I figured I'd get the ball rolling with these boards since there are a few here riding them and more on the way. Here's my review.
Who: 5’11”x 182lbs. x 40 yrs of surfing.
What: ….lost Couch Potato 5’7x21.75”x2.5” 35.85L Keahana EPS, 5 fusion boxes, and currently using PG, MR-TFX tri fin set. It has a mostly flat bottom (maybe a hair of single concave in the nose area?), some vee between the fins, and flat out the back. Rails are elliptical. No harder edge develops until the last foot, or so, of the board.
Where: Weak FL. beach break under chest high.
Why: My learning-to-surf-daughter hijacked my Plank so I needed a replacement groveler. Tried a JS Pier Pony but didn’t click my best with it. Almost picked up a Bottom Feeder until catching wind of Mayhem’s domestic series. Glad I waited.
Ride: This board should be called the Crack Potato. It’s super fun and you will quickly become addicted to riding it. The great thing about these types of boards is that you don’t have to wait for waves. If anything is breaking, go surf. I’ve had this puppy out in everything from below-knee-high-lake-Atlantic-windslop to clean, nearly chest high groundswell NSB inlet peaks. In the real small stuff it does not have the glide of the Plank (in fairness, the Plank I have is a larger board and has added advantage with more parallel rails). The CP will cruise in the real small stuff though and, thanks to the vee and Keahana-lightness, pop little off the lips in waves shin-high.
Comparo pic:
The CP really comes alive knee high and up with effortless speed on offer and, thanks again to the vee/Kea-lightness, full tail out snaps on weak little knee-thigh waves. Also, the CP Kea-board recovers quicker from snaps/cutbacks, too, allowing you to maximize wave potential. I have had to readjust my smaller wave surfing a bit because of the quickness of the Keahana/CP equation. Also, the board produces plenty of spray, more so than most grovelers I’ve owned. I
highly recommend this board if you are in the market for a small wave/grovel-type stick! Get the Keahana version if possible. It’s worth the extra coin.
