RealSurf Surfers' Forum

petulance wrote:IGrant's got a second hand 6'2" F-Skate available at the moment though I think a V-Skate or Simon Anderson Mollusc should be my next board.

I wouldn't try to steer you any particular way Pet, but here's the only advice I can give.
Last year when I went down to Sydney to pick up my new V-skate, Grant had a second hand F-skate there, which I picked up and really liked. Those 2 models make a good pair to cover a lot of conditions.
I would have bought it right there and then and taken both boards home but he said straight up, no the dims won't suit you.
I've been thinking about the F-skate ever since and finally went through with it since the other board worked out so well for me.
I really think that for guys like me (and maybe you?) unless you are very in tune with board design and what works for you, then it's best to talk to a shaper. You can keep buying off-the-rack boards and maybe hit the jackpot, I used to know exactly what worked for me but had a long time out of the water and now I'm in the wilderness with current design.

I nearly ordered a board through a well known shaper here last year (small low volume father and son business) but the ordering process didn't involve talking to the shaper, it was a fill-out-a-order-form deal in the shop with the help of an assistant. I could have pushed the issue to speak to the shaper I guess, but jeez if they're gonna put a wall up I'm not interested.
Grant will insist on a lengthy discussion every time, I like that process.

Hatchnam wrote:^ I dare say that the mollusc will serve you better in the often shifty and abrupt waves you most frequently surf. It'll be more responsive and suit the given conditions better. The mollusc is still very user friendly, but has a bit more of a performance edge to it than the F-skate. It'll be more "nimble", and less flat and fish-like.
The Robbo Mollusc would prob be better than the standard mollusc for all round user-friendliness at a more novice/intermediate level.
http://simonandersonsurfboards.com/au/mollusc-robo/
You'd probably even find one on gumtree from time to time..

I like the plan shape of the Mollusc. The only thing that I am concerned with is its round tail. I am under the assumption that a round tail is more suited for clean waves while a rounded squaretail/ squash tail would be more suited for the waves I usually surf. I never considered the Robo Mollusc before. Interesting that its dimensions are quite different to the regular Mollusc instead of being a larger version of the regular Mollusc.

I saw one on GumTree last year but haven't seen any recently.

mentone mansions wrote:

petulance wrote:IGrant's got a second hand 6'2" F-Skate available at the moment though I think a V-Skate or Simon Anderson Mollusc should be my next board.

I wouldn't try to steer you any particular way Pet, but here's the only advice I can give.
Last year when I went down to Sydney to pick up my new V-skate, Grant had a second hand F-skate there, which I picked up and really liked. Those 2 models make a good pair to cover a lot of conditions.
I would have bought it right there and then and taken both boards home but he said straight up, no the dims won't suit you.
I've been thinking about the F-skate ever since and finally went through with it since the other board worked out so well for me.
I really think that for guys like me (and maybe you?) unless you are very in tune with board design and what works for you, then it's best to talk to a shaper. You can keep buying off-the-rack boards and maybe hit the jackpot, I used to know exactly what worked for me but had a long time out of the water and now I'm in the wilderness with current design.

Well I'm definitely not clued in on board design except that I know I need volume for where I am at the moment. How different is the F-Skate that you ended up getting with the one that Grant said wouldn't suit you? Being able to tailor dimensions to one's abilities and waves ridden is good and all that but there is only so much a shaper can do if he/she hasn't seen you surf before.

I'm in no rush to get another board as I'll be off on hols soon but I would like a backup board for a surf trip I have planned later in the year. With Grant's current schedule a brand new V-Skate won't be possible and I am currently reluctant to splash the cash on a new Mollusc as well. Back to GumTree it is then.

The mollusc is a great board and works very well in Sydney beachies.

^^^
Well I did make an enquiry last year about the Mollusc you had for sale on this forum ...

Petulance ..

Re; roundtails.
Yes, when ur strictly talking refined roundtails, and moreover rounded pins, and pins, then yes, they're more suited to good (solid bowly) waves where fine sensitivity and control of speed is needed.

But that Robbo Molusc (or similar roundtail) complete with the boards overall beefier foiled up rounder design will more so perform like a good allrounder that will give you finer sensitivity and control over your turns in the bowl, and out on the face and encourage you to feel some different and new lines out, rather than boards that tend to favour straightline drive and flatter lines rather than rounder lines and sensitivity in the tail end so to speak.

Remember, maroubra (where u surf most) can get very bowly, either in sections, or in whole. And the sensitivity can come in handy.
I'm just saying this from having observed you surf. You are at that stage where you are starting to progress a bit, and now is a good time to start introducing yourself to different lines and "the bowl" of the wave, and staying more in thè pocket not just speed running sections (with pure straightline drive).
But, yes if you have the cash, go speak to a shaper and get a custom. But I'd honestly factor a roundtail into the overall equation.

Then later on down the track, it's probably more of a choice thing about getting a custom, as you'll learnt enough about design and performance that you could probably just eyeball on off the rack or 2nd hand board and know within pretty close estimation of how it's gonna perform.

Just my 2cents for u though...

This guy in Cronulla does a great board with a bit more volume and forgiveness. Worked really well for me in a round tail, so smooth. Caught a lot of waves on it and really felt it my surfing come along - not too boaty.

http://rbshapes.com.au/wp/?page_id=52

petulance wrote:^^^
Well I did make an enquiry last year about the Mollusc you had for sale on this forum ...

Shouldered arms..........
Straight through to the keeper.

Actually, I think you're wrong.
The offspring doesn't match.

in all seriousness, i'd even suggest that the new 7S slipstream would be a great allrounder for you... http://www.surfindustries.com/surfboard ... eam-pe.php

surf it as a thruster to have a tighter more in-the-pocket feel, and as a quad if you want more straight-line speed and broader (more user-friendly) sweet-spot for turning the board.

that thing would be like a swiss-army-knife from waist high to prob head-and-a-half, for all/any conditions/waves - mushy, bowly, peaky, down-the-line, cracking, crap, whatevers.

what kind of dims are you surfing Pet, I have a board in the attic which I dont use anymore which you might wanna try...

Hatchnam wrote:in all seriousness, i'd even suggest that the new 7S slipstream would be a great allrounder for you... http://www.surfindustries.com/surfboard ... eam-pe.php

I like the look of that board. The 6'3" would probably be the go as the 6'6" dimensions are similar to my current board. The Slipstream does use the new FCS2 fin box though.

Drailed wrote:what kind of dims are you surfing Pet, I have a board in the attic which I dont use anymore which you might wanna try...

Currently riding a Miller Waterskate (6'6" x 21" x 2 5/8"). I have a JS Blak Box (6'4" x 21 1/4" x 2 3/4") that I will sell when I get another board. The Waterskate is also easier to duck dive than the Blak Box.

petulance wrote: How different is the F-Skate that you ended up getting with the one that Grant said wouldn't suit you? Being able to tailor dimensions to one's abilities and waves ridden is good and all that but there is only so much a shaper can do if he/she hasn't seen you surf before..

The second handy was only a couple inches shorter..6'5" from memory, but it was a different board to mine, much less nose area, more pointy nose shape and just generally slimmer.
True about a shaper not having seen you surf, but if they haven't then that's where experience comes into the craft.
I'm sure there's plenty of young shapers around that can make a great high performance board to suit a good, fit surfer. How many can make a board to suit a multitude of different skill levels, weights, ages, levels of fitness and waves and get it right most times?

Don't get too hung up on models most shapers have on their websites. Some of them are probably negotiable, or even willing to start from scratch. When I was checking out Simon Anderson's boards in Mona Vale, I found out that the dims of any of his models can be tweaked to personal preference at no extra cost. Unless you can speak to him though (not sure?) then you're still kind of designing your own board if there's no input from him.
Anyway good luck with the search, plenty of boards you would be familiar with come up on gumtree.

I fondled a 7'0" mollusc the day I snapped my knee cap. I still blame it!.

Honestly though it looked like a pretty decent all round board for beachies. Even for the size and thickness it was reasonably refined. A good board for someone used to fish and longer boards to surf in decent shaped waves I think. Enough paddle and float but not crazy wide in the nose and rail, not dead flat rocker, and thinned out enough ( compared to most midlengths ) to surf decent shaped waves. I was thinking of a JD version before my injury. Still am to be honest.

The shop I was in had knockoffs, from a factory called "duranbah" I believe. They were very similar in outline, but the rails were much more burgery and less refined. They were very cheap compared to the simon but I could see the difference in price just looking at the rails of both boards.

petulance wrote "6'6" x 21" x 2 5/8"
overall, those are pretty sensible dimensions for you and where you're at.
i wouldn't go much shorter (if at all) than that.
as you're better off with a bit of length to get you catching more waves, and some surface area and paddle speed to chase down those "elusive" peaks (you know, the ones that loom and peak, then drop out and shift, then loom and peak all over again) ala maroubra stylee.
foam's gonna be your fking friend out there mate, for a good while yet.

Thanks for the input Iggs and MM. I'll start having a look at the board when I get back from my hols.

Ideally my second board would be a touch smaller than my current one but the gap between the 6'3" and 6'6" Slipstream models might be a bridge too far. I would definitely want to see one in the flesh before I part with the cash. Just noticed that the board uses epoxy resin, which I believe would make it more floaty than a fibreglass equivalent.

Not if it is still poly foam.
There isn't a lot of difference in the weight of the resins.
The extra float comes from eps which is less dense, roughly 10% more float.

Epoxy can be used more sparingly for similar strength but that can require more advanced construction techniques

I've tried most combinations now, including wood and high tech fabrics and methods, and my favourite is poly foam and epoxy resin.

Petulance. Why are you wanting to go shorter or compromise on the dimensions that are already working for you ? Like, what's your goal for this next board of yours. What's the motivation? With that important piece of information I could probably give you some pointers. But if you're just wanting a different board for the sake of better performance, then I'm still very inclined to think that for where you're at, that your current board is still a pretty ideal fit for you. If anything, I could probably suggest that you're better off saving your cash, sticking with what you've got, and starting to focus your eyes only a few feet down the line (sit more in the pocket, and start eyeing off more top to bottom type lines) instead of fixing your eyes (stare-down) so far down the line. The board you have will still lend itself well to surfing in a more advanced manner, no problems. I've surfed it. It goes quite ok off the bottom and off the top.

Yeah what he said... Be cautious about refining refining refining... All that will happen is you will catch less waves for the compromise of pulling off a slightly more radical turn every blue moon.

Not saying you're not ready or whatever to come down a bit in volume... I don't know where you're up to. Just be wary of screwing your wave count.. Because that's what really counts.

Maybe you just want a new board because it's fun to buy a new board.. If that's the case, be careful on the dims.

For most Sydney beachies at 4ft and under, a board that's a good paddler with good "stand-there-speed" and the ability to adapt instantly to a series of abrupt wave changes is the ticket as a good allrounder. Just look at the multitude of boards out there today designed for exactly that purpose. "Refined" ? Wait til it's well overhead Petulance. And if you're wanting a different feel or outcome for the 4ft and under then there's plenty of things you can tweak with total design of a board to achieve the result. But if you compromise too much on foam, volume, and "catching lots of waves" then it can a wasted effort.