board choice for the good days

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Rico
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board choice for the good days

Post by Rico » Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:05 pm

I just moved to Oz in January (for about 3 years) and need to put a 2 board quiver together that'll suit the conditions on the Goldie. Being a goofy, I generally stay away from the points and surf the lefties on the beaches, mostly Narrowneck/Main Beach/Spit - conditions vary a lot on these spots, clean nice long waves in the morning or punchy blown out short peaks of all sizes. In general, when there is a wave, I intend go out.

My first acquisition was the 5'8 Firewire Dominator to handle the common low quality 2-4ft mush on the average day but I wouldn't feel comfortable taking the fat Dom out in powerful clean 5ft+

Long story short, I was thinking about a 6'2 Flexfire (the 2.5 version) for the better days. I am 173cm/66kg and of intermediate ability due to being landlocked for almost all my life. I'll go out 3-5x a week if conditions allow. I had an old and heavily repaired flexfire in Bali before and it still did a nice job in those perfect waves. I like the feel and durability of the Firewires and thats why I consider the Flexfire first - an alternative would be the Alternator but I reckon that, while being a better allrounder, it would clash with the Dominator on medium sized waves.

Is the Flex 6'2 the best complement or should I consider a different size? It sure felt good under my arm..
Here is a graphic/tech comparison of the two boards: http://boardformula.com/showanimation/2778/17/#

appreciate any help :)

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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by mustkillmulloway » Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:04 pm

imo go with the 6'2 but only if u really enjoy the flex

there are number world standard shapers on the goldy ( not mention just sth or nth) , so in a way you are blowing a chance get a custom built suit your surfing perfectly but if the fibreflex works for u....going that bit longer in the better quality waves the goldy sometimes offers should work well for u

still consider a local shaped custom tho.....they will tweak it exactly right for local conditions

if they like u, they may just sell u a dog if they don't :lol:

i've spent some time on the groynes around palmy....u would be liking it :wink:
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Rico
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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by Rico » Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:42 am

I will take a look around today and check out alternatives, if not I'll stick with the Flexfire, gotta need some good advice on the size tho, don't want to limit it to being a step up board only...

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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by buzzy » Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:57 am

Rico, like you I'm super stoked on the compsand (Firewire) technology. I'm a believer, as they say. But I tend to agree that you have a perfect opportunity to develop a relationship with one of the top shapers in the world up on the Gold Coast and find a shape, volume etc that really work for you. Darren Handley (DHD - Mick Fanning and Steph Gilmour's shaper), JS (Parko's shaper and former shaper to AI and Jordy Smith), Rodney Dahlberg (Occy's old shaper) and a host of others live up there and produce boards.

What I'd suggest is look to see what non-name shaper is presently popular with some of the good surfers up GC way and approach them to find out where he shapes. Then develop a relationship with them. I say this as some of the DHD's etc will probably be too busy with their pros and existing clients to develop a close relationship with you.

There's also the real surf favourite Mark Pridmore, who people speak VERY highly of. I think he's on the Sunshine coast, but close enough and the sort of person you can develop the close surfer/shaper relationship I mention.

You won't know where this evolving relationship will take you. You may end up riding a board nothing like what you have in mind you want now. You can then also use this process to buy a Firewire board or similar in dimensions and style that really suit you, rather than an educated stab in the dark.

There's also Josh Dowling designs as well by the way. Josh was part of the Firewire start up, I understand, but went out on his own and does the artisan end of the market. I think he's a little more expensive but no doubt you get what you pay for. Worth a look. There's a long thread in relation to his designs. Maybe worth an email at the least.

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Rico
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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by Rico » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:48 am

I like your idea, because unless you demo boards extensively, it is always an educated stab in the dark. I had a custom board from a well-known shaper in Portugal before and it turned out to be a little too bulky in the end - I just tried to avoid the common mistake to overstate one's surfing abilities (which would be easy when moving from Europe to Aus, where your standard amongst serious surfers is considerably lower) and ended up with something I couldn't enjoy.

With a standard model, there's always heaps of research to do and opinions to consider, after all, if it's not what you thought it would be, it sells better than any backyard custom design.

I just knew that I have had my last PU board when I surfed that FST Flexfire in indo for the first time, it felt rocksolid and performed beautifully. Speaking of tech, I'll check out that Lost F-1 later because it seems nice plain and simple just as the Flex.

I thought about taking a look at Stuart too, once had the FX1 and it went guide good.. What do you guys think of these:
http://www.lowen88.com/products_page_surfboards.htm

Ah as confusing as it can be, I still love shopping for surfboards :P

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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by Trev » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:48 pm

Rico wrote: I just tried to avoid the common mistake to overstate one's surfing abilities (which would be easy when moving from Europe to Aus, where your standard amongst serious surfers is considerably lower)
Huh???
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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by buzzy » Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:13 pm

Rico seems to be saying that what's "good" in Europe will be less "good" here, relatively speaking. That is, he now sits lower in the pecking order.

Just apropos of that, sort of, last Tuesday I was surfing a metropolitan break with a left and right heading to each other - me on the right and another bloke on the left. I flicked off and settled next to my board to paddle back out. Swarthy young gentleman riding a modern performance thruster then continued on his determined path straight toward me. I wait for him to turn and it never happens. I have to duck under the water because he ran straight over the top of my head. To his credit he offered an apology, but to his shame he couldn't turn.

So here's my lesson. He was nowhere near a good enough surfer to be riding a performance thruster. he can't turn ffs. he should've been on a nice, comfortable hybrid, of which there are oodles, and will allow him to develop while providing a more stable platform. You see it all the time, people on inappropriate boards. Mind you, they should stick with it as they're the flotsam and jetsam that make a break look crowded when only a few are actually catching waves. Mind you, these are just the same sort who paddle out straight through the middle of a peak even if there are well defined channels, and who ALWAYS paddle for the shoulder rather than duckdiving the foam (and therefore ruin someone else's wave).

Not about you Rico. Just sounding off.

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Rico
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Re: board choice for the good days

Post by Rico » Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:09 pm

Rico seems to be saying that what's "good" in Europe will be less "good" here, relatively speaking. That is, he now sits lower in the pecking order.
Exactly, no need to get the flags out Trev. Btw I've seen breathtakingly sick surfing in France, Spain and Portugal and heaps of locals on a level that is rare in the Aussie lineup on a good day, mind you, there are world class waves. I've seen Supertubes in Peniche going off on a big day and it scares the shit out of you. Ate some sand there.

I spent the day calling shops and checking out boards, played around with the Lost F1 and the Flexfires and some others.

The 6'2 FFs felt too long in the end compared to a 6'1 or 6'0 (I am short and light) and I want something I can really throw around. Then I compared the current Taj to the Flex and noticed that it has actually more volume in the tail which I prefer so I got the 6'0 Taj in the end, got a nice deal on it.

Can't wait to give it a go tomorrow.

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