Which is your ultimate fav Groveler?

ciscojaws

Michael Peterson status
Jul 28, 2008
2,462
631
113
Kook City, VA
After this weekend, looking for something that's a longboard beater. Typical East Coast mush. The mushiest of the mush.

Anyone have experience with the Bean Bag over a Mini Simm in these kinds of conditions?
 
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Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,272
19,098
113
Jacksonville Beach
After this weekend, looking for something that's a longboard beater. Typical East Coast mush. The mushiest of the mush.

Anyone have experience with the Bean Bag over a Mini Simm in these kinds of conditions?
I've never ridden a mini-sim but I'd expect if you had the same belly-whatever bottom combo on the Bean Bag on the Mini-sim, you'd have the no catch/bog thing going on plus the extremely wide tail with straight rail line carried to the rear, resulting in MOAR gravel (?). I use keels in my Bean Bags sometimes with no trailers which I think is pretty odd.
 

VaB

Michael Peterson status
Nov 14, 2004
3,075
683
113
Virginia Beach, VA
After this weekend, looking for something that's a longboard beater. Typical East Coast mush. The mushiest of the mush.

Anyone have experience with the Bean Bag over a Mini Simm in these kinds of conditions?
talk to real but your best east coast summer mush board is a longboard.... followed by a smaller longboard.... followed by a mini sim. In my experience, mini sim will work in super small steeper waves and larger mush waves but nothing beats a log.
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
1,329
113
I empathize. The issue with softer, smaller east coast waves, at least where I'm at, is that they aren't really suitable for a longboard because they tend to be too quick. In Southern California, on soft reefs, a longboard is great, but on the east coast, with short period wind swells and beach break, I find I rarely ride my 9'4 unless it's like knee to waist and perfect.

I currently don't have a groveler but I used to have a Lost Bottom Feeder and it went really well. I just don't relish paddling a 5'5 around anymore. I've been thinking about stealing my brother's 5'9 Lost RV as it's several years old but brand new and he never uses it.
 

Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,272
19,098
113
Jacksonville Beach
I empathize. The issue with softer, smaller east coast waves, at least where I'm at, is that they aren't really suitable for a longboard because they tend to be too quick. In Southern California, on soft reefs, a longboard is great, but on the east coast, with short period wind swells and beach break, I find I rarely ride my 9'4 unless it's like knee to waist and perfect.
This is a pretty big factor. Lots of times there isn't nine feet, four inches of space between bathers either, and on the East Coast, you're generally somewhere the water is much warmer than Southern California, or you're somewhere 60-something isn't dissuading any bathers who spend four months wondering if they'll have to lose sleep for the privilege of shoveling snow.
 

KyleTalbott

Nep status
Jul 6, 2008
850
78
28
flying manta flying manta flying manta flying manta flying manta flying manta
Totally agree with you. Flying Manta!

GMM2 will get the job done + Mandala Pupu Super Chunk (Almost 23’ wide) as well although those are harder to get a hold of.

Flying Manta has a nice single concave up front that really helps with lift and maximizing your effort to get it up to the top of the 18“ wave you are riding.

In decreasing degree, so does the GMM2 and the pupu chunk, but the Flying Manta is best.

Only experience with Fling was at Kaiser’s and it was OK at chest high. They had better boards and I’ve never been interested in that model since.

so... Flying Manta for East Coast waves. Thank me now.

And whomever has my round nosed 5‘8, I‘m up for taking it back off your hands...
 

KyleTalbott

Nep status
Jul 6, 2008
850
78
28
After this weekend, looking for something that's a longboard beater. Typical East Coast mush. The mushiest of the mush.

Anyone have experience with the Bean Bag over a Mini Simm in these kinds of conditions?
Mushiest of the mush is for loggIng but, man, I hate carrying a big ass board to the shorey. Then I gotta pretend im a logger, which I’m not.
 

KyleTalbott

Nep status
Jul 6, 2008
850
78
28
I empathize. The issue with softer, smaller east coast waves, at least where I'm at, is that they aren't really suitable for a longboard because they tend to be too quick. In Southern California, on soft reefs, a longboard is great, but on the east coast, with short period wind swells and beach break, I find I rarely ride my 9'4 unless it's like knee to waist and perfect.

I currently don't have a groveler but I used to have a Lost Bottom Feeder and it went really well. I just don't relish paddling a 5'5 around anymore. I've been thinking about stealing my brother's 5'9 Lost RV as it's several years old but brand new and he never uses it.
Steal the RV.
 

Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
2,321
113
Oceanside, CA
Wanted to to see what you all were yapping about...
Fyi, I tried one of those builds and it didn't even compare to the stringerless eps/epoxy
builds I've gotten for that model. If you like that board, sell it and find the same dims (those dims
were from my first custom Manta) and get a regular eps/epoxy. Much more lively, IMO.
 

Clamsmasher

Michael Peterson status
Apr 22, 2013
1,855
926
113
Nar
JS Flaming Pony w/ large JS fins.
Haydenshapes Merlot w/ EA Blackstix
Xanadu Pig 2

The JS is a true groveler for waist high and under.

The Haydenshapes is not a true groveler but a board that works very well in small surf but can still work up to head high.

The Pig 2 I have not personally ridden, but it often comes up in conversations about amazing grovelers.

Also, see the thread regarding the Super Fling.
I had a Pig 1 that sucked bawls as a thruster but was ridiculous as a twin plus trailer. Not a full slop boar perhaps but plenty of range.