Paddle Surf Hawaii 9'1" Roundpin (Balsa)

[Stewart]

Here's a few pictures of the prototype.




Side by side comparison with the 9'3".





Board specs are 9'1" X 28 3/4" X 4 3/8"

Board is super quick in turns, and rail to rail transition.  Been using it mostly on the backhand recently.  Can't wait to get on some rights.

[Blane Chambers]

Stewart, last night I made me something special...    Don't watch unless you have time...   Not exciting... Well, I'm kinda excited because in a few weeks, this puppy is gonna hit the water...
Scrubbing My New Pintail

[Honolii]

Great video Blane!
Shows how much work and hands on you put into your custom board, even though you start out with a machined blank. Still a lot of hand finishing.
I can appreciate as I do so woodwork myself, and have shaped custom bodyboards (no, they are not pop-outs or molded, same as surfboard shaping, start with a core, shape it, only difference is it doesn't get glassed, it gets heat welded skinned.) when I was involved with it.
I like how you put on the imprtant stuff first, music! Then face mask.
aloha,
Honolii

[808assassin]

hey blane.. how much you selling that 9'1" for? heh

[Blane Chambers]

Stewart going backside on the board the 9-1 Wood Veneer



Uhh, my 9-1 is not for sale!   My daughter is painting it for Daddy right now.....

[Blane Chambers]

I guess it goes right pretty good too...

Stewart banging a section...

[Wazza66]

Blane,

Don't forget to send a few down under.

A few of us can't wait.

Waz

[Stewart]

Finally got the 9'1" ( or the 8'13" as my friends call it) in some really good surf (double overhead rights at a farely secret spot).  The board is AWESOME.  I called Blane to give him some feeback, and the only thing I could constantly say was "Oh, my god".  If you have the 9'3" and like it, you will love this one. 

The best way to describe the feel and performance of the board, is it rides like a SHORTBOARD!!!  Like I'm back on a 6'3".

I've always described the 9'3" as the best SUP on the market for performance surfing.  For me, that has changed.  The 9'1" roundpin is now my main board.

[Honolii]

GREAT!
Now that I've saved enough to order a 9'3", this 9'1" comes up.
It's changing as fast as computer equipment is.
I'll be broke by the time I keep up with these advancements in SUP!!!

[motopilot]

I am sold, and do not even need the balsa.  I will just take as light as you can make it.

[808assassin]

@Stewart

let me know when your ready to give up the board.. i'll buy um

[Bob from Brazil]

Aloha Stewart,

I'd like to hear more about the 9'1 roundpin rails. How are them compared to the 9'3? Are they smaller? Bigger? Any changes? Edgier? How does it feel in the wave?

Mahalo do Brazil,
Bob.

[Stewart]

Bob, the rails are almost identical to the 9'3".  When Blane and I talked about this shape I explained that I totally love the 9'3" and its capabilities, but I did want to change a few thingts for my preference.

The first thing I asked for was a roundpin.  The roundpin has always been my choice of tail for any surfboard, whether a shortboard or longboard.   I really like the stableness the roundpin provides in waves.

The second was I wanted the board a little shorter because I felt that it would respond better in the tight areas of the wave.  It seems that Blane and I are in agreement as to when does a smaller board no longer become practicable due to the loss of speed and drive you get out of turns.

The third was I wanted the bottom to be a vee bottom, not the single concave running into a double barrel.  The actual dimensions I left up to Blane to figure out.  I guess you could say I just wanted an old school very basic roundpin.

To describe what the board feels like is so hard for me to put into words. 

Paddling:  This board is lighter than the production boards.  At first I had some difficulty paddling the board because it seemed to float higher on the water.  The wind and every little ripple made it challenging to stay standing.  But, a little bit of quality time with the board resolved that.

Surfing:  My comparisons are going to be compared to the 9'3".  Catching waves are the same as the 9'3".  The board paddles well as far as speed, and once you get used to the extra flotation it becomes second nature.  Once on a wave is where the differences are dramatic.  The board is definitely to be ridden from the tail.  Turns are quicker, the radius of the turn is smaller.  The board is very stable while turning in the power sections of the wave (what I mean by this is that there is no unexpected slippage when turning hard off of the bottom or the top).  This part is hard for me to describe because for my style of surfing I don't like the board to release or slide unless I'm making it do it.  I hate it when you get a good solid wave and the boards slides out on the bottom ruining your position on the wave, or when you turn off of the top and the board releases leaving you stuck on the top.  The board is very loose, responds instantly to what you make it do, and its not sliding/or releasing unexpectedly.  That was very important to me.  (Thank you Blane)

The board is so loose and positive that a few notable things I noticed were that, you know that top turn where you keep the paddle on the inside of you and it kind of becomes a layback cutback.  This board allowed me to do the same turn without the use of the paddle because it was able to transition so quickly from the inside rail to the outer rail.  And when I did use the paddle for this same turn, all I can say is think "shortboard manuevers".  The other thing I noticed, or that I like is that the "spray is back".  For the last two years I have not been able to throw around any spray due to the length of these boards.  But . lately the off the tops and cutbacks are throwing water again, Hallelujah!!

[motopilot]

I am sold.....when can I get one?  Hurricane season is a couple of weeks away.

[hawaiian.style]

The third was I wanted the bottom to be a vee bottom, not the single concave running into a double barrel.  The actual dimensions I left up to Blane to figure out.  I guess you could say I just wanted an old school very basic roundpin.

does the vee bottom run the entire board?

Paddling:  This board is lighter than the production boards.  At first I had some difficulty paddling the board because it seemed to float higher on the water.  The wind and every little ripple made it challenging to stay standing.  But, a little bit of quality time with the board resolved that.

so is the board lighter in weight due to the balsa construction?  and the volume is more or less the same as the 9'3"?  I'm just wondering if this is a board would work for a lighter guy (165 lbs), like myself.  my 9'3" floats me good, almost too good... but I guess that's because I got used to the 9'6" hand-glassed I have. 

a roundpin vee sounds very enticing!