Ask Carroll

[daryl]

Good-o.

A bit off subject, braithy claims he has asked me in this thread about the Question Du Jour, between a Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster, who would win?

Some think the Yeti, on some pretty fcuken spurious pretexts I have to say.

Godsave has drawn into question the very existence of the Loch Ness Monster, without however similarly questioning the earthly presence of the goddam Yeti.

I am gonna go with the idea that the Loch Ness Monster is in fact some sort of incredible reptile, perhaps a plesiosaur who has survived up there in the chilly waters, coming and going from Loch Ness and other neighbouring Lochs as it fcuken pleases because let's face it, what idiot would try to mess with a plesiosaur.

The chances of some fabled hairy ape man from the Himalayas getting the better of a huge aquatic reptile with foot long teeth are I feel close to zero.

So Nessie it is.

Oh come on, give it a go. We know you want to.

[ajohnsen]

Hi aj, hope you and NC don't mind if I add to Nick's reply, as I've just been through the same thing.
Nick has addressed everything I went through spot on, I still fluff the occasional take-off but I'll just add the following hurdles I found.
Equipment, started in a steamer, as the weather warmed i used a s/s springy and that alone made a huge difference to the freedom of my legs it was a bit of a revelation.
The board was a problem too, very flat rocker and long, only good for very soft waves where you have all day to get up. Straight sided plan shape, wouldn't turn when I wanted it to and would just go straight ahead like a runaway bus.
The other problem was peer pressure. On crowded days, about to take off, 6 guys paddling out looking at you, fluffed it every time like a kook.
I just decided one day to commit to every wave I paddled for, no pulling out even if it turned out to be a straight hander, just get to your feet, phuck everything else and anyone watching.
Also did some pop=up practice on carpet at home and believe that helped too.

Not at all, MM, insight based on experience is always good.

[swvic]

Sometimes when I've been out of the water for awhile, my surfing is pretty sharp. On those days I feel I'm an ok surfer - skills honed by years of doing it. Other times when I've been surfing consistently at a reasonable level I can go out and totally kook it. And then there's the mix of both in one surf. On Sunday morning I was having a great surf for an hour and then everything went to shit for the 2nd hour. The shit pattern followed me into Monday. Who knows what the next surf will bring? A continually frustrating pursuit

Next surf, aj, maybe it'll all just come together

[crabmeat thompson]

Nick. Who would win in a fight between the Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster.Two, five-minute rounds. One on land and one in water.

The only rule is, there are no rules.

[Nick Carroll]

Do you find it difficult relating to novice surfers?
Not directed at the above, general question but just thinking about how sometimes It'll be more than half an hour before I've even got my first wave.

No not at all. We've all been novices. If I wanna feel what it is like to be a novice it's pretty easy, I can just try something I've never done before.

The floaty chunky genre is being filled instead with dim sim big guy boards and 7S style craft which do the same sorta job re paddling, catching waves, skimming along etc.

What sort of boards do you think do suit plumpers?

You mean overweight people? I know quite a few fat guys who rip. I used to surf with a Hawaiian named Junior Moepono who fcuken shredded and he looked like someone from The Biggest Loser. (RIP Junior, love ya.) I think you've gotta ride what suits your ability and feel, and fit the volume to your physical needs. So if you're a bit overweight, ride something with more volume.

[Nick Carroll]

Nick. Who would win in a fight between the Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster.Two, five-minute rounds. One on land and one in water.

The only rule is, there are no rules.

I think the land one would be lame because the Yeti could just run away. So that'd probably be a no result.

The water one wouldn't last five minutes, by then the Yeti would resemble the remains of a sheep that'd accidentally fallen into a Northern Territory river.

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[Hatchnam]

Hi Nick !
Could u pls help talk me either into or out of buying something because temptation is taking stronghold.
My quiver is missing a board for solid 6-8ft groundswells reefs/beachies (as I recently snapped my other board for that)
I was thinking of either just sticking with something similar to what I'm used to (step up, rounded pin, thruster) OR for a complete change going for a 70's style single fin (wide point forward, pintail) as such...
I've ridden single fins here and there, but not in double overhead plus groundswells.
Whereas you've been there and done that - time immemorial .
Should I just stick with what I'm used to (considering an 8 foot shifty beachie groundswell at perhaps the most challenging end of that spectrum) or give a single fin a crack?

[Nick Carroll]

I dunno, for myself I would find a singly boring in those conditions these days, I think especially with a slightly longer board you can retain some of the pleasing features of a single fin (the narrower tail for tube riding, a bit of subtle vee, etc) while having all the drive and flair of a multi finned board.

I don't like feeling limited in surf like that, it's too much fun to ride all out if you can when there's real speed and challenge in the waves.

[Hatchnam]

cool, excellent, and thanks for talking me out of it... i'll stick to a step-up thruster then..
that's what i had in mind also (not wanting to be restricted) as 6-8 foot is the perfect attack range (board permitting).

[steve shearer]

Iggy I know Carroll and I see things with very different eyes but if you are even considering a single-fin semi-gun you need to put a Bonzer on your radar.

Unbeliveable feeling surfboard.










If you want to step outside the mainstream these things are single fins on steroids.

[swvic]

Nice shot on that left. Mid lats Pacific?

[Hatchnam]

thanks steve.. perhaps i'll get both..
that bonzer looks nuts, nice bottom turn, and solid mid-faced carve also..
subtle, poised, relaxed, inert almost (in a good way), and most importantly 'graceful'..
i like clean lines, smooth surfing, and simple carving lines, especially in solid overhead stuff..
all i need is a clean neutral feeling board that simply behaves itself and does what the wave wants it to do..
nothing hyped up, nothing 'to get your head around', etc..
i've been trying like crazy to find a replacement for the black beauty i had (until recent)..
but nothing around 2nd hand..
so i started thinking single fin for clean-simple lines etc, but was kinda reluctant on the performance spectrum it might have
(i.e: how would it handle being really put on rail and driving at speed, how will it handle going vertical, release off the top, etc, etc)
but by the look of the bonzer, those side fins look like they'd give the single the extra bite, hold, and squirt that it needs..

[Beanpole]

Now that real bonzer is a very nice looking board.

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[Natho]

Hi Nick,

have you had an experience riding Keahana constucted boards (EPS/ Epoxy)?

I have an opportunity to get one to give a go however the board on offer has a little more volume than I would normally ride. It's 27 litres v the 25 litres there abouts I am used to. Im thinking that the extra literage on top of the EPS/ Epoxy construction is going to make the board pretty corky on top of the water. I know I am speaking in very general terms but are these things naturally pretty corky? I would think that if anything I would be better off going slightly less volume to compensate for the construction. Thoughts?

[OddaP]

^^ you have probably seen it but there is a 6'6 BB for sale on eBay at the moment.

[Nick Carroll]

Hi Nick,

have you had an experience riding Keahana constucted boards (EPS/ Epoxy)?

I have an opportunity to get one to give a go however the board on offer has a little more volume than I would normally ride. It's 27 litres v the 25 litres there abouts I am used to. Im thinking that the extra literage on top of the EPS/ Epoxy construction is going to make the board pretty corky on top of the water. I know I am speaking in very general terms but are these things naturally pretty corky? I would think that if anything I would be better off going slightly less volume to compensate for the construction. Thoughts?

Nah, never ridden one. I'd just go for it if I were you, it doesn't matter if it's not perfect. You can still feel if the technology is good or if it's just same old.