Author Topic: 8’3” portal phantom  (Read 8831 times)

surfsupla

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8’3” portal phantom
« on: June 18, 2019, 05:04:20 PM »
So i picked up an 8’3”x29.5”x4.5” phantom off erik. The board was glassed by pure glass out of costa mesa. I got the carbon rails and the extra fin boxes so i could run either a quad or 2+1 in it. Erik suggested my favorite tri fin as a base line so i threw in my favorite sidebites (gl’s) and a 6” wayne rich power fin. The board is about 120ish liters. For those not familiar it has step rails, a round nose and a pin tail.

When i picked it up from pure glass i was blown away. They killed the glass job and the colors. I threw a oam blurr pad on there and took it surfing. Been on it exclusively now since ive gotten it almost 2 months ago back in april. I was coming off an 8’10x30.5”.4.5” killer sup (which i love) clocking in at 128L. So i was interested to see what the step rail and slightly smaller width would do in the stability department. For point of reference i am 40 years old, 5’9” and about 205 pounds. Have been sup surfing for 7ish years.

The board is super stable in the chop. Paddling over waves is a breeze. The board has just the right amount of rocker to help you not to dump the nose but also to keep the board gliding as much as it can. Dont get me wrong. It does not move like a blackfish but for a midlength board i can roam and race back to the outside with ease. The board tracks very well. The volume is right were i like it. The water laps my feet at times and the nose stays where it should, above water.

Getting into waves was a breeze once i figured out it was better to try not to power it onto a wave from far outside but rather sit inside a little more to catch it before it breaks. Surfing the phantom is literally amazing. Just trimming the board gives that feeling of racing down the wave. Because you are. The board is like a rocket. It turns much better than i can currently lay down the rail. And yet is still able to flow with style. I longboarded for a long time before i picked up a paddle and the phantom is the perfect midlength board i have been dreaming of. It handles itself at the points just as it should. But it really comes alive at the beach breaks. Currently waiting for some better waves to come in so i can test it some more and push myself to surf it the way it was intended. I had it out today. The ocean was really choppy and the sets were closing out. There were waves coming through, but i caught this one outside rogue wave with a shoulder and surfed through the surf pack for about 100ish yards and that just made my day. For those who know los angeles i was at sunset around dos banos. (Thats just what they call where the porta potties are lol).

I had been eyeing eriks boards ever since he came out with the barra. But when i saw the phantom i knew that was my board. Working with erik was great. He surprisingly (to me any way) encouraged me to go a little bigger than i had originally planned to be able to have more fun on the board. I have not changed the fins up except to put the collin mcphillip sidebites in because if it aint broke dont fix it. The board is super durable. I had them do the heavy glass schedule and it came in around 18-19 pounds. After surfing it for a few months it still looks new.

If there is one draw back to the board it would be that i get a lot of comments on it in the line up. Id rather not be noticed except while maybe on a wave. Lol. Long story short. I LOVE THIS BOARD.

surfsupla

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2019, 05:07:08 PM »
The board:

surfsupla

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2019, 05:16:34 PM »
More pics

surfsupla

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2019, 05:17:18 PM »
More pics

surfsupla

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2019, 05:19:35 PM »
Last pic

JEG

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2019, 06:35:29 PM »
very nice surfsupla  8)

eastbound

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2019, 03:26:44 AM »
enjoy---looks gorgeous
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

ninja tuna

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2019, 05:00:03 AM »
Beautiful lookin board.  Great description of your experiences.

supsean

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2019, 10:08:53 AM »
killer
Fanatic Allwave 8'9"
Sunova Steeze 8'10"
Kenalu Ho'oloa

NorthJerzSurfer

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2019, 11:35:25 AM »
awesome looking board.  Rocker is flatter than i would have expected.

surfcowboy

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2019, 08:15:49 PM »
Great board. Pure Glass are amazing. Great work.

Hope to see you out in the lineup. I haven’t hit Sunset in a while, I need to come say hi.

surfsupla

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2019, 08:51:42 PM »
Thanks all. Wheres your main break surfcowboy? Lmk if you are heading up this way.

surfcowboy

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #12 on: June 19, 2019, 10:34:28 PM »
Man, I prone longboard at Topanga mostly. Mostly paddle open water when it’s flat but been focused on prone surfing for the past couple of years to get decent before I can’t pop up anymore.

One thing the Zone taught me. You can SUP when you’re old.  ;D :D

But I’m eyeing another longboard SUP when I finish this next board. That’ll get me going again I’ll bet.

surfsupla

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #13 on: June 19, 2019, 10:52:49 PM »
Nice! Topanga is one of the few breaks i wont sup just out of respect. I still longboard every once in a while but i usually wish i had my sup when i do. Ive done plenty of miles when its flat between the two breaks. Lol. Sunset is just the necessary evil between blowing a whole day surfing and still getting work done. 

sflinux

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Re: 8’3” portal phantom
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2019, 06:25:05 AM »
I can see Kirk's influence on the design.
Very cool looking board.  Eric has been a great contributor to the sport.  Would you mind sharing how much the board costs?  Glad you found your stoke.
thanks.
Quiver Shaped by: Joe Blair, Blane Chambers, Jimmy Lewis, Kirk McGinty, and Bob Pearson.
Me: 200#, 6'2"

 


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