Author Topic: Surfboards (Longboards)  (Read 61019 times)

The Kernel

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #45 on: May 20, 2020, 09:00:27 PM »
Night Wing:

More to add to your information pile....Here are pictures of my 9'6" Stewart 808 (Basically same model line as 949) that I purchased last year from the used rack at Stewart's surf shop in San Clemente, CA for $400 if I remember correctly--maybe $450.  I run the five fin setup, as Bill Stewart recommends, but probably wouldn't know any better to change it anyhow.  I consider this my "go to" board for most conditions here in SoCal.  (I added the tail handle and carrying handle; spillover from my SUP protocol).

I'm 52, 5'9" 190#, an intermediate level long boarder at best, but have caught more than the share of waves I deserve.  I have found this particular model to be good for glide in, fast down the line, and fairly snappy on turns.  Pretty much wherever I look, the board goes, just like a motorcycle.  First time I ever rode one from this model line was in overhead conditions at Churches and I LOVED how it would lock into the wave, so I guess I am a guy who loves his performance longboard. 

Using a car analogy, I'd consider the Stewart 808/949 a Chevy Impala SS.  For more of a "limousine" feel, I borrow my neighbor's 10' Midget Smith (three fin boxes, but theirs is set up with only large single fin).  That board is longer, thicker, and heavier, but it catches EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING.  It makes one feel like they have superpowers.  It is also super stable, and still turns very well if desired--just not as snappy as the 808.  The Midget Smith has acquired almost legendary status in our neighborhood and if I was smart I'd probably get one for myself--used because Midget no longer around.  If I keep piling weight on, I may have no choice! 

For now, the 808/949 does the job VERY well.





 
Kernel:  Cutting through the bull**it.
"This is the kernel of the argument."

Over 50, but usually pushing it like I'm 25 and paying for it later.

8'0 L41 Simsup
9'2" T. Patterson Rising Sun
9'2" Riviera Nugg Turbo Carbon
10' Riviera Machete

Night Wing

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #46 on: May 21, 2020, 06:44:39 AM »
@ The Kernel

With the waves which are "normally" found on the upper Texas coast in the summertime; "beach break wash, mushy, tiny, small and medium", I would like to have a surfboard which would catch EVERYTHING.

And high volume boards are the way to go. Just like my sups (11'1" @ 173 liters and 10'5" @ 190 liters) are high volume when compared to my weight, they do catch EVERYTHING. When I'm down at Surfside and the waves are tiny, I'm the only one surfing because of the high volume of my two long sups.

The regular surfers with their shortboards are no where to be found. And I have the beach surf......all to myself. This is why when I got the idea of maybe getting a longboard, I started with a 9 footer because this is what I learned on to surf when I was 15 years old.

I have come across the 808 in comments. And thanks for the photos of your 808 with it's 5 fin boxes and those Future Vector 2 Quad Scimitar fins. It is a pity the 949 tops out at 9' in length. For me, the glide is the ride. Let me catch a wave that allows me to "glide" 100 yards to the beach and I'm in "Seventh Heaven".

In my last post, the woman in the video surfing the those small waves on her Walden 9'6" Magic, you can see the sheer delight in her smile as she's just enjoying the ride those small waves give her. That is EXACTLY how I feel when I'm sup surfing no matter the size of the waves.

BTW; thanks for seeing this topic thread and contributing your comments. You and I are alike with respect to the high volume boards we both like.

And I would like to publicly thank the other members on the Zone who have contributed to this topic thread as well.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

surfafrica

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #47 on: May 22, 2020, 11:30:54 AM »
Sorry.....I couldn't resist posting this shot of my friend's kid pulling into a great one in Tofino on his 8'0 Walden Magic a few years ago.  This day was the best day I've ever surfed this spot (SC).  I joined him in the water on my SUP just after this picture was taken.  Me, him and one other local spent 45 minutes trading off waves while the conditions (swell, tide, wind) lasted.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXUKLezgnL7/

50 years old, 5'7", 145 lbs, intermediate
Infinity RNB: 7'6 x 28, 95 L https://goo.gl/SqlWR4
Kronos LB: 8'10 x 26.5, 84 L https://goo.gl/4iQdps
Kronos Nano: 7'4 x 26, 81 L https://goo.gl/kAM8W6

NorthJerzSurfer

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #48 on: May 23, 2020, 10:40:54 AM »
Night Wing

had the Modern double wide out for the first time today in Knee to thigh high waves.  Probably a little bigger than the intended use for the board of shin to knee waves.

I was impressed.  Got into waves noticably sooner than my 9'3 longboard, but it was chunkier to turn from the middle than my longboard just based on it being thinnner . The real thing it did- which I had hoped; was keep or exceed the paddle power of a longboard in an 8'4 package that I could swing into position for short period waves easier- which i think was a big need for you in Texas short period windswell


I think my traditional longbaord is going to see alot of rack time with this in the quiver this summer.

Night Wing

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #49 on: May 26, 2020, 04:24:31 PM »
I thought I would give a little update.

Over the last few days, I made a few phone calls to some surf shops down at Galveston, Texas and they put me in touch with some local shapers. I talked with two shapers and they told me the waves on the upper Texas coast are usually tiny to small waves most of the time with the exception being at Surfside.

They also told me a longboard between 9'-9'6" would be their recommendation. Back on the subject of tiny to small waves, a single fin nose rider would be a good choice. They also became aware I am a fan of five fin boxes. They told me a five box surfboard with the proper rocker and liters of volume for our tiny to small waves, can be ridden with one large single fin of at least 9" in length.

One of the shapers told me there is a woman in Australia name Tia Deighton who is an excellent surfer and nose rider. He told me one of her favorite surfboards is a nose rider made by Steve O'Donnell. He said her nose rider is 9'5" in length, but he didn't know the width, thickness or liters of volume of her board. He said her nose rider would be perfect for the waves found on the upper Texas coast.

Tia's nose rider can handle head high waves as well as calf high waves. The shaper sent me a link to one of Tia's videos and it shows her surfing her nose rider in the same type of waves I would encounter on the upper Texas coast. The link to the video is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRKKlDkAgUc
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Dusk Patrol

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

Night Wing

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #51 on: May 27, 2020, 05:12:25 AM »
@ Dusk Patrol

That was a nice video. I loved the slow motion action of it. That is my kind of surfing. Just gliding along. That is how I surf my sups.  Both Tia and Nini are excellent examples of how I like to surf.

Thanks for posting the video.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

surfafrica

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #52 on: May 27, 2020, 11:50:16 AM »
I love that you are talking with a local shaper.  For me, riding a custom board that you discussed with a shaper and watched as it went from a blank to a glassed board actually adds to the experience and joy surfing it. 
50 years old, 5'7", 145 lbs, intermediate
Infinity RNB: 7'6 x 28, 95 L https://goo.gl/SqlWR4
Kronos LB: 8'10 x 26.5, 84 L https://goo.gl/4iQdps
Kronos Nano: 7'4 x 26, 81 L https://goo.gl/kAM8W6

burchas

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #53 on: May 27, 2020, 08:38:50 PM »
I love that you are talking with a local shaper.  For me, riding a custom board that you discussed with a shaper and watched as it went from a blank to a glassed board actually adds to the experience and joy surfing it.

^+1
in progress...

Night Wing

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #54 on: June 01, 2020, 07:03:15 AM »
Continuing on.

Down at Galveston Island, there is Jimmy's Fishing Pier where they rent surfboards. I talked with a nice gentleman and we discussed what I wanted in a longboard.

So I listed my usual likes and wants such as 9'-9'6" in length, epoxy build since I'm not a fan of poly, multiple fin boxes, classic 60's style longhoarding, etc.

He told me I would have to compromise. I could get a surfing longboard made my a local shaper and get real close to what I wanted with certain attributes. But he also said there are some very good longboards built by well know shapers who have been around for at least 30 or more years.

He told me his is biased toward the Stewart line of surfboards since Bill Stewart has been shaping surfboards for over 30 years and his designs are very good.

Since the waves on the upper Texas coast are tiny to waist high most of the time, he knew of one board in particular which would be closest to what I wanted.

The board is a model name the "Ripster" which is a nose rider. It comes in many different lengths from 9'0" to 10'0". But, he also said Bill partnered with Surftech and they have made the Ripster with Tuflite so it is a very durable board. Much more durable than a poly board.

Now comes some of the differences.

The Surftech (Tuflite) Ripster only comes in two lengths and they are:

9'2" x 23.50" x 3" @ 71.1 liters

9'8" x 23.75" x 3.50" x @ 88.7 liters

Both boards only come as a single fin and the fin is extra. At my 140 pounds, he suggested a 9.5" fin for either of the 9'2" or the 9'8" lengths.

The 9'2" Ripster would be able to turn the nose quicker than the 9'8" one since it is 6" shorter in length. In Tuflite construction, both boards flex so they feel like a good poly built longboard.

He told me the 9'8" Ripster, with me at 140 pounds, would be very good for ankle high to slightly overhead waves. In essence a very, very good longboard.

He also told me the 9'2" Ripster would do the same although it might not be able to handle ankle high waves because of the shorter waterline than the 9'8", but he said these types of waves are basically "beach white water suds" near the beach.

What makes the Ripster such a good nose rider is the slight upturn in the square tail.

If the surf forecast is for small waves and if I went down to the beach and it isn't small, but ankle high, either length board would do well down at the Galveston Ship channel, between the South and North Jetties for some bow tanker wave surfing.

The link to the Surftech Tuflite Ripster is below. Once on the page, at the end of the prompt, "See More Details", there is a little "(+) sign and if you left click on it, you'll see detailed information.

https://surftech.com/stewart-ripster-tuflite-v-tech/

I went on YouTube to see if I could find a video for the Ripster and I did find one which is below. It has some excellent detailed information in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFRWwgYKEfM

I also found another video of the Surftech (Tuflite) Ripster in action, the 9'8" and it is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxNUh4D4vfw
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Dusk Patrol

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #55 on: June 01, 2020, 12:36:57 PM »
That looks like a great board if you can personally live with the single fin.  I think you can in the interest of having a classic longboard in your quiver.   8)   
RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

southwesterly

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #56 on: June 01, 2020, 07:57:24 PM »

So I listed my usual likes and wants such as 9'-9'6" in length, epoxy build since I'm not a fan of poly, multiple fin boxes, classic 60's style longhoarding, etc.


Not too many epoxy multi-fin boxed classic boards back in the 60's.

In fact, none.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2020, 08:02:30 PM by southwesterly »

Night Wing

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #57 on: June 02, 2020, 07:03:19 AM »
@ Dusk Patrol

I've been on YouTube trying to find some tiny to small waves with someone longboarding on. I did find one and the waves in this video, small with mushy slow rollers, are sometimes the same as I find on Galveston Island. The woman in the video is shown gliding and nose riding. I'm a "glider". The longboard she is surfing, judging from the less rocker in the nose, is probably a single fin nose rider with 50/50 rails.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPhNBZz2L1c

As the person who I recently talked with, he told me I'll have to pick a board with regards to the "usual" type of waves I'm going to encounter on the upper Texas coast and the longboard best suited for these types of waves is a single fin nose rider. As he stated to me, "I will have to "compromise between my wants and my needs".

A performance longboard's nose has more rocker in it than a nose rider. With more rocker in the nose, this is why a performance longboard can surf bigger waves in height, than a nose rider with regards to the speed of the waves along with how fast they break (hollow against soft). With bigger waves, this is why a performance longboard over 9' in length can have 3 or 5 fin boxes depending on the shaper. The rails on a performance longboard are usually 60/40 too.

With the above said, I did find another longboard with more rocker in the nose than a nose rider. It is a Performance Signature Gear (SPG) performance longboard named the "Flow". The Flow's specs are 9’3" x 23 1/4″ x 3″. And it has 3 fin boxes with 60/40 rails. I just wish the site would have given the volumes of liters for this board.

http://www.signatureperformancegear.com/product/ivan-van-vuuren-93-2/

And there is a video of it and you can see the more rocker in this performance longboard than in a nose rider longboard. The shaper, Ivan in this video, gives the reasons why he shaped the Flow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbYkvcsHOjA

And I've expanded my length range which I originally stated at the start of this thread which was 9' to 9'6". As of right now, I would hedge my bets between 9'2" in length to 9'8" in length.

BTW, at the end of the conversation with the local, I asked him what would he choose for a longboard for himself. He didn't hesitate and told me he would choose 9'4" x 23" x 3" and it wouldn't make too much of a difference for him whether it was a single fin nose rider or a multi-fin performance board.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Night Wing

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #58 on: June 02, 2020, 07:11:44 AM »
@ southwesterly

When I learned to surf when I was 15 years old way back in 1965, I learned on a 9' longboard with one single fin which was "glassed in". And the single fin was wide across the middle of the fin. In fact, it looked like the keel of a sailboat.

I figured as time went on, there would be more than one single fin attached to a surfboard and someone would eventually design a board with three fins or more. And with multiple fins, fin boxes would be the next progression to "mix and match different lengths of fins" if you get my drift.And it eventually came into being.

You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Bill Stewart was the one who came up with the idea of the three fin thruster setup over 30 years ago.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

Dusk Patrol

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Re: Surfboards (Longboards)
« Reply #59 on: June 02, 2020, 01:02:10 PM »

Have you considered Stewart's Hydro Hull?


 Surftech has a decent deal on a TufLite 9'6  (x 23.5" x 3.3" @ 71L) with three fin boxes

https://surftech.com/stewart-hydro-hull-tuflite-2019/
RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

 


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