I have been reading several design discussions and have been trying to keep a open mind and visualize what the “future” might be. The future board would not be pu/poly but a composite of other materials. There would be a definite flex to the board. “Parallel thickness profiles” would take over. Fins would be thick and full foiled. Continuous one shape rails etc.
The boards would have to have proven Hawaiian experience. Have “named” surfers ride them. And have a Proven form of judging to determine their worthiness.
Here they are “the future is here”! These boards have it all and they exist NOW.
Tom Morey developed the first soft boards in the mid 1970’s. Mike Doyle put his name on em. He and others, I must admit I fell into the madness, rode em in all kinds of conditions. Tom had a solution to the arbitrary means of contest judging, the “Morey Doyle fun test”. Contestants were timed for time standing. Longest amount of time riding wins.This was before Gps and all that stuff. I won the Oceanside{do i really want to admit this?} contest with one of the highest scores ever. Got a 3ft high trophy somewhere.
The thing is as I was digesting a lot of the info being bantered about it hit me as i was staring at the rack of rental boards in our shop, like it or not they contained EVERY ONE of the design elements some people are are pursuing. Some are laying claim to be the first to incorporate this idea or technology when in reality they have all pretty much been done before.
We are all just copiers who steal/borrow ideas from each other to make something to go out in the water and HAVE FUN ON.
AS far as a "better quality" one I always thought the original ugly ones rode the best. Just had to keep em away from the cats.
Thanks "Janklow" for getting some of my pictures up. Sometimes it works for me somtimes?????
What I really like about those advanced tech boards is that when recent surf school graduates bail them and they bounce off your head they don’t hurt nearly as bad as the old school boards.
my kids have one just like that but it is only 6 feet long. It’s even Pink. If enough people send me money I will gladly ship it to you so that you can try it out in some barrels. (In fact, for enough money I will put it in a real barrel and ship Resinhead over there with it - if we fold him up small enough he will fit).
Now I get it! Thanks for the enlarge. I’ll chip in for the resinhead barrel test. I watched a couple of very good surfers in SC shorepound 16 years ago pulling into close-out tubes, running into each other and boogie boarders and body surfers. All were smiling and laughing and having a great time. 10 out of 10 on the fun meter! Mike
I had the original Morey/Doyle surfboard when it first came out. I rode it in waves up to just overhead size. The board was a trip because it was so bouyant. My brother posted a shot of it some where on sways.
I just bought a new one from Costco for my daughter last week. It’s 8’ long and really thick. I took it out in 1’ surf Saturday and had a good time. It can catch anything, and rides better than the original did. It will spoil you on those really small days because it paddles better than a 10’ board. Best part is that it only cost $105. I think a 9’ or 10’ version would work as a SUP for me.
This is in reply to no one in particular but just an observation of these boards in action.
I have never ridden one myself but about a year or so ago I was goofing off down my local beach watching the surf.
The surf was tiny about 2ft but it was clean and very crowded as it was a hot summers day. More people tee bagging than catching waves. Majority of the guys out in the water were riding your standard shortboards but there was this one guy riding a red one of these spongy boards. I’m guessing it was a 6ft model. Anyway he was surfing really well plenty of reo’s and cutbacks riding all the way to the beach. He was catching more waves than anyone else as well.
On the next break on the other side off the rip Kurt Flintoff was riding. (I think he had just got on the WCT at this stage). He was going for heaps of airs and reversals and stuff but wasn’t catching as many waves or riding them for as long as the guy on the sponge. I’m sure Kurt was just mucking around and having fun not being in contest mode
but the guy on the sponge really seemed to be making the most of the surf available.
Surfing is so subjective as to what constitutes “good” surfing.
But it does make you wonder. Who was riding the better board?
