New Baby: 7'7x27"

[colas]

yep 180lbs = 81.5 kg
add ~ 10kg of board + paddle => total weight nearly 92kg
It is thus logical that you need at least 92 liters flotation (salt water giving you a little more room).
Realistically you should add 10 liters for comfort in glassy conditions: 102 liters
20 liters for choppy conditions: 112 liters
30 liters for heavy water movements: 122 liters
...

[Cardiff Sweeper]

Just one picture so far on it (nothing impressive, but will get more in time):



And this is the 8'0" Pro on a different day, but same break:



Both boards are so much fun as tri-fins. It's time to start messing with a quad configuration and see what happens.

[14 West]

Nice!

Well looks like I have gone down the same route, except I went for the 2012 to keep a little bit more volume.

Thanks for the peer pressure Cardiff, I didn't want to keep my money anyways!

Now I guess it will be interesting to see how often we both end up using the 8's from here on in!

[SoCalSupper]

Nice backside Craig!
You know what i mean!
seriously though you surf backside like my kid-
i gotta seriously work on this-i notice i stand up too much and i dont put my paddle on the inside-plus i dont "sit" enough and my timing with the paddle back to forehand is all wrong-sigh...
Damn i love going frontside!....

[14 West]

First full session on the (2012) 7'7" today...

Started out at our usual rivermouth spot and it sucked the chrome right off the doorknob. It's been pissing rain here lately which led to insane current, high tide with a log buffet effectively cancelling my left, some lumps and chop, and overhead mush-crap waves. After an hour of mostly struggling to catch waves that didn't peak, but usually staying on the board, I traded for the 8' which didn't make things much better. Not really a good maiden voyage, just crappy all around.

Kept the suit on and drove 15 minutes to another spot that has a slab-like right and it was game on with shoulder high peelers. This board just rips, by my second right it felt like my backside technique had improved twofold. The odd left felt similar to the 8' but just a lot more slashy, and without requiring as much effort. The board goes vertical faster, and comes back around faster, allowing you to pull off smacks on smaller waves, or where you wouldn't have enough time before getting closed out on the larger stick. At one point I got this 1'-2' left, and the board just destroyed it, pump, hit the lip, pump hit the lip, couldn't believe it. The 8' can do that too, but this thing can get a lot more vertical with a limited period of time. After an hour and change the wind started to gust up to 15 onshore, the tide changed and the river started to spout current, but It still felt quite steady underfoot, just have to keep it moving oh-so-slowly. Another big difference is the length, sometimes hitting the lip on a shorter steep wave on the 8' means you really have to be careful when the nose comes around that it doesn't dive, this board is so much more balanced underfoot that it comes down into the wave more horizontal and with more control. Popping over whitewater is easier for the most part, smaller board, less volume, punches right through.

The big question now is whether I will ever go back to the 8'....

[Cardiff Sweeper]

Thanks, SoCal.  Your son is in a much higher league than I am! 


14 West, You just had to take her out on a crappy first date!  I agree with the differences between the two boards. Very similar, but the 7'7" does it faster with less effort.  Is yours 96 liters?  

I had move out in crap-mush yesterday and thought it would've gone much worse.  The board sits so deep in the water that it doesn't bob up and down that much in the chop. Still, it is a struggle to stay upright on it.  

14, where do you live?

(Using the tapatalk app, so I can't see any info below your handle.) 🙈

[14 West]

I'm up here in Victoria, BC, Canada - surfing off the west coast of Vancouver Island.  Though we do try and head south once or twice during the summer, only made it as far as Santa Cruz so far though.

Yep - mine has a little more volume than yours. That said, my buddy has now ridden both, and he thinks the 2013 is more stable because the deck is flatter. Still, I'm sure for me at 185-190 lbs, that stability would probably be moot with the lesser volume so I am sure they are probably very similar.

[endlessfight]

man you guys with these carbon boards are making me jealous. im afraid to try one in fear i'll be broke immediately after the demo.

14 west if youre getting rid of your 8 let me know 

[AJR]

Nice backside Craig!
You know what i mean!
seriously though you surf backside like my kid-
i gotta seriously work on this-i notice i stand up too much and i dont put my paddle on the inside-plus i dont "sit" enough and my timing with the paddle back to forehand is all wrong-sigh...
Damn i love going frontside!....

Either that or you're gonna have to learn how to go switchfoot...

[Cardiff Sweeper]

^
SoCal just needs to surf a "right only" wave. (He's goofy, I think.). Cardiff reef has a super good and long'ish right when it's bigger. Lately, my backside is way better than frontside. These carbon boards like to be ridden off the tail, and I'm a very heavy rear-footed surfer.

enlessfight, don't do it.  You'll go broke.
I work very hard to save up for this damned expensive hobby/sport! 

[Boludo]

I need to start hitting the reef to work on my awful backside.  My backside sucks big time!

[14 West]

I'm goofy and I long for lefts, I hate not being able to stare the wave in the eye.

Probably going to hold on to the 8', but who knows, I said that about the Pocket Rocket too.

[14 West]

Rode the 2013 7'7" yesterday as well as my 2012.

At my weight, from what I can tell the flatter deck of the 2013 adds the same amount of stability that the lesser volume gives up when compared to the 2012. Running my hands down the rails feels pretty close, maybe slightly thinner in the front 1/3rd. For lighter riders that difference is probably meaningful, but for heavyweights, this board is already sunk and it probably doesn't make much of a difference. Front end is pulled in a little bit more, but otherwise they look pretty similar and only major difference you can feel is the flat deck.

8' Pro compared to the 7'7" Pro

[newton333]

so @ 190 lbs i could ride the 8"0 somewht comfortable?

[14 West]

I am between 185-190 plus a full wetsuit, booties and sometimes gloves on the 7'7" so yes, 8' should be no issue. First couple days will be interesting until you get used to it though. Then it will be stupid fun and you'll wonder why you didn't sooner.