Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum

This thread is mainly directed at Albert and Chayne..... but I 'm happy with any answers from anyone.

Very Excited.

Got my 1st new FRIAR TUCK 5' 8" long x 24" wide x 2 1/4" thick, rounded square tail and asked for something similar to what Chayne and Albert ride.


I asked Dave for the above specifics but wanted him to have input, as he has been shaping and ripping kneeboards for a couple of millions of years and has a LITTLE bit of experience up his sleave.


I have used the AM2 FCS fins and am now trying the TC redline, I also have a set a Sunnys and some M7 at my disposal (thanx MJ)


The board has a concave from tail to nose, that would almost class it as a catermaran.

PROBLEM: In Vicco the waves have been onshore, choppy and not very shapely of late and I am having trouble paddling the board, ie: catching waves and I am struggling with finding out how it works.

The board :

want to climb the face when I dont wont it to,

it likes to stop dead when I dont want it to,

it wants to change personality on every wave


I have surfed some UGLY and STRANGE shaped beasts over the last couple of years and have not been as frustrated as I am now. In fact the 50cent as it is known is a board that I was actually scared to ride, but the from the first wave it excelled.

HELP

Pulling my feathers out Budgie

Greg, I can only suggest giving Dave a call. I imagine he'd be the first one to be able to help and make sure the board performs for you as you would want. I know he has different formula's for different conditions, the first board I got from him was designed to perform in exactly the conditions you've mentioned but (not thinking Wolruss ) I was trying to make it perform in sucky fast waves that we were getting at the time (not happy Jan) but would go really good in slow fat slushy waves. I was still in the one board for all conditions frame of mind, sold the bloody thing and have regretted it since after realizing my mistake. I have now another of Dave's boards that is designed to work well in the sucky fast conditions and it does perform well (despite its rider ). I am now saving to get another board like the first one I had and I won't let that one go when I eventually get it.

Cheers Wolruss

Budgie,

one bit of advice I can give you;

dont give up, transitioning from one markedly different board to another takes time.

See you at the island!

Thanks Mr Wolruss I emailed Dave, alas he is away hence requesting the KSUSA family to help.

Thanks Albert, I dont give up and wont. It is a process of elimination and fact finding, what bits work in what conditions and finding shortcuts to solve the problems that are plauging me at present.

There is a part of this board that is a little bit rocket and spaceship and I can feel the potential.

I guess I have to coax the FT into being a friend. Ha ha

It is hard having friends when you are a pain in the Arse like me. Heeeeee heeee

Hey Budgie,

I'd love to give you some advice mate,
But It would sound a little Bias..........

one word comes to mind, flashy

budgie wrote:PROBLEM: In Vicco the waves have been onshore, choppy and not very shapely of late and I am having trouble paddling the board, ie: catching waves and I am struggling with finding out how it works.

Surfing onshore chop on a solid board is often less than fun. Sounds like the conditions you've been getting lately are good for lawnmowing or housepainting.

Please let us know how you and the new board get on when things clean up and you get some surfable waves.

You could always take it to Nias ... in fact, when the house sells, I reckon everyone here expects you to.

Mc Knee,he's taking the rest of us with him isn't he? Budgie, one of the best boards I ever had worked miserably the first two times I rode it. Wanted to get rid of it immediately but had no choice as I couldn't afford another board. Third time was a charm as I got the board into some much better waves. Stick with it.

The board your describing is similar to what I ride, and it needs steep vertical corners to perform. Onshore crap is.. well,, onshore crap

I agree with the above, get it out on some juicier clean surf and find out what it will do.

Wait until you get a wave that turns the jets on and I bet you'll love the FT

its awful when you shell out the cash and things don't come together. so much of surfing is confidence in your equipment so try to avoid the mindset that its all irretreivable....that way madness lies!

personally...I've never thought concaves go well in slop. others differ. I've got an Outer Island flextail that took me a good year to learn to handle. I eventually put some little leading fins on it to help initiate turns earlier.
now its ten years old and I'm looking at a refurb rather than consign it and its huge "death grip" rail cavities to the bin. I love it but the concaves ( its is a Mitchel Rae after all!) and flextail mean it requires good clean surf. 99% of the time, I have one of my Friar Tuck boats which do a much better job.

anyway - as albert said wait for good surf and try different fins if you can. its always remarkable what you can do to change characteristics.

you could always come to the sunshine coast and not have to worry about how your new board goes!!!!

My 2 cents......You mentioned concave from nose to tail?My concaved boards work well in most clean conditions(small/med waves)
Once the bump/lump windchop kicks in,the board is hard to control,wants to go where I don't.... I'll opt for a flatter bottomed board in those conditions.


cheers

Hey Budgie, surfing bumpy waves sucks with all boards...(all of my boards anyways)..... I always had romo's boards and had gotten one that didnt work for nothin... my brother told me that sometimes you just have to find the sweet spot (move up an inch or back).... I did that and the board became magic!!!! Goodluck

Like any thing new you have to run it in.
And sometimes it's just the guy riding the board.
Have seen Albert rip s*&^ on a 70's Earthrise single fin

Hmmm is this the same Budgie who criticised people wanting instant gratification from a board in another post...
Doesnt sound like you have had decent enough conditions to try it out properly and as kel said most boards suck in lumpy conditions...
Im sure in a month or so you will be loving it..

just take ya time an enjoy the journey