Board for Kelly's pool

tedshred

Gerry Lopez status
Apr 15, 2008
1,033
682
113
Got a spot booked for next month. Always said I would rather spend the same amount and go somewhere like Salina Cruz but with a 2 & 3 year old and demanding work schedule I haven't found the time for a week long surf trip in the last 3 years. Figured I would condense the surf trip into a handful of 40 second long waves at the pool.

Everyone says to ride flat and fast step down epoxies but I've always loved the feel of a HPSB more when the wave permits. On Step downs I have to kind of nurse turns a bit and have to get balance between turns whereas on a traditional shortboard I can go top to bottom with little concern of sliding out and bogging/ falling. Was thinking OG Flyer Spinetek to start then maybe switching to a 6'1 Happy if the waves seem big and juicy enough. Anybody have any experience?
 

menobrah

Gerry Lopez status
Feb 28, 2021
1,024
2,096
113
Got a spot booked for next month. Always said I would rather spend the same amount and go somewhere like Salina Cruz but with a 2 & 3 year old and demanding work schedule I haven't found the time for a week long surf trip in the last 3 years. Figured I would condense the surf trip into a handful of 40 second long waves at the pool.

Everyone says to ride flat and fast step down epoxies but I've always loved the feel of a HPSB more when the wave permits. On Step downs I have to kind of nurse turns a bit and have to get balance between turns whereas on a traditional shortboard I can go top to bottom with little concern of sliding out and bogging/ falling. Was thinking OG Flyer Spinetek to start then maybe switching to a 6'1 Happy if the waves seem big and juicy enough. Anybody have any experience?
firewire alaia or nothing bro...
 

urchined

Nep status
Jul 20, 2019
763
1,384
93
NCSD, CA
Got a spot booked for next month. Always said I would rather spend the same amount and go somewhere like Salina Cruz but with a 2 & 3 year old and demanding work schedule I haven't found the time for a week long surf trip in the last 3 years. Figured I would condense the surf trip into a handful of 40 second long waves at the pool.

Everyone says to ride flat and fast step down epoxies but I've always loved the feel of a HPSB more when the wave permits. On Step downs I have to kind of nurse turns a bit and have to get balance between turns whereas on a traditional shortboard I can go top to bottom with little concern of sliding out and bogging/ falling. Was thinking OG Flyer Spinetek to start then maybe switching to a 6'1 Happy if the waves seem big and juicy enough. Anybody have any experience?
I’ve been there a few times. Don’t over think it. unless you really, really rip ur not going to be worried about pu/epoxy/rocker/whatever else. You’ll be thinking don’t fall and fuk up the waves u over-paid for. just ride something you won’t question and be really confident on to run down the line and actually make the barrel. I’ve ridden a fish, HPSB and a cc nautlius. 6.6 nautilus was best for me. It’s really a down the line wave that many don’t/can’t keep up with because they have a lot of ideas in their head of what they think they can do vs what they are capable of doing. My 2 cents from watching too many blown waves there. Focus on getting barreled and coming out. The rest is bs.
 

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,827
5,075
113
The OC
tbh, I got in one day in the middle January with a big group a few years back through some connections, friend of a friend stuff. Brought boards. most people did and just about everyone switched to the Omni during the day. There’s really no need to bring a board. They pretty much stock every FW in every size.
 
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JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,827
5,075
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The OC
I wouldn’t listen to people telling you to ride a flat, step down either. That wave is very top to bottom and easily calls for a hpsb. You just don’t paddle or battle so volume can be relaxed.
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,041
8,978
113
Central California
tbh, I got in one day in the middle January with a big group a few years back through some connections, friend of a friend stuff. Brought boards. most people did and just about everyone switched to the Omni during the day. There’s really no need to bring a board. They pretty much stock every FW in every size.
You've been holding out on us JDJ!
 
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ChaseTMP

Billy Hamilton status
Apr 6, 2014
1,703
3,109
113
S. Redondo
I’ve been there a few times. Don’t over think it. unless you really, really rip ur not going to be worried about pu/epoxy/rocker/whatever else. You’ll be thinking don’t fall and fuk up the waves u over-paid for. just ride something you won’t question and be really confident on to run down the line and actually make the barrel. I’ve ridden a fish, HPSB and a cc nautlius. 6.6 nautilus was best for me. It’s really a down the line wave that many don’t/can’t keep up with because they have a lot of ideas in their head of what they think they can do vs what they are capable of doing. My 2 cents from watching too many blown waves there. Focus on getting barreled and coming out. The rest is bs.
This is what I heard from a friend that went there. He's a very good surfer and said it was kind of overwhelming trying to perform on the overpriced waves while worrying about blowing the barrel sections. From the video I saw of my buddy's waves, you can tell he's too in his head and looked really shaky on most turns.

He brought a groveler (CI Rocket Wide), but rode his Haydenshapes Holy Grail, which is his preferred HPSB (which I personally strongly dislike). From what I hear there are people poaching on the inside that didn't have to pay since they came as a guest and they get quite a few scraps when people fall (albeit a much shorter ride).
 
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JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,827
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It’s a challenging “Wave” both physically and mentally. It feels more like a giant wake than an ocean wave. And, like @ChaseTMP mentioned, you’re always in your head because you don’t want to blow your extremely limited opportunities to surf. It’s also fairly easy to dig a rail and fall with the slightest technical mistake. You see the best surfers in the world doing it. It was also insanely cold when I was there, like 45 degree water, freezing temps, @Aruka style. So you’ll be in a different situation in terms of the experience. It’s a cool place. Definitely a bucket list. Wouldn’t go back though.
 

urchined

Nep status
Jul 20, 2019
763
1,384
93
NCSD, CA
This is what I heard from a friend that went there. He's a very good surfer and said it was kind of overwhelming trying to perform on the overpriced waves while worrying about blowing the barrel sections. From the video I saw of my buddy's waves, you can tell he's too in his head and looked really shaky on most turns.

He brought a groveler (CI Rocket Wide), but rode his Haydenshapes Holy Grail, which is his preferred HPSB (which I personally strongly dislike). From what I hear there are people poaching on the inside that didn't have to pay since they came as a guest and they get quite a few scraps when people fall (albeit a much shorter ride).
Yeah. My kid poaches inside and scores.
 
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Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,252
19,081
113
Jacksonville Beach
kind of overwhelming trying to perform on the overpriced waves while worrying about blowing the barrel sections.
My only advice. Don’t be like me on this wave. Get as low as possible as early as possible. The wave pitches fast without any obvious warning or tell-tale signs, like the Ocean. This one came up quickly and I didn’t really bend my knees early enough or deeply enough, and I ended up getting pitched.
Lesson here OP: Only the penitent man will pass.
 
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000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
26,018
7,171
113
looks to me like u want a board thats way too small for u elsewhere.
like if u normally use a 5'9" omni, the 5'3" omni would work better for u at the slaterpool
 
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Northern_Shores

Miki Dora status
Mar 30, 2009
4,485
4,403
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Alex Knost :monkey: said the wave is difficult to surf because the sections does not appear in front of you, like a normal wave. The wave changes underneath you. Also, he rode one of his idiotic mid-lengths :/

It also appears that you sometimes can't escape the whitewater and get back out on the face? Seen the CT guys get stuck several times.
 
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urchined

Nep status
Jul 20, 2019
763
1,384
93
NCSD, CA
Alex Knost :monkey: said the wave is difficult to surf because the sections does not appear in front of you, like a normal wave. The wave changes underneath you. Also, he rode one of his idiotic mid-lengths :/

It also appears that you sometimes can't escape the whitewater and get back out on the face? Seen the CT guys get stuck several times.
It’s really, really hard to catch up if u get behind it. Scott bass mentioned on a podcast that he try’s to outrun the barrel-especially on the inside section. You can’t use normal ocean knowledge to stall a normal ocean section or u get clipped and it passes u by. So u drive down the line and the tube section will barrel around you. Once ur in the slot, then u adjust speed to stay in there as long as possible. I was doing double hand drags to keep the speed down once in. So your not actually out running the barrel, you just need to set it up like you are. The bass advice was the best advice I got that worked. that aspect of the waves goes against ur normal surfing intuition. Ur body is telling u to slam on the break and sit in it. That’s my take. Maybe JDJ saw it different?