which two boards to take?

General Discussion
1

Posted this on the erbb forum, but I have a feeling already I’ll get more serious answers here…

Been scratching my head over this since I booked my flight to Ecuador.

I’m used to making road trips to mexico, and being able to pack 4-5 boards to cover all conditions and moods. I’ll be flying continental, and their fee only covers two boards in a bag. More than that and they bend you over the check-in counter and stick it to you without even a reach-around.

I’ll be sticking to the mainland, no galapagos trip unfortunately, and the waves are reputed to get no bigger than 8-10" on the mainland…

I have it narrowed down to three, of which I have to pick two, but that’s where I get stuck.

The ones I’m considering are, counting from the right, numbers 1, 3 and 4.

The first one is my most “high performance” board. It has the rotating thruster fin setup, and is insanely fast and snappy. It definitely can be surfed beyond my own abilities. I only have a half-dozen sessions in on it, and have a lot of dialing-in to do on it yet, but it has so much potential. Would like to take it, but also don’t want to miss the space for something more dialed-in or needed.

The third from the right is my 6’10 pintail bonzer. Least-ridden of the bunch, but felt very solid and natural in the couple of heavy head-high waves that I’ve had it on in Mexico. Don’t know what the size limits are, as I never pushed it. Would like to take it, but don’t want to lose the space in the boardbag if I never get into any waves that really call for something that needs to hold more than anything else.

Fourth from the right is my ever-faithful fish, my personal mind-machine. Completely instinctive, never a bad session. Good from knee to solid overhead. Would like to take it, but what if I really need that pintail, or what if I really need to take advantage of some nice points to get the thruster dialed in?

So, you see my dilemma.

Which boards would you take?

2

If you end up taking the compsands be sure to put a plug in it. I know that its a hard thing to do on such nice looking boards, but I’ll hate to see them grow boobs on the plane flight.

3

You really think so? Aren’t the planes pressurized to 10k feet? I bet I’ve been close to that going over the mountains to westcoast mexico…

Damn, now you got me thinking. Crap.

4

In the words of “The Boardlady” http://www.boardlady.com/howtoget.htm and the Grapevine is way less than 10000 ft.

5

Fish and pintail

6

Picture yourself at home, with waist high or smaller waves. Which two boards would be your first choices?

7

Damnit Dan, you’re right…

Guess I can start researching all the different vent plug methods now, much as I tried to avoid that thus far.

Very good point, blakestah, in that light the decision would be easy. But what if there is a swell?

8

Here’s what I’m using. They seem to do an okay job. I cap them just to be safe. Its number R62-5088. I’ve heard the metal screw is a good addon. Here’s the url http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product_Catalog/SurfSailcom/surfsailcom.html (its toward the bottom of the page). I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Wood_Ogre’s approach (needs a few tweaks though)

9

yeah jarrod

thats what id grab

134

i like the pin btw

10

take at least one board you’d be willing to leave behind.

11

Hi Shwuz,

Yes, I think the planes are pressurized but the cargo area that holds the boards aren’t. That’s what I’m assuming. I also read that Bert was adamant on putting plugs primarily for that reason (plane rides). But wow, good looking boards. 1,3,4 for me as well. Number 1 looks like a ripper.

Rio

12

Let me know when you are leaving so I can steal the ones you leave behind; those are some really nice looking boards.

13

Shwuz, that’s an easy one.

You already know you love #4. It’s your mindsurfboard. Awesome. You know you can take it anywhere in the world, surf it in just about any conditions and love it. Perfect. Leave it at home.

You say that #1 has potential beyond your capabilities. Only way to improve your capacity is to push it to the limits and as always, that’s best done on equipment that can do MORE than you ask of it. IMHO, it looks to me like it’ll go in just about anything the fish will, so, best get to getting with it! And if you think the fish is gonna get you that “extra” session…rethink it and spend the time with your lovely partner.

And yeah; take the pintail…just in case…

But in all reality, look around SoCal (not that it’s a good example of people to learn from, but the surfers…well…). Most of 'em surf the same shortboard from 2ft slop to 8ft pounders (those that don’t care about “quivers”) and guess what; they rip it all. I think that’s what your #1 could be and it only will be if you give it time in the water…preferably in GOOD waves :D. Looks to me like the fish and surfboard trucks have comparable volumes. Rockers will be different, but learn to work with; adjust your turning technique. Learn to make it project, even in the small crap. Learn it; love it. It’ll be a good one for you down the road…but you always learn a new board better in good conditions rather than waiting for tanker tracks to arrive in the gulf; cough cough. :D.

my 2 cents.

14

take no. 2 and 3.

or just your fish.

15

My vote, #3 and #4, from the left. Hope you get waves of waves.

16

i went to ecuador 2 years ago for march, we stayed at punta carnera (butcher point i beleive??) there was a left hand point break, a couple fun beach break peaks, and then a right off a pier in that little stretch. we also surfed lots of other points close by as well as heading up to montenita (sorry for spelling but this was a really fun right point break up the coast). the surf ranged from waist high to overhead (the biggest days were 10-12 foot faces where i snapped my 6’5" rounded pin on the 2nd day of the trip). for the remainder i rode my 5’11" standard thrusters and made out alright. just thought i’d let you know what kind of conditions i ran into down there, i had lots of fun, and bring something for the locals, clothes were really appreciated by the kids.

17

OK, I’m completely biased, b/c I want you to ride my fin system and get it more dialed…besides, what is more fun than going vert over and over?

But my recommendation is to check the long-range forecasts before you go, and pick the boards for the best guess at wave sizes. You will definitely have a reasonable idea of size up to a week in advance from

https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/PUBLIC/WXMAP/index.html

(Click tropical east pacific)

(Click the lowest “all” in the left column)

Right now it looks like head high/overhead for the next 2 days, then waist to shoulder high for the rest of the next week.

hth.

18

pintail for sure and either the yellow egg or the fish…

19

I’m with Bill…#3 & #4 from the left. That yellow board looks like it’d work nice in anything up to the head high range. (Excluding macking shorepound of course!) and the pintail next to it…well, that should cover the range above it. But hey, they’re your boards and you know how they ride better than any of us. Good luck and have a great time!

20

Take the MC bonzer should handle small to a couple feet overhead, no worry about vents and easy repair if needed.