Problem generating speed on a new board

waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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So, it's time to swallow my pride and lay myself bare to public scrutiny ... fuck it, here's a long read for ya.

I don't want to write off the board based on 4 surfs, but at the same time, we so seldom get sick waves and I don't wanna spend that time we have on a board I don't like, so turning to you for some insight I might be missing.

My experience with my new board really is bugging me a lot, and I'm not sure what to put it down to, whether;
* It's 100% me kooking it / too fat
* Fin choice
* Conditions just weren't right and my home conditions really are sh!t
* Some design element that doesn't gel with my dorky style
The issue with my options above, all seem relevant, but at the same time I have a counter to all of those in equal measure.

The board is slightly wider up front than a standard HPSB, with a round tail (more like a thumb tail) and about half a little more foam (not that it would be noticeable) than my benchmark board I use a "every day board".

I know comparing the boards is NOT comparing apples to apples, but, it's to illustrate a point I will make later.
* Daily board: Pyzel Phantom. [5.10, 19 1/2, 2 1/2 30L]
* Good Wave board: Dylan RX5 [6, 19 3/8, 2 9/16, 30.5L]

RX5.png

Just after I got the board, I took it out in dogshit conditions as I just wanted to feel it out, and unsurprisingly it didn't feel great (stiff, felt like it surfed like it was longer than it was, and the tail felt like it was sinking and "too long" / got an anchor tied to it). Just this last week we had a run of pretty great swell (4ish maybe little bigger at times feet, not particularly powerful, but plenty of round barrels) for about 3 days, and I thought it's finally time to get my feet in the wax on it again. Unfortunately, the same feelings I had taking it out in crap was there in a good swell. I tried the following fins to see if it would make a difference;
* Mick Fanning large (tri)
* AM2 aircore large (tri)
* Matt Biolos shaper series large (tri)
* AM2 aircore large, performer medium rears (quad)

Nothing really made much of a difference, perhaps the quad was slightly better, but it could just be down to the waves I caught on that set up, it certainly was not a striking difference (and I'm not typically a quad guy). I got a few absolute bombs on the board and had the widest deep round barrel on it, that I had to do two pumps to get out of (not typically something I get a chance to do around here), as well as a a couple of searingly fast cutties, so there's certainly something there, but on the face it was just struggle street. On the last session I swapped back to my Pyzel and the difference was night and day in regards to get up and go speed / wave face.

On one of those sessions, it just so happened that there was a girl on the beach taking pics, which further illustrated to me what I might have been feeling.

Context:
This was about the size it was on the day.
context.jpeg

This was on one of the smaller ones that really illustrates and exaggerates all 4 of my bullet points at the top.

1.jpeg


3.jpeg

4.jpeg

5.jpeg

The images aren't great, but notice both rails are bogged / sunken (in a bad way) ...and I simply couldn't turn the thing.

What say you ... cut my losses, wait for proper conditions, try other fins, get more foam, or other?
 

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waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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u usually ride L fins? don't you weigh around 160 or so.

try M fins.
Always on a large fin - I'm 178CM @ 84KG at the moment... usually hover at around 82kg (180lbs in freedom units) but ISO meanst my fridge was too close and gyms are closed :p
 
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Doubt it's fins.
Looks like a barrel board, like a Ghost. Probably gotta ride it front footed, unless your stalling.
Maybe put it away until you have waves where speed generation is not a factor?
 

Lowqi2

OTF status
Mar 17, 2013
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looks to me like the back half is too thin/narrow and maybe tail rocker too high, imho. Also, with WPF boards, req more front foot approach, and looks like you're more back footed. I feel your pain, hate blowing sessions figuring board/fins out.
 
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waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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looks to me like the back half is too thin/narrow and maybe tail rocker too high, imho. Also, with WPF boards, req more front foot approach, and looks like you're more back footed. I feel your pain, hate blowing sessions figuring board/fins out.
That's consistent with that I felt. Front of the board felt good and the couple good turns felt like I was turning more off the middle of the board (if that's a thing).

Doubt it's fins.
Looks like a barrel board, like a Ghost. Probably gotta ride it front footed, unless your stalling.
Maybe put it away until you have waves where speed generation is not a factor?
It's an option to keep it on ice, I guess I was just not expecting there to be such an big difference
 
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freeride76

Michael Peterson status
Dec 31, 2009
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Lennox Head.
ice it, give it one more go.

not sure those photos show much. you're trying to turn way, way too far out on the shoulder for what that board is designed for.

that tail is designed for control in the steepest, bowliest part of the wave.

try a different approach first.
 
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The volume your riding seems pretty low also, unless you are surfing at a high level. No one will know your preferred volume more than yourself, but if I were your weight I would be riding closer to 32-33 liters
 
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potato-nator

Phil Edwards status
Nov 10, 2015
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The volume your riding seems pretty low also, unless you are surfing at a high level. No one will know your preferred volume more than yourself, but if I were your weight I would be riding closer to 32-33 liters
your issue is volume.
 

waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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The volume your riding seems pretty low also, unless you are surfing at a high level. No one will know your preferred volume more than yourself, but if I were your weight I would be riding closer to 32-33 liters
Hmm, 33L sounds like a boat. 30 is my high mark (although I have just bought a 31.5L Monstabox but not ridden it yet) and I used to surf 28L @ the same weight. I have no issues catching waves nor do I have issues with any of my other boards at the same volume. Volume is a bit overrated imo, but I do take your point.
 
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Hmm, 33L sounds like a boat. 30 is my high mark (although I have just bought a 31.5L Monstabox but not ridden it yet) and I used to surf 28L @ the same weight. I have no issues catching waves nor do I have issues with any of my other boards at the same volume. Volume is a bit overrated imo, but I do take your point.
If your used to that volume, than like I said, no one will know better than you. Perhaps it is how the volume is distributed throughout your boards. If this one is lower volume towards the tail than the others you have, it may explain why it looks like it is bogging in your photo's. I know seems overrated, but it is a factor, and you may enjoy that shape up a liter or so.

Again though, to me that looks like a shape for heavier/powerful surf. If you get those days throughout the year, I would hang onto it and try again. The Ghost I ride, similar shape, is a life saver when it's throwing.
 
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Lohena

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Oct 30, 2019
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Echoing this, I would say get rid of it if this was meant for the surf you took it out in. Any good hpsb should feel great in those conditions. If this is meant to be a step up, hang on to it and try it in proper oh-doh conditions. It does look like a Ghost type of outline.
 
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daave

Gerry Lopez status
Dec 28, 2002
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First and easiest solution - try M fins. Like others have said, it looks a little along the lines of a ghost. That board DEFINITELY prefers smaller fins. I like large fins in my shortboards, but the pulled in/thin tail - combined with that outline - give it a lot of inherent hold and drive. You don't really need extra drive from fins. I thought my ghost was very stiff with large fins. Hold is still great with the smaller fins.

Seems like the monstabox volume should be good to try. You might think that 33L sounds like a boat - but I really think today's boards are designed with that higher volume in mind. If you're over 180, I wouldn't necessarily dismiss that as a boat without trying it. It used to be that your size is your size, most boards were pretty similar i.e., all the 6'1" x 18.5" boards were pretty similar in volume/float. I think this has changed. Boards are a little more specialized now and that can make dialing dims/volume a little tougher. A pro my size would've probably been on a -27 L shortboard 10 years ago. Now about 29-30L. The boards have more volume, but they're adjusted with foiled rails and edges to keep it working.
 

waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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Thanks for the input guys - got a mate who has some fins for me to try out and give it another whirl. Looks like it might be a while given the forecast :(
 

freeride76

Michael Peterson status
Dec 31, 2009
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Lennox Head.
on the Ghost thing: that actually took me a little while to work out. Not the tube-riding, that felt insane from the get go.
But the turning.
it's got a certain rocker, foil and outline curve that really wants to turn a certain way in a certain part of the wave.
If you don't do it right, you get flubbed turns.

Once it clicked, it clicked. Now that Ghost feels as natural as waking up in the morning and taking a ****.

I couldn't imagine life without it, when the waves are good. And they've been good a lot lately.
 

aldo

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Aug 13, 2012
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I bet it’s got heavier rocker throughout. I have a similar board that lights up in bigger hollow surf, where it does anything and everything asked. It actually has a little more volume(15% more) than the board I ride most of the time but still feels like it’s dragging a pick in anything other than decent sized steep waves. It’s the mini step up and for certain spots and conditions I reach for it straight away. It can turn tight in critical parts of powerful waves where my other boards would skip out. It has its place.
 
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waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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Reckon I should try find small fins, or just go Medium AM2, or Medium Fannings?