9'6 WaveStorm SUP: First Ride Report

[Zooport]

Found a guy who is selling new 9'6's from the back of his car for $280.  So I met him in a deserted Trader Joe's parking lot at 9:20 PM, in the dark, and we struck a deal.  (Hmm, decided I should not ask too many questions there)  Board was brand new.  Has some tail rocker and pretty sharp rails, surprisingly stiff, looked promising, so I pulled the trigger.

First Ride Report: Pleasantly Surprised

Conditions:  Took it out in lame, bumpy surf on the south side of Newport pier this morning.  Waves knee to shoulder high, some walled, others mushy and gutless, every once in a while a nice hollow pealing wave, but rare.

Impressions: Deck doesn't offer enough traction; must be waxed. The thing is crazy stable, has a very strong secondary stability where you should be ashamed if you fall over. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how well it caught waves and surfed.  It's certainly not a high-performance board, but I was able to bottom turn it and ride it in the pocket.   I even managed one respectable cutback.  Foot on tail and rail is a must.

The Reason I Bought it:  Some beginner surfers paddled out after awhile and did what almost all beginners do; sit right inside of you in the take-off zone right in the way.  In the past, I would not take waves because I didn't want to take any chance of hitting them.  Today, while still being careful, I took waves and surfed around them with the confidence of knowing that, even if I fell, (didn't happen) I couldn't do much damage to them or their boards with my softie. 

GINGER: Get one, you will love it!  The guy has 4 more to sell, by the way.

[surfinJ]

Perfect!  Summer fun tool.

[SlatchJim]

33 inches wide... those are Slatch numbers! 

[surfcowboy]

I've been riding my 8'0" prone version and I'm adding a perfect storm fin this week.

http://perfectstormfins.com

Looks like a winner for my summer fun.

Buy one used, if you can to ease the karma a bit. Also know that the marine silicone adhesives do a pretty good job of ding repair. Wax is a must.

Love that you had fun and yeah, sometimes lowering the risk factor can make your surfing progress because you take more risks.

[RATbeachrider]

Nice Zoo.

I've surfed my 8'0 with the Perfect Storm Fin, but only on glassy days, and with quite a few falls.  Btw, I shaped the fin down to around 7.5.

Prior to adding the fin and plugs, I coated the wall of the hole with two-part epoxy to prevent water intrusion. 

[Zooport]

Nice Zoo.

I've surfed my 8'0 with the Perfect Storm Fin, but only on glassy days, and with quite a few falls.  Btw, I shaped the fin down to around 7.5.

Prior to adding the fin and plugs, I coated the wall of the hole with two-part epoxy to prevent water intrusion. 

Do those fins really help the Wavestorms?  You rode a prone Wavestorm as a SUP?

[RATbeachrider]

Do they help? Yes when the wave is a bit steeper.  Not really when it is small and mushy.  The prone wavestorm is a blast to prone surf "finless."

I was out one day and mixed in with the sweeper boys and was dared to SUP the prone wavestorm.  So I took a paddle and stood up and caught a few waves.  I've surfed few more times on small and glassy days.

Warning: (1) prepare for many dunkings and (2) you can feel the flex in the board so it is not a good idea to SUP the prone board.  It will snap in half.

[Zooport]

Do they help? Yes when the wave is a bit steeper.  Not really when it is small and mushy.  The prone wavestorm is a blast to prone surf "finless."

I was out one day and mixed in with the sweeper boys and was dared to SUP the prone wavestorm.  So I took a paddle and stood up and caught a few waves.  I've surfed few more times on small and glassy days.

Warning: (1) prepare for many dunkings and (2) you can feel the flex in the board so it is not a good idea to SUP the prone board.  It will snap in half.

Interesting.  My Wavestorm SUP is pretty stiff for a foamie. 

[RATbeachrider]

It is until you stand still on it.  That's when you can feel the flex.

[Bean]

I believe that I'm developing a deep FoMO for not having a Wavestorm...

[surfcowboy]

I'm hoping to get more speed out of the single fin. The toe in on the side bites on those surfboards is hilarious. When you get on the wave they feel like someone is holding your leash bodysurfing behind you.

[TallDude]

So are you Stormer's waxing?

[Bean]

So are you Stormer's waxing?

Who would have thought a little body hair would make such a difference...

[Zooport]

I believe that I'm developing a deep FoMO for not having a Wavestorm...

That's right dude.  Get rid of those Tomos, Simmons and Sunovas and get a real board.  

[Zooport]

So are you Stormer's waxing?

Who would have thought a little body hair would make such a difference...

Well, some of us are just well endowed.