do not understand the craze of CI, rusty, lost other mass produced boards

http://surf.transworld.net/100014945...one-at-lowers/

I understand supporting local shapers and I do so whenever I can, but these big companies are in business still for one reason- their shapes work. If I am spending several hundred dollars on a piece of foam and fiberglass I want to be absolutely certain it's going to do what I want it to in the water. Don't forget, everyone from Al to Mayhem to Rusty started in just a garage or shed at one time too. But their stuff endured and flourished because of something that worked for them.

I haven't owned a CI board since '02 and I can’t speak for the glassing now, I can say back then it left something to be desired. I bring this up because I had Monday off and 2bills from Santa burning a hole in my back pocket. Since all my other vices were filled, I decided to get onto Craigs and peruse /sga. I ended up buying a Dumpster Diver clone that morning from some local CBad shaper. Thing is a wee bit too big for yours truly as homey had a good 15-20lbs on me (couple of heelies to be sure, but a solid board none the less), but I was bored with what I was riding and really just wanted to try out the shape that I’ve seen so many people on over the last couple of years. Slapped some M5’s on it and got it in the water before 10AM, an hour or 2 before the ENE winds started shifting to the SW. It was dude’s personal ride. I love it. I never thought I’d be saying that about a CI shape again. Had a really good mix of waves to try it out on the last 3 days and it rocks, makes anything I’ve wanted it to, flies through the sections, loves to get on a rail and be ripped around hard, super forgiving on the recovery, gets right back up to speed with just a little coaxing. Works in 2’ mush and HH sets. Makes close outs and speeds down the line. Now I really want one that fits me a little better and is more suited for my size and surfing. Just a little smaller in all dimensions than the one I bought.

Supposedly, I’m supposed to get rid of a board since I got a new one (“it’s not new“, I said, “it’s used, so it doesn’t count”, somehow that didn’t work). We’ll see how long I can keep playing that card, funny what trouble some extra spending cash and Craigslist gets me into.

Totally worth it though to break up board monotony. Say what you will about CI and …Lost; a couple of their designs over the last few years have been pretty sweet. I wonder if I would really be able to tell the difference between my local knock off and a “real” CI DD of the same materials and dimensions? Despite its “sweetness”, it sure does seem to be a pretty simple design to imitate.

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Originally Posted by zaGaffer

I wonder if I would really be able to tell the difference between my local knock off and a “real” CI DD of the same materials and dimensions? Despite its “sweetness”, it sure does seem to be a pretty simple design to imitate.

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every shaper will put their own spin/take into a board design. wynn's idea of a dumpster diver likely will not be the same as scott busby's, whose take will not be the same as tommy moore, etc...even if the overall dims & bottom contours are the same. the rails & rocker will likely be somewhat different, b/c they are different people who shape & surf differently. my take is: if you truly want a "dumpster diver", go buy a ci. if you like the idea of a dumpster diver but don't necessarily want expactly what ci is selling, then go see your local guy & have a good chat w/ him & let him whip you up his version of it.

I just did a one-off of a DD, and you're right... I put my own personal twist on it, based on the fact that the local waves the guy surfs are more punchy, top to bottom waves, even when small. Dane designed the board for Trestles, and we don't have a Trestles wave around here. So even though the standard dims were all the same, the changes made were intended to make it a better board for local surf. That's what custom shapes, even from non-local shapers, can do that off the rack models can't.

Besides... I hate doing on-offs.

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Originally Posted by LBCrew

I just did a one-off of a DD

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i was just going to pm you to ask how that project went! how'd it turn out? any pics?

Shape came out good... but once it goes into the glassing room it's on to the next.

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Originally Posted by njsurfer42

every shaper will put their own spin/take into a board design. wynn's idea of a dumpster diver likely will not be the same as scott busby's, whose take will not be the same as tommy moore, etc...even if the overall dims & bottom contours are the same. the rails & rocker will likely be somewhat different, b/c they are different people who shape & surf differently. my take is: if you truly want a "dumpster diver", go buy a ci. if you like the idea of a dumpster diver but don't necessarily want expactly what ci is selling, then go see your local guy & have a good chat w/ him & let him whip you up his version of it.

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I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, I bet. Most of the time I’m pretty sure that my surfing sucks, the rest of the time I’m convinced of it. I ride boards I make and most of the time they turn out like this guy’s, only not quite as performance oriented:

Attachment 6697

^ I saw that photo the other day... I love my travel board but if I ran across that guy on a surf trip I would have to give him my board when I left regardless... surfs NORWAY for decades on refrigerator foam and newspaper...awesome!