Von Sol 'Flying Manta' stub groveler

Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
2,321
113
Oceanside, CA
Saw pics of this thing a little while ago, but apparently
Mattison just got it in the water for the first time a
couple days ago. Today I was at the beach with the groms
and looked up to see him flying all over the place on little
inside waves on this new stub-groveler.

5'6" x 21 3/4" x 2 5/8", stringerless eps/epoxy.


Mind you, there were head-high set waves out the back,
which is where you'll usually find him, but he was picking
off these small waves on the inside and FLYING around on
them and doing full wrap-around cutbacks with no loss of
speed into even smaller inside sections...repeat.
Board was WORKING!
Long story short, I'm ordering one. Although I've had most of the super groveller boards out there,
this is a risk-free board for me, since I pretty much know
how it's going to perform based on past boards
that I've loved! It's a tweaked version of an all-time
favorite, built for serious grovelling.
Seeing it in action sold it for me, then talking to Sean
later...he was amping on it! Pretty easy to tell when
he reeeeally loves a new board...this was one of 'those'.


Going 5'8" x 22 1/4" x 2 3/4" on mine. Can't wait!!

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/jam_on.gif" alt="" />
 
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Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
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Oceanside, CA
Unfortunately, no. Dudebro did though, and promptly ordered
one...enough to convince me along with the water performance.
<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
 

need 4 speed

Phil Edwards status
Nov 1, 2003
6,676
3,579
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SoCal
dont shoot me
archer not the arrow
I think we've seen M enough to know
but have ffffffun! Look like a summer time
shred sled
 

Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
2,321
113
Oceanside, CA
Although I said as much to him afterwards (rips everything), the difference
was 2 things. First, he was surfing basically leftovers on the inside that
no one had any interest in and the board was flying. Second, the board is a
Modified version of a VERY popular and proven design.
It's gonna work...very well. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
 

Dudebro

Nep status
Jul 17, 2007
877
25
28
Oceanside
What can I say. I'm a sucker for these style boards because I can go to my local break and surf almost everyday. Riding waves that most would not want to bother with and enjoy it many times more than surfing good waves with a million people.

Sean has been threatening to come up with something like this for a long time and am glad he did. Couple things I liked about it are the down rails which make the rails not so chunky as other short/wide boards and the fin cluster is not too close to the tail. All in all it looked like it may be easier to control than some of my other boards in that same category. When I get it under my feet can say more about it but until then all I can say is it looks like it will be a good time.
 

Dudebro

Nep status
Jul 17, 2007
877
25
28
Oceanside
Have quite a few of these wide boards and am not really fond of having the fins back close to the tail. I find the boards track and do not turn easily when the fins are set close to the tail. With the wide tail block and having the fin right on the tail it takes more effort to turn them. So much so a lot of times you put too much effort into it so you go to far and then are trying to stop it from sliding. Also think it speeds up initiating the turn so when you do get a steep little section you can do something with it. One more thing is they ride closer to a board you are used to and it is easy to transition from other boards.

There are many videos of rippers riding wide short stumpy boards with the fins set back and making them look good. Obviously they can be made to work and some even prefer them that way but this is why I prefer the fins in a more normal or not so far back position.
 

20W-50 and blood

Duke status
Feb 4, 2004
24,949
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SOCAL
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Seems a lot of these wider square tails have fins positioned further back. These seem a bit more forward?

Discuss?
small waves....not mcuh face to draw out turns...thus calling for quicker arcs! magic! worship me. actually...buy me a beer...wait..i have more!
 

kellsmith

Miki Dora status
Apr 18, 2011
4,671
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looks like a fun little bank machine. am i allowed to ask who shaped it? seriously... id like to know <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wave2.gif" alt="" />
 

Ifallalot

Duke status
Dec 17, 2008
88,305
17,592
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What can I say. I'm a sucker for these style boards because I can go to my local break and surf almost everyday. Riding waves that most would not want to bother with and enjoy it many times more than surfing good waves with a million people.

Sean has been threatening to come up with something like this for a long time and am glad he did. Couple things I liked about it are the down rails which make the rails not so chunky as other short/wide boards and the fin cluster is not too close to the tail. All in all it looked like it may be easier to control than some of my other boards in that same category. When I get it under my feet can say more about it but until then all I can say is it looks like it will be a good time.
This design is just about perfect for where we live. My friend shapes boards that are very similar and it has become my DD
 

mar123

Nep status
Jun 6, 2009
652
0
0
can you get a concave shot out the back? is it a double? looks a little meh to me right now, but what do i know, would like a ride report.

and seriously, why does sean not choose to say who shaped the boards, keep the "designed by SM" thing or whatever. tudor's kookbox line names shapers. perhaps a good thing...