Why are Aussie tri boards long, and other ramblings LONG

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:30 pm

all my boards between 5"7 and 6"2

except for guns

and I am 6'4

PaulN · Post by **PaulN** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:05 pm

Steenos wrote:all my boards between 5"7 and 6"2

except for guns

and I am 6'4

What are your guns?

This leads me to another question. I was watching The Sparrow has landed and Friends, and watching Simon's segment at Puerto. It looked like he was riding a longer board, for a wave like that what would the Aussie tri be? Would you lengthen the board for paddle but pull in the width?

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:50 pm

6"4 to 6"9 is my gun range

ross · Post by **ross** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:10 pm

PaulN,
yeah guns do paddle better. But for me personally i choose to use them for the way they ride.
The momentum and ground covered through a turn on a gun being used in the waves it was built for is an awesome feeling.

there is a shot of me at Grajagan a few pages back in the album now, bottom turn,red shirt on. I'm riding a 6'8" on that wave and it didn't feel to long in any way, shape or form.

try one in solid waves, you'll wish you'd done it earlier

Ross

SFKneelo · Post by **SFKneelo** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:13 am

Ross, I'm on board, and itching to get one that length... I think I have enough pennies saved.

Maybe more collectively, I'm pretty much a quad-fin fan... how do boards that length work with a quad set-up?

PaulN · Post by **PaulN** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:33 am

Steenos wrote:6"4 to 6"9 is my gun range

What kind of surf do you use the 6'9 in?

PaulN · Post by **PaulN** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:34 am

ross wrote:PaulN,
yeah guns do paddle better. But for me personally i choose to use them for the way they ride.
The momentum and ground covered through a turn on a gun being used in the waves it was built for is an awesome feeling.

there is a shot of me at Grajagan a few pages back in the album now, bottom turn,red shirt on. I'm riding a 6'8" on that wave and it didn't feel to long in any way, shape or form.

try one in solid waves, you'll wish you'd done it earlier

Ross

I would like to. I have ridden a 6'4 Flashpoint (semi-gun maybe?) but have not got it into the surf it needs yet.

PaulN · Post by **PaulN** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:36 am

SFKneelo wrote:Ross, I'm on board, and itching to get one that length... I think I have enough pennies saved.

Maybe more collectively, I'm pretty much a quad-fin fan... how do boards that length work with a quad set-up?

For OBSB? What are you riding now? If you buy the gun will you ride it with fins do you think?

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:38 pm

none right now

Johnboy Walton · Post by **Johnboy Walton** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:18 pm

SFKneelo wrote:Maybe more collectively, I'm pretty much a quad-fin fan... how do boards that length work with a quad set-up?

I imagine it would be fine, I'm sure someone like Baden Smith rides quads/four fins on boards of that length.

my view has always been get a board to suit whatever waves you are going to surf, and slap the fin set up on it that suits you - for me there is no specific four fin or tri fins shapes, but not everyone sees it that way.

SFKneelo · Post by **SFKneelo** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 3:50 pm

JB, good point on fin choices!

I did talk to Baden at SC, which also planted the seed...

Don has a 6'3", which I'm not sure how he likes.

Paul, my biggest board right now is 6'0", and it feels small on many days, particularly as I grow!

I may not go all the way to 6'8", but 6'4"-6'6".

For OBSF, and Churchills, I'm thinking it will be a bit of a setback punching through the shorebreak, but will help in negotiating through the trip out back from there.

I'm thinking the shorter intervals will be a setback for a board that's harder to duck, and where there's less flat water to gain ground.

Take-offs will be interesting... less fin action and more arm action. The length of board hopefully will help getting in earlier.

From there, the length of rail should be great for much-needed drive. There's enough open face that a tight arc really isn't so important.

That said, Baden was doing a heck of a job turning a 6'6" at SC in modest sized waves...

At the end of the day, aren't we supposed to get bigger boards as we age? Also, unlike years past, I know there's a solid used board market out there if things go South!