Author Topic: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!  (Read 19214 times)

andygere

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Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« on: September 30, 2012, 09:48:38 PM »
I'm lucky to live in a wave rich town where some of the best surfboard builders in the world set up shop.  Among them is L41's Kirk McGinty, who has taken custom SUPs to a new level.  In addition to being a killer designer and shaper, Kirk is a top-notch SUP surfer and a real ambassador for the sport, so it was a foregone conclusion that my next custom SUP was coming from his shaping room. After having the opportunity to take extensive demos (like days and weeks, not hours) on all 4 models in the SIMSUP line http://www.original-simsup.com/, I zeroed in on a SIMSUP 2 with a few special touches as the ideal ride for me.  I am stoked out of my gourd, and can't wait to have it in my hands and under my feet.


Extended demo courtesy of the SRNFF, who planted the original SIMSUP seeds...
« Last Edit: September 30, 2012, 09:55:20 PM by andygere »

SUPerstitious

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2012, 09:52:58 PM »
Congrats. Looks like it will be worth the wait.
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colas

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2012, 12:42:03 AM »
In addition to being a killer designer and shaper, Kirk is a top-notch SUP surfer

Now, this is really important. I think that shapers who are good SUPers themselves produce much better gear that the ones that rely on team riders input, even world class competitirs...

andygere

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2012, 08:27:02 AM »
Colas, you are absolutely right.  Kirk is not only one of the best SUP surfers in the region, he lives just a block from my favorite reefs and he's on it all the time.  No better way to refine the designs than first hand testing.

stoneaxe

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2012, 10:03:11 AM »
Very interesting looking boards. Have fun.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 10:08:14 AM by stoneaxe »
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surfniels

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2012, 11:34:06 AM »
Very nice looking boards.. I really hope that you post a ton of pictures when you get yours..
Enjoy it !

andygere

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2012, 11:46:13 AM »
I'll definitely post photos and detailed ride report.  For now, here's a few clips of the SIMSUP 2 that I had my hands on for a while earlier this year.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150615812659687&set=vb.560164686&type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150613105779687&set=vb.560164686&type=2&theater

Here's a few photos of that board, which is the first SIMSUP 2 ever built:






jd

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2012, 10:07:17 PM »
Andy,

Can you compare the SIMSUP 2 to the 4.  Is there much of a drop off in stability with the 4?  How's the paddle speed and turnability (if that's word) between the two.

These look like fun boards for average everyday surf.

andygere

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2012, 10:23:46 AM »
jd, The 2 is certainly more stable than the 4, but that's not to say that the 4 is an unstable board, it's far from it.  They paddle and ride differently in part because of different rail design.  The 2 uses stepped or K rails to reduce rail volume and improve turnability, while the 4 has a chined bottom that effectively reduces the width of the board when you are on the wave. The wider tail of the 2 also contributes a lot to the stability of the board, and I did notice the effects of the narrower tail on the 4. At 184 lbs, I could certainly paddle and surf the 4, but it was more work, and I found myself sitting more between waves.  On the 2, I could cruise the lineup much like I do on my 9-11 Angulo.  For me, the big difference came when conditions were not ideal, such as wind or a lot of backwash off the cliffs during high tide. 

A lot of this will come down to your skills as an SUP surfer, your fitness, and your weight.  My friend Dana, who loaned my his S4, seems to cruise the lineup with ease on it and rarely falls off.  He's lighter, a better surfer and has a very good level of fitness.

In terms of paddling, the 2 glides a bit better, but the difference isn't huge.  It's an 8 foot board, so it's not going to glide like a 10 footer, but both boards certainly paddle well enough to get you around the llineup and into a lot of waves.  The 4 is certainly the super high performance model, and it excels at rail to rail surfing. big redirects and it's fast down the line.  The 2 does all this, but just a notch lower.  For sure it's a high performance board, and it makes sections you never thought possible.  It surfs top to bottom really well, and is loose and predictable on all parts of the wave.

My final message is this: these are custom boards, so you can work with Kirk to get one that's dialed in for your size, ability, etc.  You're not stuck with simply  picking one model or the other as you would on a production board.

OC kbar

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2012, 10:38:56 AM »
That is really cool.  I still ride a mini Simmons style prone board in high tide beach break.  It is so fun. This is a link to the board its called a white pony.

http://www.larrymabilesurfboards.com/larmo/white_pony.html

I ride mine as a quad like your Sim Sup.  I really need to try one of those.

How is  paddling out through the white water on her?

Ake G

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2012, 01:16:47 PM »
I've had an Original simsup XL (8'2"x 32") since April of this year. For me @ 6'4" 220 lbs I have not even scratched the surface of its performance potential.

Unreal turning rail to rail cutback ability in a ridiculously stable small board. And this is the "full-railed" all around model!


RyanSurfNTurf

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2012, 05:44:44 PM »
Kirk is really on to something cool here. Fun to watch friends get perma-grin riding the SimSUPs.

Now if we could just get him to quit his full-time job and just make more boards.  ;D

lopezwill

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2012, 07:17:55 PM »
Ake G or andygere

  I love that design!  Two questions:  Is it stable in choppy conditions.  I'm currently riding a 9'8" Angulo "Surfa" which works great for my weight in the chop beach break I surf the most.

  Second question...Does it handle a large tube type wave?  Would it work for the larger winter waves in Santa Cruz?

Thank you.

andygere

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2012, 09:09:20 PM »
OC, If you like your prone mini Simmons, I think you would really did the SIMSUP.  It paddles quite well through the whitewater, and without an extra 2 feet of nose in front of you, it punches through nicely without a lot of extra effort. 

Lopezwill, SIMSUP 1 and 2 are very stable in choppy conditions. The first time I surfed Simmy 1was in howling sideshore conditions with a lot of backwash, and I couldn't believe how well mannered it was.  I found 3 and 4 a bit less stable in choppy conditions, but not unmanageable.  Gary, Brad and Dana seem to have no problem on the 3's and 4's in the chop and chunk, and all those guys are leaner than me and better surfers.  As far as big winter surf, it works.  I've surfed SIMSUP 2 in waves about a foot overhead, and the board worked great.  The SIMSUP is a great wave catcher, but it's super forgiving on late take-offs, and I feel like I can more or less just chuck it over the ledge and expect to make it.  Gary (SRFNFF) has photo sequence of him surfing the first SIMSUP 1 in bigger California surf, check it here:

By the way, Gary has a lot of great info on these boards on his blog.  Here's a link to a series of interviews with Kirk discussing design and shaping of the SIMSUP.  http://srfnff.blogspot.com/2011/04/l41-high-performance-sup-interviews.html


lopezwill

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Re: Ordered an L41 SIMSUP today--Stoked!
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2012, 09:43:37 PM »
andygere

  Thanks for the info.  Be sure and come back with a report on the new board when you ride it a few times.

 


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