Six channels

[JET01]

Went past the shop where i first saw the roundtailed channel bottom quad... it's still there as the price is way too high...
I think i'm going to put an order in one of these days...

6'0 x 20 x 2 5/8 quad .... every day board.

[diggerdickson]

saw a guy today on a beautiful 6 channel board, got me salivating agian. I must have one of those in the next year or so. Its becoming a priority

[bohdidontsurf]

So what kind of conditions do you ride that weapon in?

Does it go in mush aswell as it does in good surf?

I haven't tried that particularly board but I love channels and ride one as my everyday board. The thing I do know, but do not understand why, is that they hate mush. Clean and offshore days, I don't want anything else but as soon it starts to get a little messy they just don't go. Anyone know why this is?

I've been riding 6-channels almost exclusively for a few years now and swear on them. I disagree about them being crap in mush... I don't find that at all. In my experience they go fantastic. I've ridden my latest one (shaped by Rich Q of Pure) in maxed out 10ft Changguu, 5ft hollow Padang Padang, speedy walls at Impossibles, 2ft Maroubra mush, and various other reefs/beachies/points around NSW. The board has performed perfectly in everything. Same goes for all the other channels I've owned. They just pick up and accelerate from the moment you push down and your feet hit the deck. The drive is unmatched, and a well shaped channel-bottom should turn and release as good as any other board. I usually ride with pretty small fins on a channel-bottom... because you get the latteral bight from the channels there's no need for bigger fins that only create more drag, and hence you get a very quick board. Whenever I go back to a standard bottom (unless it's a deep single to double) I find it will feel slugish on the take-off and require work to get momentum going. All just my opinion though, but based on several years experience riding lots of channels.

Salty, what are you riding with Channel bottoms? Dims, construction, shaper etc. I have been riding my Josh Dowling Slot machine only when the waves are good and I love it. Maybe I should be riding it more often and not be so picky about the conditions?

[mustkillmulloway]

i wonder if anyones tried 8 or 10 channels

[alakaboo]

i've got a wakeboard with 8.
Goes unreal, with tiny fins.
Considering a similar bottom shape on a surfboard down the track

[bohdidontsurf]

highly recommend you speak to josh ... my channel bottom board sings !!!

[alakaboo]

one day...

what sort of fins do you use? I liked the really shallow fins kind of like bonzer sides, but without the cant.

[bohdidontsurf]

one day...

what sort of fins do you use? I liked the really shallow fins kind of like bonzer sides, but without the cant.

Yeah good question...my board is set up as a tri / quad. The best quad set up I have found was using PC 5's and GXQ trailers...I normally use a 7 template so yes, smaller fins but you expect that as a quad. However...the best thruster set up was PC'5's again and the Firewire Deviant Fin as a the rear trailer. This is the fin that independently moves 7 degress either way when riding it. It has a barrel swivel at the base..I thought it was a joke .. a gimmick.... but a mate had one and I tried it and loved it. I have tried it on some other boards and it feels great. Gives you the sensation of a quad (drive and hold) but the pivot of a thruster. Here is the link to the site..

http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_deviant.php

[alakaboo]

ah, i thought you meant the toe-in angle, not the cant.
weird.
seen these? http://www.blakestah.com/fins/

wouldn't the canting rear fin be more noticeable on a non-channel board, because you still have the non-canting channels acting as pseudo fins.

[dUg]

Both interesting, but essentially the same thing Speeedfins were batting on about with their trailing edge. I can't ever recall feeling any amazing squirt from the flex in them, but I do remember a set of the ceramic Speeedfins humming like nothing I've ever heard before. That would worry me with these things.

[bohdidontsurf]

Dug..they dont hum....I dont have any agenda here...and I thought I would put one in my board for one or two waves max before I was running back to my car to change to a more conventional fins...but they work. You know what they say....dont knock it until you try it...I did and I was wrong.

[doggie]

Gday all.

First post on this forum.

Really good topic here, Ive had a AB channel 6,3 x 19 x 2 7/8 round pin that I took to the Mentawai's.

Has to be one of the best boards that I have owned in a long time, I would recomend this style of board for any type of clean wave you can find.

The only problem Ive found was when I got it the FCS plugs were too shallow for the base of the fins (side fins) so I sanded the fin blocks down about .5mm and now they seat properly.

Did you know that Ian and Allan Byrne are brothers? I didnt untill I went into the Mt Woodgee shop in Burleigh.
Jeez they have some nice boards in there

[diggerdickson]

Hey huei, and pics on the bum tail with the fins glassed in, would love to see it. Im so into channels at the moment its just taking over my thoughts, my missus is started to get annoyed at me always tinkering on different things and never finishing anything I start. Must have a clinker.........

[mustkillmulloway]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 3BfiqxEp4M:&


i dare u click on the link digger

[diggerdickson]

oh my, now that is extreme, wonder how it would go , can you imagine glassing that, and sanding. Im gobsmaked looking at that picture, speechless.

[mustkillmulloway]

hi doggie, welcome too the forums

u should been here for the great nick carrol i got a sore foot selling all my byrne channel bottom sale

some great boards in that quiver that went under the hammer

p.s....another link for digger
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl= ... x=24&ty=61

i never got ride a col smith...wayyyyyyyyyyy b4 my time but gee his designs were interesting, i remeber one a bloke had that had round channels instead the square type,,,,the old bloke used get tubed off his head on it

[diggerdickson]

freeflight, I had one of those back in the early 80s, it was a awesome board, such a beautiful board.

[roundhouse]

Thinking of getting an Al byrne 6 six channel as a step up/semi gun. Maybe a 6'5 or 6'6 round tail. The main waves it would be for the points when they light up (SEQ/Nth NSW) as it would be good to have some more speed on my back hand. Whats the go with channels on steep wedgy beachies? Eg. Solid TOS type waves.. Most of what i have read is that they are for longer down the line waves.