Stand Up Paddle > Gear Talk

Snaaaaap. one down - and a new one to replace it

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NorthJerzSurfer:
So first i will say I love the way my 8'8 Riviera El Tigre surfs.  And thats where it ends.

2 weeks ago in waist high Jersey waves the board up and snapped.  And this is after it would always get a little ding anytime I went out. (not where it snapped) a VERY fragile beast.

I have to say though for a production board to snap in half in the conditions i was in is sub par.  I contacted Riviera- who i know have no contractual obligation to do anything- but thought a pure snap was probably a little out of the ordinary- After an 'encouraging' first call they directed me back to the local dealer who he would ' work it out' with.

Fast forward and my dealer say 'yeah -Riv told me to sell you one at my loss..." Hardly anything a good business owner would do (mind you this guy was just helping me- he didnt even sell me the board.

So bummed that i got the 'all good brother' and when the rubber hit the road i got the corporate line. But this isn't an anti Riviera post-  They are in business like the rest of us for a buck.

Fast forward again- and the dealer - who knows i patronize his shop for other stuff- sold me a new board  at slightly over cost based on my pity party- and a tiny bit because he wanted me on the board in the local lineup telling this tale.

 (Note- I dropped to the 8'2 El Tigre wide since I now know this layup cant handle any juice.- and ill have to fill that quiver hole.)

Now- back to the board.  Here are some pictures of the snapped board and of my new whip.

I have to say the new board is even flawed.  GoPro mount is about 15 Degrees off from center??!! Makes me wonder about my fin boxes!

9Nte not running the stock plastic fins- using my Dove Bohene Infinity quads from zoner Oilhead_CJ

TallDude:
No surprise there. Like the nug, I've seen sooo many snapped (folded or buckled) in that exact spot. Stringer-less 1 lb foam and min glass. Not going to take that front foot force either at the bottom of a drop, or punching through the white water. It probably starts happening right away. You stress it and stress it, then rails start with a little kink. It's half way there, just waiting for that little push over the edge. The GoPro mounts are small and round. Easy to not get one straight. I bet they just eye ball them. The fin boxes are typically done with a jig. The jig could be placed cockeyed, but that's not to common. If you really like the board, you might add a CF stringer strip on the top and bottom. A little 1/3 CF rail wrap mid rail would help as well.

PonoBill:
1. We've seen the stuff you pull into North Jerz. We're not buying the whole "it was little, it shouldn't have snapped" thing. You play hard.

B. Riviera boards are pretty cheap. But they're made like most Asian mid-price boards--flimsy. Honestly, a guy like you has no biz on a stringerless lightweight board. Most of their customers are in double-over-ankle Cali mushburgers or paddling in circles in Mission Bay.

3. We've seen the stuff you pull into. TallDude is being nice.

4. If you want to play with these light and flimsy boards, then reinforce the rails, like the dude says. Otherwise it's just a matter of time. The wave that snaps it isn't the wave that broke it. That was those midwinter muddy head high shorebreaks.

PonoBill:


The prosecution rests, your honor.

NorthJerzSurfer:
HAHAHA-  great points Tall Dude and Pono!

That picture was actually the first day i owned the board- (and probably the first day of the end of its life.)

At this point im considering the new El Tigre as 'disposable' The cost was 1/4 of anything I will want custom. So i'm going to just kill it and move on.  Definetly not investing in it- but great suggestions

Hopefully it will get me through the spring and summer while i design something custom for the Fall/winter storm season or look at a board like the Super Tech or Sunova Acid.

Another cool story point.  I actually had a guy buy the cracked board (for a nominal amount) as hes going to throw a wrap on it and a tuttle box and make a foil board out of it.- Of course the sale price was basd on me getting to try it!

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