Vec V-chub SUP review (another Simmmons inspired SUP)

[stoneaxe]

Following up on the standard template for reviews idea. A little background first.

The Vec V-chub is a Simmons inspired SUP. I looked at the Infinity Phoenix and the L41 S1  and was thinking about flipping a coin to decide which when I completely changed my mind and decided to have my bud Shawn (Vec) take a shot at his interpretation. We looked over the hype thread here and talked specs. He's built Simmons style surf boards in the past and has his V-chub which is a similar outline. This is the 1st V-chub SUP he's built though.

I wanted this to be a collaboration. Shawn's a great shaper and he works with our bud Keith at Twin Lights glassing so I new the build would be good. I really liked the idea of Larry's twin half moons and went with the pro-boxes. I was a little nervous that the fin placement might get messed up being different from what Shawn/Keith would normally do but Larry worked with Keith to get the fins in the right spot. She got wet today for the first time. Huge thumbs up...

Dimensions and design: 8'5" x 33.5" x 4.75, not sure of the volume but I'd guess around 160L. Slight convex to flat and then into a double concave. Five fin but focused on the twin setup.

Weight, with pad and fins : 22lbs

Rider background & Location: 6'4", 260lb, 55 years old. Intermediate (at best) surfer , crappy balance. Only two hours on the board in thigh high, mushy but clean to textured shore break on the south shore of Boston. Shifty wind, sideshore to offshore at 15mph, gusts to 20+. I'll give more impressions in differing conditions as they happen later.

Stability: The board was less stable than I had anticipated from all the talk of the Simmons design stability but that's likely because my comparison board, my South County, 9' x 34" , is crazy stable. It was still stable but slightly less so than the SoCo, particularly front stability. The front stability issue (as compared to my 9er) was a little worrisome at 1st...I kept burying the nose. But as the session went on I learned to like it. The more pulled in nose adds to the maneuverability and some very slight weight adjustment fixed it for the most part. It also has a small sweet spot when paddling but that will just take some getting used to.

Wave performance: Considering the little waves I was on....awesome. It is much more responsive than any other board I've been on. Turns on a dime, my 1st bottom turn was so quick I turned out of the wave. I wanted this board so I wouldn't have to work so hard to get on a wave especially when the wind is offshore. It does that remarkably well. I caught waves I almost certainly would have missed on my 9'er.  It was tough to gauge speed with such mushy waves but it definitely feels fast.

I'm really happy I went with Larry's twins. It will take some getting used to they turn it so quick but it was so sweet to feel how responsive they make this board. I got exactly what I was looking for when I asked these guys to collaborate. A great combination. They run great and I'm going to have fun testing the cant angles. I'm really interested in trying something Larry mentioned, go with a steeper cant angle heel side to make my backside turns more responsive, prertty cool to get some asymmetry just by playing with fins.

One thing that surprised me was getting to the nose. My 9er has a big concave nose and nose rides so easily its silly. This is very different. It felt a little skaty at 1st but once I got the hang of it I loved it....very surfable from the nose. I have no question that I will pull of my 1st helicopter on this board. The 1st time I stepped out going down the line I did a 180 by mistake...

Paddling out: Easy..of course these weren't challenging waves but I would compare it to my 9er which goes over anything. This board paddles faster though so I'm anticipating it will make it faster getting out and it doesn't get shoved back as hard as the 9er

Enjoyability: Well today it was awesome. Of course I'm excited to finally get her and get it on the water but no question this will be a go to board. i just have to see where it's limits are.

Overall Impression: Stoked

I'll post some more pics showing rocker, bottom contours and such later.

[Weed]

Sweet looking board Stoney, enjoy.

[freetobeme]

Very cool pad design! thats a lot of cutting! oh and sweet board too 

[stoneaxe]

Thanks guys...make sure you come to the sim swap session (when/if) it happens to check it out.

The pad took about 2-3 hours. The cutting was easy. It's a diamond grip pad and I just used the diamonds as a guide and cut freehand with an x-acto. The 3 sizes are 8, 4, and 2 diamonds on a side. The self made stomp works awesome...the horizontal pieces are a square grip and slightly thicker pad material, the serrated edge is perfect for driving the rail. I won't do anything but a mosaic again for surf. You just can't get the same level of grip without it.

[trashinwb]

Are you part polar bear? Isn't the water in the upper 40's there right now?

[Larry Allison]

Stoneaxe, Great fun dealing with guys who like expanding their horizon.Keith and Shawn nailed it. Enjoy my friend conclusions like this is what makes my day.Mahalo, Larry

[Boludo]

Welcome to the club Stoney.

New ride looks great!

[stoneaxe]

LOL...not quite...water is 55 or so. The first fall...on the paddle out no less....was a bit brisk but once I started working hard the falls felt good. I'm sure everyone else was wondering who the kook was without a wetsuit but I was out for two hours and caught a bunch of waves until the sun was gone...then it got a little nipply.

Thank you Larry for being so helpful....you nailed it.

Thanks to you too Boludo for getting this whole ball rolling on the zone. The hook was definitely set in the hype thread.

[PonoBill]

Funny that we've both wound up with such similar boards at almost the same time. 8'8" X 32. must be genetic. FCS Controllers. Haven't got it in surf yet, but can't wait. Probably the first session will be river swell, but I'm looking hard at the Oregon coast.

[trashinwb]

Stone axe , the Gulf Stream must be hitting you more than it is me here in central New Jersey , but it wouldn't surprise me.. One day last week it felt warm enough for a ss fullsuit with boots. Yesterday and today, with S windswell upwelling the water temp had to be 50 max. I was looking at the board I got in January and said to myself, if I just cut it off at the wing/bump, it would be more Simmons  like, as it is now, it's a round nosed fish. I weigh almost as much as you, but I'm not as wise or tall.  I also rode a 9'er. My board does not like multi direction short period swells or strong winds 15+ at this point. It's 8'10 x 32x 5, but it's only 5 for about a 14" length, where it's also 32" wide.  So the paddling between waves in the aforementioned conditions is a real chore. When I've caught the wave, it generally goes well to very good. I'm playing with the fins.  I've gone from futures G.Lopez quads, to quads plus nubster ( improved maneuverability but maintaining the drive), to now G.Lopez forwards and Conteoller rears with the nubster and it turns great with drive. Next day with down-the line type waves I'll try all 4 Comtrollers, no Nubster. Sorry to hi-jack, but these boards are so much fun and dialing them in with fins keeps is thinking.

[stoneaxe]

It may have been a little colder than reported...offshores always bring in the cold water but at least the air is usually warmer. I almost put my 3/2 on when I saw that everyone else was in rubber but I just said screw it...and was happy I did. I would have been sweating for sure.

I know what you mean about playing with fins. It's only been recently that I really started paying attention and playing. I'm in love with how these twins feel, I can't wait to get them into something big with a face to play on. I really think they will shine when I can get both speed and some space to play.

Nice looking board bro but I bet when you try this when you come out (pray for waves) you may have twin envy. Yesterday it almost felt like I had a gas and brake pedal the way they control the board and I know how much you like a gas pedal.....

[supthecreek]

The Babcock boys get new toys!

Stoney... the Vec looks great....I love your mosaic... really well done.
I am really glad that you are happy with it... can't wait to see you surf it.
Trunkin' while most are in full suits, hoods, boots and gloves... 
Pics on day one... I'm impressed (nice little floater)

Pono... Nice looking L41... That's a good size... I think I would like that.
I just wonder if you might want to widen the pad in the rear third of the board... seems like that wide tail might get you right out to the rails on turns...
I'd be sleeping in my car at the beach if I just got a board. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.

[stoneaxe]

Another fun day on the V-chub. 3 hours on the Cape in clean waist high's with slightly bigger sets.

Another boardshorts day....I walked to the water with my suit on but was sweating bullets by the time I got to the water from the lot. Went back and put the shorts on. Still the only one without rubber....I was plenty warm...water felt beautiful going in...like cool sheets on a hot night.

My head was a little off this morning so I had a slightly rough start. Kept pearling, decided to paddle further down and go for some smoother longer rides on the bars. More betta, long rights were letting me walk all over the board, just cruising, a bunch of cheater 5's. I think I will need a center fin to get to the nose. Coudn't quite get there without driving the nose in.

The wind shifted about halfway and started coming more onshore, the waves built a little and a little bowl was forming as the tide dropped so I started going for the lip. First few were tentative little floaters then I started going for it. Crashed and burned on a 1/2 dozen until I started getting the feel. I had just talked to creek on the ride down about cranking turns and pushing what you know how to do so I was trying different spots on the rail. I think as responsive as these boards are you need to find the right spot for a given wave. The right combination of moves timed to work with the wave and all of a sudden it just flows. I had a few almost verticals that I pulled off. It's going to be a very fun summer finding this boards limits.

[PonoBill]

Creek--I always wax the rails. I don't spend enough time there to wear it off, so I like the pad to be minimalistic. I also wax the nose, and spend even less time there.

[supthecreek]

Gotcha... apparently the your minimalism didn't wear off on Stony