Midlengths

[Drailed]

The more time i spend on this board, the more I regret stuffing around trying to go too short too soon.
I'm catching more waves than ever before.

That's exactly where I am right now, my newish quiver is just perfect. I look back on the waves I have missed over the past 4 years and think what a waste.

[JET01]

Good to hear Jet.

I reckon you have a good hybrid fished up quad in your future. Have a look at the Lost range, sounds like it may be up your alley.

I'm actually looking forward to winter so I can spend some more time on the 6'1 single.

If I was to get a fished up quad.... I'd go back to grant miller and get a quad fskate.

[JET01]

Just stumbled across mick mackie smooth glides..... I think I'm in love.

Anyone surfed a 6'6?

[Davros]

Looks like Mackie has settled on these and his side cuts. I've always been keen to try the side cut in a quad, any ride review? (Batoes maybe) there was a time a few years back where they'd pop up second hand but not so much now.

I porked up about 7 years ago and asked Mick for a board, he made me pretty much a Hypto Kryto with a chined rail and flatter deck. When I picked it up I was like WTF is this and he said it's a hybrid based on an older template from back in day, I hadn't seen anything like it and was dubious, on the way home I had a ride at Werrie on some ok rights but I really enjoyed how the board traversed the face of the wave and it's smooth transitions. I loved that board for a while, much lighter now but just the mention in this thread means it's out of from under the house tomorrow. Yew. Inspired.

[batoes]

yep - i dig mackie's work - but i don't have anything of his at the moment. Did you find one at finbox jet? They seem to stock them from time to time. I would love one of mackie's old school fish - but he seems to be just shaping the larger rocket fish, the smooth glides and the flex tail stuff. One his Lis style wider nose boards, 5'2 or so with those big arse keels...but i'm on a bonzer trip at the moment and can't make any room on the racks.

I rode a 7'2 mid length mackie out the farm a few years back. Swapped with a guy in the surf for a bit. Glide and speed. Fin was too big, so i couldn't really turn it - but it was fun and you could shift up and down the board.

[Morgan The Moon]

I've got a couple of bigger twin keel Mackies, a classic 6.6 which I suspect may have been snapped but the previous owner swears it wasn't, and a 6.8 sidecut which is 3 and a half thick (!!), with Chine rails and a real beak nose. Looks like a really interesting board. The 6'6 went well for me when I rode it (backhand), heaps of glide, but it was a race and ride kinda day.

The 6'8 I haven't really had an opportunity to try in any lined up waves and it's sitting in the racks.

I'm not opposed to off loading them so if anyone is interested let me know and I'll post pics.

[Beerfan]

They are ginormous for fish, why so big?

[Morgan The Moon]

In short I'm not a small guy, and coming down from a longboard or a mid length it's an easier transition - cos the widths and thicknesses were pretty much the same across all my boards. Smallest fish I rode was 6'3.

He's not alone in making big fish - Skip makes 'em and they're functional boards. "True fish" are less than 6 I s'pose but that don't work for me. If it feels good and it's enjoyable to ride, then I'll have a go.

I bought both second hand. I thought the thickness on the 6'8 was a misprint, but nope. To my untrained eye, the foil on that board is really well done, really thin on the pins and all the thickness under the chest.

[Beerfan]

Fair call, I used to love high volume boards. I had a 6'2" keel fish which I loved but now have a 5'9", I enjoy it so much more, especially manouverability. I think I could've gone even smaller than 5'9" easily but I'm not a big bloke.


I do appreciate a good midlength though.

[JET01]

yep - i dig mackie's work - but i don't have anything of his at the moment. Did you find one at finbox jet? They seem to stock them from time to time. I would love one of mackie's old school fish - but he seems to be just shaping the larger rocket fish, the smooth glides and the flex tail stuff. One his Lis style wider nose boards, 5'2 or so with those big arse keels...but i'm on a bonzer trip at the moment and can't make any room on the racks.

I rode a 7'2 mid length mackie out the farm a few years back. Swapped with a guy in the surf for a bit. Glide and speed. Fin was too big, so i couldn't really turn it - but it was fun and you could shift up and down the board.

Nah haven't been down to finbox, just found his website and Facebook so have been salivating over the photos.

[batoes]

wait till you feel one up. Little on the tubby side but oh so purty.

[Davros]

Looks of pushin in the cushion. You'll always have fun on a Mackie

[JaM71]

I've had a few sessions on the Olive lately, however this morning was something else. Had a 2 hour session at Elouera, wonderfully long (compared to recent conditions) right handers in front of the surf club.
The more time i spend on this board, the more I regret stuffing around trying to go too short too soon.
I'm catching more waves than ever before.
There were some really nice long walls this morning. Got a few nice long turns in but spent most of the morning rising and falling along the right handers.

Just a wonderfully stable platform to glide around on.

Oh and the 9" Volan greenough 4A seems like it was great choice.

Between this board and my blue 6'1 single I can't see the shorties getting a gurnsey any time soon. These singles are just too much fun.

I recently got a 7ft beachbeat pacer egg which I ve been riding with an Akila flex fun, small soft waves have never been so much fun. The length of ride, ability to make section after section & the single fin feel/speed in small waves is very addictive. Can't believe it took me this long to get one & that I fluffed around with short stumpy grovellers for so long

[JET01]

I've had a few sessions on the Olive lately, however this morning was something else. Had a 2 hour session at Elouera, wonderfully long (compared to recent conditions) right handers in front of the surf club.
The more time i spend on this board, the more I regret stuffing around trying to go too short too soon.
I'm catching more waves than ever before.
There were some really nice long walls this morning. Got a few nice long turns in but spent most of the morning rising and falling along the right handers.

Just a wonderfully stable platform to glide around on.

Oh and the 9" Volan greenough 4A seems like it was great choice.

Between this board and my blue 6'1 single I can't see the shorties getting a gurnsey any time soon. These singles are just too much fun.

I recently got a 7ft beachbeat pacer egg which I ve been riding with an Akila flex fun, small soft waves have never been so much fun. The length of ride, ability to make section after section & the single fin feel/speed in small waves is very addictive. Can't believe it took me this long to get one & that I fluffed around with short stumpy grovellers for so long

The love affair I have with this board continues to grow. I had a session this morning at Cronulla point.
A lot can be said for getting in early. The confidence it gives you to go deeper and bigger is significant. A let's face it, surfing is about catching waves. All the boxes were ticked this morning.

I reckon I was havming more fun than anyone in the water this morning. That got me thinking.....
If you're catching waves then you're having more fun. The shorter the board the less waves you get, frustration rises, vibe in the line up is shit as everyone is either missing waves or just can't get deep enough. Is the HPSB responsible for the generally shitty vibe in the waves these days? Or are people just c$&ts?

[JaM71]

Well I am sure that a hpsb doesn't help the majority of the surfing masses as they either miss waves or butcher waves you know the hunched over monkey humping and pumping or over correcting and wobbling everywhere.....crowded point breaks bring out the worst that's for sure.

I rode my 7ft pacer egg at greenmount late this arvo & was really happy with my wave count getting in early and having enough glide/speed to set the whole wave up was awesome as was the length of my rides. That board glides through fat sections like a 9ft er and in steep sections (with my foot back over the single fin) turns like a much shorter board. The rails are beautiful & it's only 2 & 3/8 thick. I find a midlength gives me more time & allows me to relax more through turns......& I just can't help but cheater 5 through a steep section then get back on the tail to carve another turn.

IMO A good midlength is far more nimble allowing more options than a 9ft er. If the points are not too crowded, I like to ride a fish but that's pretty rare these days.

if you re catching heaps of long waves and having heaps of fun, then you re onto a good thing. But please let the masses continue to think that they are ripping on their pointy nose al merricks.

[Beerfan]

You guys are really killing me. Love a good midlength.

[Davros]

Mids for over 4ft

[JaM71]

You guys are really killing me. Love a good midlength.

Ha ha. Hey beery, I believe that u had an SG as well. I had a 7ft SG for 4 years but this beachbeat pacer egg is a step above. If u get a chance to fondle one, I am sure that u will dig it.