Pope Bisect Board

[sickpig]

Anybody have a bisect board - thinking about investing in one - just wanted to get some pesonal experiences/feedback - are they as good as they appear and that wasy to assemble/disassemble etc

Thanks !

JC

[LONGINUS]

Hey Sick,

I asked around on this one a while ago as well. Thread short be floating around somewhere - mixed reviews from memory. One of the guys saw one in a shop and the guy assembled it with great difficulty - after that it 'wobbled'.

I'm still going to get one at some stage - especially after BAE merges with QANTAS and QANTAS bans all surfboards as well. Figure with my bisect I can just put a Calloway Golf sticker on it and I will be sweet!

[otway1949]

Hey The Sick Pig. bought a 9ft Bisect so I'm bisectual now very happy with the board single to double concave rolled V good rails plenty of bite. Max ten minutes to assemble and now wobbles in usage surfed up to 10ft so far no worries just the usual positioning need for a mal. The centre fin that comes with it is a technological masterpiece carbon fibre hollow and floating but has no flex and is very wide at base and for me turns a good board into turning like a barge ( perhaps it would be a better fin for a long Californian point surf.
A shorter FCS 7" centre fin pulled up to the rear of the outer fins makes the board loose and able to hold in when you need it deeper.
For travel having a bisect will be good . Local airline won't take anything over 6' and charges $300 each way for a board as unaccompanied luggage. the $$$ cost wins .

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[otway1949]

Hey The Sick Pig. bought a 9ft Bisect so I'm bisectual now very happy with the board single to double concave rolled V good rails plenty of bite. Max ten minutes to assemble and now wobbles in usage surfed up to 10ft so far no worries just the usual positioning need for a mal.

Just a point here I didn't review my post and I have given you some incorrect info should be no wobbles (not now wobbles)!!!!!
Been very happy with the board!! Just need more surf.
Jaffa

[LONGINUS]

Lol, phew! I was REALLY hoping you meant that Jaff after I went and ordered a carbon fibre model

[otway1949]

Re: Pope Bisect Board
by LONGINUS » Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:38 pm

Lol, phew! I was REALLY hoping you meant that Jaff after I went and ordered a carbon fibre model

Well have you done it, become a bisectual?, just remember to take the screw cap off the centre strength tube and drain occasionally and/or fill with quality grog for after surf libation but keep it empty for border crossings, it generally gets inspected! OH and oil your dog clips regularly!
Jaffa

[paladin1]

Stay away from the Pope product line and the people behind the company. I have had terrible experience with the Pope Bisect surfboard. I spent $2,100 USD on a 9'6 Wayne Rich Carbon Hollow Stealth that is basically a piece of junk.

My Carbon Stealth Pope Bisect arrived March 2008 and on my first ride, I noticed the board does not feel right (a lot of flex). I come back to shore, and notice that both clamp boxes have stretched out of the board (this is carbon fiber right?)

I call Thane Pope, no calls returned for days, and then on a Sunday afternoon (two weeks after I have called 2-3 times and sent emails) he calls me and says he has never heard of this happening (which was a lie based on what I have read on other forums).

We agree to meet he never shows up or calls. Finally, after four weeks of hounding Thane he agrees to meet me in Del Mar on a workday to pick up the board. I take off work to drop the board off for him, he never shows up - calls me an hour past our meeting time and asks if I can drive up to Encinitas... I do this, drop off the board.

Two months later I get another Carbon stealth bi-sect (scratched and missing the $85 Fin). "Sorry, I forgot to put it in a bag"... "Sorry I forgot to bring you your fin". This is customer service? It gets better for my $2,100 surfboard.

I take the board out and on the first ride I notice its feeling funny, I bring it to shore and the back half of the bi-sect is leaking water into it... must be a Pope safety feature to kill off customers before they figure out they have been had. Anyway, I can't see any holes (the board is brand new right?), I surf in Del Mar, CA and its just sand out here, nothing to "hit" other than yourself... the plug is tight... I contact Thane and his father to see if they can look into this - no response from this dynamic duo - what a surprise!

Conclusion: This company is run very unprofessionally and clearly has no quality control. There is absolutely NO customer service. They have absolutley NO Research and Development - you are their R&D Dept and will pay dearly to take part in their after-school science experiment.

It is the true definition of a one-man show, and that one "man" is very unimpressive and a crook.

Thane Pope is in the wrong job as he is totally disorganized, unprofessional in every sense of the word imaginable, and unable to run anything, much less a business.

BUYER BEWARE - save yourself the money and buy a regular board from a professionally run business that offers quality, service and value.

Not alone on this one, check these and other reports of problems with Thane Pope and the Pope Bisect products:

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=2727.0

http://www.wannasurf.com/community/inde ... mitstart=0

[otway1949]

The Australian distribution crew were easy to get on with and my bisect is fine it's not the stealth model just a Wayne Rich 9ft model I've had it out in 8ft + surf no issues, so I haven't had to deal with any problems in support.

A hollow whatever IMO has the potential for rail stress problems and as the stealth is black I'd consider internal temperature when exposed to heat a threat to its integrity.
There have been various hollow non toothpick boards around all had flaws from flex and internal heat delamination. I'm based in Oz so Scottish temps have no bearing in this case.
lots of luck

[Beanpole]

Yikes just got inspired to do a search on Bisects and hit the magicseaweed site forum
Some scarey stories there.

[otway1949]

Yikes just got inspired to do a search on Bisects and hit the magicseaweed site forum
Some scarey stories there.

You're right but about the stealth model DO NOT TOUCH they are hollow and have a shitload of problems.
I have had a 9ft epoxy standard bisect for 12 months now no problems .
OH 1 every time I go through customs if the customs guy is a surfer he wants to talk about it, upside contacts for new spots, down side the carbon fibre tube is an ideal smuggling spot, got investigated in New Zealand in case it was carrying abalone virus infected water although how you can tell by manual visual inspection beats me

I wouldn't say the board is the greatest longboard ever but as a stock standard better than average board it rates about 6 to 7 out of 10.

Biggest concern IMO all the parts although you get a spares pack, losing parts through carelessness could put you out of action.
eg;
fin grubscrews ( problem with most fin systems)
deck dog clips (Hmmm not readily available anywhere except Bisect lose these you're finished until new ones arrive)
dog clip covers lose one lose two no problems just a little messy catching your toes on deck hole.
Lose the carbon fibre tube probably could surf but structural integrity not great.
Still you travel take you bits snap a board all things being equal beats being stung $150 each way and strange island taxi arrangements.
Yep 6 to 7 out of 10 and since on a good day I personally can attain a 6 on how I ride then all is well

[Yon Beasty]

Hey Otway, don't know if you're about but just wondering how the Bisect was holding up a few years on? Are the dog clips, centre tube etc still hanging together without any wobble issues?

[otway1949]

Hey Otway, don't know if you're about but just wondering how the Bisect was holding up a few years on? Are the dog clips, centre tube etc still hanging together without any wobble issues?

Yon Beasty, the Bisect is still hanging together quite well no wobble issues or any other problems ( but keeping all the little bits together that are the spares meant for me a dedicated little bag with drawstring sewn by my wife).
One reason we haven't had any major problems is the bisect is not my go to board, my Outer Island is that.
However a trip to Taiwan is looming and the Bisect is the go. This of course means some tuning surfs before I go and a check of all the bits.
I also maintain the dog clips because even stainless steel rust so WD40 and silicon grease on the threads works wonders.
My only complaint is that Customs are always acutely interested in the placement centre tube as it has a screw cap and if it wasn't so evident on Xrays would an ideal smuggling tube. NZed quarantine even took a water sample ( couple of drops) to see if I had bought over the Abalone virus from my part of Oz
Still happy with the boards performance, basically a good standard longboard

[Yon Beasty]

Thanks for the reply Otway.

Glad to hear its had some longevity, but noting the care you’ve taken with it and the sparing way in which you’ve used it. (the drawstring bag sounds quite fetching)

Have a good trip to Taiwan – (hope to see your thoughts on Taiwan on rs)

[otway1949]

A further tale to tell re The Bisect, travel negotiations in Taiwan have got interesting.
Flights to Taiwan Bisect OK,internal flight to south Taiwan OK.
A strangeness, you cannot book an internal flight within Taiwan unless it is connected directly to an international flight entering or leaving the country.
Government ruling???
Answer bullet train long boards and Bisect OK!

Now enter the gentle art of Chinglishas written by the great sage Fnuk Mi.
Vehicle from bullet train to hotel cannot carry surf board OK,
Bisect bag is a 4'6" padded bag Confusedarse he say this not surfboard, you say surfboard we no carry surfboard, so we no carry surfboard dangerous pointy thing , you say surfboard we no carry, you send picture you say surfboard we no carry,
Extra luggage OK maybe we carry but you say surfboard

Anyway early days in the planning.

[Trev]

A further tale to tell re The Bisect, travel negotiations in Taiwan have got interesting.
Flights to Taiwan Bisect OK,internal flight to south Taiwan OK.
A strangeness, you cannot book an internal flight within Taiwan unless it is connected directly to an international flight entering or leaving the country.
Government ruling???
Answer bullet train long boards and Bisect OK!

Now enter the gentle art of Chinglishas written by the great sage Fnuk Mi.
Vehicle from bullet train to hotel cannot carry surf board OK,
Bisect bag is a 4'6" padded bag Confusedarse he say this not surfboard, you say surfboard we no carry surfboard, so we no carry surfboard dangerous pointy thing , you say surfboard we no carry, you send picture you say surfboard we no carry,
Extra luggage OK maybe we carry but you say surfboard

Anyway early days in the planning.

Otters, have you been to Taiwan before?
I have a mate who's been there surfing several times in the last few years. He rides mals. If you need any more info send me a pm and I'll talk to him. he may have some advice and/or contacts.

[otway1949]

I went to Taiwan in 1992 for my Kung Fu training and a sparring contest. Saw but but didn't have the board then to do anything about it + I only saw the top end and the top of the east coast.
Opinion of that area = adequate but judging on two days doesn't give a good view.
Booking with Moonwalker and SurfTaiwan.
Been given some clues already, only one drawback I can see is the coast guard shuts the beaches if they get sufficiently freaked as to typhoon swells
Will PM you as well