First Custom Stoke

[rightbrainpositive]

Yep, my first new custom... actually my first new board ever (good 2nd hand boards go a looooong way)! So I thought I'd share the love even though I won't get it for a couple of weeks

Shaped by Pridmore (yep that's him), 6"4' x 20 3/4 x 2 8/10, single to double concaves, quad (with a 5th trailer plug for fun). It'll end up being sprayed a dark, royal blue with a standard wet-rub finish. It's a modified version of his "Fat Bat."

And just so you know who it's shaped for: i'm 92 kg, intermediate, slightly above average fitness but average paddler, solid/stocky build and love using my front foot. This board was designed to help me paddle into fat ones at Noosa plus still get into sucky ones at Sunshine (a place that reminds me of like Tallows, Garie if you're unfamiliar).





Stoke & feedback appreciated... smartass comments expected!

[marcus]

you look almost as muscley as mark pridmore

[ric_vidal]

Maybe Mark will be smiling when he gets back from Fiji always looks so bloody serious.

Good luck with it RB+

[Beerfan]

Looks like a very nice board. Very clean outline. Let us know how it goes mate. MP has been busy!!!! Good on ya mark, nice looking board.

P.S hate to be glassing that tail

[Natho]

interesting board.

Let us all know how she goes once you ride it.

[slowy]

Water your lawn for farks sake Mark!!!
RBT...Mate the Stoke of a custom is bloody great..I'm with you. I recently got a new MORE board myself!!!

Mark..quick update on the board....took about 5 surfs to really get my back foot back over the fins (farkin fish!!). Now the board is feeling super responsive in any surf conditions. Tail wafts realy easily but rail still holds a line with all my weight jammed against when cutting back etc.

First comp on it this weekend..look out grommies the old boys a comin'.

Model number two could be sooner than later...similiar board but all the "extras" heavily refined and cut back.

[rightbrainpositive]

Water your lawn for farks sake Mark!!!
RBT...Mate the Stoke of a custom is bloody great..I'm with you. I recently got a new MORE board myself!!!

Mark..quick update on the board....took about 5 surfs to really get my back foot back over the fins (farkin fish!!). Now the board is feeling super responsive in any surf conditions. Tail wafts realy easily but rail still holds a line with all my weight jammed against when cutting back etc.

First comp on it this weekend..look out grommies the old boys a comin'.

Model number two could be sooner than later...similiar board but all the "extras" heavily refined and cut back.

Slowy, what type of board did he shape you? Was it a traditional fish or something more hybrid-like? The two best things I found about working with Mark on a custom was his openness to different designs and his willingness and effort to communicate honestly about what he thinks will work with my ideas.

Post up some pics!

[collnarra]

that's a really nice looking board, RB+. sweet. post a report after you've ridden it.

[tiger]

That's looking like an extremely fun board >B+, Skids pumping out some interesting shapes. Just got 3 blanks in for myself to add to the quiver, I still get excited about new boards. You must be peaking, with it being your first custom.

[slowy]

Hey RBP. No fishes this time.
I have gone to a high performance shortboard, I was riding a hybrid fish for about a year and a half, due to having a crook back. Since that is now fully fixed I wanted to go back to a classic shorty, just more responsiveness and better coming back round off the top.
Sorry haven't posted pics here before and couldn't be arsed learnin' how to. Pics up on Marks new site though, (MOREboards...plug..plug) I'm the one that has the green and black tail pad!!

Marks was great to deal with..I was lucky as he knew my surfin' as we went to highschool together (obviously that really helped with the shaping)..that was more than 15 years ago..we both went off to different states etc...but I got back in contact with him on the realsurf forums!!! How random is that? Glad I did as the new board is going great.
Farkin' great prices as well!!
Let us know how the board goes.

[pridmore]

Maybe Mark will be smiling when he gets back from Fiji always looks so bloody serious.

Good luck with it RB+

cant stop smiling after a great hol in Fiji...thanks RV

Glad you like your board 'Slowly' (ben), mine is very similar to yours and is going a treat...and I am too busy surfing to water my lawn

RBt, I am stoked on your stoke if that makes sense, cant wait til you surf it.....

[pridmore]

Yep, my first new custom... actually my first new board ever (good 2nd hand boards go a looooong way)! So I thought I'd share the love even though I won't get it for a couple of weeks

Shaped by Pridmore (yep that's him), 6"4' x 20 3/4 x 2 8/10, single to double concaves, quad (with a 5th trailer plug for fun). It'll end up being sprayed a dark, royal blue with a standard wet-rub finish. It's a modified version of his "Fat Bat."

And just so you know who it's shaped for: i'm 92 kg, intermediate, slightly above average fitness but average paddler, solid/stocky build and love using my front foot. This board was designed to help me paddle into fat ones at Noosa plus still get into sucky ones at Sunshine (a place that reminds me of like Tallows, Garie if you're unfamiliar).





Stoke & feedback appreciated... smartass comments expected!

board looks ok but farrrkin ruff head mate....

[rightbrainpositive]

One word: STOKED!!

Top job Mark, even the colour is spot on. Terimah Kasih banyak!!!

Plenty of foam where I need it; i reckon I'll be getting heaps more waves with it. I probably should have gone down an inch or two but it's all good. I can see some good times ahead with my new baby

I'll be taking it out on Sunday and hopefully surfing with Fong at one of the points. Any other SC Realsurfers in the area, I'll be there around 3ish, with my new board in hand...

Yeewwwwwwwwwwww!!!

[pridmore]

Glad you like it...maybe let it cure for a bit longer before surfing but thats totally up to you....ENJOY and cheers

[marcus_h]

Hey Felix, looking at your board made me place an order with mark too!

Going a 6'1" fat bat - would be keen to check yours out in person

[rightbrainpositive]

Marcus, I can PM you whenever I'm going for a surf and if you are in the area, you are welcome to check it out and get a couple if it helps. If you are a decent paddler, between 80-85 kgs, I reckon a 6'1" fat bat will work great for you... best to listen to Mark.

Can't wait to surf it this arv at Noosa. There should be enough swell for either T's or G's at low tide.

The first time I looked at it I thought "g whiz, that's a lotta foam"...
Mark first suggested a 6"3' and I could have gone with that (or maybe even a 6'2"??).

But as I keep looking at it, it seems to shrink and get 'smaller'...

When I remember the brief I gave Mark and honestly remember my surfing ability I look at it and think "This board has been built for me and it is going to get me into some beautiful waves. Stop whinging and remember that there have been plenty of rippers who have killed it on boards this size and bigger"

I think I gotta stop looking at what other people around me are surfing... surfing peer pressure haha

(And sorry if I'm sounding all Zen and reflective in this post... I'm working till 2ish and frothing to get out there... not to mention the fact that I lost some sleep last night coz I was thinking too much about this afternoon's session haha)

[rightbrainpositive]

Top


Bottom


Single to Double concave (hard to tell from this pic)


Oh yeah, it's a quad...


MP's got a sense of humour


First surf in the work pool which needs a little cleaning


Harsh morning shadows, what can you do...


3 hours and counting...

[rightbrainpositive]

Yep, had a fun little surf with Fong at TeaTree yesterday. It wasn't all-time or anything but there were some fun, little peelers coming through. Most of the waves that I caught were knee to waist high.

3 things I got to say:

1. This is the fastest board I've ever surfed. The first wave I caught was micro and the speed caught me by surprise. In all my life I've never moved so quickly across a waist high wave (and i was barely 'pumping'). I guess what they say about quads are true! I'll have to get used to having so much speed (more fun than trying to constantly generate speed).

2. I don't know what I was thinking about when I was worried about 'too much foam'. This board paddles sooooo good (no need to ride my wife's minimal at mushy tea tree) and is more responsive than my old thruster. It feels loose but in control... if that makes sense.

3. Also on the 'too much foam' thing... i was worried about how it would go when the waves were a little suckier/steeper. just before i started thinking about paddling back in, a head high wave snuck through breaking near the rocks, sucking up and a growing a little bigger than when I first looked at it. I didn't have to paddle, I got on easy and carved into a sweet bottom turn that slingshot me into the pocket at breakneck speed...
I then got dropped-in on by a greedy grom
but at least I know that steeper/sucky drops shouldn't be a problem

Mark, I'm soooo stoked with this board!
I can't wait to surf it next, it's just like surfing is going to be really different now and I feel like (I know big call for a first surf) I'm going to improve my surfing with this board. Sorry about the cliche's but it's true.

It's nice to be able to paddle past the groms for a change and get onto waves that are usually reserved for the logs. Not complaining about the speed factor too

Can't wait till my next surf... Yeeewwwwwwww!!!!!!!