what do YOU want out a board?

[mustkillmulloway]

well.....what are you seeking in a shape

me...speed ...turn on a dime and a certain amount glide

interested in what every one else looks for in a design

[Topher]

Goes reeaaallllyy fast. Swoops through mad long turns but can still hit a lip and sit in a tube.

Something fun and user friendly basically.

[Grooter]

A blow job of course. Why wouldn't you?

[bohdidontsurf]

Ultimately what everyone wants is a board that paddles so well it gets you in early to set up and then once up and running it rides like a "performance" board ...whether thats tight turns, speed, square bottom turns or sits nicely in the barrel. All the rest is just "how" a board might be built to do this. At the extreme...you want something that paddles like a mal but rides like one of Parko's...or at least makes you feel like you ride like him.

[jimmy]

Or you could not be a kook and get paddle fit.. That's what it's all about sister. If you surf enough you don't need a mong board that paddles like a mal and surfs like a Parko..

I hate the fact that absolute gumbys who surf once a month are out there "Charging" on their minimals or Fishes and getting in the way with no idea..

Not aimed at you Fong BTW.. But it can be if you want..

[bohdidontsurf]

Jimmy, you are such a c.ock smoker..who said anything about being paddle fit you fool. I surfed 2 hours Friday night til dark, 6 hours on Sat, 4 in the morning and 2 till dark and then after a 20k bike ride (mountain not road) today surfed 2 more hours. I am 40, 85kgs and surf a 6'1 x 19.25 x 2.5 as my regular board which is HP. My boards range from 5'6 to my gun is 6'5 x 19 x 2.5. If that aint paddle fit I dont know what is. I do 2 sessions a week of 2-3 k's continuous flat water swimming, yoga and get on a stepper for an hour flat out most other nights. Unlike you, I dont count a 40min session surfing the shoulder then wanking over porn for 5 mins as my daily work out. By the way you really made a cnut out of yourself re that Andy Irons , Nick Carroll comment. You really are a low life Knut.

[alakaboo]

well, that all got a bit fairly quickly...

back on topic, sort of...
I want a board that knows what to do next.
And can find it's way out of the tube.
And is good for whitewater takeoffs

[jimmy]

Jimmy, you are such a c.ock smoker..who said anything about being paddle fit you fool. I surfed 2 hours Friday night til dark, 6 hours on Sat, 4 in the morning and 2 till dark and then after a 20k bike ride (mountain not road) today surfed 2 more hours. I am 40, 85kgs and surf a 6'1 x 19.25 x 2.5 as my regular board which is HP. My boards range from 5'6 to my gun is 6'5 x 19 x 2.5. If that aint paddle fit I dont know what is. I do 2 sessions a week of 2-3 k's continuous flat water swimming, yoga and get on a stepper for an hour flat out most other nights. Unlike you, I dont count a 40min session surfing the shoulder then wanking over porn for 5 mins as my daily work out. By the way you really made a goose out of yourself re that Andy Irons , Nick Carroll comment. You really are a low life Knut.

I raised the paddle fitness issue and I am really happy that you are the new Lance Armstrong of Realsurf.. Well done mate. I hope that's working out for you...

In regards to the AI thing. I thankyou for your input but I stand by my comments and still say that the under reporting on issues like both the Sarge debacle where there was systematic sexual abuse which wasn't reported or the AI drug issue is something that the surfing industry needs to address and pull their heads out of the sand..

There has only been a handfull of journos (interestingly enough not employed by the industry) who have been able to speak their mind without fear of retribution...

Enjoy your swim/run/bikeride and 16 hour surf tommorrow legend..

[steve shearer]

Different things.

But if I want a good paddler I'll ride a bigger board.

[Skipper]

'ts gotta be edgy

[Natho]

I think people who want everything in a board ie. Paddles like a mal, turns on a dime blah blah blah are a shapers worst nightmare.
Like most elements of board design you have to make some sacrifices in one element to get more of another. As an example if you want a board that paddles like a Mal, then you aint gonna get it to perform like parko's board.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Yah, good point Natho. Most properties of a board sit on a spectrum don't they... Loose, fast, buoyancy, release, hold, etc.

What I want depends on what type of waves its best suited for. I generally like to have a three board quiver for Sydney.

Small waves and junk - Very short and wide parallel planshape coming to a wide tail, but still with enough rocker and tail curve to turn tight. Around 5'3ish. Quad or twin fins to control the tail and keep the free and easy feel, deep concaves through the tail. Heaps of tail release.

Small to medium waves - A more performance orientated board with fuller proportions and more planing area than normal to help with the fatter sections and paddling in. Around 5'11". Enough tail curve and rocker to turn tight. Preferably a quad again so that I can ride a few inches shorter, wider and thicker and ride that in slightly bigger waves, and help maintain speed. Some tail release.

Medium and bigger, or punchy waves - A foiled out performance board with slightly wider and thicker proportions due to my weight, longer at around 6'2-3". Quad at the moment but next one I'm considering a thruster seeing as its more the goal to harness and use the power of the wave, not take as much power as possible. Very little tail release wanted if any.

I'm open to all sorts of things with my boards but thats what I enjoy the most at the moment. One board to generate a silly amount of lift but have enough curves to still turn tight, one board as a semi-fish all rounder performance board, one board to handle the power of solid waves.

[buzzy]

I want good paddle, speed and manoeverability. Speed is the key ingredient to good surfing imho, not that I'm that good. What delivers speed differs depending on wave size and type. Then what's needed for manoeverability also depends on wave size and type.

So, yesterday I misread the surf and took out my flat rockered, wider small wave board. Heaps of speed and good paddle, but the turns were all wrong. I needed a more refined shape with more rocker. But in smaller surf the more refined shape would lack drive and speed, for me. I'm not Taj or Mick...I need help.

I'm presently working to a two board quiver excluding the longboard, but thinking of sticking a rounded square "all rounder" in the mix between the flat rockered acceleration machine and the rounded pin.

[BA]

Speed man, lot's of speed.



And not the powdered kind.

[bohdidontsurf]

Jimmy, you are such a c.ock smoker..who said anything about being paddle fit you fool. I surfed 2 hours Friday night til dark, 6 hours on Sat, 4 in the morning and 2 till dark and then after a 20k bike ride (mountain not road) today surfed 2 more hours. I am 40, 85kgs and surf a 6'1 x 19.25 x 2.5 as my regular board which is HP. My boards range from 5'6 to my gun is 6'5 x 19 x 2.5. If that aint paddle fit I dont know what is. I do 2 sessions a week of 2-3 k's continuous flat water swimming, yoga and get on a stepper for an hour flat out most other nights. Unlike you, I dont count a 40min session surfing the shoulder then wanking over porn for 5 mins as my daily work out. By the way you really made a goose out of yourself re that Andy Irons , Nick Carroll comment. You really are a low life Knut.

I raised the paddle fitness issue and I am really happy that you are the new Lance Armstrong of Realsurf.. Well done mate. I hope that's working out for you...

In regards to the AI thing. I thankyou for your input but I stand by my comments and still say that the under reporting on issues like both the Sarge debacle where there was systematic sexual abuse which wasn't reported or the AI drug issue is something that the surfing industry needs to address and pull their heads out of the sand..

There has only been a handfull of journos (interestingly enough not employed by the industry) who have been able to speak their mind without fear of retribution...

Enjoy your swim/run/bikeride and 16 hour surf tommorrow legend..

You are one abrasive w.anker Jimmy. Doesnt surprise me you dont have the character to admit you readily point fingers at anyone within 6ft of you yet when you get a response that shows you up as THE "internet hardass (read coward)" you try to hold yourself out as someone who is just trying to help and bring journalism into line...your line whatever that is...and doesn't deserve any critique.

So what are you saying Jimmy, you want a board that paddles like a tow board just so you can brag about how short and thin it is? Clown. Of course a mal (which I hate riding but each to their own) wont surf like a HP...but IF you could have the best of both worlds you would want a board that paddles you in early and then lets you surf HP. I fail to see what that has do to with fitness. I have surfed with some young guys who are fcuking fit as and ride longboards because they like them. Ever tried to paddle 9ft plus out the back with continuous 6ft sets? No duck diving. Yeah, c,ock breathe, real walk in the park that one.

If thats not what YOU want ...then tell me hero...what do you ride and what do you want in a board.

Mate and I am no Lance Armstrong..but realise I aint 18 anymore so have to work harder to keep doing something I love ....so yeah its working for me. Using words like mong and gumby ....f.cuk where do I start with that. Yeah its frustrating seeing some clown on his NSP sitting out the back picking off the good ones...but unlike you I am not going to get on the internet and whinge about it. I will just work a bit harder to get my fair share.

[bohdidontsurf]

I think people who want everything in a board ie. Paddles like a mal, turns on a dime blah blah blah are a shapers worst nightmare.
Like most elements of board design you have to make some sacrifices in one element to get more of another. As an example if you want a board that paddles like a Mal, then you aint gonna get it to perform like parko's board.

Natho, that is so obvious I dont know why you would bother pointing it out. Um....if it were possible Parko's dims would start with a 9 not a 6 wouldnt they?

[old grom]

1) has to paddle well - if I am knackered after 45 mins then I start to get on late and miss waves; also hate catching great - fast breaking wave just a few seconds to late and missing the section.
I know - get surf fit... but in reality I surf now more than ever - up a block from the beach - in the water each day before work if its on - plus weekends. I surf more now than when in my 20's - but a bit heavier, older and a buggered sholder - I need a bit of an advantage (plus 6 ft and 93kg - so need 25% more just to stay even with half the guys out...)

2) Glide.... love that magic carpet feel; hate the wiggle dance of a small HPS when the surf is guttless (I know the elite have the skills to generate power with style - but not me).

3) short enough to turn... in the pocket.. or.. pull in... or roundhouse turn - I dont like surfing long boards - each to their own - but for me its short - wide - and real thick ... does the trick.

Just love the ongoing hunt for those dream boards - getting harder now - as the fat-wide-thick-shorty I need (ie: 6'6 x 22" x 3") is hard to find.

[Trev]

Geez OG. I don't feel so bad now. I'm 2" taller and 3kg heavier.
I keep promising myself I'll give a short board a go but just can't quite get my act together.
This is a shortboarder topic so I won't talk about what I want from my mals.