review of Mccoy Astron Zot

[pridmore]

some shapers are listeners, others are so set in their ways and beliefs hat you cant sway them in any direction on shapes ...like boards, they are all different....I respect Geoff for what he does and how long he has stuck with his design beliefs.....

[Davros]

Read on another McCoy thread that "Zealotry has its drawbacks". However from reading he has people loving his stuff.

I have read a few reviews of his boards and everytime it creates super interesting debate. If someone reviewed the latest HPS it might not get past half a page. Think it was George Bernard Shaw who said "Fashion is an induced epidemic" and "I'd rather be hated than thought of indifferently"...or I may of read it in a fortune cookie, I cant remember.

[WANDERER]

Reckon your on to something there. Stick the smaller workable model in the machine make it a "big boys" shortboard with a HPS Brand name on it and should work the same for different weight etc....but doesnt. Ego saved - surfing experience rubbish.

I ride a Frank Latta (R.I.P.) shaped Skipp Hybrid, it's a brilliant board for me, one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of owning and riding, plenty of foam and width under the chest and the thing just flies and turns which ever way I want it to, I bought it off ebay for $315 sight unseen (physically anyway - I did see fotos) and it's the best money I've ever spent... Latta had a lifetime of shaping boards of all shapes and sizes and I think the pay off was being able to shape a proper 'big boy' board by drawing on all that previously garnered experience.

[Beanpole]

Really had a look at that site and was kind of interested till I saw some other footage of someone on one in Indo. I reckon it does hang in amazingly well in the barrel considering what it looks like but the guy was wobbling everywhere as soon as he got out on the face let alone when he hit some ledges and sidewash. The board seemed to have a mind of its own. It does say something that a shape like that improves in more critical conditions. Interesting tangent I guess and if you can promise to make barrels thats a good thing for the average punter.
Surely the most ugly design and fin set up in surfing?

[jimmy]

some shapers are listeners, others are so set in their ways and beliefs hat you cant sway them in any direction on shapes ...like boards, they are all different....I respect Geoff for what he does and how long he has stuck with his design beliefs.....

Great call Mark.. The point I made earlier in this thread is that the likes of you could make a board like a McCoy for half the price and tailored to suit individual performance..

I personally would rather talk to a craftsman who will listen and maybe look at some footage.. I don't think any of the big names will do that.. And that's if you can even get to see them....

[old grom]

I think its interesting that when there are loads of big guys, plus a ton of older surfers (say 40 plus) who may be more financial (dont have loads to spare - but no way was I able to buy a board every year in my 20's) - that there are only a couple of shapers that seem to have specialist design skills in the High Volume short board market or at least are known primarily for this. It always seems to be Mccoy and Miller that are mentioned - suprised there is not more competition for this mantle - maybe its not as big a market as I would think. Are their others you guys know?

I think firewire is trying to get a foothold though - with the Dominator - El Fuego and Spitfire shapes - see quite a few older guys on these; but not quite the same as a custom.

Anyone know if Darren Rogers - ex Mccoy shaper - is still shaping somewhere? My 7'2'' Nug is shaped by him, his shapes seem a little more slender than Geoffs. My Neighbour has been on Mccoys for years and grew up with Geoff - prefers Darrens shapes as says as he says typicaly less width.. (found my 7'2'' in a board shop trade-in rack for $250 a few months ago- made in 2002, needed $70 to fix a couple of small dings - and its in great nick - it was fantastic to finally vindicate myself after years of browsing at every possible chance with no finds - time wasting who said..)

Beanpole - are you blind... the ZOT is such f#*@%g sexy shape - I leave mine off the rack - in the hall so I pass it all the time - its sculptural. again...




I do grant you that when you turn it over and see the wavegrinder single - it looks pretty crap


Buzzy - great description of Mccoy singles - I am pinching that next time I have to describe - as I could not come up with anything as descriptive it - but its how they go...

I wish Geoff would be prepared to try different stuff - while keeping to his high volume style - but I guess he just does not need to due to demand for what he does. Would I buy another - absolutely - but I have a couple now and want to try different stuff - its a shame he is not into this as I will have to get another shaper and say - I really like Mccoys volume, rocker, nose - but can you shape me a quad - or whatever - instead of going back to Geoff. But he still absolutly rocks and full credit to his originality. I am sure if he did not have such a strong (stuburn?) personality then his shapes would not have existed - he would have been making ''chips'' and standard thrusters like the other 95% of shapers - esp in the late 90''s and early 2000's. So maybe its best he is how he is. Still would like the option of removable fins for travel - whats with this #*#@.

Cuttle - Thanks man -love to look at the spitfire fin - but just know I am still playing with the wavegrinder (have just moved it forward a couple of inches) - I will PM you. Do you prefer the spitfire to the wave grinder on Mccoys? What about the Gullwing - not sure if I shouldnt just order one of those to get the ZOT back to original spec.


I would like to see more reviews on the ZOTs from guys that really surf well and are choosing to ride sub 6' as a small wave board - instead of going down the fish path.. - OG

[pridmore]

I try to work with customers to create what they want and if it was a Zap inspired, high volume quad then I'd not only do it, but I'd be stoked to do it....I have recently been thinking of options of designs with some Zap influence and think Geoff has got some good ideas ....
I make quite alot of high volume boards and they arent just shorties beefed up, planshapes, rockers and all dims are considered....
not trying to hijack this thread for my gain at all....keep discussing the Zot and keen to hear other peoples thoughts on good high volume shapes for the average joe for everyday average Aussie waves....

[alakaboo]

any of the bigger fellas on here interested in a 6'6" interchange nugget?
It's got a bit less foam in the tail than the normal nuggets.
http://www.mccoysurfboards.com/v1/surfboard-brochure
got the gull wing fin and a big dolphin fin too.

I've had it for a year, and it's time to pass it on to a new home. It's about 4th hand, but in good nick, heavy glassing.
It's been fun (thanks Topher!) but it's just too much foam for me at 72kgs. It would easily run to someone 90-105kgs as their daily ride.
I'm in Sydney.

sorry for the hijack, when i get some time I'll try and sort out a separate thread. Send me a PM if you are interested.

[kookster]

Cavey I find the fact Geoff says "this is my flavour" totally refreshing. There are a thousand shapers out there with their own niche and good luck to them. Perhaps the reason most of them never get a decent following like Miller and McCoy is because they are changing their minds every other day.

I don't think Geoff won't make some adjustments. The one I have on order is a 6'5 x 13 1/2 x 19 3/4 x 15 1/2 x 2 7/8 so it's thinner, narrower and has at least 1.5 inches less tail than a standard nugget. If I asked for a quad he wouldn't have done it because he has his rails down to a fine art and making a quad for someone would mean he's opening himself up to a board that doesn't work.

Imagine if I walk into a shaper and say I want a 6'5 x 13 1/2 x 19 3/4 x 15 1/2 x 2 7/8 with single into double with swallow tail and a quad setup. Firstly I'll guarantee no-one would have ever shaped that shape before so your chances are next to zero of nailing a great board. Secondly, who do you reckon I'd blame when the board surfs like shit?

The truth is most surfers simply don't have the experience to ask for what they need. That's even true of Mick Fanning or he'd just email DH with the latest dims for a new quiver.

12 months ago I emailed DH and asked him if he'd shape me a board based on his Margo Nugget but thicker and certain dimensions and he basically told me "not a chance". No difference there.

The difference is Geoff would have asked what I was trying to achieve.

Sorry to hijack what started as a ride report but I think we're enjoying ourselves aren't we? You won't find better stoke than amongst McCoy riders.

[pridmore]

have to disagree there...just because a shaper is willing to be open to shaping alot of different shapes with different design theories doesnt mean he is changing his mind all the time...dunno how you'd make that assumption but I am open to alot of different stuff because ther is alot of diff stuff that wors and works in different waves and for different surfers...to lock myself into one design theory would be hypocritical and niave for me as I am a guy who rides and shapes everything and anything...great that shapers have strong beliefs that there design or theories are the only way to go and thats their choice but not for me...I try everything and shape everything but if something isnt gunna work, I'll discuss and advise the customer why and give him some suggestions to get his desired outcome....some shapers seem arrogant when it comes to saying no to shaping certain tings , not Geoff ro DH in particular but have seen and heard some stories of shapers just refusing to shape wht a customer wants, even had an experience myself with a high profile shaper shaping me what 'he' thought I should ride instead of what we discussed and ordered...ordered a swallow tail quad and got a rounded pin thruster...now that shaper is doing alot of quads....anyway, the variety of boards out there is great and there is alot of shapers to choose from, the key is to find one who shapes you the boards you want...wether its a Zot or a design that you and the shaper have customised.....I know if I was a customer and I asked a shaper to make me something, nd he said NO, I would be going elsewhere....but thats just me.....

[pridmore]

and the 6'5" swallow quad with single to double is a board I have shaped a few of...and plenty very similar and ridden alot of similar too....not being smart just proving a point...dont mean to come off as a smart ass here....just passionate about what I do and believe in....











www.moresurfboards.com

[carvin marvin]

OK Pridmore lets say I came to you and asked you to shape me a Nugget, can you explain on this forum how you would shape the dome bottom.

[Beerfan]

I asked a local bloke for a cut down mal, a 7'10 mal i could fit in the car, with a square tail. I got a sort of nugget shape round tail haha. Anyway, it is my go to board and i know in most waves we get i can surf it and it'll go fine. Best thing is, as a thruster it feels a foot shorter, but as a single fin its a trim machine. Not what i asked for, but luckily turned out to be a mad board anyway.

[pridmore]

Carvin, as you prob know the dome bottom is one of Geoffs specialty and isnt something I do alot of, I have been doing some hulls however and doing them on my mini-simmons shapes...Also curently reading Lindsay Lords book of Naval Architecture so I have some knowledge on hulls and rolled vees albeit not heaps ad I would tell the customer this, I would discuss in detail with customer what he wants, and take plenty of measurements from another dome bottom and go from there....If I thought some other things may work with the bottom or board in general, I'd discuss these with the customer to see what he thought....then I'd go about shaping whatever it was we had decided on to the best of my ability for him....If he really really wanted a dome bottom like McCoys, then he'd definitely be better to see Geoff obviously...but if someone comes to me and asks me to shape this or that, I dont refuse he work or the opportunity to shape something different, but I always insist that it'll be functional and the reason for the design makes sense....McCoy is a great shaper, no doubting that, I have never knocked his stuff, I just have different ways of doing stuff as we all do.....

[Cpt.Caveman]

If Geoff's type of board is exactly what you want then great, he has spent years perfecting the one type of design. I'd be open to surfing one of his boards and seeing what its all about, but I would be very tentative to buy one without doing that first.

I mean take someone like Nick Carroll, I know he would want the rails completely changed because he likes the feel of fine-edge control and low volume being close to the water.

Surfboards are very personal and I believe the better your surfing gets and the more different types of boards you try, the more your boards get specialised and you can verbalise specific things that you prefer.

I personally enjoy getting boards off Mark because I can go to him and say, I want a board that does x, y, z and feel like a, b, c, and he'll put it together really well. He has experimented with so many different types of boards that he can build things from the bottom up really well. If it ends up being a snub nose 5'7" with a flat deck and a million fin plugs then so be it, but they have always ripped and given me stacks of stoke.

[pridmore]

but you still wont get a semi-finless from me eve though I know it'll blow your mind and change your surfing ideas forever....haha...stuff it, I am sending one down as soon as I can get it there....but I love em all and dunno if I can part with one....haha....

now back to the Zot......

[kookster]

Mark I didn't mean to single anyone out or say their way was doing anything "wrong". Perhaps I could have worded it better.

What I was getting that McCoy has a singular focus, he reckons he knows what works and more importantly what doesn't work and he sticks to that.

No-one could argue the bloke doesn't like breaking new ground, the Zot is a pin-up of that. Surely no-one thinks that he builds these big nugget boards because he's just an arrogant SOB.

People seem to think in the thousdands of boards he's shaped that he's never tried multi fin setups or concaves or sharp rails or whatever in his boards.

Breaking new ground is awesome, but repeating something you know does not work is stupidity. Hence why when someone says "do me a quad" he believes that won't work with his "must haves" like volume and trademark loaded dome and that's the end of the story.

I can't even tell you why they work, but I know I surf them better than anything else I've ridden. And I am still trying other shapes and shapers, but none of them stay very long at all in the quiver.

[pridmore]

whatever works for you I reckon, no matter who shapes it or what it looks like...as long as it keeps you stoked on surfing....