New board - Grindwater Ginsu 5'

[aaroncat]

Just picked up my new board a couple of days ago with every intention of testing it out this weekend. Unfortunately the snow came back :mad:

Anybody know if the Grindwater boards are any good? This was heavily discounted so I couldn't pass it up and it looks solid. My TWP Convert 4'9" is getting a little bit small for me now which is a shame because I love that board.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e52/aaroncat_2008/Moomba%20Forums/IMG_0913.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e52/aaroncat_2008/Moomba%20Forums/IMG_0915.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e52/aaroncat_2008/Moomba%20Forums/IMG_0914.jpg

[kaneboats]

Cab has a couple of these and I'm sure he'll chime in. In the meantime if you do a search on "Grindwater" you should be able to see discussions about a couple of their boards.

[you da man]

Only thing I hear is that they are fragile

[mmandley]

Me and Cab both have the same boards Shaka and they are Extremely fragile. They dent very easily and just putting it in my Z5 board holder the elastic cord type caused a stress crack.

They are very response and feel fairly fast for a larger type board. I think you will be surprised how agile it is.

[moombadaze]

Nice looking board

[Jon J]

Aaroncat, by heavily disounted....can you give me an idea what you paid? (if you don't mind me asking) That looks like a super sweet board. I have TWP F-18 (4'9") can can't get enough of it, that said, I am in the market for another 'surf style' board around that 5' length but the $600+ for a another new TWP is steep. Where did you buy it?

[aaroncat]

I have a few boards made of that design. All pretty fragile. (walker, Shred Stix, another I can't remember the name). First time I stood on the Walker, I got foot imprints in the fiberglass.

Some manufacturers suggest you "cure" the fiberglass for a while before using the board. I did this by putting it into my attick for a few days. Damn hot up there in the summer time.

One thing I would highly recommend before using it - get yourself a nose guard for that thing.

The point on the nose can get crunched in very easily from either the back of the boat or the swim platform - especially when your learning how to ride them squirrley boards.

And when you fall off the board, always come out of the water with your hand in the air above your head.

Those thick, light weight foam boards have a tendency to pop out of the water and can go a few feet into the air.

I've been hit in the head twice from a board coming back down and I'm telling ya - it hurts!!

Cheers Ed.

First day I took my TWP Convert out last year my mate ran the nose into the back of the boat and I had to repair it. After that, I don't let anyone ride my "expensive boards". I have a lot of ocean surf experience so these boards are more natural to me than the cheaper ones that don't use a stringer and I'm always looking out for my noggin after a fall :)

[aaroncat]

Aaroncat, by heavily disounted....can you give me an idea what you paid? (if you don't mind me asking) That looks like a super sweet board. I have TWP F-18 (4'9") can can't get enough of it, that said, I am in the market for another 'surf style' board around that 5' length but the $600+ for a another new TWP is steep. Where did you buy it?

I picked this one up for $269 from Bakes Marine in Issaquah, WA. It was their last one left at that price.

[wolfeman131]

Only thing I hear is that they are fragile

Jon J

You should check out the Lakewakes boards. They are built with a ballistic cloth (knida like kevlar - I think it's called innegra?) so it's got this cool white, almost carbon fiber look to it. I haven't seen any of mine get the heel dents in them. They are very lightweight yet very strong boards.

My Inland Surfer doesn't have any heel dents either, but one of my lovely children knocked it over on the dock and it cracked the epoxy by the nose pretty good. Don't know if the Lakewakes would have fared any better, or not.

[Jon J]

Thanks Wolfeman! I will check them out. I have some dimples in my F-18 but nothing that would cause me to not land that air to 360 I've been dreaming about....okay that's just a fantasy for me at this point. It will take more than a new board to improve my 30% completion percentage on a surface 360....never mind getting air.