Summers Coming – Time To Log It Up
Posted on March 12, 2010 - Filed Under Longboarding, Surftech Boards | By Ashley Braunton
Well here comes the summer then, the weather pattern seems pretty set so more good weather this month leading us to be hopeful for the summer to come. Chances are we will be seeing more strong onshores and colder conditions than we all like to remember, it was only a few years ago that I went surfing in boardies for 2 weeks in july! Anyway hopefully we will finally get a great summer which will make everyone feel better and keep the local businesses going after a tough couple of years, here’s to 4ft and offshore for 3 months!
What with this in mind we have to start thinking about whether we have the appropriate boards for the less than perfect conditions which we can expect. For me it has to be a shortboard/fish/quad with volume to keep moving in the weaker conditions, an all-round mal with potentially more volume than a winter board and the obligatory plank/log/dribble board.
I like many others have often thought I could make it through summer without a small wave board but have always come to regret it, after all when it’s 1-2ft and a warm summers evening what could be better than cruising around on the nose for a few hours. I will often surf this bigger board more than any other during the summer months so it has to be just right, the board needs to do a few simple things really well whilst having some of those special factors any good board will have. Last year I was surfing a 9’1″ Mctavish Fireball (which I won’t go on about as you can read it in my review of the board), this was great but it made me realise that one of my strengths despite my size is my noseriding, which was something I wasn’t able to take full advantage of on the Fireball and so needed something more suited to this whilst being loose and smooth. Having ridden the 9’0″ Wingnut Noserider I knew that this board could offer me exactly what I was looking for but that I also needed a little extra length for those really weak days so opted for the 9’4″ version.
Choosing a board is always a bit of a lottery and you just have to go with your instincts until you get it right therefore I feel I have made the right choice, looking at the board close-up this is confirmed in many ways. The Rails of the board are knifey and thinned out meaning tight lines and a reasonably unforgiving through turns but high rewards once wired, the gentle bottom shape and low rocker along with pinched rails will allow for fast stable noseriding. The potential unforgivingness is counteracted by the boards width, at 23 ¾ in the middle with a big platform for a nose stability won’t be an issue. The board isn’t at first glance be a board I would recommend to a vast range of surfers but for someone who wants to be able to cruise and learn to noseride without riding a big heavy lifeless plank could learn a lot from a board like this, a keeper for any quiver I feel.
Fingers crossed I’ll have some shots of the board in action very soon.
All in all I am extremely excited about getting on what may affectionately become ‘big red’ in some perfect peelers, until next time
Over and out
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