Author Topic: Slowing down the Super Frank  (Read 6318 times)

APPST_Paddle

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Re: Slowing down the Super Frank
« Reply #15 on: April 16, 2018, 02:59:28 AM »
I think devon_sup_surf nailed it.

It's the flat rocker that makes the SF unsuitable for larger surf.

If you think you want more speed on the wave, try a board with a flat rocker and you'll see what I mean. You'll gain lots of extra speed but it won't have the control that a conventional rockered shape provides.

Also, the wide point and much of the volume is forward of center on this board. This gets it up on plane early and helps it take off quickly.

Dropping into a head high wave on the SF is like dropping into a halfpipe on a skateboard. I'm sure there a surfers who could ride it in large surf, but no one is going to prefer the SF over a normal rockered board in overhead waves.

The SF is a groveler. It's designed to get as much speed as possible out of slow mushy small waves. Unless those are your everyday conditions, it would not be a good choice for a one board quiver.

.

Yeah, exactly it's not really made to be a 1 board quiver, it's made to primarily do 2 things - excel in sloppy, slow conditions, and allow you to ride a much smaller board as a mere mortal. Depending on your quiver, and your conditions, it would slot in like this:

Primary Board (mine is a 8'8" JL SuperTech) - anything over chest high, clean waist to chest if it's ground swell
Longboard (10'1" JL Black and Blue ) - anything in that knee to stomach range, clean conditions, when i want to noseride (which is basically all the time)

Everything else - this is where the SF would slot in - wind slop, mushy, etc. anything under chest high and I want to surf shortboard-style, not noseride, etc. It's going to make real-world EC conditions tolerable.
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

LBsup

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Re: Slowing down the Super Frank
« Reply #16 on: April 16, 2018, 04:52:52 AM »
My 2 cents is that if the board is good for most of your conditions most of the time, don't worry about it being less than ideal for bigger stuff.  It is a low rocker, fishy skaty board but Jimmy shapes great soft rails that are really smooth and still high performance.  I'd use it as a thruster for sure in head high conditions as it will give more stability and positivity, especially if your back foot is not positioned perfectly.

That said, unless your head high waves are grinding hollow reefbreak, the board should handle it fine.  It's got a narrower tail than most tomo/short wide models.

Bigger fins are not a good idea for bigger waves.  They will just make you track more.  Bigger waves = more speed = more lift.  Smaller fins are better as they have less lift and less drag.  The important thing in bigger waves is the rail.  I have tried smaller fins -- standard surfboard size -- and find them much better than most of the stock fins on high performance sups.  Get a medium or large futures thruster set and you will be good.  Try a medium quad size for smaller stuff.  Jimmy's stock fins tend to be bigger.

I think you'll be stoked!  I'd love to try the 8 footer.

I think Surfshaver nailed it!  Thanks everyone for the feedback.  I’ll let you know how things workout.
Black Project Texcarbon, 85 blade, 69
8’10 Sunova Ghost, 137L

Badger

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Re: Slowing down the Super Frank
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2018, 05:52:33 AM »
The stock 4.5" fins that came on my 7'6 SF seem perfect for me at 170 lbs.

I've been riding it as a quad since I got the board. I switched it over to Thruster after my last session but haven't tried it that way yet. We've got some nice waist to chest coming on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see how it behaves.

.
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
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Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

beached

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Re: Slowing down the Super Frank
« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2018, 04:07:04 AM »
i've owned quite a few tomo-esque style boards, and they can be 'too fast' on bigger waves, that is, the board's inability to handle that speed. one of my earlier boards bounced a lot at high speeds. modifying my position on the board helped, but didn't completely eliminate the problem. it seemed like it wanted to get airborn after a certain speed, and i just realized it wasn't designed for such steep waves. but i suspect most that say my board is too fast are really just bragging...ya know, like saying 'my penis is just too big'. ::)

 


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