RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Mate board looks unreal...cant wait to get mine now! The colour looks exactly the same as my twinny.

Sounds like from your first surf you're really happy with it. If you're down alex way!

Went and saw Grant Miller today and ordered a 6'8" x 21 x 2 3/4 Waterskate today.... i'm thinking this is going to be the longest 3-4 weeks of my life.

Can't decide on whether to get a custom paint job, or just go the traditional clear look....

had a session on a mates 6'1 Fat-Bat (very similar to your one RB+) at punchy 3-4ft waves at the point today and it was so much fun, didnt want to swap back to my thruster. Only thing I felt was it was pretty loose of the top on my backhand (when I was really giving it some )so put the tail stabilizer in and it was great...love to know what you think RB+, if you feel the same especially on pushy waves and on backhand...stoked on it and re-inspired , not big noting just so happy that it went so well.....so easy to get waves , out paddling shortboarders and pissing them off no doubt...instant speed, no pumping , just straight into it....

JET01 wrote:Went and saw Grant Miller today and ordered a 6'8" x 21 x 2 3/4 Waterskate today.... i'm thinking this is going to be the longest 3-4 weeks of my life.

Can't decide on whether to get a custom paint job, or just go the traditional clear look....

I spoke to Grant as well about an F skate when he gets back from his holiday.

I've got another week to wait before i can surf it....

here's some pics

http://forum.realsurf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14091

No harm in waiting that little bit longer for it to cure. It will make you appreciate your board even more haha

Had surf number 9 on Sunday morning (with Fongo) at bumpy, onshore, 2-4ft Tea Tree. Hardly any crew out as the weather wasn't the most inviting. Among all the fat, sloppy, bumps that were out there, every now and then a wave would line up and give you some fast, open wall to play with.

I lucked into quite a few of these and really got to feel my board out. I don't remember ever carving so quickly on a wave and feeling so in control. On one turn I swear i thought I was carving a deep powder turn, snowboard-style. I think I even 'self-hooted' on a cutty once and made myself sound like a kook to people paddling over the shoulder

Thank you God, Pridmore, and surfers who barred Tea Tree (because of a little rain) for an awesome Sunday morning sesh: The first custom stoke is still alive and burning

With fins set that wide, and a realtively straight plan shape like that you would expect the board to be super fast, but how does the thing turn?

Im not being a smart arse by the way, Im just interested coz often the speed is at the expense of everything else. If you can get everything right along with the speed then you have a good board.

That blue looks good.

Reminds me a bit of those fat bat quads Bourton was doing a couple of years ago.

Hey Natho, fair questions, this board was designed out of my frustration when riding fish, always felt like I wanted to be able to do more radical turns, then when I hopped back on my shorty, I felt like I wanted more glide and speed...So I began playing with alot of different designs to try to create the ultimate 'happy medium' between all the best design elements in both designs... I hae probably made 50 or 60 Fat-Bats and feel like they really do peform well. They are a great board for a wide range of surfers of all skill levels... They do turn quite well, but not quite as high performance as a shorty but they do fly...The concave and rocker plus the quad set-up ensure that speed is not a problem. There is quite a bit more tail lift than a traditional fish, plus alot of planshape curve which make them turn quite well....They are similar to some designs that a few Australian and American shapers are doing but I have definitely not copied anything directly, more of a blend of different designs that I have done and seen over the years....Mostly just trying to make fun boards that really make surfing average waves much more enjoyable...maybe try the AquaBat when its down that way, you can see for yourself...cheers...MP

Thanks for the feedback pridmore.

I guess my question was aimed more at the fat bat type boards in general rather than anything specific to your shape.

The true measure I guess is in the 'fun' factor for the average punter.

Looks like you have a very happy customer for this one.

Yeh I guess its the turning abilityat speed that most shapers of these types of boards are challenged with. I mean frk Bourton is still playing around trying to get his fat bats right.

i think he calls his Bat Fish ??? mine are Fat-Bats ( but i have seen insulation batts called the same )... I chose the bat tails coz they work great with this design and especially with the quad...and to differenciate them from the milions of swallow fish out there...yeah, its all abut having fun and I always have fun on them....The turning at speed on flat boards comes from having the right blend of rocker , outline and fin size and placement I think.. ( also realizing that they arent made to surf the same as a performance shorty, the design is meant to be surfed flatter and less vertically ).It took a few dud ones before they really started to feel right...but got it sussed now...cheers

surfed with rightbrainleftding

early today....one his remarks was...."i wouldn't change anything in this shape "



not often u hear that about a custom usually 1st wave i'm thinking about refinement or changing some aspect the design

the quads are faster and suited too different waves ( nationals)

the bat tails not me.....but boards are personnel

i'm not on marks payroll

but i find it very refreshing see a design that finally breaks away from the standard fish shape....and works equally...if not better

than again....noosa full alternative designs

p.s just a bit more curve in that tail plan shape....like u see in my new square tail will do wonders for pushing it vert

rightbrainpositive wrote:

Hopefully that's the right one...

It's always great to hear how stoked someone is with their new stick, and especially so when someone mentions how it will change their surfing for the better as well! Good work Pridmore, great looking board!

Talking about bats...

RV, only you would find a cartoon like that and post in in this thread

Natho, I'm definitely an 'average punter' and the fun factor is very high. I can relate to what Mark is saying about getting the glide of a fish and the performance of a traditional shorty.

Because I've got a lot more speed to play with, I've found it easier to do turns compared to my old thruster (Bourton HPR). I guess speed is your friend in this situation. I'm not really the type to snap off the top but I've carved some sweet turns off the top (which felt ohh sooo goooood) and came out of them with plenty of speed. I do come from a snowboard/skate background so maybe the carvey/flatter style suits me more than the vertical lip bash style

I've also noticed that on bigger, steeper waves with push, I have to put a bit more effort into my bottom turn (lower centre of gravity, bit more crouch and push off the tail) compared to the old thruster. That's not such a bad thing but it is a difference. However, once the fins are in I feel like I'm spring loaded, the drive really kicks in and I'm screaming up or along the face

I'm not the most vertical surfer by any means but judging by Tiger's frontside reo effort on the Aquabat, it can definitely be done.

(Then again, not all of us are underground rippers who have people lining up wanting us to shape them a new magic shorty... )

And yes, at the moment I am "rightbrainleftding". Putting your body between unexpected rocks and your new board cannot guarantee a ding-free, paddle-in at backwashy, onshore TeaTree. Thanks Fong for the ding repairs... at least now I won't be 'babying' the board anymore. The new custom has been christened and is now officially a 'shredstick'

Good to hear all this RB+, as I have a 'slightly overweight bat' in the glassers at the moment, ready for sending down my way soon.

Here's that familiar shot from Mark







All the stuff you are saying about the way you ride and what you were looking for in the fat bat generally apply to me. Board is 'slightly overweight" rather than fat because I weigh in at only 70kgs or thereabouts, so shouldn't require as much foam as you.

Currently steeling myself to make sure I don't ride it for the first week or two to let the resin cure. That will be tough as I may be getting it while I am up the coast on holidays, but I hate mucking a board up by getting on it before it's ready.

holy shit, genuinely stoked ( ovulating actually, trying to get this word to catch on, c'mon, so sick of 'stoked' ) on all the great comments...all the effort is paying off, thanks alot.
Please do wait for it to cure OM, dont wanna have a 'dimply' and 'slightly overwieght Bat'....very happy that this design has been workin for so many...must be about 75% of my business lately....trying to get a chance todo myself a newy....saw your spray OM and it looks f...in great mate

interested in your thoughts on OM's board RV ? seeing how you hookd me up there, thanks alot

oldman wrote:Currently steeling myself to make sure I don't ride it for the first week or two to let the resin cure. That will be tough as I may be getting it while I am up the coast on holidays, but I hate mucking a board up by getting on it before it's ready.

Now let’s think about this curing thing for a moment

Day 1 (morning): Laminate bottom surf, (afternoon) drink beer maybe grind the lap down.

Day 2 (morning): Laminate top surf, (afternoon) drink beer maybe think about filler, drink more beer.

Day 3 (morning): Double hit deck filler surf, (afternoon) drink beer flip over filler lap area and others for grind down, drink more beer.

Day 4 (morning): Grind bottom lap surf double hit bottom filler(afternoon) drink beer, drink more beer, Thursday night at the RSL for the chook meat raffle.

Day 5 (morning): Drank too much beer, where does he want all these fins? So many fin marks, Mark surf, drill FCS holes, ALL of them, drink beer, set-up fin jigs, mix resin and dispense. Drink beer while letting set. Flip, drill leggie plug hole, mix resin dispense and generally admire handiwork. Drink too much beer (it’s Friday!).

Day 6 (morning): Drank too much beer again sand like there is no tomorrow. And fine tune by hand. Surf, beer, bbq

Day 7 Sunday: Jeebus say “on the 7th day...”

Day 8: Pack skinny bat and arrange transport to Sid-a-knee

Day 9: Transit

Day 10: Arrive Sid-a-knee... Olds wipes drool from mouth and feels everything, smells everything and is in ore, oar, awe, or something but extremely happy. Kids and wife are speechless, but probably for other reasons. Place new board next to existing vehicle of choice and starts wondering and making comparisons...

Day 12: Olds thinks... ‘how long should I let this cure? Gentle squeeze of the rail, hmmm’?

Count the days, Olds... ’tis but a surfboard. Leave in a warm spot out of the sun. Car might be a good option this time of year if it isn’t too hot.

Day ?: Ride and come out thinking ‘what have I been doing all this time...’

Day after: ring or PM M-batty-Prid and tell he him he is a legend. Shapers love good news.

Today: Note to self, I don’t make boards this way why?

pridmore wrote:interested in your thoughts on OM's board RV ? seeing how you hookd me up there, thanks alot

Spiffin’ old man! Perhaps a little fine for the fuller frame of yours truly.

What’s this curing nonsense about?