Author Topic: Most surfable downwind board?  (Read 33715 times)

Ripple

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Most surfable downwind board?
« on: August 21, 2018, 04:54:50 AM »
Hi, I am getting the hang of downwinding and am starting to be tempted to a get a dedicated board for this. I currently use a 2018 14x28 Allstar and despite being able to catch many bumps with it, I feel that the AS does not surf well and the only way of steering it is by using the "reverse steering" all the time which is not much fun. I normally downwind in small-ish bay chop with rather short wave length, where the nose of the board is most of the time just pearling on the crest of the bump in front if the board is square to the bumps, so it is much more fun to keep the board at an angle and surf the bump. I have in mind the usual suspect, SIC Bullet and maybe bayonet, and would like to hear feedback from paddlers that have them or have tried them, and also if there is any other make/model which would offer what I am after. I never race so I am not interested in outright speed, just surfability, ease of catching bumps and stability. Cheers.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2018, 05:10:13 AM by Ripple »

Area 10

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2018, 05:36:33 AM »
My DW conditions sound exactly like yours.

Race boards are generally pretty unpleasant to DW in these kinds of conditions. There just isn’t the control. You need a dedicated DW board.

Great options are:

Bark Vapor

Jimmy Lewis Rail

Jimmy Lewis M14 (surfs very well too).

SIC Bullet V1 (if you can find a used one)

Maybe a SIC Bayonet (I haven’t tried one yet).

Naish Maliko (if your conditions aren’t too big).

Forget the All Star. It always was a disappointment for downwind. And forget and dugout designs- they are fast but technically difficult and not much fun because you don’t carve them.

Someone will be along in a minute to recommend the Bullet V2, but I found that in very short period steep stuff it can get wrong-footed. So it depends what your local conditions are like as to whether it will be ideal or not.

If you are starting out in your DW career, and want fun rather than to race, the best boards would probably be an old Bullet V1 or an M14 or a 14x28 Rail. You can’t really beat one of the surfboard-looking fun shapes for downwind fun and surfability.

supnorte

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2018, 06:31:10 AM »
The Bullets are great boards for surfing the bumps and even breaking waves. The feedback I'm having from costumers and reviews is that the Bayonets are even more "surfable" than the Bullets.
Here is a video of me surfing with a Bullet 14'0 V2 (sorry Area 10): https://www.facebook.com/sicmauiportugal/videos/748139338650684/

And even the 17'4 is fun in the surf (if you are careful enough):

gone_foiling

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2018, 06:52:25 AM »
Most surfy board - easy - f16
Addicted to foiling at the moment.
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PonoBill

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2018, 07:08:25 AM »
Bullet V1's in any size are surfy, F16 turns from the tail or the rail, any Jimmy Lewis DW board, the best ever is the Foote Maliko, but they are rare as hen's teeth.

What doesn't surf is easier: Naish DW boards, Infinity Blackfish, anything with straight rails and a squared tail. Fast in flatwater means doesn't surf.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Eagle

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2018, 07:32:28 AM »
The Bullet 14V2 is not as easy to surf as the JL M14.  The V2 requires more skill and is more technical.  That board needs quick footwork to maintain the optimal angle on steep and deep waves.  But in smaller conditions it performs admirably.  Def get a DW specific board or even 2.   ;)
Fast is FUN!   8)
Dominator - Touring Pintail - Bullet V2 - M14 - AS23

JimK

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2018, 08:15:38 AM »
I  like the Fanatic Falcon but what do I know I'm here in NJ surfing tiny shore break and LOVING IT!

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing

Deep Sea

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2018, 09:47:04 AM »
I have ridden a V1 for 4 solid seasons in the Gorge and I have gone out of my way to take care of this board because I know how well it works in challenging conditions. High winds and technical swell make this board so much fun as a downwinding/surfing board. It's difficult for me to imagine paddling another board. I would look out for a used V1 SCC or preferably in the DCC. If enough of us could convince SIC Custom to create a V1 mould, that would be the dream come true. My next choices would be a V3 or F16 hollow.
SIC 14' V1 Bullet, Flying Dutchman, QB Ona Ava, Axis Foils, & Goya Sails.

burchas

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2018, 10:11:54 AM »
For the conditions you're describing I don't think you can do better than the Bayonet IMO.
I've paddled pretty much every board mentioned here,  the Bayonet is the easiest board
as far as picking up bumps, even the smallest of them. It is pretty surfy as well.

Check out this thread: https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,33024.0.html

A lot of good info there.
in progress...

Badger

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2018, 10:19:12 AM »
I've owned both the Jimmy Lewis M-14 which I no longer have and the M-12'6 which I use now. For downwind boards they surf great, especially the 12'6. I don't downwind much anymore so basically all I use it for is surfing. They are super fun boards to surf in waves up to around chest high. In the right conditions you can get back on the tail and actually carve down the line. Jimmy purposely designed the tail to make the board easy to turn on a wave which most downwind boards can not do nearly as well.

I would love to see Jimmy design a more surf specific version of these boards. With less volume/thickness and a few tweaks to the nose and tail, it would be an incredible board to surf. I'll bet it would still downwind well too. I would put my order in today if I heard one was in the works.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2018, 10:40:19 AM by Badger »
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Josh

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2018, 10:24:16 AM »
Give the Bark Vapor a try or take a look at the NSP Puma. I feel a lower profile board with rounded rails surf better than boards with tall, square rails. I have a Bark and actually have fun surfing in the waves with it. I will surf it in anything from little ankle slappers to slow over head rolling waves.

covesurfer

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #11 on: August 21, 2018, 10:27:50 AM »


For open ocean conditions where the swell period is longer, I'd say the SIC Bullet V1, but at 17'4", for the conditions that you say you d/w in, an F16 might be an even better choice. The F16 has quite a bit of nose rocker and a shape that gives good surfability. I prefer the hollow boards, although they vibrate like drums if you have to paddle in oncoming chop. But, there's no foam to absorb water when they crack and you can drain them. Remember with these big dog boards that you have to store them and transport them, so be ready.

Surprisingly (considering it's length), the V1 Bullet surfs very well. I'm around 150 to 155 lbs and have had both hollow F16 and V1 Bullets. I prefer the Bullet but that is primarily because it works best in the longer period conditions that I most often get to paddle in. If the wind quits, it's a lot of board to have to pull through the water, particularly for paddlers that aren't big and muscular. Big guys seem to do exceptionally well on Bullets.


Skate

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2018, 10:29:22 AM »
I use the Infinity downtown flat deck. I love this board.

Dusk Patrol

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2018, 10:37:33 AM »

Would a 12’6” be appropriate for your locale?

If so, Blue Planet has a sweet board called the Bump Surfer.

https://youtu.be/Rvi9s5vFACI


RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

capobeachboy

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Re: Most surfable downwind board?
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2018, 04:46:22 PM »
I had a JL M14 and that thing surfed like no other in big open ocean swells and offshore reefs but since you are talking about bay chop that's something else. Maybe let us know the area you do your dw runs and if you are actually going to surf the board on ocean waves. Big difference.
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