Mctavish Fireball

Post by **austeve** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:36 pm

Are they any good , does anyone have an opinion?

Post by **bondi** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:45 pm

i wouldnt ride any mctavish surfboards!

nuff said....

Post by **austeve** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:54 pm

Why is that

Post by **WANDERER** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:21 am

I think what Bondi is saying, is that they have a certain stigma attached... if ya arent aware of it, then there is probably a reason.

At the end of the day they seem to work, Ray Gleave used to ride em (although I'm sure his were flatter) if ya can get it for a good price then they're ok, problem is you'll have trouble gettin one for under or near a grand. Steer clear of the Tuff-lite or epoxy versions, they are too light.

If ya gonna buy new then you could probably save a few quid on going for a lesser marketed brand, you will pay extra for the badge. One thing I will say is that you will be pretty much be guarenteed a quality finished board, something some of the smaller operators struggle with.

Post by **betterIwas** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:44 am

I have one and my mate has one (who recommended it to me). I find it very good. Shape is good and the finish is great. Simply, the board works.

I would prefer it did not have decals on it but that is the way it goes (I really dislike advertising the surf brands - big or small - I prefer to buy the product not the badge). I have owned 3 longboards, 1 custom, but the fireball is by far the best.

I would have preferred to buy a custom by a local long board shaper with no badges at all but it was too difficult. I rang McTavish, asked for suitable specs for me and then found a shop with the board.

Post by **tootr** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:54 pm

i have been told a fireball is a good choice??.... wots the stigma..apart from every bloke i see chucking or nose diving a mal in one foot surf seem to be on a McT

so for someone who has surfed shortboards for a long time and wants to give some log riding a go in small stuff.. name some quality mal/log/longboard makers please

Post by **clinker** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:51 pm

Bob also did some nice work developing the vee bottom

Post by **betterIwas** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:46 pm

Longboards I like, as well as McT, that are made in Aus are South Coast, Rabbige (Retro) & Steve O'Donnell.

Post by **barrington** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:47 pm

I have heard that McTs are generally ridden by overweight BMW-driving yuppy scum kooks. Maybe thats where the stigma comes from.

Post by **dan** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:09 pm

barrington, for the most part you couldn't have said it better. McT's have gotta similar stigma to that of Al-Merrick boards.

Now I'm reminded of when I saw a dead-ringer of kelly slater out at my local beachie. He was riding this al-merrick board and it was whilst all the pros were in town, during the newie surf fest. Then I saw him surf... no way that was kelly slater. he was a kook!

Post by **Longygrom** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:13 pm

that stigma is usually with the surftech boards.. they cost alot more than the normal fiberglass ones and omg they look so horible, so disgusting it seriosly makes me cringe and think 'what sucker would by this'

Post by **betterIwas** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:47 pm

barrington,

you could not be further from the truth - beemers are so common, Porsche Cayenne is the chariot of choice

Post by **WANDERER** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:18 pm

tootr wrote: wots the stigma..apart from every bloke i see chucking or nose diving a mal in one foot surf seem to be on a McT

barrington wrote:I have heard that McTs are generally ridden by overweight BMW-driving yuppy scum kooks. Maybe thats where the stigma comes from.

Longygrom wrote:that stigma is usually with the surftech boards.. they cost alot more than the normal fiberglass ones and omg they look so horible, so disgusting it seriosly makes me cringe and think 'what sucker would by this'

betterIwas wrote:barrington,

you could not be further from the truth - beemers are so common, Porsche Cayenne is the chariot of choice

(d) all of the above

Post by **austeve** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:54 pm

So apart from them being over marketed yuppie attracting symbols (which I honestly don't give a rat's about) are they are good board ?? :?

Post by **platty** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:03 pm

"So apart from them being over marketed yuppie attracting symbols (which I honestly don't give a rat's about) are they are good board ??"

I think that depends on how you surf. If you are a short board rider wanting to go long they would be ok.

If you want to stand there and surf it from the tail they would be ok.

If you lean more toward the progressive style of longboarding they would be ok.

If you want to surf a longboard the way a longboard should be surfed. I personally think there are better boards around for that. Flatter rocker, heavier glass jobs, softer rails etc. If this is the case Mc Tavish does do the older style boards also.

I tried riding a Jason Blewitt model once. Not for me.

Long live the flat heavy board. platty.

Post by **hamish** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:19 pm

thanks platty for bringing some sense back to the forum. the fireball is exactly that - a board for a shortboarder going long. Or a board for someone not really into trad riding or loggin'. they have a fair bit of rocker and seem to be mainly designed to be ridden with yr back foot over the fins. they are a fun board if that's what you're after but one can't help but feel like a tool with all those decals on it.
i had one but became quickly frustrated with it- it's very light for a longboard, good for someone who wants an all-rounder but not a trad board. and then they're the cost, but i guess any name longboard is over the grand mark. BTW platty, i have an old 6'8 G&S single fin i want to get restored. any ideas of people who could do it without charging like the prverbail wounded bull?

Post by **WANDERER** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:27 pm

if its ya first mal, it'll do fine.

perhaps you could get a fleuro wetty to go with it? MMWWWAAAAAHahahahaahahahaha

seriolaholic · Post by **seriolaholic** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:37 am

I ride a surftech mctavish mal. I invested the extra cash (hard-earned) since I find that I spent more repairing dings on glass boards than the difference in the price of the surftech board. Owning a mal in a small apartment is a quick recipe for dings! I love the board and would'nt buy anything other than surftech again. Mine is a stylist, I am sure the fireball is excellent as well, if you can get it in surftech even better. The stigma thing is a total wank in and of itself - the people that rant on about this stigma only do so because they are the guys that secretly desire to be the wanker with the BMW.... McTavish make good boards buy what ever brand you think works best for you!

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