What Board are you Surfing?

[DOCDRS]

I have a CWB Tsunami 57" but it is the only board i have surfed on , looking for some comments and comparisons as i'm thinking of getting a longer board like the CWB Ride 63" as is says its a faster board and its not too much $ Any thoughts?

[SEARK]

I've got the Liquid Force Venture 5'6". It's the only board I've ridden so I can't compare it to anything else. It is easy to get up and get going on though. After I figured out the stance and balance it was pretty easy to find the sweet spot in the wave. I'm not sure for my size if I could go much shorter with a board.

[BobP]

We have a 2008 Outback V with stock Gravity III ballast system, started riding with a friend's CWB Ride...nice big board, easy to find sweet spot. We purchased an Inland Surfer Blue Lake which is similar is size to the Ride but way lighter and much nicer ride and control. The Blue Lake is fairly expensive but found new 08 model for about $100 more than a Ride.

[sandm]

have 3 currently..

broadcast, currently the oldest. great board for "cruising" as ed said. it's the beginner board we teach everyone on..

inland surfer 4-skim it's a real fast trick board, that I ride occasionally, but really has become my sis' bf's board.

drew daniello pro model. this is my personal board. not quite as fast as the 4skim, but feels more stable. awesome board and I love it..

[kaneboats]

Last summer we reinvented Moombadaze's Broadcast by taking the two outer fins off. If you haven't tried this, be sure to do it next time out. It's a lot more slippery and I was grinnin' ear to ear. Some of us up near 215-220 need a somewhat larger board but still want to slip and trick a little. This is the way to "fix" your Broadcast.

[sandm]

kane..

did that to ours last spring, and it does make a difference on the board. still a tank compared to the 4skim, but makes the grin factor a little better..
my sis' bf has gotta be 225 or so and 6ft. he loves the 4skim. easy to get up and he rides it well ropeless.

the broadcast is still a great board to just hang and follow the boat for miles. had offers to sell it, but never......

[Razzman]

Shred Stixx Ja Mako and this thing rips! At 4' 11" it quite fast down the line, more so than your CWB, Liquid Force or other similar mass produced boards. Don't get me wrong, those boards are good boards but don't compare to a true surf style board. Shred Stixx boards are designed and built by Jerry Price a world class ocean champion rider. I have an older hand built foam & glass, balsa stringer with an eps skim coat. Most of his new boards are same or similar construction but mass produced in China now, still work just as good. He still hand builds about 30% of his boards for customers though. Not cheap though, $585 for the Ja Mako.

The speed and dexterity of a board is not just in the length it also takes into account rocker configuration, fins and fin placement, board shape, construction and weight. For example, a buddy of mine has a Calibrated 50" skim style board and he says the Ja Mako is much more rider freindly reactive and faster down line. Now the Calibrated board is eps constructed and wafer thin but it works very well, but to me is super loose and hard to control.

Boards built by Mike Walker of the Walker Project are argueably the best boards out there, but then he's been shaping for champion sufers for eons too and the price reflects it as well. There's all kinds of options, it's all in what you expect and how much you can pay.

Coincidently I bought my Ja Mako from Mike Walker (no relation to the above Mike Walker) who's son James Walker is probably the best wakesurfer on the west coast and has won so many comps i can't even count them, but he rides for The Walker Project. Do a search for James on Utube, you'll be amazed at the level he rides at.

On a flip side his dad Mike is an accountant that has wakesurfing in his blood so bad that he makes his own boards as well, at least a dozen a year! They are out virtually every weekend surfing at New Hogan Lake in Valley Springs, Ca. Doesn't matter how cold, they don suits and surf. Some of you may of seen Mike's antics and boards on WakeWorld in the Wakesurf section, he's known as Surfdad. And that's how i got the Ja Mako, he had so many boards that he unloaded a dozen or so to make room!

Ok i've rambled enough, way too much coffee today!

Ja Mako in action;

[SC_LSV]

I ride a 08 CWB Tsuanami 4'9". Tried the Hyperlite Broadcast 5'6" & Coex 4'4". Broadcast definitely slowest, but easiest to ride on a small wave. I personally weigh too much for the Coex so sank it. 'Nami is fun and have to take a fin or two out to loosen the board up a little though.

Ed that is some dirty water you are riding in. Guess I got spoiled on the clean water in the Mountains of South Caroilna though.

[kaneboats]

You forgot to mention how great it tastes-- a little well kept secret-- tastes just like a nice dark lager. MMMMmmmmmmmm!!

[kaneboats]

The fish get out an go to the porta poddy. Couldn't you show the same courtesy?