custom board quasi-review (more or less me just bragging about my new toy)

Discussion in 'All Discussions' started by The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 8, 2015.

  1. Jun 8, 2015 #1
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII

    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII Well-Known Member

    1,216
    Oct 19, 2014
    new board.jpg new board bottom.jpg

    I had the McDermott brothers of Maine make me another custom board this year. Its becoming an annual tradition.

    This board is LIGHT -- under 5lbs. Its 5'8", 2 3/4" thick, nice rail, I forget how wide we made it and its in my storage unit and Im not going to look right now.... EPS, carbon rails, vector net all over the top and patches over the fins. Glassed single 4oz bottom and the top was a layer of 6oz and the vector net. I cannot describe how light this board is. We are guessing 34 liters.

    I had a love affair with a 5'8" DHD Double Shot for a few years. It had 30 liters and was as non-fishy and rockered as you could get while still being a fishy groveler small wave board. Well Unc needs a few extra liters these days... I asked Andy to make this shape in the likeness of the Double Shot. I didnt want to go much taller than 5'8". This shape has a ...Lost Sub Scorcher nose/rocker complex and this is my first rounded tail. And 34 is my magic volume number.

    Took it out Sunday morning in weak thigh high with occasional (one set an hour) waist high waves. Clean in the morning, mush in the afternoon. Ran the board as a quad with AM orange medium fins and Reactor quad rears in medium (which are almost the same size). Throwing buckets.

    Its FAST. Its kills it in mush. It turns on a pubic hair. Its wonderful. Get one.
     
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 8, 2015
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 8, 2015
  3. Jun 8, 2015 #2
    waterbaby

    waterbaby Well-Known Member

    1,461
    Oct 1, 2012
    Looks nice...although the lightness would worry me. All the EPS I've tried were shockingly light...to the point where the balance was skewed. They paddled into waves great, but, once up, I just didn't feel like I could work up enough momentum (maybe speed is in the eye of the beholder). I guess too light is better than too heavy, but, if I ever get another EPS, I might ask for some extra glass to get the balance back.
     
    waterbaby, Jun 8, 2015
    waterbaby, Jun 8, 2015

  5. Jun 9, 2015 #3
    crindlefish

    crindlefish Well-Known Member

    332
    Apr 23, 2015
    Well at least you don't have to worry about pressure dings with all that carbon fiber reinforcement.
     
    crindlefish, Jun 9, 2015
    crindlefish, Jun 9, 2015
  6. Jun 9, 2015 #4
    crindlefish

    crindlefish Well-Known Member

    332
    Apr 23, 2015
    Good looking board though. What do you usually ride it as, quad or tri?
     
    crindlefish, Jun 9, 2015
    crindlefish, Jun 9, 2015
  7. Jun 9, 2015 #5
    LBCrew

    LBCrew Well-Known Member

    6,024
    Aug 12, 2009
    If you're the kind of guy who's tuned in to flex, be careful of the extra glass approach to adding weight. There must be accommodations made... namely stringer, thickness, and deck contours... to get some of the flex back that's lost with added glass. Your shaper should be able to help you with that.

    I think lightness is an advantage in small to average surf. Lighter boards respond quicker and accelerate faster, which can be used to great advantage in the pocket in weaker surf.

    Uncle2B... GREAT looking board. I moved away from squash tails a long time ago, and am totally into the round tails on shortboards. What kind of bottom contours on that stick?
     
    LBCrew, Jun 9, 2015
    LBCrew, Jun 9, 2015
  8. Jun 9, 2015 #6
    waterbaby

    waterbaby Well-Known Member

    1,461
    Oct 1, 2012
    yeah, flex might be an issue. I just feel a surfboard should be balanced in all areas (weight, flex, vol, height, width, thickness, rocker, etc)...any one area too far either way can diminish an otherwise perfect board.
     
    waterbaby, Jun 9, 2015
    waterbaby, Jun 9, 2015
  9. Jun 9, 2015 #7
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII

    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII Well-Known Member

    1,216
    Oct 19, 2014
    Took it out once so far. Gutless thigh/waist high. Tried it as a thruster but there wasn't enough juice. Ran it as a quad and unlocked the magic.
     
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 9, 2015
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 9, 2015
  10. Jun 10, 2015 #8
    LBCrew

    LBCrew Well-Known Member

    6,024
    Aug 12, 2009
    I think so, too. I just don't call it, "balance." I call it, "compromise." All elements of design are compromises... strength/weight/flex is just one. Fast/loose is another big one... as is hold/release.
     
    LBCrew, Jun 10, 2015
    LBCrew, Jun 10, 2015
  11. Jun 10, 2015 #9
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII

    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII Well-Known Member

    1,216
    Oct 19, 2014
    single with double to v out the tail.
     
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 10, 2015
    The Incorrigible Steel Burrito VII, Jun 10, 2015