Lot's of guys who are not so big (Barry, Baden, Simon) are riding 7'0"+. Check the opening of SPARROW and friends... the FAIRY BOWER stuff. I think that's Simon on a 7'0".
And anyone who was at The US World Titles saw Baden killing it on a 6'6" small wave board.
Kyle Bryant was riding a 6'5" at the last worlds.
I'm selling my 6'8" cause it didn't feel big enough... getting a wider, thicker, 6'10".
so how long is too long?
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Smokin Rock
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the guys you mentioned riding 7' boards are riding them in bigger waves. i'm sure you'd agree theres a difference between El Porto and Fairy Bower 
are you saying they always ride 7' boards 
theres a time and place for all kinds of different shapes and sizes. super hollow reef waves need a shorter board to pull in sooner. hardly anyone rides really long boards at Pipe these days. most Pipe regulars ride under 7' boards. conversely Sunset is much different. the peak shifts all over the place and getting in and covering those vast distances requires more length. hardly anybody rides under a 7' board. advocating always longer is just as silly as advocating always shorter.
longer boards are not the future of kneeboarding just another interesting avenue to venture down.
i was at the 2005 North Shore gathering or should i say the Backyards gathering when Simon brought several guns including a 7'6" behemoth. the end result IMHO is that he did'nt need them and his best surfing was done on boards in the low 6' range.
notice any tow-ins using 15' boards to ride 50' waves? no? why? because they dont need the length to get in. they ride 6' boards because thats what rides the best. the turning radius is much sharper on a smaller board. so maybe the added length is'nt about what rides the best but what is easiest to paddle. if you don't wear swim fins then even more so.
are you going to put an outboard on your 6'10"? i'd highly recommend a square tail with a tail patch if so.
are you saying they always ride 7' boards theres a time and place for all kinds of different shapes and sizes. super hollow reef waves need a shorter board to pull in sooner. hardly anyone rides really long boards at Pipe these days. most Pipe regulars ride under 7' boards. conversely Sunset is much different. the peak shifts all over the place and getting in and covering those vast distances requires more length. hardly anybody rides under a 7' board. advocating always longer is just as silly as advocating always shorter.
longer boards are not the future of kneeboarding just another interesting avenue to venture down.i was at the 2005 North Shore gathering or should i say the Backyards gathering when Simon brought several guns including a 7'6" behemoth. the end result IMHO is that he did'nt need them and his best surfing was done on boards in the low 6' range.
notice any tow-ins using 15' boards to ride 50' waves? no? why? because they dont need the length to get in. they ride 6' boards because thats what rides the best. the turning radius is much sharper on a smaller board. so maybe the added length is'nt about what rides the best but what is easiest to paddle. if you don't wear swim fins then even more so.
are you going to put an outboard on your 6'10"? i'd highly recommend a square tail with a tail patch if so.
"This sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before." Butt-head
Rock-
Yes... El Porto is no Fairy Bower.
But Simon is only 6ft tall... so his smaller 6'5" in NS'05 was still a lot bigger than he is.
And all those "pros" out at Pipe would be Jockey's or Gymnasts if they couldn't swim. (i.e. They're shrimps
)
The point you're missing is the size of the rider.
Bigger guys can ride bigger boards in all conditions. That's the point of bigger boards.
If Bud McCray is 5'10, 170 lbs and rides a 5'10" x 23", he's still got more volume proportionally than a guy who is 6'5 220lbs and rides a 6'4"x 24".
It's not just about weight, either... it's your height. Being tall puts SO MUCH leverage on your nose and rails. It's physics. Big guys, like myself, were riding super small, tight boards growing up cause anything approaching 6ft was either too hard to turn or slid out.
Times have changed.
You just gotta get the shape right.
(We should get an iPhone App for this.
)
And your tow-in analogy is flawed. Those boards are crazy heavy, narrow, and thin because they don't have to:
1) paddle
2) catch waves
3) Float
They are not surf boards. They're sleds. But I will pay money to watch you paddle one out and Kneeride it.
Baden's 6'6" was for small waves... he's a pretty big guy... his guns are 8'2". Kyle's 6'5" was for small waves... he's super tall and lanky. And you saw how challenging the surf was at the worlds.
I know you guys in the islands are riding great equipment... but not all of us have all that swell and power to work with.
Obviously, short boards work. It's what everyone stateside has been riding for decades.
But most guys have never ridden a properly shaped longer boards cause people start making comments like:
"stick with 6'4" and under and work with the volume and width"
There's a whole new world out there... you just gotta try it.
Yes... El Porto is no Fairy Bower.
But Simon is only 6ft tall... so his smaller 6'5" in NS'05 was still a lot bigger than he is.
And all those "pros" out at Pipe would be Jockey's or Gymnasts if they couldn't swim. (i.e. They're shrimps
)The point you're missing is the size of the rider.
Bigger guys can ride bigger boards in all conditions. That's the point of bigger boards.
If Bud McCray is 5'10, 170 lbs and rides a 5'10" x 23", he's still got more volume proportionally than a guy who is 6'5 220lbs and rides a 6'4"x 24".
It's not just about weight, either... it's your height. Being tall puts SO MUCH leverage on your nose and rails. It's physics. Big guys, like myself, were riding super small, tight boards growing up cause anything approaching 6ft was either too hard to turn or slid out.
Times have changed.
You just gotta get the shape right.
(We should get an iPhone App for this.
)And your tow-in analogy is flawed. Those boards are crazy heavy, narrow, and thin because they don't have to:
1) paddle
2) catch waves
3) Float
They are not surf boards. They're sleds. But I will pay money to watch you paddle one out and Kneeride it.
Baden's 6'6" was for small waves... he's a pretty big guy... his guns are 8'2". Kyle's 6'5" was for small waves... he's super tall and lanky. And you saw how challenging the surf was at the worlds.
I know you guys in the islands are riding great equipment... but not all of us have all that swell and power to work with.
Obviously, short boards work. It's what everyone stateside has been riding for decades.
But most guys have never ridden a properly shaped longer boards cause people start making comments like:
"stick with 6'4" and under and work with the volume and width"
There's a whole new world out there... you just gotta try it.
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Smokin Rock
- Legend (Contribution King!)
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i totally agree on the height/length proportion concept. a shape that is too tall for one guy is perfect for his taller friend.
Jaime O'Brien and Reef McIntosh are not what anyone would consider jockeys, gymnasts or shrimps. they both ride under seven foot boards and kill at Pipe.
you missed my point on tow in boards...which was if you narrow down the key aspects of what makes a board ride well..... how it paddles or gets into waves being a non-issue....then shorter is better. we all want a board that turns like a 5 footer and paddles like a 10 footer. the end result is length, in all but bigger stuff, is about paddling not riding.
we do have great surf here and it gets big occasionally which is why i've been getting Buddy to shape me bigger boards since Baden convinced me not to be closed minded about kneeboard guns and longer kneeboards in general back in 2005. i'm sold on bigger boards but within limits. he shaped me a 6'6" last year which went well but in 2005 he shaped me a 6'4" F2K which was magic. relatively thin with lots of rocker. got into waves sooner and handled the steep as good as my 6' F2K. easily handled 16-20' faces (happy Mr. Fernandez )
dont get me wrong! i love bigger boards. they just have to be part of the whole not all of it
Jaime O'Brien and Reef McIntosh are not what anyone would consider jockeys, gymnasts or shrimps. they both ride under seven foot boards and kill at Pipe.
you missed my point on tow in boards...which was if you narrow down the key aspects of what makes a board ride well..... how it paddles or gets into waves being a non-issue....then shorter is better. we all want a board that turns like a 5 footer and paddles like a 10 footer. the end result is length, in all but bigger stuff, is about paddling not riding.
we do have great surf here and it gets big occasionally which is why i've been getting Buddy to shape me bigger boards since Baden convinced me not to be closed minded about kneeboard guns and longer kneeboards in general back in 2005. i'm sold on bigger boards but within limits. he shaped me a 6'6" last year which went well but in 2005 he shaped me a 6'4" F2K which was magic. relatively thin with lots of rocker. got into waves sooner and handled the steep as good as my 6' F2K. easily handled 16-20' faces (happy Mr. Fernandez
)dont get me wrong! i love bigger boards. they just have to be part of the whole not all of it
"This sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before." Butt-head
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viking
- Grom (25 or less posts to site)
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- Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:01 am
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KSUSA is a God send...
Man, you folks are cool
i am used to an extremely biased forum with folks who pooh pooh anything they don't have or haven't experienced
it's unfortunate
anyhow, i am really diggin' the different perspectives presented by all, and sincerely appreciate the open minded approach
kneeboarding is quite new to me, but i sure am having lots of fun, and that part of me which was afraid i was "regressing" from stand up to kneelowing as i age is fading with each fun session
thanks ya'll
Eric(6'4" x 250lbs. x stoked)
i am used to an extremely biased forum with folks who pooh pooh anything they don't have or haven't experienced
it's unfortunate
anyhow, i am really diggin' the different perspectives presented by all, and sincerely appreciate the open minded approach
kneeboarding is quite new to me, but i sure am having lots of fun, and that part of me which was afraid i was "regressing" from stand up to kneelowing as i age is fading with each fun session
thanks ya'll
Eric(6'4" x 250lbs. x stoked)
100% Rock.
If I were ever to TOW in on a Kneelo, I'd want a 5'6" 40bls carbon fiber dagger
... sadly, we gotta paddle in. 
My savior in crap SoCal beachbreak is a fat 6'0" Chop tail... even my 6'2" draws too long a line when it's small.
But, I will say, every board I've ordered has gotten longer and thicker and wider, and I've never been happier. (I've also lost my fins, which is why I need the paddle power).
In addition, I've been selling LOTS of boards to make way for the new ones, and all the feedback is the same on the longer shapes I've been selling;
" It paddles unreal... it's so fast... so much drive... it's holds in, but it turns so well".... It's definitely worth exploring if you're keen... or Large!
If I were ever to TOW in on a Kneelo, I'd want a 5'6" 40bls carbon fiber dagger
... sadly, we gotta paddle in. My savior in crap SoCal beachbreak is a fat 6'0" Chop tail... even my 6'2" draws too long a line when it's small.
But, I will say, every board I've ordered has gotten longer and thicker and wider, and I've never been happier. (I've also lost my fins, which is why I need the paddle power).
In addition, I've been selling LOTS of boards to make way for the new ones, and all the feedback is the same on the longer shapes I've been selling;
" It paddles unreal... it's so fast... so much drive... it's holds in, but it turns so well".... It's definitely worth exploring if you're keen... or Large!
Hey Ed,
my big board is 6'6"
mid range board 6'2" i hardly ever ride
my everyday boards are 5'10"
I am 6' 4" weigh about 93 kg or 205 lbs
Simon seems to generally ride boards around 6'0 or shorter, the big guns come out when i get scared, i have tried to surf deadmans @ fairy bower a couple of times and either shat myself or nearly got killed each time - its not in the realms of a place 99% of people would go surf.
Kyle is the smoothest kneelo out there, however the longer boards limit the arcs he can do IMHO
Baden if you like the way he surfs
I am not a fan, as more astute judges than me have said just watch his board( it aint doing alot)
my big board is 6'6"
mid range board 6'2" i hardly ever ride
my everyday boards are 5'10"
I am 6' 4" weigh about 93 kg or 205 lbs
Simon seems to generally ride boards around 6'0 or shorter, the big guns come out when i get scared, i have tried to surf deadmans @ fairy bower a couple of times and either shat myself or nearly got killed each time - its not in the realms of a place 99% of people would go surf.
Kyle is the smoothest kneelo out there, however the longer boards limit the arcs he can do IMHO
Baden if you like the way he surfs
I am not a fan, as more astute judges than me have said just watch his board( it aint doing alot)
Jamie
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Smokin Rock
- Legend (Contribution King!)
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- Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2003 12:20 am
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Bruce makes some pretty good boards no doubt
i'll take a cruizier/ longer/ more stylistic approach over a too short/dead in the water/knees on the nose/grab rail any day. esecially if you're large!
hey Eric the Viking
as usual take what you read and make it work for you. Ed in Kona is always selling boards and he likes em with solid volume. Kava is a big guy too. see what they have to say. have fun.
i'll take a cruizier/ longer/ more stylistic approach over a too short/dead in the water/knees on the nose/grab rail any day. esecially if you're large!
hey Eric the Viking
as usual take what you read and make it work for you. Ed in Kona is always selling boards and he likes em with solid volume. Kava is a big guy too. see what they have to say. have fun.
"This sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before." Butt-head
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griz
- Ripper (more than 100 posts)
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- Location: west australia
G'day Jamie ,
I'll echo those sentiments mate... totally . Having "Surfing Victoria' judge the Worlds was a total blessing as it was also the death nell and long over due shake up that lovers of serious kneeboard surfing have been waiting for .
If it actually sunk in , I reckon Baden might've actually had a serious look at those barges he drags around , as the judges did and were not impressed! What he does do well is grovel extremely well without ever hitting a lip , and how can you when it's 2ft and your on a 6' 4"! Opponents were justifiably rewarded higher for two huge belts over a cruise to the sand with soaking wet rails . And don't think he wasn't advised
I don't buy into the length issue , just because you can .
Although your a big unit Jamie I ride almost identical lengths . If it's small I ride short , if it's big I go long , throughout the range they all have one simple requirement . Float me !
Same as it's always been
I'll echo those sentiments mate... totally . Having "Surfing Victoria' judge the Worlds was a total blessing as it was also the death nell and long over due shake up that lovers of serious kneeboard surfing have been waiting for .
If it actually sunk in , I reckon Baden might've actually had a serious look at those barges he drags around , as the judges did and were not impressed! What he does do well is grovel extremely well without ever hitting a lip , and how can you when it's 2ft and your on a 6' 4"! Opponents were justifiably rewarded higher for two huge belts over a cruise to the sand with soaking wet rails . And don't think he wasn't advised
I don't buy into the length issue , just because you can .
Although your a big unit Jamie I ride almost identical lengths . If it's small I ride short , if it's big I go long , throughout the range they all have one simple requirement . Float me !
Same as it's always been
IN 2005 on the NS I spent time speaking to a kneeboarder called Gniese ? (never did get the hang of his name) Anyhoo he was around 5'10" and kneeboarded machines that looked like surfboards about 6'6" and 19" wide with the fins placed back- quite a different approach.
I'm 6'2" 78kg. All my boards are 6' 2" - for 2' to 10'. I've been meaning to make a grove board for a few years and could have done with one on the tiny days at the World's - but then again the 6'2", 2 1/4" thick I rode went fine - the move to fat is misguided, but that's a different topic.
I just happen to like boards the same length as me after 30 years of mucking about.
Don't get too hung up on 2" difference in length. I can shape the same board to be 6' or 6'2" simply by drawing out the last couple of inches.
I'm 6'2" 78kg. All my boards are 6' 2" - for 2' to 10'. I've been meaning to make a grove board for a few years and could have done with one on the tiny days at the World's - but then again the 6'2", 2 1/4" thick I rode went fine - the move to fat is misguided, but that's a different topic.
I just happen to like boards the same length as me after 30 years of mucking about.
Don't get too hung up on 2" difference in length. I can shape the same board to be 6' or 6'2" simply by drawing out the last couple of inches.
But Jaime, don't you think that has something to do with his shapes?jamie wrote: Kyle is the smoothest kneelo out there
For those of you who don't know, Kyle is tall. (6'5"ish) He rides boards at or over his height with really wide noses and super narrow tails. Also, he rides really tight clusters... almost no space between his side fins and trail fins.
(I've actually applied a lot of his basics to my boards seeing as we are similar in height.)
What's interesting... his boards are completely different from what other Flashpoint guys like Simon and Gavin are riding... and their boards are much different from the PARKES that World Champ Albert and Chayne are riding... and, if Jaime is still on a FREAK, his boards are much different as well.
I find it amazing all these boards with radically different principles and approaches all work so well.