Im looking to buy a new custom surfbord this summer and im torn between vernor and stretch surfboards. Im an intermediate surfer at 5’10’’ 175 lbs, looking to get a med to large wave board for the cal. central coast during the winter. Im interested in the the stretch thing and I have heard good things about it. The board is just so friggin expensive! I know vernor is a much smaller shaper and I want to know if anyone has had an experience with his boards and/or customer services. All types of input are welcomed!
A Stretch Superbuzz with top end epoxy glassing and quad fins just cost my son $900 after a 10 week wait. Boards are apparently machined off site at the Marko factory and then delivered for finishing and glassing. Granted, for that $900 you get bombproof construction…but $900? For a 5’4?
My son has a couple of Vernors in his quiver as well including a SF OB step-up, boards cost him around $550 inc. fins and carbon fiber upgrade, each handshaped and done in 4 weeks, says they work fine.
And you can’t go wrong with either Steve Colletta or Ward Coffey. Not sure what Steve’s completion timing is these days, Ward usually takes 6 to 8 weeks, made my son a board last winter for DOH OB he really likes. Both Steve and Ward have made me some really good winter boards over the years. Steve shapes out of Watsonville these days, Ward has a small shop just off Swift St. north end of SC.
Might want to check out their websites, get an idea of their shapes. Both of them are personally quite capable in large waves, and have developed their shapes from tons of experience in riding the big and hollow.
Vernor makes great boards at fair price-- more money for the bells and whistles but you can get a basic board for a good price. My friends in the surf shop biz say he has the best turn around of anybody and is a stand up business man too. Stretch makes very nice boards with a lot more hype attached. I have a 6’ vernor pod that is very HP.
Or better yet get a blank and fake it or take a class from Sunset Shapers and make your own.
Been awhile since I’ve seen a Noe, but Randy Cone and Steve Coletta for a high performance shortboard or gun are in in league of their own. Refined design and shaping.