bonzers.....the quad fad is over

[Drailed]

Had 2 x 2 hour sessions at Raglan today on my homemade bonzer
Just a lovely feeling on those big open walls, effortless speed and no loss of momentum through long turns
Perfect board for todays conditions

Nice, surf porn. Hows the crouds??

[bomboraa]

Steve can you give a review of the Octafish? Mate' felt one up yesterday, got very excited and is thinking of getting one. Batoes that Russ Short is gorgeous.

[steve shearer]

Working today and tomorrow will get something down on Tues.

[tootr]

Permit me to butt in with my two penneth. The octafish is a stonking design. Short, stubby, high volume, low rocker, fast, drivey, but still turns on a dime. If you need cutting edge sildey manuoverabilty don't bother,but if you like to go fast and do clean turns. Great board for the old fart who is off HP thrusters in small surf. I love it.

Heres pic of mine when new, its beaten up a bit these days.

[bomboraa]

Thanks Tootr. Sounds like it would suit my mate perfectly. Upper range of the board, which looks bloody lovely?
Looking forward to your review Steve.

[steve shearer]

Anything I say will be just extra fluff on what Tootr said. I totally agree with it word for word.

I'll just add quickly I quite often push the upper limits of size with mine. Ridden it in a stack of 6ft+ surf and really enjoy it. It's a board with a lot of range.
Also would wholeheartedly recommend getting Roy's spitfire fin to put in it to add to the versatility.

[tootr]

Seriously thinking of a BLEF or smaller base fin to loosen up the bonzer for small stuff.

Got a few old genreric longboard fins I could attack with a saw and a sander.

[tootr]

Thanks for the offer, but I am finally pulling the trigger on a rotator cuff op. Wont be needing any fins for a few months.

[Hatchnam]

there's a monster version of my (ex-tootr's) G&S 5fin diamond tail bonzer on gumtree at the moment for $500 (neg) - for sale in sydney, darlinghurst.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/darlingh ... 1072370047

7' x 22-6/8" x 2-7/8"

it'd be cracking one board quiver for a monstrously big and/or older dude.

i've got a 6'6 identical to it, and it's total kick arse.

[Beanpole]

Tasty.
Has it got the proper channels?
Hard to see in the photo.

[Hatchnam]

It's got the hourglass bonzer channel. It'd be like mine. The bottom contours are more subtle than a Campbell bonzer. Still uber fast and drivey regardless .

[Davros]

if I was 5 kilos heavier I'd be keen, great shape.

[Hatchnam]

It is indeed. My 6'6 goes in anything from knee high junk to double ovehead grinders.

But now that I've shed weight it's a little too high volumed for anything over four foot. Like I can use it, but at that size it's too fast (float speed) and hard to control (too beefy, loss of knife-like control on rail).

I'd love it in a 6'4 x 19.75 x 2.5

[Beanpole]

Wow, vintage board as well. PT used to ride G&S Bonzers for quite a while back in the day. This continued to ad fuel to the PT is a California Style cruiser Spray. Then he went and lived in the States just to prove it.

[Hatchnam]

If you're a 100kg or more you should just by it. It's still for sale too. Link on previous page.

[Hatchnam]

Id very much doubt it's a vintage board. It looks the exact same as mine, which essentially a modern reissue based on an older board. Tootr could confirm about when mine was made as I bought it off him. I'm guessing it's only just a few years old . Three or so.

[Davros]

Hi MF I personally think the older plan shapes and foils suit the 100 plus club better than say bigged up shorties. Most have modern bottom curves anyway (although I think some bonzers have a bit more V like older models) That's just me sure others would disagree.

I would buy that board if I didn't just hit my board limit. And I've come down a few kegs, don't worry im still in the 100 club can't get to the 9 for long.

[tootr]

those G@S bonzers are shaped by Nigel Perrow at Byron. The one I sold to Hatchnam was maybe 4-5 years old.

Note the concaves and runner fin placement (esp. cant and toe in) are quite different to a Campbell. A stiffer board all else equal.

IMO pay the extra for Campbell. You won't go back.