Neil Luke "Freaks"

austo · Post by **austo** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:43 pm

Can some one enlighten me on why they are called Freaks and how are they? I have seen one on ebay might be interested in.The fins look a little further back that alot of other Aussie boards.
Any one have/had one that wants to share their thoughts.
Cheers

islandjim · Post by **islandjim** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:03 pm

One of neil's sons came up with the name. If you go to his website you can contact him neil@neillukekneeboards.com The bottom is a combination of double and single concave with chined and bevelled rails. Sounds complicated , but they go fast. I have a swallow tri and a rounded pin quad both with freak bottoms and they are great

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:07 pm

Freak
because that's what Neil chose to call them
I see Jim got in ... just as I am logging in

my fins are at 18 and 8 1/2 inch
overall it is 6'1" to 6'2"

good in the pocket
in clean conditions

feralmick · Post by **feralmick** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:56 pm

Quite a good all round board, handles power and big drops.
Mine is 6`0 24``wide, tri fin.
Still playing with different sized fins to make it a little looser.
Hard to duck dive but after 6 months i`m quite happy with it.

weirdo · Post by **weirdo** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:48 pm

Hey Austo,
Got a 6.1' "freak" thruster swallow tail made a few years ago to go to indo. Great barrel board especially in clean conditions. You need to put fins on it with heaps of 'rake' to loosen it up. Looks like a good deal on ebay!!!

Good luck with it..

finger · Post by **finger** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:07 pm

HI Jim
Do you have any photos of the rounded pin you could share with us.
Also would like to hear some reports on this new swell hitting the VIC coast
Thankyou
gary

HERBYJ · Post by **HERBYJ** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:12 pm

I got Neil to shape me one about 8 months ago, mine has the Future Fins vector/hatchet set up and I have found the board to be an excellent all round board.
I have found it to go well in all conditions but the outstanding property that it has is its hold while retaining loseness.
Every other board I've surfed has had hold but been "tight", for want of a better word, and felt dead or alternatively it has been loose but can't hold in the pocket or on bottom turns but this board has the rare combination of hold but it is also easy to turn.

halbs · Post by **halbs** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:39 pm

Hey Austo I was keen as well and had been watching it, and then I see that over night the seller has raised the starting bid by $100 to $500 factoring in transport costs that puts it too close to a new board cost for me, good luck with it.

Doc Turbo · Post by **Doc Turbo** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:28 pm

I have been using the Freak for the last 7 months in a variety of waves, and have found the board to be one of the best all around boards ever, it does everthing, late take offs, hard bottom turns, racing down the line. Seems to have more features than I have yet to be able to take advantage of ...

It is a nice addition to the quiver. However, it is radically different from the kneeboarding I have been doing in the past. I am pushing my self some to switch between the Blast and the Freak and the thin boards, just to keep me open minded. The Freak, with its size and float is a big board and has its advantages, but the Blast feels more like a true kneeboard, with its turning radius and less float.

jdc · Post by **jdc** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:58 am

islandjim wrote: I have a swallow tri and a rounded pin quad both with freak bottoms and they are great

i scored a rounded pin quad of Neil last year, second hand but great condition. Its my big wave board in general but surfs ok in 3ft waves. Id love to know how to recognise a a freak bottom.

Gary (finger...Hi! some great waves at Possos on the big swells. Had a three hour session on the Saturday before last in the arfo as the crowd thinned.

The eve before had a short session in the biggest waves ive ever seen there...got suitably worked, dragged down the beach, but happily being possos, I made it to the line up and got one or two before dark. That mixed with the next days action saw me shattered for a few days.

hope to see ya down this way soon

cheers

poster formally known as dorje

fangio · Post by **fangio** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:28 am

Howdy Islandjim, Kev and Feralmick et al. Just taken delivery of a 6'3" Freak swallow tri-fin. Now I need to put the kneepads on. What is the collective wisdom on placement: a good mate who has 2 Freaks suggests 33" back from the nose. Another mate spoke with Lukey the other day; Neil reportedly suggested exactly half way down the board!! This seems pretty radical and unfortunately he's on hols so I can't speak with him directly. Your thoughts???? I'm a big bastard - 6'2" and 112kg.

islandjim · Post by **islandjim** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:40 am

If you go to Neils website and look under artwork for jim's design that is my 6'3" freak. I am 6'2" so it might give you some idea on the pads. It feels a bit more responsive with them towards the back.

fangio · Post by **fangio** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:27 am

Thanks Jim. Your pads look about 33" to 34" back to me. Very helpful. Nice spray job, by the way.

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:58 am

I'm 6'4" to 6'3"
shrinking with age

as Jim said get back and give the board lots of fin

http://www.diyfactory.com/surf/Kev01.htm
half way down the page

I think my pads are behind centre and I ride bum up and lean forward ... I think Neil is more upright and so this could be why he says centre

fangio · Post by **fangio** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:48 am

Thanks Kev. I've settled on 33.5" - I'll see how it goes in Maldives bowls in a few weeks. Love that Strapper turbofin! My first kneeboard was a Strapper twinnie with marine ply fins!! Ah, memories....