch waves extremely well, be stable at takeoff, easy to get turned even at slow speeds and then be forgiving and predictable without being a barge. I need something that will help me get to my feet and get going so I can develop some surfing skill rather than swimming skill. No radical maneuvers, just some smooth carving, go around sections.
I’m not going to make my own but I’m intrigued by Steve Pirsch’s design thoughts: Very thick, big round rails, WIDE. He’s talking about things in the 8’ x 26" wide x 4" thick or so. The closest commercial board I’ve seen is the Infinity Secret Weapon: 8’x23.5x3.5.
If you have ridden such a board in similar surf:
What’s it like?
Would it help you catch FAR more waves and get to your feet much more often than a pretty normal rounded pin, or is it not that much easier? I’m shaky on takeoff.
What does this sort of approach give up to a more conventional egg of, say, 8’x22x3?
Does it offer smooth, predictable and forgiving turns, project around sections and not have any bad manners?
I had a Secret Weapon (8’0", 23.5", 3.75") when they first came out, maybe 5 years ago.
Easy to paddle, sort of. Easy to catch waves, yes. Sluggish, no. Stable, no. Corky, yes. Uncomfortable, yes. Worst ‘feel’ for the wave I’ve ever felt. Was like surfing on a windsurf board, to me. Or in platform shoes. Sold it after just 2 sessions. Maybe I didn’t give it enough of a chance, but sometimes it seems obvious that things won’t get better with time.
This was me only, I know some people like them. Get multiple reviews before making a decision…
Personally, I’d recommend a nugget shape with a wider tail, narrower nose with vee, and thinner rails.
The Beast has dimensions that are close to what you are talking about… The outline shown on the website doesn’t do justice to it’s kinkiness. Maybe contact the guy about stretching it or talk to a local shaper about a custom in that sort of design?
Go have a look at my site, shows my 10’10": 28.5’ wide giant banana. Now I get a lot of stares when I take this down to the beach, friends of mine have smirked that it looks the weirdest thing they have ever seen, thought it wouldn’t turn, too big to control, too heavy…
Well I went surfing at Saunton in 6 foot clean surf 3 weeks ago, let some friends ride it and they were blown away, so much so they are all talking about how it rips as well how well it nose rides.
Took it down again last weekend in 2 foot clean surf, this time my daughter said she wanted to surf tandem on it with me, which we duly did, much to the surprise of everyone else in the water and to their delight, it was really moving to see others sharing our stoke at having such a great time.
Volume in boards is an often forgotten ingredient nowadays with mass produced factory boards where material costs, shaping costs are kept to a minimum.
Unbeknown to me, my friend who rode this thing found that it resembles a ‘Big Ugly’ in plan shape and volume, apparently one of the best noseriders of all time from way back. Steven Pirsch aka ‘Surfer Steve’ has been way ahead of the game in board construction ideas, went the epoxy route long before most others had heard of it, has the best and most easily basic on-line guide to shaping a surfboard that I have seen and I would really recommend that it be read by any newly aspiring shaper.
Thanks for the firsthand feedback. I will definitely get more opinions before making any decision. “Where does the board turn from” - that question is starting to come up more. I don’t know where I want to turn from either!
A couple more boards that I’m curious about: I’m trying to figure out what these two plan shapes tell me about how the board wants to be ridden:
These are thinner than the Secret Weapon, around 3". Perhaps it’s impossible to opine without info on rocker, rails, etc., but any educated guesses as to the differences in how these two would want to be ridden, and how each would work in not-so-great beachbreak? They are Bruce Grant designs I think.
I also keep getting recommendations for Walden Mini Magic in 8’ but I won’t get an offshore board and I don’t understand the chines or really know how they like to be ridden. Are they more turn from the tail and then trim sort of long board style or do they turn from middle or forward?
There’s a beach near here where lots of people ride longboards & midlengths. Most other places in the area, logs go to points & reefs, shorties go to the beaches (as well as the points & reefs!). But that one beach probably accounts for 90% of the Waldens surfed in Northern California. And at any given moment, that beach is probably a full 5-10% Waldens in the water.
I’ve never surfed one, but I have seen a lot of them in use. They certainly seem to work at the beach. Most people I see on them are about where you are, and some who probably have a lot less skill (165 lb guys who bought the 10’0!). They turn from the middle pretty well. Looks like a lot of guys came from snowboarding or longboard skating or shortboarding in a past life - they plant their feet & rail turn them, it doesn’t look like they require a lot of stepping back & forth. Lots of rocker right in the middle will do that, the alternative being a long flatter area which produces more trim speed, but you have to get behind it to bring the board around…
I’m still loving it, although we’re certainly heading solidly out of Alaska Juice season and into Tahitian Dreamin’, so the logs will be the ones getting all the work.
Hey Solo, remember that starfin you sent with the chipped tip? I sanded the other side to match & made them both smooth. Works like a dream to tighten up the backside feel. And then I got that old Arrow Lazer Zap on Craigslist with an intact starfin… put that one in the Nugget for a short session in smaller stuff - but frontside & glassy so I could get a feel - and you were right - couldn’t tell the difference
Maybe you could sand smooth all the ones that get chipped tips and sell them as a ‘special lower drag starfin’
I’m still loving it, although we’re certainly heading solidly out of Alaska Juice season and into Tahitian Dreamin’, so the logs will be the ones getting all the work.
Hey Solo, remember that starfin you sent with the chipped tip? I sanded the other side to match & made them both smooth. Works like a dream to tighten up the backside feel. And then I got that old Arrow Lazer Zap on Craigslist with an intact starfin… put that one in the Nugget for a short session in smaller stuff - but frontside & glassy so I could get a feel - and you were right - couldn’t tell the difference
Maybe you could sand smooth all the ones that get chipped tips and sell them as a ‘special lower drag starfin’
Thanks again
Ben
Glad your still enjoying. We took another step on the keel. I also like your idea.
Going to call it the Spitfire? If you don’t, everyone willl put it in backwards…
it is designed with the spitfire in mind, but it’s also Cheyne’s winged keel without a wing and extended deeper. So far I have called it the wingless keel.
What’s optimum tail rocker (probably a wider range than the winged one) ?
I presold the first few. I think I will have one tomorrow or the next day in a shipment. It’s yours if you want it. Made in California by Larry Allison. Fiberglass fin company.
Wider range than the winged one no doubt. Without a flat tail rocker the winged one does not work quite as well unless you stay right on the tail. On super rockered longboards…you can actually feel the wings dragging. Works great once your making moves behind center though.
