Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => Gear Talk => Topic started by: Wetstuff on August 21, 2019, 08:39:12 AM
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Last gasp... I'm out of A$ and everyone is dying around me (thankfully, not Marjie). Zo... a friend of 20yrs I have never spoken to hauled this over to Pack-Ship in Toonoomba (named as Australia's Tidiest Town in 2008) and 6th runner up for fun'st name.
TNT, bought by FedEx, did the paperwork and the board flew from Brisbane - Sydney - Los Angeles - Memphis. I'd guess truck from there to Baltimore? The last adventure was via the Panama Canal and Port of NJ - to Baltimore. Longer, nearly as expensive, with rent-seekers holding hands out at the end ...which may have made it more expensive.
I have not slit the tape yet... More picture when I have a better setting.
Jim
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packing's beautiful!
why slit it open--just surf it!
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That's a long trip, dare I ask how much was shipping?
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yep.... waiting for tomorrow isn't a good play at our age ;D
Live well today and regret less.... instantly!
Looks like your Mummy came through without any unraveling.... good man there, in OZ.
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I hear striptease music....... Open it slowly........ ... .....
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I would take it out as it is and see if its better on the outside than inside and just wax it before you head out. I also heard the tariffs, not for the seller but the buyer suffers the consequences.
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That's board packing perfection right there. I'm not understanding what you're saying about the tariffs. Was that complicated shipping itinerary something that helped beat the tariffs?
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* Toowoomba
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Sorry, Better... Grammerly did not catch that one!
Man... there's almost nothing like cracking open the box to see 'ruin' inside. I got a lot - I even bought them that way. It's the rail crunches that drop the blood pressure. One came 'bad' ...and took months to replace.
My friend agreeded to 'noodle' the rails ...but, unlike the 12' he sent - he put soft, carpet underlayment on the deck/bottom rather than more dense styrofoam. I lucked out... (occasionally, Joe Below Average wins one!)
Jim
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JEG... It's whom (who) ever the importer is - PAYS. You bring in baggies like major surf brands for $8 pair ...add .80 ...and you're still bagging a load of cash from the tourist in the surf shop. I be the importer on this transaction. A couple of times when I had used, other than, FedEx or DHL, I got whacked by rent-seekers like secondary trucking companies ...and paid about $200. for a broker to clear the customs paperwork for that 12' that came thru the Panama Canal to NJ. (You gonna get in the car drive 3hr. to figure out just where and how to do that?! ...they know the answer: $200)
Cookie... Nah! That routing was 'what it was' ...'nothing to do about customs. I missed adding a flight. Memphis (FedEx hub) to BWI. 'Gotta give FedEx props for the fine condition.
Jim
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The Reveal... First a tourist shot. The two-lane road get clogged with people doing what I did... "JEEZUZ! Ju people never seen a horse before!!!" (I can understand a Grizzly...)
Jim
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Nice!
So, what are the dims on that new stick? And, aren't you afraid you will get fire-bombed for single strapping that beuty? ;D
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Nah, Bean.... That's doubles. If the wind blows 60+mph from the rear... I got other problems.
I make my own straps - non-slip webbing with knarly teeth clips. My pads are non-slip rubber, I made them also. If two boards: #1 gets double, #2 single and one at the rear.
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The board is the Atlantis Mistress - 10 x 32. I liken it to ...if Robert August made a 'Special needs' model. They have a 28" which I am sure would be more to most of you's' standards, but I fall in the 'needs' category.
It is simply 'carrier deck' ...little nose ...little tail. It feels heavier than the 30lbs the scale says. I tested it in flat water - hoping the wind drops tomorrow to get it salty. I had either a cheapo plastic 9" ...some large axes ...or this Quad left from 7' directional kiteboard, vintage 2002.
In the hour I paddled it, mostly in quartering, 4" chop it was slow compared to the very-quick, 12' Venom. It was, as expected, rolly but quite stable. The interesting part was nose-bias. I am not used to a sinker tail when my feet pass the handle... 'times before, I seem to remember the board becoming unstable when the tail sank - this was not. I am happy to see a lot of water over the rails. I too well remember those 'watchtower' corks I used to have.
Besides being slow (lots of surface drag..) it did not track as well as my others, but I'd guess the fins had something to do with that...
Jim
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I broke this into multiples because some pics are too fat to do multiples. One thing of concern... the neon bottom. I may have to bag this. I thought about doing a UV clear, but that's a 'c'hit-load of work. I did put some car wax on the bottom that claims it has UV absorption properties... Hmm.
Jim
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That is one sweet looking board WS - congrats!
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That was the swimsuit edition board reveal. And yaahh .. quads not going to paddle as straight as a big center fin.
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right now our AU dollar is on a record low and us buying US gear is long gone. All you US ppl better start buying AU gear before we take it back ;D
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Question tho' TD... If taken in the surf, is this just going to spin on me when I 'paddle for it'? I try for a shoulder take off ..not straight or making big bottom turns like some of youse better guys. (I may take a big single with me tomorrow - just in case)
Jim
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And yaahh .. quads not going to paddle as straight as a big center fin.
That depends on the paddler's technique. And I'll use myself as an example below.
My BP Duke at 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 liters can paddle a straight line with a 4 fin quad setup (2, 5.13") (2, 4.34") on the private lake I paddle when there is no wind, meaning dead calm, with me paddling only on my right side and never switching over to my left side. I just pick out a spot on the bank (tree, bush, pipe, etc) about 200 yards from me and I paddle straight to it. And the paddle I use is a Naish Alana 75 Vario RDS paddle set at 66" total length.
Under the same conditions; no wind and dead calm, I can also paddle the same straight line paddling to the same targets above with the same stroke when my Duke is installed with one single 9" fin in the center fin box and no other fins and again, only paddling on my right side.
My paddle stroke is more like this in the video below with Robert of Blue Planet. And I copied his stroke with a slight variation because my Duke is 10'5" x 32" whereas Robert's Bump Rider is about 14' x 28".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBURA5HvTOM
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Question tho' TD... If taken in the surf, is this just going to spin on me when I 'paddle for it'? I try for a shoulder take off ..not straight or making big bottom turns like some of youse better guys. (I may take a big single with me tomorrow - just in case)
Jim
I don't know. Every board is different. The shape of your new friend from down under, indicates it might have some nose riding qualities / potential. If that is how I wanted to surf it, I'd put a bigger single fin on it. Make that tail lock in and stick. Maybe a big old 'D' fin. If you're planning on surfing with some driving carves, then try a thruster set-up. If you want it fast and lose, run quads. Even faster, no toe quads. If you want to surf it off the tail, then a smaller single and maybe side bites like it's set up now? Try a bunch of setup and see which one feels / works the best for how you surf it. Part of the fun of it.