Desert Storm surfboard

caml's picture
caml started the topic in Monday, 13 Jul 2015 at 2:06pm

Discussion about the
"Desert Storm" shaped by Wayne Webster
Ridden and designed by the "Camel"

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 1 Oct 2019 at 11:05am

I’m suprised at how soft the rails are. Particularly as it’s designed to spear big barrels. I’ve yet to try it , very much hoping that my utter lack of design knowledge is confirmed and that the board works exactly as it says on the tin.

I’ve just about worn through the glass from holding the thing whilst I imagine riding it in the waves it’s meant for but I don’t want to desecrate it by riding it in slop.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 1 Oct 2019 at 6:43pm

Solid swell in Bali last Saturday and Sunday. Very, very happy on the 6’10 DS.

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Wednesday, 2 Oct 2019 at 9:12pm

Going to be trying to sell a
10' 5 D.S heavy duty big wave board that is 99 litres ,
3 x 6 oz glass each side,
5 Future fin boxes and black stripes bottom.
Near new condition, but very reasonably price.
Not sure how to advertise it,
Maybe insta - will try ...

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 2 Oct 2019 at 9:33pm

the drip...not far away from you this one...bit cheaper freight cost from Caml to you in SW..?
Previous page caml ..drip was sniffing for a DS last year.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 9 Oct 2019 at 2:41pm

8'2 as new Webster at Kincumber...seller will take $500
There you go Craig ...

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 9 Oct 2019 at 2:47pm

Yeah I scoped that one on weekend quickly, sold now? About to go on holidays so saving funds ATM.

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Tuesday, 5 Nov 2019 at 3:44pm

Have advertised the 10"5 but had nobody shown interest.
But i always figured it would be difficult to find a home for it.
Margaret river area perhaps best, should get it over there to WA,
Someone that wants to paddle into Cows bommie ideally

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Tuesday, 5 Nov 2019 at 8:03pm

Why you selling it?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Tuesday, 5 Nov 2019 at 9:01pm

blowin did you take your 7'0 DS to indo ?

Neddy's picture
Neddy's picture
Neddy Wednesday, 6 Nov 2019 at 10:32am

Hey everyone, first time comment but had to put my 2 cents in about Webby and his sticks. Could not recommend any higher!! From the initial chat over the phone to seamless deliveries - the service was 10/10. I got a 9'0 Black Hula off him a couple of years back and love it (even though it scares the sh*t outta me), then last year I got my old man a 6'6 DS for his 60th. Every surf he says "best board he has ever had". Says it reminds him of boards back in the day that have the thicker, beaked nose.
Looking forward to getting more boards off Webby!
Pics below (hopefully) of his DS in action:
https://imgur.com/a/0m5lA6g
https://imgur.com/a/rlk3rmg

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Wednesday, 6 Nov 2019 at 11:08am

Nice Needy, that second pic, good

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 6 Nov 2019 at 5:22pm

Nice present, Neddy!
And your old man is ripping. Good on him.

PeteH's picture
PeteH's picture
PeteH Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 2:30pm

Hi all, first post from me on this but had a read through a few weeks ago and about the same time I was contemplating a new step-board. Had a look at the Webster website and liked the Napalm in the 6'6" length. My everyday board for the last couple of years is a McCoy Nugget 5'11" x 20 1/2" x 2 7/8" and 40L, so a fair bit of volume. I am 60 yo and am about 77kg. Main aim was to get a bit more rail into the water for bigger waves.
After making the online enquiry for the Napalm, Webby rang me about 5 minutes later and recommended I go with the 6'6" x 20" x 3" at 43L Desert Storm instead. I did think it would be too much of a "gun" for my needs which is for South Oz waves in the 4-6ft range and also a bit of a traveller. His reason being that the McCoy is already a decent volume board and if enjoying it, to stay with it. Anyway, had a good chat and came up with a 6'5" x 19 7/8" x 2 3/4" at 39L which is now getting made. Webby was great to deal with and happy to listen and respond.
I will post a few pics when the board arrives.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 2:38pm

I've got a 6'6" DS....I think just under 20 wide and about 37l (from memory) .

I absolutely love it. It's got insane paddle power and you can throw it around.

only ridden as a quad, which I highly recommend.

Only ridden it in 4-8ft point surf but I'd love to have a crack at some bigger Indo-style reef waves on it.

will be first packed for G-land.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 2:54pm

Page 9 -38 lts and other dims

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 2:55pm

cheers Udo

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 2:59pm

Be a Rasta and try it with some TwinKeels on a sloppy day..?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 3:05pm

why not.
except I've got no keels.

but probably would work.

PeteH's picture
PeteH's picture
PeteH Wednesday, 20 Nov 2019 at 4:23pm

Nice one Freeride, thanks for that. Good to hear that the 6'6" is still loose enough to be thrown around. I still want to be able to jam this board off the bottom and top.

Heck's picture
Heck's picture
Heck Thursday, 28 Nov 2019 at 1:07pm

Hi,

I purchased a 6’6 DS (19 ¾ x 2 ¾. Around 40L). Just spent 6 months in Indo on it ( I usually spend about 6 months a yr in Indo). Rode it most dayz, even in smaller waves 3-4ft . Still super fun on the smaller waves, more like a cruiser. (Generally only went back to shorter/thinner boards on a few beach breaks).

What can I say, love the board. Paddle monster. Gets into waves super early. Can usually sit 5+ meters further out than most other guys on their HPSB @ 6’0 ect, so often get the pick of the bombs. Love the way it handles speed on bigger waves, so smooth. So easy to set up for the barrel, more barrels this season on the DS then I have ever had. Turns great and nothing like big drawn out bottom turns on powerful waves, so good.

In saying this, there are a few challenges I have had with the DS. First is, for me, duck diving a 40l board (I’m around 70kg) in bigger waves can be a challenge. However, I rarely bailed the DS (except if absolutely necessary), just need to hang on tight at times. The other challenge, and it is probably just me, is knifing into super late, super steep drops. I put it down to the vol vs my weight and maybe the thickness of the rails (or my lack of skill) (?). However, can usually avoid taking those kinds of drops by sitting further out and getting in early.

Quads are the go. I did try it as a thruster, but for some reason it seemed slightly harder to catch waves with as a thruster (??) Seemed a little draggy as a thruster, more speed with quads.

I will be looking at getting another DS at some point. Not sure yet, maybe longer 7’2-7’6 or another 6’6 with slightly less vol, maybe both :D

Thanks Webby and Camel.

Cheers.

nozawaman's picture
nozawaman's picture
nozawaman Monday, 2 Dec 2019 at 6:43pm

It seems as if quads are the go . I had very similar experience until I rode it as quad , and it was a completely different board .

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 3 Feb 2020 at 1:11pm

Reo not sure if you seen this Thread ?

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Sunday, 16 Feb 2020 at 11:29am

Goofyfoot it is for sale because have a newer board and i dont use it anymore...

Anyone having trouble duckdiving a DS, try exhale your lungs before duckdiving. So you sink rather than float!
Keep trying and remember exhale ,
(i can semi duckdive 8"6)
they do paddle well and dont sink great.
it does take practice to handle. Fitness and strength help to control large volume boards. And wax on the rails, to grip hold of...

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 4:08pm

OK . The jury is in.

The Desert Storm is one of the best boards I’ve ever owned.

Whilst I’ve yet to ride it in properly hollow waves , it’s proving to be a pure treat to ride in waves of power and quality. Sometimes it feels like there’s a V12 engine purring between the fins .

Just had a fucken ball in 6 foot plus reef break ....I’m in love.

Thanks to Mr Webster and also to Marcus from Lennox who offloaded his DS to me dirt cheap.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 4:17pm

I should have bought it instead of giving you the heads up.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 4:34pm

Jeez, what took you so long, Blowin?

And Doggy, get one from Webby. A bargain compared to mainstream shorties, and such a treat in a variety of conditions.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 4:29pm

Thank you Lostdoggy ! $450 delivered without a ding on it. Buy of the decade. Half the price of the Ghost and twice the board.

I’ve had a bit of a bung knee which is weighing me down but a session I had today was undeniable. The realisation was overwhelming. I fucken love that thing.

Doesn’t hurt when people you’re surfing with are remarking how well it’s going either.

Heads up to the fella from Cornwall who I just had the pleasure of sharing a pumping lineup with ! 2020 and two of us out in solid six foot reef break sickness. Good times cobber.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 4:36pm

At some stage IB.

I think Marcus is trying to sell a haydenshapes gun/step up on eBay.
Someone help him out.

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 6:26pm

Blowin... what are the dims?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 6:33pm

7’0” x 19 1/2 x 3= 43.5 L

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 15 Feb 2020 at 7:26pm

What a win eh...Ripper...I bet you end up using it as your everday board ?
would someone please relieve that fella at Balgowlah of his Campbell bros bonzer
6'3 x 19 3/4 x 2 1/2 comes with Tru Ames 7inch fin Gd nick - $550 or offer

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Sunday, 16 Feb 2020 at 11:27am

Blowin I am happy to here this news.
Have you got quad fins in it ?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 16 Feb 2020 at 1:50pm

I’m strictly CIS heteronormative when it comes to fins.

Haven’t ridden it as a quad. You rate them ?

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Sunday, 16 Feb 2020 at 3:36pm

Goes very well as a quad. Most seem to be of that persuasion.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 24 Feb 2020 at 5:32pm

DS secondhand 6'3 x 19 1/2 x 2 3/4 on Webby's insta.

Excellent condition, great price.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 24 Feb 2020 at 5:57pm

Get on the blower blowin...another DS Steal !

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 24 Feb 2020 at 6:06pm

I hadn’t even considered a shorter model DS .

Any reports ?

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 24 Feb 2020 at 6:10pm

I'm ordering a 6'4, Blowin. You get this one, and we can compare notes :-)

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 24 Feb 2020 at 6:16pm

Plenty - Freerides impressed with his

2 Storms with matching sprays for the the price of one Ghost..Lovely..

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 11:03am

Question! So if the Desert Storm is a dedicated gun, meant to be ridden in the XL stuff, can it really be considered the same model when it's just 6'4"?

Surely the only thing that's consistent is the concept.

And considering what's available, one concept can cover a shitload of boards. Or alternatively, many boards can have the same concept but achieved in various manner.

Going from 12'0" (that's the upper limit as per Webby's website) to 6'4" changes everything regarding proportionality.

I've got a nice 7'6" Buzz Gun from Stretch and I asked him to shape me a shorter version for DOH to TOH waves but the smallest he'll go down to is 6'10", and even at that size he says it's not really a Buzz Gun: it doesn't do what he'd expect a 6'10" to do, and nor does it do what a Buzz Gun does in bigger waves. Better to jump onto one of his step up boards that are designed for and proven in 6-10 ft waves.

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 11:18am

Good question, I have a sort of related question, the DS is primarily designed for big waves yet some here talk about how it surfs well in smaller waves also. How does that work? Would love to hear the views from guys riding them.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 12:48pm

Added a few edits.

My take on this, Stu, is that scaling a DS down works depending on the waves you surf, and how you want to surf.

I got my 6'10 (hoping) to tackle large, imperfect waves with lots of wind on them. It sounded from the experience of others like scaling down from proper gun to solid stepup would work. It's turned out to be perfect for that, but then it went really well in Perfect Mentawai waves, too.
And like Blowin said, it feels like a powerful V12.

My idea with a 6'4 is again to work well in powerful, devil-wind plagued Welly waves. It might be taking a punt, but I have a hunch it'll be good for that.

Also - and this is re how you want to surf - I feel like it makes me surf smoother and more powerfully. Less wiggling, more heavy rail work.

Did that make sense?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 12:19pm

Exactly, IB.

The constant I’ve found is that the DS loves power . Even if it’s only small it still wants juice. It’ll work in gutless waves but only in that it’s so voluminous that it’ll catch anything.

But...I haven’t really ridden it in anything but powerful , reef waves even though some have been small. There’s always been available juice.

Another point about the DS , as IB has inferred , is its weight. This is an undeniable positive in windy waves and powerful conditions. They go beautifully in WA. The smaller versions would still benefit from this weight .

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 1:18pm

The last few weeks I've been thinking as I go to Ballina central, which is just across the road from Webby's - did he just keep seeing this sign and think, 'that's Wayne Webster upside down' or it was more subliminal you reckon?

AndyM's picture
AndyM's picture
AndyM Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 1:16pm

Classic.
Maybe deep down, Wayne Webster sees himself as
The Big W.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 1:52pm

I think Webster’s logo is insidious and semi-hypnotic.

I’d been wearing this shirt religiously whilst riding my DS for ages before I saw this photo and realised just how subliminally influenced I’d been by his logo.

And this is after hearing Stunet saying that he really liked the logo and I was thinking....meh.

And that’s a photo of my new wheels in case you’re wondering.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 2:11pm

Nah mate, that's the logo for Ballina Central you're sporting there.

Mall rat.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020 at 2:25pm

That would explain why my missus is routinely gone for 48 hours when she goes shopping.

Still doesn’t account for why she comes home smelling of alcohol and cigarettes.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 28 Feb 2020 at 2:24pm

Nice looking 6.6 DS 38 lt - Bondi - gumtree $650

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Friday, 28 Feb 2020 at 2:57pm

That's a very nice looking board. Here's the link: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bondi-beach/surfing/6-6-webster-desert-s...