What ya surfing

Channel Is. 5'11" Biscuit Tufflite. Anything in 1ft to haed and half. Whacked in a set of FCS SA25's cause I'm a pretty robust fella myself.

Or if surf overhead and good, 6'2" Firewire Alternator Squash tail.

I'm pretty covered with those two but do have a 6'6" pinny, a very fat twin keel Fish (5'8") and a 6'10" mini mal for the micro sliders.

5'11" x 18 1/2 shorty by Stuart Paterson (PCC) in Cronulla. He calls it his IQ+ model. It looks like a regular off-the-peg shortboard, but it's got a tad more volume under the chest and toward the nose, hard rails in the back third, and a fairly pronounced single to double set up.

It paddles insane, boots off the mark, and in smaller surf skips and jumps across the surface on the strength of its concaves. A great board.

Making it even better is the fact it was a surprise Christmas present from my partner. She grilled all my friends on what I was after, got Pato to shape it and paint red and white candy cane stripes on the nose, and to top it off she snuck it up to our holiday house up the coast without me knowing. Best Christmas present ever.

Mark Pridmore 5'11" Dumpling for average conditions at home. So much fun. Enjoying conditions on that board that I would usually not bother going out in and goes well in good waves too.

6'10" Simon for out the reef and OS. Even for it's size it covers a large range of size and conditions.

I've been on this Formula Energy (Gary McNeill) Alien model. 6'0..........Its a stringerless, carbon rail, quad thing. Performs like a fish in slop / small stuff but like short board when its a bit more quality. Good for all the beach break and points around the Kingscliff part of the world

Go to board is my Pyzel Slab.

5'10" 19 1/2 2 1/4 keeps it relatively thin through the deck but adds more width across the centre which follows slightly into the nose.

Great paddler and has plenty of speed which it maintains well through flatter sections. Loose off the top and good all round from fatter fuller waves to hollow beachies and reefs.

Surf it from 2ft to 5-6ft.

What do you use to surf the cosmic waves?

My current go to board is a 5'10 Quad by Robbo at Strapper. It goes great in anything up to about 4 feet but is perfect for 2 foot onshore stuff. If you asked me the same question anytime in the last 10 years I'd have said a 6'1" thruster but this old dog is finally learning some new tricks.

Hey bells, what sort of board doesn't have a name? It couldn't be a real board if it don't have a name.

Would you believe the name of the board is 'The Quad'. Not the most imaginative name but definetely a real board.

Amazing to see how all the lengths of boards have come down and moved back to wider, fuller volume boards.

I was surfing 6'3"s/6'4"s in my tewnties and now my shortest is a 5'8" and my go to is a 5'11". I even had a surf on a mates 5'4" recently and had a ball.

My favourite at the moment is a Haydenshapes 'Unit Shifter' (love the fact a lot of shapers have names for boards these days - some crackers out there). It is 5'10" x 19 x 2 1/4. It just has an x-factor that makes it a joy to ride.

The diversity of boards that people turn up at the surf with now is great to see.

My go to board for ages was a 5'10 FE, but lately I have been leaning to bigger boards - especially in good waves. I'm really liking the feeling of a sleek 6'5 I have (second hand - probably a backyard job). I am awaiting a 6'6' from Mitchell Rae at the moment and I can't wait to paddle it out into some good waves.

I've just bought a big red 7'6"x 19 1/2 x 2 3/4 Gerry Lopez gun. I'm hanging around vicco this winter and want to feel comfortable if it gets solid. It's such a beautiful board I will just put it in the corner and stare at it when I'm not surfing it! The only thing I'm tripping on is how I'm gonna duck dive it? It's the biggest board I've ever owned. Any suggestions??

For under 2ft locally 7'4 x 21 3/8 x 3 2+1 self shaped double ended outline, heavy vee in tail, very fast on facey reef waves here & gives great directional/positioning choice. I'm doing my first top turn when the new little boards are still paddling in.
When reefs get on, I can't go past my first ever board, 6'6 x 20" x 2 3/4 single fin. I just like it more, and many people comment saying things about it should be on a wall, but the only walls it rides are at speed! Also got a sweet 6'0 x 20 x 2 5/8 late 1970's single for beachies, that one likes a bit of size too.
Other beachies, use self shaped 6'1 x 19 1/4 x 2 1/2 twin fin, modern rocker, single concave, modern rails and outline, has its moments of speed and 'verticality' and holds in surprisingly well. Making a wooden version of it, slowly.
You'll have no problems whatsoever duckdiving on this coast YS - it's not like WA waves.

Keep getting surprised with how well my 641/2 js modco goes in most conditions, absolute cracker1

Hey Craig whats your height/weight? Im trying to size myself up a slab at the moment. Looks like a great all rounder!

Craig wrote:

Go to board is my Pyzel Slab.

5'10" 19 1/2 2 1/4 keeps it relatively thin through the deck but adds more width across the centre which follows slightly into the nose.

Great paddler and has plenty of speed which it maintains well through flatter sections. Loose off the top and good all round from fatter fuller waves to hollow beachies and reefs.

Surf it from 2ft to 5-6ft.

I'm a skinny dude, 179cm high and 70kg.

That boards at home in Adelaide at the moment, which I'm spewing about as I miss surfing it back here in Sydney. Good for my trips back home but further afield!

Im a little lighter than you and a fair bit shorter, looking at a 5'8 or 5'9 might get the firewire version although am tihnking maybe i want a rounded tail... Im looking at it as an allrounder for the gold coast for when the waves are a little bigger/better (2-3ft+).

Doug Rogers made me a 6'1 x 21 quad with vee through the tail instead of concave. Not really for small waves, needs around 3ft-6ft because the Vee tends to sit low in the water. It's a rocket ship when there is some power in the waves. Autumn has been reasonable for this board.

Small wave board is a 5'9x22 timbertek baked potato. Have a 6'2 5-fin that is a bit low on volume for me. Currently designing a 7'4 with Doug for chasing the local bommie. I also have an 8'6 foamie that I bash about on sometimes, and an 11ft SUP for fishing and fitness paddling. Still a few holes in my quiver though..

Very happy with a purchase of a firewire lost mini driver, 6 0. Just feels perfect in almost anything i take it out in unless the surf is fatter and shittier than expected. Which my banks rounded tail fish goes ok in but might sell that and shape a mini simmons instead. Loving round tal quads for turns and laybacks, feels so much smoother than other tail shapes.
Bigger step up is formula energy alien step up but it feels like it really needs a desert pt like setup to show its true colours. Might sell it but might miss it too:/

Have you had the mini in hollow Indo style waves yet?

Yeah round tails are good for drawing carving type lines, seem to work well with quads also.

Not really proper long barrels yet but might get a few next week in the expected clean conditions.
The rails are a little boxy for my liking but the concave is deep and edgy so it should hold a line. I dont think it will be able to knife takeoffs as well as a low railed board.
Formula energy rails are nice and low which would be better for that.

Hows it paddle and actually catch waves? better than average?…kinda looks like they have a good amount of foam under the chest.

Yeah the rails seemed more boxy than i expected.

Paddles great yet still easy to dive. Im 70kg and 5'10 so could go with a 5'10 and some say the shorter the better on this design. But im pretty happy with this 6'0. I should give it a good run at a few spots between monday and wed, i havent really ridden it yet in good waves just fun waves and it went well.
Feels good backhand so far. I dont often go well backhand but this feels pretty good and drivey.
It feels like a really fast board ill tell you that, if you pump in a long fast bowl it flies and has an alive feel to it.

Yeah the 6'0 would be perfect for me I'm pushing 80kg and 5,8, yeah there suppose to go a lot better in better waves, and not so good in smaller everyday grovel.

BTW. the dimensions on the FW actually look nicer than the stock Mayhems that are even more chunky (about half inch wider on the 6,0) http://www.lostsurfboards.net/surfboards/mini-driver/

How do u go with sizing wetties with that frame indo? I'm very similar in weight and height. Always end up with a rip curl LS.

keegz wrote:

How do u go with sizing wetties with that frame indo? I'm very similar in weight and height. Always end up with a rip curl LS.

Actually i just measured my height and I'm 5,10, pretty silly but since i was a grommet I've always thought I'm 5,8 i never measure myself and if so its in centre metres, and I'm sure my scales our out a bit on the weight weighed myself this morning at 40kg but a few months ago i was around 35kg, but have barely been surfing last six months as got a new little girl, so either been working or playing Mr dad while my wife works, so thats my excuse. (and why I'm posting so much l;lately on swell net :P )

I'm just average build with a little beer gut starting, my wettys are normally Medium or so depends on brand though.

5'10 and 40 kgs ...average build ? .....holy shit I hope your scales are out......at least 60-70 kgs would/should be your weight for a lean build ?

Yeah that can't be right Indo, 40kg :o

Indo that means you only need 12-14 ltrs of foam in you next surfboard , he he.

Whoops meant 80Kg up from about 75Kg, never was good with numbers plus its Sunday.

Indo! I'm 5'9 and 62kgs and I'm a skinny little fuck. With that beer gut you must look Biafran!
I'm 43yrs old and like a lot of the past comments, used to ride boards around the 6ft mark. Up until about 2 years ago I rode a Rusty "Air Kerr" 6'2 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/4. An old mate with the exact same build sold me one of his and that's an AB 5'6 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/4. A whole 8 inches shorter!! It's like riding a Milk Arrowroot compared to the Rusty. Awesome board anywhere up to 5ft...then out comes the Rusty.

ID, don't go abseiling with a rated helmet as the straps don't break until 0.450kN force which is 45kg of weight.
IE, if you get strung up on something you will strangle yourself before the strap dislodges or breaks ;)

Tow man ,
Can we please refrain from talking only of weights .....
Old Up the duff will get in here and ruin this thread .

Oops

indo-dreaming wrote:

Hows it paddle and actually catch waves? better than average?…kinda looks like they have a good amount of foam under the chest.

Yeah the rails seemed more boxy than i expected.

Paddles good although in really sucky waves it might not drop/ penetrate through the lip as easy as a thinner board or get in as quick as a low rockered fish. Kind of happy medium. Had good waves a few really sucky reefs and didnt need to bring any other boards. Although a lid would have been usefull at a right slab. Lids were going the dryish ones which were real quality spitting drainers.

For me it didnt like weak slop yesterday. Like disjointed choppy sections. Likes a bit of steepness and cleanliness. Groms were ripping that wave apart though

groundswell wrote:

For me it didnt like weak slop yesterday. Like disjointed choppy sections. Likes a bit of steepness and cleanliness.

Yeah i heard that before, sounds like a good all-round Indo board though.

Yep it would be.it does tube ride well. Its just feels right through turns and in the tube.
I reckon similar wave sizes to the slab Craig speaks of- 2-6ftish maybe bigger in indo at say telescopes or somewhere like that.

I reckon indo you should try to demo both 5'10 and 6'0 at your weight.
A lot around your size who surf often like even the 5'8 as its easier to turn and hook under the lip on takeoff.
According to some going too long gets you too far up the front in paddle ins which pushes water and you can get stuck in the lip late or not catch it at all if its not steep enough.
The nose rocker seems to accelerate quickly from a much flatter rocker in the chest/torso area, so it paddles well but the nose can push water. Therefore needing steep waves.
It could also be a bit of squared off rail towards the nose that can push water, but i dont know if thats an illusion with the balsa etc.it is refined just seems squarish for some reason.
So anyway my point is you can get hooked up in the lip, but big very late over vert drops have seemed easy every time for me. Just cracking in isnt as easy as it could be with less nose rocker.Fatter the wave the worse.

For some reason on the firewire website people riding a lot shorter were saying it worked better that short for performance and hooking it around and also for some reason getting into waves without pushing water.
Its not as bad as it sounds, pushing water, i still paddle real quick and get into them, if they have power.
Another thing is sweet spot is smallish. Backfoot too far forward and cutbacks and laybacks etc (not front foot cutbacks) are very hard but in the right spot feel insane and so easy n quick to swing back around and start driving down the line again
So far i have ridden it at a few reefs in gracetown area and yallngup area, vids are on my facebook if you want to check. all tubular and semi perfect albeit not bigger than 4ft yet. some only 2ft.

Im hoping this board will go well up nw coast and indo, i think it will, i just hope the drops are not late at bigger supersuck. such a concave drop out on that wave when bigger and mid tide if you sit out further to paddle in, and under the lip takeoffs are harder as its not a straight edge of a ledge where you know where to sit and time the takeoff. more guess work...
those swing around takeoffs like Tom Carroll is known for id really like to master those in waves like that, on a lid they are piss easy, not so much on a stick.

Ha ha, now you made me even more confused, i will probably just end up getting a safer, more standard 6,1 or 6, 2 rounded square anyway that more versatile, like the FW Hellfire 2.

Just had a lot of problem getting in early at a ledgy start to finish barrel in Indo this year on my standard board (5,10), my solution in the past has been a 6,2 fiberflex Chilli round tail that i really only surf at the same wave a gets in real early, but i leave it in Indo and a mate used it and snapped it, he got it fixed but there never the same and sure it will snap again.(mostly in a different place as flex is all messed up)

My standard everyday board is 5,10, my grovel 5,6, but i still like a 6,1 to 6,3 as a kind of step up as paddling and getting in early is my weakness, i know people can surf boards short and still get in early, but i just can't do it, i just end up getting pitched in the lip.

Haha yeah sorry. I think the guys saying shorter is best is due to the sweet spot and smaller being better for turns but i dont understand how it would get in earlier.
The best board i had for getting in early and even big late drops and intsabt speed off the bottom was 5'10 refined fish that tube rode fairly well however hard to navigate changes and steer. Wanted to go straight a bit.
Besides that board or similar most more rockered boards have had to be a little longer for me to get in.
I think this will though i dont know i was a little confused myself on this board a couple of times and its easy to second guess but its had some very good waves too so its been a bit hit n miss but ive only ridden it half a dozen or so times.maybe 10 max.

Perhaps "shorter" ...

a) brings the foam under the chest more,
b) flattens the rocker,

for the more 'modern' versions on the shorter boards?

Thus making it 'easier' to paddle "in" ???

Scored a 5'6 Cab Sav (Nick Blair) from my wife for my birthday - incredible little board. It's got me into the water on days that I'd have ordinarily passed up otherwise (been plenty of small gutless windswell over the last week), and it flies like a rocket through dead/fat sections. Really enjoyable with the quad set up, super drivy but very loose at the same time.

Can't believe I'm riding a 5'6 too - never ridden anything under 6'0 all my life! It's 21 1/2 and 2 9/16 though so there's a lotta foam.

Im riding a 6'0 Hypto at the moment, only got it at xmas time so only ridden a few times but it super fun , paddles great and goes like a rocket down the line with weight on the front foot. im 6'0 95kg so its getting me into waves i over wise wouldnt get.

Yesterday I rode a brand new 5'11" IQ+ by Stuart Paterson at PCC. I knew how the board was gonna go before I rode it 'cos it's exactly the same - same dimensions, same materials, same glassing - as my last board. It's also exactly the same as the board before that.

First time in my life I've ordered consecutive identical boards, let alone three consecutive identical boards. When you're on a good thing and that jazz...

That said, I might tweak the dims on my next one and give the OCD a rest.

Stu, I'm sure your shaper has seen you surf and is aware of the waves you ride - have you ever just said go for it and given him carte Blanche ?

Yeah, plenty of times. One of the best boards I ever had off him - and I reckon I've had upward of 50 over nearly 25 years - was a 6'6" that I simply told him what waves I wanted it for. Gave him no other insights or suggestions. And he nailed the brief - the board was unreal.

Every year or two I'll be needing a board but short on ideas, so I'll throw something like that at him: "Just a usual shortboad that goes well." If it was any other shaper they'd throw me out of the shop. Most of them are bang on. Pays to nurture a good surfer/shaper relationship.

Lost V3 Rocket. Thing is unreal up to head high/a little over and handles hollow really well. Just can't get the drops so well once its 1.5x overhead but I hate getting off it.

Rusty Traveller.