SHRED SLED

Tribal discussion for shortboarders

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axolotl
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SHRED SLED

Post by axolotl » Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:11 pm

i saw NC mentioned this board in another thread and it sounds fun.
the surf has been small in vic of late so its got me thinking that this might be a good option.

my current small wave board is great for turns but dosent pick up waves well or get out of the blocks very quickley.
so do i get a board like the SS to compliment the other board or is it getting over complicated and i sould get one small wave board that does the job
i thought a chilli JQ11 might do for this.

anyway if anyone has ridden these boards or has a semi helpful opinion i would appreciate some imput

cheers

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speedneedle
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by speedneedle » Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:03 am

Hey Ax,

A number of crew are enjoying a little extra width in small surf. Width floats more than length, so you can go that bit shorter, which gives a more curved outline.

That translates to user-friendly in gutless waves, quick turns and speed in situations where a standard thruster still needs a bit of bowl.

The "standard" all-round shortboard has become more the mid-ranger, with a "step-up" at the top end of the typical wave size range.

3 boards, max. fun.

Josh
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by Nick Carroll » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:19 am

just from what I've been noticing recently, a lot of sub 5'8"s around, not all of 'em are very well designed perhaps because they're a bit more tricky than they seem, you've gotta get a lot done in a short space as a designer.

what to think about as a surfer wondering about such craft?

- make sure there's enough volume. Easy if you've got a good relationship with a designer and he's using CAD, he'll have a volume measurement on your standard board and can adjust into a smaller space. Otherwise, be realistic. eps/epoxy can be a good goto in a miniboard thanks to its lively buoyancy.

- consider quad. Four fins seem to reach a bit further in turns than three if you so choose and this can turn a miniboard into a very exciting board indeed in 4' surf.

- give priority to a designer with some runs on the board, he'll be able to deal with the design challenge of a miniboard a bit better than most, and he may even have a race memory of earlier miniboard booms (ie the mini twin fins of the late 70s/early 80s etc).

like josh says -- it's expanding the quiver a bit but it's adding a bit more stoke at the same time

axolotl
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by axolotl » Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:07 am

thanks for the replies

i'm actually trying to reduce my quiver, for small waves i have

a copy of a lost rocket (this board is fun but the waves need some push)

CI biscut ( to big & surfs flat in small waves, but fun in fat 3-4 ft)

Michael Anthony swallow tail flyer (prefer my shortboard in the same waves)

HS joystick quad ( i dont surf this any more because i feel it made me surf flat)

so i'm thinking i need something i may sell all of them and get one board 3-4" shorter than my shortboard to do the job ( suggestions)

or i keep the rocket for small waves with shape and get something like the shred sled in a quad for waves that i need help to generate speed.

thanks

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steve shearer
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by steve shearer » Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:30 am

First question I'd ask : whats the surf like that you want to ride it in?

ie...small slopey running pointbreaks.
Bumpy little rip bowls ....
shapeless random beachbreak.

each of them to me would produce a different design, if that was your daily fare.
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black duck
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by black duck » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:32 pm

steve shearer wrote:
ie...small slopey running pointbreaks.
Bumpy little rip bowls ....
shapeless random beachbreak.
Finally, a definition of the surfing condition for the entire east coast ...
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axolotl
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by axolotl » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:57 pm

steve a combo of all those options i suppose ( excluding barrels as i'm in vic) which is why i'm wondering if i keep the rocket for waves with shape and get another for small crap

or get i a board that will do for anything under 3ft

i like the rocket but its hard work, if its busy or the waves dont suit it i may as well forget about.

this may not apply to all lost rockets as this is a copy and i dont think the shaper got the bottom quite right.

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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by Natho » Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:46 pm

I posted the below feedback on another thread a while ago after testing a Shred Sled prototype when they first came out.

Surfed in punchy 3ft beachy
Board = 5'6 x 19 1/4 x 2 1/4ish

- One of the fastest boards I have ridden for a while.
- Board felt an inch or two smaller than what I would ride in this model so this needs to be taken into consideration when reading my comments.
- Board felt good off the bottom at speed given its overall width thanks to the round tail back end.
- Off the top, well this is where I found a negative element in this type of board, esp through the second stage of a top turn on my backhand. The board tended to hang up in the lip easily, and I found myself having to nurse it through top turns. The fact that the board was a bit too short for me would not have helped. Also I have found this to be one negative with lighter Fiber Flex construction, esp in windy conditions. Also this is not the type of board you want tp push too hard. You gotta let the natural curves of the board do their thing so I think I just needed to get used to it after surfing rounded pin, refined shortys.
- On the rail - well this is where this board excelled. The curvier plan shape in the back end along with the bulkier rail profile and flat rocker allowed the board to arc and carve from the flat sections of the wave back into the waves engine room at speed and with ease.
- The stringer set back fin set up in this quad, as well as the rounder tail gave a good pivot feel and eliminated that catchy, sk8ty unpredictable feel you often get in wider set quads. Hayden's signature Future Fins quad set up were the best fins Ive used to date in a quad.
- Overall I found the fishy front end of the board hard to get used to relative to the modern back end of the board. It kinda felt a bit out of balance to me with a bit too much foam up front. I probably needed a couple more surfs to get used to it. Also Im not a big fan of a fishy feel in boards in general.

Overall while the board wasn't for me, if you are looking for a super fast summer board that will catch waves and carve on a dime relative to its width then this could be the board for you. Certainly a more versatile board at the fishier end of the spectrum. If you want to surf vert and tight in the pocket then you wouldn't be going for this sort of board anyway. Also this was a prototype, and I can see Hayden has changed the foil slightly (for the better) at the front end.

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pinhead
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by pinhead » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:06 pm

Construction is another factor you need to consider. A while ago I wanted a small wave board and went with a wider, shorter board with more volume for more bouyancy from a well known shaper - what I found was that more foam meant more weight and I actually found the board harder to throw around in weaker surf than my lighter less bouyant performance shorty. It then occurred to me that reducing weight rather than increasing volume would be a better way to get more bouyancy. So now I ride compsand type boards and are very happy with the way they work. Getting back to shape, one thing I noticed was you don't want too much straight rail in front of your front foot - a wider nose with a flat rocker is slower to drive up the face - your shaper has to get all the entry curves right.

I like the look of this one:

http://www.proctorsurf.com/Surf-Boards/Lil-Rascal

Flat rocker, modern foil, a bit wider, shorter than normal with a slightly forward wide point. A fairly standard thruster tail but with a twin fin + trailer fin set up.

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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by pridmore » Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:30 am

agree about the weight, I love em light, they have way more life to them and in small weak waves it really is an advantage...as for the design, well that is another story, so many options in the small wave boards ATM which is great, gotta pick the right one for you and the waves you gunna ride....

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Cpt.Caveman
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by Cpt.Caveman » Thu Nov 12, 2009 12:10 pm

pinhead wrote:
I like the look of this one:

http://www.proctorsurf.com/Surf-Boards/Lil-Rascal

That video was great. Frikking longboarders! That bloody guy with the sleeveless wetsuit - I was ready to fly through the computer screen and punch him in the head! Wave after wave....At least he got burnt wave after wave too, haha.

That board looks very similar to the Webber Mini-Fish. The sales pitch is the same - "retro elements for speed and glide, modern elements to allow you to surf it hard" etc.
Davros wrote:Ego saved - surfing experience rubbish.

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Cpt.Caveman
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by Cpt.Caveman » Thu Nov 12, 2009 12:38 pm

axolotl wrote:steve a combo of all those options i suppose ( excluding barrels as i'm in vic) which is why i'm wondering if i keep the rocket for waves with shape and get another for small crap

or get i a board that will do for anything under 3ft

i like the rocket but its hard work, if its busy or the waves dont suit it i may as well forget about.

this may not apply to all lost rockets as this is a copy and i dont think the shaper got the bottom quite right.
If the Proctor Little Rascal in the website above is anything like the Webber Mini-Fish, its amazing fun when the waves are small or weak, but when the waves get a bit more powerful it sits above the water a little too much. Turns have to be nursed a little too much.

If you want a board for junk, from my experience I would get a board like the Little Rascal, a MORE fatbat, Webber Mini-Fish, or something of the like. Something thats got a lot of volume but has also been designed for aggressive surfing.

If you want it to be perfect for what you want I seriously suggest having a chat to Mark Pridmore so that the perfect design can be nailed down.

I'm not saying that the other boards we're talking about won't be good, but you're a lot more likely to get a board thats perfect for you if you spend a really good amount of time talking with the shaper about what you want, what you currently surf, what waves you want it for, what you want it to do, etc. Mark will definitely do this.
Davros wrote:Ego saved - surfing experience rubbish.

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munch
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by munch » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:04 pm

That lil-rascal looks excellent :arrow: ummm, just one thing what's a "spiral v" in ozzie

And to add my 2c, my surfing heads saying a shorter board has to be stiffer hence why the compsands of these are better ( the engineering part of my head isn't agreeing with this, I think I'll have to put aside some time to think about why it's wrong)
If it's well engineered it's beautiful .

axolotl
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by axolotl » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:56 pm

thanks natho thats the info i was looking for

pinhead thanks for the link i really like the look of the apache model (mark can you do anything like this in eps)

as for the webber mini fish, the 3 + inches thickness freaks me out

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BDL77
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by BDL77 » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:09 pm

I've been on the Psillakis Squid for a few months but I would tweak it from what I got originally.

http://www.psillakissurfboards.com.au/squid.php

Me: 6'0, 85 kg's

Board: 5'5, 20, 2 7/8 thruster.

I like the look of the shred sled with the fyler and the quad setup but will probably speak to my shaper in a few months (just got a new board this week). I have surfed this board up to 5' and it is way to skatey but it teaches you to use your body more. I did get one of the deepest barrels on this board. Next mini-board will be more refined now that I know what I want out of it and what I want to surf on it - not 5' surf.

So my advice get a mini-board then try it in all conditions and then refine it to what conditions you want to surf it in.

I have reduced my active East Coast quiver to 3 boards (won't tell the wife that) :lol: :lol:
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channels
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by channels » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:37 pm

munch wrote:That lil-rascal looks excellent :arrow: ummm, just one thing what's a "spiral v" in ozzie

And to add my 2c, my surfing heads saying a shorter board has to be stiffer hence why the compsands of these are better ( the engineering part of my head isn't agreeing with this, I think I'll have to put aside some time to think about why it's wrong)
My understanding of a spiral v bottom is a conventional v bottom with the two panels (for want of a better description) of the v then having concave cut into them.

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Cpt.Caveman
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by Cpt.Caveman » Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:32 pm

axolotl wrote:
as for the webber mini fish, the 3 + inches thickness freaks me out
It seems really counter intuitive for a board 3" thick to have any hold, but strangely it does due to the very very deep double concave and huge raked twins. I've surfed it in point waves one and a half overhead and it could still handle itself.

You look at the volume and expect it to surf like a tug boat, but its actually really fast and lively. It loves top-to-bottom surfing.

I'm 87kg and the 5'9" version sits waaaaaay above the water for me. I'd recommend the 5'6" if you're somewhere under 80kg.


Still, to avoid the risk I still think a good conversation with Pridmore will go a long way :)
Davros wrote:Ego saved - surfing experience rubbish.

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munch
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Re: SHRED SLED

Post by munch » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:07 am

munch wrote:And to add my 2c, my surfing heads saying a shorter board has to be stiffer hence why the compsands of these are better ( the engineering part of my head isn't agreeing with this, I think I'll have to put aside some time to think about why it's wrong)
How goods a sleep on an idea :arrow: you want to match the harmonic frequency of your board to the waves, like a stiffer board has a higher harmonic frequency, which is good for sharp quick turns - hmmm, gut instinct and engineering heads now at peace :D

p.s clay are we talking about a reverse w :?:
If it's well engineered it's beautiful .

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