REMINDER: THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to monitor the Forums. However, THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to review any materials submitted to or posted on the Forums, and remove, delete, redact or otherwise modify such materials, in its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever, at any time and from time to time, without notice or further obligation to you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to display or post any materials provided by you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to disclose, at any time and from time to time, any information or materials that we deem necessary or appropriate to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, contract obligation, legal or dispute process or government request. Click on the following hyperlinks to further read the applicable Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Mini Simmons vs/or Plasmic?
- Thread starter morrisone
- Start date
Got a 5'4" mini-simmons from Jim Dunlop (Mystic Surfboards) a couple years ago and love it in small waves in Southern California. It's a twin keel but he makes quads too. Lots of pics of Simmons variations on his instagram feed, and in his website archives (do a google search for "site:mysticsurfboards.net simmons"). For the tiniest of waves I would love to try a longer Simmons from him. He really knows how to make boards that work in small waves. Does everything himself start to finish, really great guy to order from. (Edited to add that I'm 54, 6'1", just under 170.)
Last edited:
But Duffy's never seen anyone ripping on a mini simmons, so it must not be possible
@trifish How would you rate Akila Con. fish as a groveler? Never tried a Manta but I’d have to say the Contemporary Fish is better than Plasmic in small surf. Surfed mine today for first time in weeks and it sure makes a meal out of scraps and finds speed from nothing…
I'd call it a great performance type groveler. Gets a lot of push off that wide tail, generates speed really easy, and you can still rip on it. I surf it similar like i would on most shortboards and its amazing the amount of turns it can pack into a crappy small face if you want. Fits into the small curve and pivots extremely fast. It catches waves great like you know. I kinda just sink that wide tail when a set comes and cork into the sets easily with a couple of paddles behind it. It doesn't take much to get it going. I'd place it right above the XTR Gremlin I had. Gremlin is more stable in a way with turns and consistent, great board, but takes a little more to get going and carry speed in comparison. After riding the Aipa a while, the gremlin felt slow in similar conditions, which is wild to say because the Gremlin isn't a slow board.
I had a Manta as well and I'm more comfortable on the Aipa in terms of being in control and it doing what I want. I had trouble controlling the Manta. Tried a couple of fin sets, but never got a good grasp on handling it and really figuring it out. It caught waves as well as any uber groveler type board i've been on (maybe better) and was a lot of fun blasting around fast on it, but just was a bit wild overall in a way. I think i told one of my friends it felt like its surfing me instead of me surfing it. Probably would of helped if it had future boxes to dial it in better since i have about 20 years worth of fins for futures and none really for FCS. Also i rarely like quads, so there was that also. Ran a couple sets suggested (Stilettos/DVS quad Keels), but just didn't gel with it as much as my other boards.
Never hear anyone bigging up The Fling as ultimate groveler anymore. Just a couple years ago, guys were raving about it. (Never tried one)
I really wanted one after all the hype but ended up stumbling on a near new manta and never looked back. My impression is that the fling was not quite an ultra groveler as much the manta, more equal to the GMM2 I had then.
@Havoc has a SUP version he used to rave about.
What size should a 6’2 205 lb piece of solid man muscle get in one of these thing?
Jon Peck is a large man (maybe 6'4?) and is the guy who would take your order @ CC... he knows the Ocean Racer very well
If you're looking for a high performance mini sims, get one with a high performance fin set-up (tri or quad).
The ocean racer uses half moon wooden keels. That's what's limiting it's performance, IMO.
If an hp mini sims is not what you're looking for, then I'll kindly eat a dick.
my gravelbeards are about 3-4 liters over my DD's. My shapers seem to think this is the right way to go. And I do too.
Mandala superchunk is a good option. Round nose Belly up front but spiral vee and a quad. Good lateral speed like a simmons in junk but turns more like a quad fish.