review of Mccoy Astron Zot

[surfywurfy]

OG, if i had that ZOT i'd get some FCS plugs inserted so u can use it as a TRI-Fin.After that i'd get a thrusterfin made with a cut out in the base so it can be set where a thruster fin normally is.When u find that u have improved the performance then get the plugs put in that make it a quad.Then u have the perfect small wave travel board.The gullfin(standard/original)will give greater drive in powerful waves.
I speak from experience.In 1999 i had Geoff build me a 7/0x20x3.in those days he called it a Nugget Gun.It came standard as a single(gullfin original).Initially i thought it went well then i tried to ride a thicker swell than normal.The GF didn't give me the drive off the bottom i needed in solid waves.I switched to a normal based fin & first turn i thought "thats how a single fin should feel".i tried Cheyne's winged keel(more drive) but then put the side plugs in.As a tri fin(2+1) it felt better but when i set it up as a thruster it went the best.
That tail was only 15", so a lot different to the Zot tail.However,the beauty is u can always return to a single fin sensation.As a quad i cant comment, but can only assume it'll be looser but not go as vertical like a thruster does.

[buzzy]

I've had from the McCoy stable;

* An original Laser Zap single fin (that's how they came) @5'10" and paid no attention to other dimensions circa 1981.
* A 6'4" x 19.5" x 2 5/8" interchange thruster nugget from Darren Rogers circa approx 1997/98.
* A 6'8" x 20" or 21" x 3 1/8" Geoff McCoy thruster nugget beast circa 2003/04 (I'd put on a lot of weight).
* The current 6'6" x 20.5" x 2/75" single fin nugget.

All great boards. Compared to modern shapes they have a little less drive, imho, but are very loose and sit in the pocket like no other board. Again, imho. The singles have less drive out of turns than thrusters, but modern singles have more drive than a circa 1980 single fin. With less drag though they paddle and trim more quickly. McCoys come off the top great.

Having said all that I'm planning to get rid of two boards, one of them the 6'6" single fin nugget, and get a Firewire El Fuego. The McCoy presently sits unridden and has for some time. I need a bigger wider one (not longer) one to fit the right niche at my current weight (ie very small wave board). I'll plan that for coming into summer, and the Zot looks ideal for that niche.

[Davros]

Interesting I have the opposite thing with my single on my backhand - its so fast down the line and I'm wrestling with it to sit in the pocket....its not a McCoy though.

[Davros]

...its a 6'6 modern bottom single with older shape.

[kookster]

SurfyWurfy adding side fins would seem to fly in the face of what Geoff says with the rail shape being customised at the rear of the board? Obviously the rail won't do nearly as good a job as fins. Perhaps if you had smaller side fins (bonzer style) you were really just adding enough for it to be a thruster...? I dunno, just thinkin'

OG - if you want to catch up for a session to have a decent crack on the 6'4 Zap let me know. I'd love to have a crack on your Zot.

Why Zaps? Quite simply put you can't snap turn a wide arse McCoy like you can with the Zap's pulled in tail. You get some of the release of a stereotypical board when turned hard. It's still a battle, today was 2' and I really struggled on the 6'4 Zap, went over the falls several times as it just doesn't want to pull into steep little waves. The 6'0 Zap is a tad better but really only because it's easier to make adjustments quickly.

I don't really subscribe to McCoy's "you need to be a high level surfer". Maybe in comparison to a 6'8 Allrounder yes. IMHO it's still a lot easier to ride than any "performance" board I've ever ridden. Someone who can smash the lip on a HPS would probably hate it, but I can't do that on a HPS and it's the volume in the board that ALLOWS me to do these moves, and you got to put the volume somewhere if you are going to pull the tail in - so it's super thick through the tail, which brings its own set of bastardry to the table that you need to work out how to ride.

This type of thinking though has really opened up my mind to what works in what conditions, do I want to be a rip and tear guy, or a barrel chaser, or just a down the line guy. IMO one board won't do all unless you're mega talented.

The volume in McCoys allow you to overlap the three a lot more, but there are still limitations.

I want to be a cruisy top to bottom surfer with the ability to snap and roundhouse occasionally and I find the Zap is the best balance.

BUT the relative difference between the width and the dramatically pulled in tail on the Zap makes them "squirrely" at high speed and that's why I reckon Geoff puts the "high performance" disclaimer on it. So I have ordered the 6'5 pulled in tail Allrounder for the barrel chasing control at Ti-Tree for example.

You also need to remember that the stereotypical Zap would be 5'6 or something stupid and for me that just wouldn't work, and yes you would have to be bloody good to overcome the disadvantages at that length. (IMO why Batoes struggled with his 5'10) The 6'0 is easier to flick around but I enjoy the 6'4 a lot more, especially as it gets bigger.

And nah they ain't much chop in out-and-out slop.

So try to again answer your question on the PotBelly.... it liked to sit more in the pocket but then at a certain steepness it would belt off down the line way too fast. But then when it got hollow it would hold lovely.

So if you had a cruisy take off and then into an overhead barrel out the front of your joint - but when it was small just stayed fat all the way through - then the PotBelly would probably do you as a one-board quiver.

But if you had a steep takeoff no good, and if semi-steep all the way it'd be too fast to carve on and bog the wide shoulders.

That's when I went to the Stumpy. Which was awesome for drops, and good for out and out barrels, but still had the same issues of flying away from the pocket and hard to carve on semi steep faces. It would turn top to bottom far better than the PB but not like the Zaps can.

Let me put it another way.

6'0 PotBelly ideal Moffats shortboard. 6'0 Stumpy ideal Moffats rock shelf on the low tide (where the swell is slower but walls up) shortboard - carties or Ti-tree for example has too much punch in the swell to get good turns going, makes you draw them out a bit too much or pushes you too fast down the line and by the time you slowed down enough ... friggin awesome on steep drops though. 6'0 Zap great smaller Sunshine Coast beachy day. 6'4 Zap bigger Carties days or even up to where you need to go to Alex because Carties not holding. Had a good session at Platforms on her the other day on a high tide, so when it's got heaps of oomph but plenty of water and not barrelling - wouldn't like that kind of drop. 6'5 Allrounder with 15" tail big Platforms, low tide big Carties, Ti-tree barrels. I've asked for the same nose roll and rocker as the Stumpy so I'm hoping it will drop in just as well too.

Wow I'm exhausted. Sorry if I'm hogging the thread guys but server space is cheap right? and hopefully I can impart some knowledge even if I'm not the world's best surfer.

[Trev]

So kookster, are you based on the Sunny Coast?
Plenty of us on Realsurf. Worth a catch up sometime.

[Chillin]

I don't have a McCoy, but I have ridden a 6'6"nug. What I have is a 6'5" Merrick Machado single fin (MSF)- modern deep single into double into concave V bottom, and a 6'2" merrick Biscuit- same bottom shape/plan shape/rocker outline, but much sharper rails, especially in the tail area. I love the MSF, but there is no way it turns like the thruster biscuit, which is 'loose' by comparison. The single makes you surf with precision and finesse and will carry speed through turns like it has mercury outboard on the back. It also has speed to burn and not a session goes by that another surfer will not comment positively on it. It paddles like a small mal and I have taken a few pretty scary drops on it, but it doesn't like em much because it generates so much speed that control becomes a problem. The biscuit is all of that plus the ability to turn a tighter arc, ie. the single likes to turn off the rail line, the biscuit likes that too, but adds fin pivot to its repertoire. It will also do a bit of a hack if you have enough strength or weight to bury the rail. The harder rail makes for faster excelleration but its a little less forgiving. Hope this helps.

[Beerfan]

Chillin, what are the glass jobs like??

[Chillin]

The MSF was ordered from California and is signed by Machado and AL Merrick, it lives on my wall when I'm not surfing it. It has a 6 on the bottom, two 6's on the deck and a gloss coat over a swirl gold resin tint spray. Its 2'12 yrs old and has been OS twice, it was also my only board for almost two yrs. Its got the usaull deck dents and a puncture in the deck thanks to baggage handling, but it still has no marks on the bottam and surf exactly the same as the day i picked it up. The Biscuit is a shop board, bought on a whim when the shop owner said i could have it for $600 (retail $795). It has the standard 4 on the bottom and 4 wuth 6 patch on the deck. I'v surfed it pretty much every day since Nov and its holding up Ok, lots of deck denting and a knee compression in the bottom. No rear dramas at this stage, defo not as good as the MSF, but comparable to most customs I'v seen. Pretty happy with both of given the design limitations and the type of surfing I do. Still waiting for the the 'Gravy' though, its been six weeks. Aparently the blank was flawed, so they scrapped it and started again.

[kookster]

Yep Trev at Warana. We should get something going for us Coasters for a surf and a beer.

[Trev]

Yep Trev at Warana. We should get something going for us Coasters for a surf and a beer.

Passed through there on my way to the Bluff this morning as Moffs was too full.
We've had a couple of get togethers which is how I got to know Fong, Tiger and co.
Will look into a follow up sometime soon.

[old grom]

OG, if i had that ZOT i'd get some FCS plugs inserted so u can use it as a TRI-Fin.After that i'd get a thrusterfin made with a cut out in the base so it can be set where a thruster fin normally is

I have has these thoughts - seen one done elsewhere. But decided i like the ZOT as it is - and will make a ZOT inspired Quad travel board for my next creation. plus I am a bit of a Mccoy freak and its cool that I have three very different originals (My ZOT; My 7'2"Nugget - very simular to yours but a thruster - and a loaded dome 6'10'' Indo gun - which I keep to remind me of my glory days ) Still finding I enjoy the ZOT more - the more I surf it - so thats a pretty good sign. However - stoked on your experiances - very "out of the box thinking" and interesting.

I'm planning to get rid of two boards, one of them the 6'6" single fin nugget, and get a Firewire El Fuego.

Hey Buzzy - I love the look of the El Fuego - sort of like a "ZOT inspired Quad travel board" - very keen to hear your thoughts on it. Still struggling with the Overseas manufactured vs local made handcrafted thing so have not made the move to buying a Firewire - but have had plenty of bad custom experiances so have been tempted.... with your board background and simular taste in board style - you might tip me over if you rate it off the scale.. OG

[old grom]

The biscuit is all of that plus the ability to turn a tighter arc, ie. the single likes to turn off the rail line, the biscuit likes that too, but adds fin pivot to its repertoire. It will also do a bit of a hack if you have enough strength or weight to bury the rail.

Chill - great rv of the MSF and the biscuit. I have been interested in both - but esp the biscuit. I think the 6'2'' is about 3" thick and 21" odd wide (my kind of shorty - loads of foam to help an old grom ). You mentioned the MSF went great - but a bit unsteady on the drop - Whats the Bicky like on a real steep late drop? Does it have a rocker? What size and range do you think they have. This sort of 'POD'' shape seems to be very versitle - wonder how it would go as a quad? A chuncky Quadfather anyone

Another "Sunny Coaster".
Whereabouts is your "local" OG?

[Trev]

The biscuit is all of that plus the ability to turn a tighter arc, ie. the single likes to turn off the rail line, the biscuit likes that too, but adds fin pivot to its repertoire. It will also do a bit of a hack if you have enough strength or weight to bury the rail.

Chill - great rv of the MSF and the biscuit. I have been interested in both - but esp the biscuit. I think the 6'2'' is about 3" thick and 21" odd wide (my kind of shorty - loads of foam to help an old grom ). You mentioned the MSF went great - but a bit unsteady on the drop - Whats the Bicky like on a real steep late drop? Does it have a rocker? What size and range do you think they have. This sort of 'POD'' shape seems to be very versitle - wonder how it would go as a quad? A chuncky Quadfather anyone

Another "Sunny Coaster".
Whereabouts is your "local" OG?

[Chillin]

Nah, not a sunnyboy, I'm on the Mid North Coast just south of Port Mac. Your dims are correct for the Biscuit. It has a very flat rocker, which is good and bad as it will get you into waves much earlier as it has incredible paddling speed, but if its really sucky or small the wideish tail will want to tip the nose under. I havn't really tried it in surf above 3' as I usually take out the 6'6"black beauty in anything with size. The MSF is not unsteady on the drop, on the contary its as stable as, but the concaves generate so much speed that you usually end up out in front of the wave waiting for it to catch up or drawing a long arc which takes you out on the wall like a mal,Its hell fun though. The biccy handles that situation better as is will allow you to force it back up the face without sliding or skipping and it will have done two turns in the time the MSF takes to do one. Its very fast on the open face too, much faster than the Nugget I rode which had similar volume. The Nugget by comparison seemed placid and easier to surf and had a kind of squishy feel under foot rather than the floating on air feeling of concaves. I don't think the Nugget held its line or its speed as well as the msf, but conversley it felt much happier surfing closer to the pocket and doing smaller arc turns.

[Trev]

Nah, not a sunnyboy, I'm on the Mid North Coast just south of Port Mac.

Not you Chillin. Old Grom. His avatar has a note beside it saying "Sunshine Coast"
You're from Fong territory. Begone.

[Chillin]

Oooooh..Duh

[old grom]

Trev- a bit north of you @ sunrise. Used to live @ Dicky Beach so know you southern guys have lots of good little spots. In fact I miss A street, Kings on the northely , and most of all Curumindi area.

The biccy handles that situation better as is will allow you to force it back up the face without sliding or skipping and it will have done two turns in the time the MSF takes to do one. Its very fast on the open face too, much faster than the Nugget I rode which had similar volume.

Thanks for the rv Chill - you have got me interested in the Bicky - and other Pod shaped boards. I reckon a quad would go well on this style - Yes I see it now - a custom Bicky inspired quad - keep the volume - but add a nice rocker

6'0 PotBelly ideal Moffats shortboard. 6'0 Stumpy ideal Moffats rock shelf on the low tide (where the swell is slower but walls up) shortboard - carties or Ti-tree for example has too much punch in the swell to get good turns going, makes you draw them out a bit too much or pushes you too fast down the line and by the time you slowed down enough ... **** awesome on steep drops though. 6'0 Zap great smaller Sunshine Coast beachy day. 6'4 Zap bigger Carties days or even up to where you need to go to Alex because Carties not holding. Had a good session at Platforms on her the other day on a high tide, so when it's got heaps of oomph but plenty of water and not barrelling - wouldn't like that kind of drop. 6'5 Allrounder with 15" tail big Platforms, low tide big Carties, Ti-tree barrels. I've asked for the same nose roll and rocker as the Stumpy so I'm hoping it will drop in just as well too.

Kookster - what is your choice for the slop we surf on the SC half the time? I was out this AM in shoulder high little shories - racing along with a little top to bottom speed generation - and every now and then a little floater (or my sad version of one..) at the closeout. The ZOT is versitile and gives little life to the shite days - I get on real early and am able to get the speed up quickly - looking at the PotBelly, I thought it would do the same - ie: give life and fun to small/or onshore/or marginal days... Someone else mentioned elsewhere in this thread - the need for a board that fills this role - I think its esential .

So I have ordered the 6'5 pulled in tail Allrounder for the barrel chasing control at Ti-Tree for example.

-

How wide and thick? Is the new Mccoy. Kookster - happy to catch up for a surf and Mccoy swap over - or do a SC get together - dont get down your way much - spoiled up here . Must admit that more keen on the NUG, ZOT, Stumpy and POT Belly styles than the ZAP - but maybe I am missing something... OG