HI6 vs CI Mid vs Mid Life Crisis

averagejoe

Miki Dora status
May 28, 2008
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Anyone tried all three? Ride reports?
I’d like to get a new mid-length. I’m in no hurry.
I want something around 7’4 to ride around eastside santa cruz once it’s over shoulder high.
 

MrSteve

Gerry Lopez status
Oct 1, 2015
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Anyone tried all three? Ride reports?
I’d like to get a new mid-length. I’m in no hurry.
I want something around 7’4 to ride around eastside santa cruz once it’s over shoulder high.
Didnt you shape mid lengths? Moped model, or something like that

On a side note, you still selling any more fins?
 

jory

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Aug 13, 2006
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Aren’t they all a midlife crisis? ;)

I reckon it depends on what lines you want to draw. I’ve only ridden the CI which was fun but it is definately not dialled for small wave grovelling, I know of quite a few disappointed shortboarders who bought one thinking it would be. It definitely like some face to run out onto and wants to draw long smooth Devon Howard lines. It’s an egg not a big shortboard. More performance than Devon’s old Takayama egg but still in that lineage. I really liked it but then I ride a lot of heavy longboards and more hully midlengths too.

The mid6 has definately got more shortboard dna in there. Harley Ingleby is a “performance” longboarder whereas Devon is not. More flexible fin set up, designed to allow you to surf more aggressively. The Moe is more popular of the two HI models locally, make of that what you will.

Can’t comment about the Pyzel. Only seen one in the water. The guy loved it but he was too average a surfer & the waves too small to tell much.
 

MrSteve

Gerry Lopez status
Oct 1, 2015
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I did. If one of the ones I made showed up used I’d get it.

I still have a hoard of fins I’d let go. Anything in particular you’re looking for?
I dunno... Nothing in particular. Feel free to post up or DM a list :shaka:

I've had/ have 3 Townsends. 6-8 and 6-6 twin pin asym. Both in XTR. Just a tad stiff. Currently have and love a 6-6 Varial cabron with sort of an asym squash tail.
 

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,128
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33.8N - 118.4W
I could have made you a custom, as could your local shaper, of equal or better quality at an equal or better price, in a context that is not this-

.

Just saying.
 

Retropete

Phil Edwards status
Jan 20, 2006
5,962
4,401
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Sunny Coast Qld Australia
I could have made you a custom, as could your local shaper, of equal or better quality at an equal or better price, in a context that is not this-

.

Just saying.
I like supporting Thai workers. I'm vastly outnumbered by them in our family unit. It's the ones that don't work and I still support them that I'm not so keen on.
:shark:
 

averagejoe

Miki Dora status
May 28, 2008
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So far away
www.mardawg.com
Performer large with reactor medium as rears in a quad set are the favoured set up but I've run Kelly 2.1 quads in medium in the 7'6" and worked well. When its smaller can run a twin plus trailer in it.
I went back to the shop and got a set of the Large Mayhems bc they were labeled in the Reactor family and I’ve had success with that template before. They had the medium performer quad rears in eco glass whateverthefuck that is.

In my personal stash I found the Merrick five fin set, which I‘ve liked on a 6’2 but are probably to small for me and the board. And I have a set of AMT twin + trailer which I’m stokedasfuck to try sometime.

now i just gotta pray for surf
 

averagejoe

Miki Dora status
May 28, 2008
5,289
619
113
So far away
www.mardawg.com
I could have made you a custom, as could your local shaper, of equal or better quality at an equal or better price, in a context that is not this-

.

Just saying.
I’m happy to support a local/small guy shaper if it works for me. I looked online for the Album Townsend and didn’t see any in stock anywhere. I walked into the surf shop, the guy there was happy I was there, was very friendly and helpful and I left with the thing I went in to see if they had. It was very easy to do and was an all around pleasant experience. I got to feel up the finished product and check it over for blems and rough spots. It felt perfect.

In May or June, I ordered a kiteboard from a friend who used to glass a couple of boards for me when I was too busy. He’s been making a bunch of boards lately. He spent a bunch of time up at his new house in Tahoe over the summer and I didn’t get the board until October, which is basically the end of the kite season here. I got one session on it. When he used to glass boards for me, he glassed this fish I shaped for myself and his sanding left a lot to be desired. He left way too much resin on the tips of the fish tails, to the point that there was recurve on the speed bead. I could also feel ridges on the rails in the tail. I told him it was an unacceptable level of work and we fell out for a time. We made up and I actually referred a few of my customers who reached out to me for boards bc I’m no longer making anything. Well, when I got this kiteboard home and felt up the rails, there were ridges through the tail. Having perfectly smooth rails is critical on a kiteboard because of the speed you’re traveling when you hit a lip or do any kind of turn. So there’s a local shaper who won’t get any more board orders or referrals from me.
 

Retropete

Phil Edwards status
Jan 20, 2006
5,962
4,401
113
Sunny Coast Qld Australia
I went back to the shop and got a set of the Large Mayhems bc they were labeled in the Reactor family and I’ve had success with that template before. They had the medium performer quad rears in eco glass whateverthefuck that is.

In my personal stash I found the Merrick five fin set, which I‘ve liked on a 6’2 but are probably to small for me and the board. And I have a set of AMT twin + trailer which I’m stokedasfuck to try sometime.

now i just gotta pray for surf
The AMT + trailer is exactly what I used when it was smaller. Good fun. I'd try the Merricks in there as the board doesn't need a lot of fin area with its pulled in tail/channels. Too much fin area will just tighten it up in decent waves. You've got plenty of rail to drive off.
 
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One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,128
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33.8N - 118.4W
I’m happy to support a local/small guy shaper if it works for me. I looked online for the Album Townsend and didn’t see any in stock anywhere. I walked into the surf shop, the guy there was happy I was there, was very friendly and helpful and I left with the thing I went in to see if they had. It was very easy to do and was an all around pleasant experience. I got to feel up the finished product and check it over for blems and rough spots. It felt perfect.

In May or June, I ordered a kiteboard from a friend who used to glass a couple of boards for me when I was too busy. He’s been making a bunch of boards lately. He spent a bunch of time up at his new house in Tahoe over the summer and I didn’t get the board until October, which is basically the end of the kite season here. I got one session on it. When he used to glass boards for me, he glassed this fish I shaped for myself and his sanding left a lot to be desired. He left way too much resin on the tips of the fish tails, to the point that there was recurve on the speed bead. I could also feel ridges on the rails in the tail. I told him it was an unacceptable level of work and we fell out for a time. We made up and I actually referred a few of my customers who reached out to me for boards bc I’m no longer making anything. Well, when I got this kiteboard home and felt up the rails, there were ridges through the tail. Having perfectly smooth rails is critical on a kiteboard because of the speed you’re traveling when you hit a lip or do any kind of turn. So there’s a local shaper who won’t get any more board orders or referrals from me.
It's a nice board and judging from the videos I've seen it's the most high performance mid length. You'll be stocked. The surf shop is stocked. The Thai factory workers? Don't know. Judging from the video I linked the place sounds pretty crazy, but where isn't? And I will always promote the local shaper. Santa Cruz has so many. I wonder how much a Steve Coletta would cost? Or Doug Haut? The guy who was glassing your boards sounds semi amateur.

I'm actually starting a 7-6. I guess you could call it a mid length, but, given the waves we've been having, a little semi gun thinking is infecting my brain. I will tell you I looked hard at the Mid 6 although I did not find any at my local shop to handle. I don't like most mid lengths as I think they tend to be fat and meant more for cruising as opposed to carving which is what I want to do.

Post a ride report.

In fact, weren't you the one who proposed a video review channel as a better representation of the "average Joe' as opposed to "Skipper" (Yuri) who's kind of a kook and always in crap waves and Noel who's a ex pro surfing really good Trestles?
 

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
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I’m happy to support a local/small guy shaper if it works for me. I looked online for the Album Townsend and didn’t see any in stock anywhere.