review of Mccoy Astron Zot

[Chillin]

Well imho mcoy is a Designer/shaper who sticks with his ideas and theorys. There are other 'shapers' who basically hang on these guys shirt tails and pick up the dregs. There are actually very few designers in the surfboard industry and a a lot of so called shapers need to have a good look at themselves as they are actually copiers and refiners. Mcoy has held his belief in his design for decades now and that is why he commands such aliegance from customers, not from running with the current trends. I have ridden a Lazer zot and I don't rate it against my Merrick MSF (both single fins and both thick and fat round tails). But I rekon its a far better choice for ANYONE looking for wave count and fun as a goal for their surfing.

[pridmore]

I just wanna repeat, I think McCoy is a great shaper, never bagged what he does, just saying I do things differently to some shapers, each to their own....and yes, these type boards do suit some guys more than the HPS some struggle and persist with....

[old grom]

KOOKSTER - curious what age / size you are? you seem to have made a move from NUGs to lazer zaps - was this about finding more performance?

I am also a massive Mccoy fan (have had four and still own three); and think his boards are classic. Cheyne Horan was quoted saying "he is now making his master strokes - get them while you can" as many have said legend stuff.

But - I still want to push my design ideas, and surfing into new areas. I am also fully stoked on the process of getting a board built. I save up cash over the year and reseach fully - endlessly chat to mates - loiter on sites like this - think about my surfing and things I want to improve - plan surf trips and think about what board I need - etc - just like most of you guys...

Its not that I am the best surfer - but I dig this special vibe as much as anyone. And sure, I have had some real dogs because of my input into the design - but I have learned about shapes and what improves my fun factor with each board I have had made over the years. I just sell the dogs - eg: had a 6'6" custom fish made - great glass job - classic look - cost me $700, surfed it for 6 months (with less frequency as time went on..) - strained my knees as I could not turn the F&*%#g thing up a wave - went unreal in a straight line - figured out what I did not like - then traded it in for $400.


I feel I got real value for my dollar as I loved the whole process (still on good terms with the shaper lucky bugger has since moved to Bali - and I am sure my ideas were central in the dogginess - but the whole process was fun and interesting for me. And at $300 great value entertainment spread over a year.

Its even better when you get a custom and it goes unreal - Sometimes risk leads to great reward. And the ZOT is a keeper. But I still want to experiment with the high volume short board, different styles and set ups continue this process, and see what possible for me. maybe I will strike gold - but sure to have fun trying.

I also like designing and building houses - I guess its a geek bug I have - but the stoke when all that thought, time, and effort pays off in a board that suits you specific needs - WOW

Thanks for all the input - OG

[buzzy]

Old Grom, a the risk of being too personal, what weight are you? I'm just trying to work out what size Zot to look at. I'm thinking 6'6" or 6'8" with the extra width and volume but with me at 92kg approx what do you reckon? Geoff always recommends more volume than you need I reckon.

I have a Firewire Alternator and I tell you it's a fantbloodytastic board. That tech works. The other board I have my eye on at the moment is an El Fuego to compliment the Alternator. Lots of crossover I expect with my V-Skate but no harm in having an extra board or two. Lots of quiver culling coming up I reckon (2 in plus one more already on order and 3 out).

On Miller by the way he's going away for the rest of 2011 in a couple of months. I think he's gone from around May. Check his website. But when he comes back and I'm ordering a new board I'm definitely going to discuss with him the possibility of glassing in epoxy. I just want more durability in my boards and the weight saving is an added bonus. He has firm views in many respects but not a closed mind.

[buzzy]

Oops, sorry mate, I see you gave your weight earlier. Put me on "ignore"!

With only a few kg between us I suspect I can go either a 6'6" or a 6'8" but what do you reckon? For me I reckon the width and volume will have much more impact than an extra 2" in length, but obviously looking for feedback.

[Davros]

Old grom wrote:"And sure, I have had some real dogs because of my input into the design..."

Oh yeah I have done this like some old mother in law planning a wedding and copped some dogs...thinking name, rank, serial number + good shaper = good board.

[Moore]

Hi fellas,

I've been intrigued by McCoy's ideas over the last few years and have tried a couple (no Zot, though... yet) and enjoyed reading this review of the Zot

It's good to read a lot of positive stuff about Geoff's boards and it's nice to know that amongst the pretty varied designs on offer these days, there's still more than one way to skin a rabbit, as it were...

Anyway, here's my 2p on the last Nugget I had, a single fin allrounder:

http://thewishthound.posterous.com/my-s ... coy-nugget

I think one of the interesting takes on design that Geoff seems to have is to make float an integral part of how the board works on a wave, rather than just an element that helps with paddling and catching waves.

Another positive aspect for me is that the McCoy's I've tried surf much shorter and lighter than their dimensions and weight under the arm suggest.

I'm keen to try a Zot at some point, but they ain't cheap over here (although strangely, they seem to be a similar price to Oz). On the flipside, they sell secondhand for good money..... We'll see

[Cpt.Caveman]

Hi fellas,

I've been intrigued by McCoy's ideas over the last few years and have tried a couple (no Zot, though... yet) and enjoyed reading this review of the Zot

It's good to read a lot of positive stuff about Geoff's boards and it's nice to know that amongst the pretty varied designs on offer these days, there's still more than one way to skin a rabbit, as it were...

Anyway, here's my 2p on the last Nugget I had, a single fin allrounder:

http://thewishthound.posterous.com/my-s ... coy-nugget

I think one of the interesting takes on design that Geoff seems to have is to make float an integral part of how the board works on a wave, rather than just an element that helps with paddling and catching waves.

Another positive aspect for me is that the McCoy's I've tried surf much shorter and lighter than their dimensions and weight under the arm suggest.

I'm keen to try a Zot at some point, but they ain't cheap over here (although strangely, they seem to be a similar price to Oz). On the flipside, they sell secondhand for good money..... We'll see

Great review mate, answered a lot of questions for me too...

Sounds like the McCoy designs try to cross a bridge. Most high volume boards tend to surf above the wave and skatey, suiting smaller waves far more and maxing out at a certain wave size. The McCoy's sound like a more functional high volume package that will surf better in quality waves and will hold its own even when the wave starts to offer some power.

Interesting!

User friendly high volume maybe?

[Cuttlefish]

Oops, sorry mate, I see you gave your weight earlier. Put me on "ignore"!

With only a few kg between us I suspect I can go either a 6'6" or a 6'8" but what do you reckon? For me I reckon the width and volume will have much more impact than an extra 2" in length, but obviously looking for feedback.

I'm 6'1" 90kgs and almost 48.
The lazor zap I've been riding is 6'4" X 21" X 2 & 7/8" and if I have the board level in the water floats me to my navel.
If I was going to ride a zot with a width of 22"
and thickness of 3" (std thickness) I'd be looking at a 6'er to give me the same or additional floatation.
The zot is wider and also a wider nose than a zap.
Have a sqizz at this for differences attained by adding width, thickness and length....
http://www.diversesurf.com.au/boards/boards/volume2.php
By the way Old grom notice in the wishhound blog his favourite fin for his board was....ta da! A spitfire!

[Morgan The Moon]

Great reviews guys.

I've got a 6'8 Zot. I come in at 102kgs and it floats me plenty fine. At 92 kgs I wouldn't go above a 6'6 Buzzy. I was riding a 6'6 DVS fish as my go to board before this, and the fish doesn't paddle anywhere near as well, but i reckon goes just a bit faster....

What I will add, and it's been mentioned before is thing is really squirrelly, loves to turn, and it doesn't spin out. I've had singles before and felt the board release as I put it on a rail and the fin pops - hasn't happened once with my McCoy singles. Geoff promised they wouldn't cos I was really wary about it.

I haven't mucked around with the fin configuration, so I was interested in your feedback. I was warned it was quite lively when I picked it up, so I got the less responsive gull wing fin.

Had similar problems on my backhand originally, but now I've gotten used to it, it's sorted (most days anyway ).

[Beanpole]

If someone refuses to make a board to your dimensions and ends up giving you a "custom" shape that is exactly the same as their regular model what exactly is custom about it?
Its a bit like getting an extras pack with a new car except all you get is a pencilled in name on your stick. So the master shaper cant or wont shape a board six inches longer than their regular?
This has possibly more to do with the blanks theyve got than anything else particularly if theyre happy to knock out an 8' minimal and a 9'ter but wouldn't dream of shaping a functional board thats 7'6" long. This is an area that will open up since theres plenty of main stream shapers who can knock out a decent stick no matter what the length. I don't see Dick Brewer refusing to make a range of boards or Takayama or McTavish for that matter. I keep looking for good 7'6" boards to ride in good waves. Not such a big call.

[old grom]

Yeah Beanpole - its true that getting a custom Mccoy is a little less involved and less two sided communication than with other custom =its like:

- I send two long winded emails - pouring out my heart and creative ideas - loads of blood sweat and tears and intricate design details. Summaries of my experiance on 7'2" NUG and 6'10" NUG; what happened in Indo and last year at philip island - how they bog in small slop etc, Confessing all my poor surfing habbits etc..


- Geoff - sends back two lines- "6"10 ZOT will go well for you.. the single fin will blow your mind when you get it dialed."'

- Then I question "6"10 is that to big - long winded concerns etc"

- Geoff calls you (this spins you out - and you indicate to others in your workplace team meeting "very important call... have to take it!" - long chat in the car park- have to convince him that while I am 43 and 95KG - I intend to lose some weight and surf 3x weekly and am fit - then he says " no worries a 6'8" will be fine...

But the board turns up on time - incredible workmanship - will last a lifetime - and goes great.

This is my third Mccoy custom over 12 years - there is no need to discuss the other details - ie rails / rocker/ fins/ glass job on a Mccoy. Sometimes I want more say - but like a junkie after a day visiting his parents - despite pride - I will be back to order another one day... He is master - OG

[old grom]

Hey Buzzy - a fellow High volume short board addict - you have the same cravings as me ( Mccoy, Miller, El Fuego etc).

I reckon that Morgan the moon and cuttle are pretty spot on - dont go too big with the ZOT. I say this as for me its not a real all rounder (ie the NUG) - more small and med wave magic carpet.

How old are you? what waves do you want it for? what size is your Alternator and what size El Fuego do you crave? - how high a performance style are you after - and most importantly how strong a paddler are you (ie do you often miss waves you should have got) - that would help form my view.

For me - I would happy drop down to 6'6" or 6'4" - but no less - but I like volume and foam. i really like the paddle advantage I get - and getting on early is very essential for me getting the most out of the beachies out front. the extra paddle often gives me a couple of yards more face and a better set up before close out. But thats what I use the ZOT for. Also I find my 6'8" turns on a dime as long as I have some speed up - and I am not interested in turning unless I have some speed - asd I am to busy searching for power pockets on the wave, thats how I surf the ZOT.

I also know I need the paddle advantage - when there is not much power in the waves. In small or full waves when I take out my 6' 6" x 21 1/2 x 2 7/8 Fat Bullet quad - I still miss some wave -or get out paddled - or get on a fraction late and miss a good section. This does not happen on my ZOT. I guess its horses for courses. - OG

[Cuttlefish]

Here we go!
Something that can really prove crucial when reading someone else's review of a board and deciding if that kind of board is for you is knowing what other boards they ride, especially if you've ridden them as well.
The fat bullets...I've tried a 6'4" first off and found it went well but as Old grom (his is 6'6") said was outpaddled or missed waves all on my own with it.
No matter went up to a 6'8" and still had the same outcome. Give up on that one.
I was sold on a 6' Astron zot as the size I would be comfortable on until I read Old grom's riding a 6'6" fat bullet.
Now I'd say a 6'3" could be the size.
I've been down the Miller track with a 6'8" waterskate which when it arrived was actually a v-skate. I got over that huge mistake by Grant and proceeded to ride it exclusively for 2 years.
A good board when the points had some size though stiff when it was smaller. Take into account I ordered a waterskate as it was supposed to be an allrounder. Had a 7' Powerglide as a longboard alternative as well.
Eventually ordered a custom Miller, 7'2" egg which I rode for a year until my dedicated Jim Banks boards riding mate tried it one day and would not give it back. I was so stoked he was willing to try something other than his anorexic Indo focused boards (beautiful as they are) and surf something more suited for Sunny coast everyday waves.
He actually rides it at Noosa when it's crowded as well.
Been down the Firewire track. Demoed dominators in both 6'4" and 6'6" as I like float and found them ok. All advice was to go small but then it's back to struggling to catch waves.
Tried a 6'5" El feugo and found it sloowww to paddle and stiff to surf.
I rode a 6'6" Addvance which felt like a good normal shortboard to me. Good glide on decent waves and would let me do vertical snaps in the pocket rather than a slow turn off the top like a fish. Totally belied the idea that it would be a longboard/minimal substitute for beginner/intermediates.
The rails were boxy but the chine underneath gave excelllent release (just like Geoff says in his rails vid).
Only sold it as I found it didn't glide like a fish in smaller stuff because it has a narrower tail (to give bite when it's bigger) and I understand the relevance of a wider tail supporting the surfers weight as espoused by Geoff McCoy.
What am I looking for....?
A board that I will catch waves when I paddle for them.
A board that will glide and not bog rails even when I try to turn it where I shouldn't on a wave.
A board that will do a decent bottom turn and then be able to go back up the face for a vertical reo if I feel like doing one.
The best board I've ever had to do this is a Southcoast DT slider 6'4" with a 2+1 set up. I could run it out onto the flats in front of a wave and it would turn straight back up the face and "bam" into a lightning fast vertical reo in the pocket.
It would do a bottom turn out where other boards would simply stall and the wave would run you down.
It was only 2 & 5/8" thick so floatation/wave catching let it down for my 90 kgs. But it was wide and the bottom was flat. Didn't like bump on the face because of it.
Will the Astron zot allow me to do a decent bottom turn/top turn combo, Astron zot owners?
I know the zap will do it. It will also allow the top turn to be an on rail gouge across the lip if executed on a slightly slopier wall. If only the zap had a wider nose like the zot to allow less crucial foot placement.
Or will it be happiest running down the line doing little turns here and there and not a good hard cutback and gouge if the mood/wave asks for it?
This is the question I need answered!

[Morgan The Moon]

Here we go!
....
Will the Astron zot allow me to do a decent bottom turn/top turn combo, Astron zot owners?
I know the zap will do it. It will also allow the top turn to be an on rail gouge across the lip if executed on a slightly slopier wall. If only the zap had a wider nose like the zot to allow less crucial foot placement.
Or will it be happiest running down the line doing little turns here and there and not a good hard cutback and gouge if the mood/wave asks for it?
This is the question I need answered!

Cuttles,

You surf way better than I. I can honestly say that it does handle a good hard cutback but as for full rail gouges across the lip....I dunno. Check your pm

[buzzy]

I'm 45, 92kg, surfed since around 14yoa but didn't surf much from 20yoa to around 33yoa, and then surfed thereafter although life has got in the way from time to time! Around 3 years ago I had a gladular fever which had me drained of energy for a year, then hernia surgery which kept me out of the water for another 5 or 6 months or so and then had a large number of BCC's removed (two every few weeks) which had me out of the water for maybe another 6 months in all. Then when I got back in the water I kept on getting bad ear infections which kept me out of the water to clear it up. I came back to surfing again maybe 18 months ago WAY overweight and lacking fitness. None of my boards floated me enough to make surfing enjoyable. They were designed for me at 85kg and I was somewhere in a range of 95kg to 98kg then. So the quiver started again basically from scratch. Before illness I'd typically have surfed a shortboard at 6'6" x 20" x 2 5/8", and my McCoy nugget was 6'6" x 20.5" 2.75" which I used on small days.

Post illness I needed to restart the quiver virtually from scratch. First board back was a Miller Powerglide 7'4" x 22.5" x 2 7/8" - really good to get back in the water with. Then to a Waterskate 6'9" x 21.5" x 2 7/8", which was and is an excellent board. Now down to a V-Skate 6'7" x 21.25" x 2 7/8" - this is intended to be the all round board for waist high to maybe 1.5 times overhead. Then I have a longer more refined V-Skate for head high and above. Plus the Alternator which rocks at 6'8" x 20.25" x 2.75" - it's a fantastic board but I start to struggle on that if the wave has no power. Plus I have a longboard which I only use when basically no-one else surfs because it's too small.

I'm an intermediate surfer, who was probably advanced level when younger and on a good day can be, but I'm one of those guys who needs to surf a lot to surf at my optimum and I only get in the water 2-4 days a week and that's after 2-3 years of not surfing.

Basically the Zot would replace the Powerglide. Totally different boards I know but I intend to use the Zot in the conditions I would have used the Powerglide - 1 to maybe 2 foot, but more in that 1 foot area. The conditions where you are really looking to board volume to get you in the wave and support you when you're up. I'm just not that much of a longboard surfer and the extra length of the Powerglide is just wasted on me. I rock up to the nose from time to time in a lamo kind of way, but I'd much prefer to try some snaps in the pocket and hit the foam with a cuttie.

[kookster]

I'm 38 and weigh 80kg. A quick wrap up of my McCoy journey.

6'0 Potbelly, great board and had it up to 8' in fatter swell but didn't handle drops well as the wide shoulders would catch and/or push away from the wave face

6'4 Nugget, cool for sliding, but bad tracking problem for my weight when any punch in the swell.

6'0 Stumpy, brilliant at steep drops and nice for turning on slower steep faces but punchy and fast faces it's hard to get the arse to turn, because you are standing right on the volume and she wants to shoot down the line so fast so it's hard to stay in the pocket, slow grunt only

6'4 Stumpy. As above but worse. I got this one before I realised the drawbacks of the 6'0. Cuttle bought this off me and found the same thing.

6'4 Zap - I'm liking this board more and more and more. This was supposed to be a 6'2 but Geoff stuffed the size up (even has 6'2 on the stringer so someone has a 6'2 that says 6'4). I took the mixup as a sign from Huey and got on with it. I've had this out in everything from 1' to solid 8' and she goes unreal. Still really getting to know her properly but I think the Zaps are where it is at for me. These are a lot more unpredictable than the Nuggs, and foot placement is pretty critical - too far back and they get super squirrely when you have speed up. It's something I'm getting used to. Had some sectiony overhead slabs at Platforms (rock shelf near Pt Cartwright) yesterday on the high tide and it really amazed me how well it went. As Cuttle says, you can do these massive top gouges on it when you get a slightly thicker fuller section to hit that isn't so steep. Or you can ride it gracefully by using the smallest of inputs. The 6'0 Zap is similar but even tricker to ride well but so much fun when you get it right. Backhand snaps one after the other.

Because the Zaps' tail thickness is massive, these things take some getting used too because you are forever arse high in the wave, the tail just doesn't sink, and it's for that reason that I ordered the slightly gunnier pulled-in tail 6'5 to get that control back on big fast points where they just don't let up. Like a ti-tree or The Pass when it's smoking.

All I know for sure is I haven't ever done turns like I can on these Zaps, even if they are slightly more unpredictable.

[old grom]

Plus the Alternator which rocks at 6'8" x 20.25" x 2.75" - it's a fantastic board but I start to struggle on that if the wave has no power. Plus I have a longboard which I only use when basically no-one else surfs because it's too small.

If you struggle paddling this and you are after a replacement for a powerglide - i would not go too short on the ZOT . I have an 8ft Miller powerglide on my rack (its a mates who lives in japan), have had it for 2 years - it goes great - used to take it to the points on small days and out front when tiny - I have not thought about using it since I got the ZOT. IMHO they are a fun board- mini mal like - great for learners or - a longboard alternative with a bit more turning ease - but they are boat like (at least at 8ft) and not in the same league as the ZOT.

I'm 45, 92kg,

Very simular weight - touch older than me - Buzz if you want this board as a "take out when small - gutless - sloppy -etc" Then of course you need the foam. I would talk to geoff - use him as a guide - but a 6'8'' ish board - maybe 6'6" sounds good. It does not sound like you are one of those really strong paddlers - and in small waves its all about getting on early and being on a board that generates speed easily. Remember on Mccoys - foam is designed to assist you - not hinder you.

For me when I hear guys talking about going really short - and benifiting from this they are either:
1) very good and regular surfers
2) Younger surfers. If you are young then you should push yourselves and go short - you are fit and strong (shorter and thinner the better I fully encourage the use of "chip boards" ).

I am neither. Average surfer - and I used to be young and surf a 6'6" x 20 X 2 3/4 short board, surf all day - in any surf - fit as. Now I am 40 plus - still fit - but heavier - slower - buggered back - etc. I hate surfing conventional SB's I have one in the rack I have tried twice in the last few years and I suck on it.

I am still as stoked on surfing as ever - and plan to ramp it up over the next 20 yrs - more travel - constantly working to improve my style and equipment - But I have no illusions about aging - its the high volume that keeps me on shorter boards - I be f#*%ced if I am going to give this away to get loads shorter and more"performance"'. I come from a short board backgroung and dont enjoy surfing longboards anywhere near as much - its well designed high volume that will keep me on fairly short boards.

my McCoy nugget was 6'6" x 20.5" 2.75" which I used on small days

I went from a 6'10 Nug to a 6'8'' Zot - this was about right for me - If I went again I would probably go a 6'6" ZOT. But if I was replacing a powerglide in function - no less then 6'8''. If you still have the Nug - spend some time on it - this will give you a good guide (ie: are you catching the waves you want easily - and gliding along well) .- my 2 cents - OG