Surfing Waves

I'm looking at purchasing a FireWire Submoon, either 8'2 or 8'7. In a nutshell I want something a bit different to my go too board.

The Submoon is a 5 year old board design, but that doesn't worry me cos most of my boards & fins are based off much older designs than that...

Instead I want to hear from anyone that's ridden it cos it's a bit unusual....but first to me & my usual ride.

Everyday board pictured.
A 9'6 23 1/8 x 3 1/4 WILDE pig that's pretty hippy with a pin tail. I run it mainly with a Greenough 10" fin pushed to the back of the box. I find it needs a bit of wave size to get the absolute best out of her, but is good day to day. Every once in a while I put in a 7.5in fin & two sidebites to change things up, but return back to the single10in. I've ridden her almost everysingle day for 9 months straight now....

I've got a heavy old 10ft single noserider log with a square tail that's fun when I'm in the mood for it, but being a nosey its pretty specefic.

There are some other smaller boards that are being sold off as I really don't ride them or need them.

What I really want is something a little different than my usual day to day- something maybe a bit faster, sharper turns more than drawn out carves, that is still user friendly & a bit of fun to throw around- is all that this board?

I'm 6ft, 115kg, ride points, bombies & beachies, intermediate level & frothing.

I've got the Submoon 8'2, it's the board I use most. I've got 9 boards from 5'7 up to 9'4 and live in Bali and surf all kind of breaks. I'm 6', 71kg, 56yo, later in life beginner at an intermediate level.

I like riding smaller boards, but don't like paddling them The Submoon is not a great paddler because of it's curved rocker, but still paddles better than my smaller boards and it handles overhead and steeper drops very good. The nose just never pearls and that thin rockered tail has a lot of hold.

I use a large thruster set, tried quads but didn't like it, and never reached the limits of it's turning capabilities. At my weight it's a versatile board that alows me to cruise, walk the nose (always 1 step short is my personal style..) or step back and do hard carving turns.

The 8'2 has a wide point of 22 3/4" and feels very stable at takeoff. The only thing it lacks a bit is speed in weaker waves, but it is still very lively then.

I bought it about 3 years ago 2nd hand, and the quality of the Timbertek build is great, it's a durable board.

I would recommend the 8'2, I don't know about the bigger sizes and have heard less enthusiastic stories about the smaller ones.

I would love to hear how you like it, if you decide to get one. Good luck!

Ha,

Thanks for the reply & input. I got the 8'7 in the end, thought that the 8'2 could be just a bit under for me & 8'11 was too big. I picked it up yesterday arvo & waxed a base coat & top coat last night in the garage with a couple cans while the missus & kids watched tv.

Took her down this morning at Longy, pretty small, 2 ft, out going ride, pretty straight banks, super sucky, but still got a few.

Tomoz is looking different though, an increasing ECL so should be 4-6ft (fingers crossed) & mid tide when i get out there so can't frickin wait.

Watch an old review on the shed show (about 5 times- gets me frothing!) & there is a part were he mentions the rocker on that bill like nose wants to be ridden a bit further up & I actually put myself up further on the board than I normally would & it paddled pretty well. I was mentally preparing for a lot more resistance so that was pleasing. 40 mins is one thing however, but a couple of hours in bigger conditions will be another.....I'll keep ya posted....

Jozzo wrote:What I really want is something a little different than my usual day to day- something maybe a bit faster, sharper turns more than drawn out carves, that is still user friendly & a bit of fun to throw around- is all that this board?

I'd say that's a pretty spot on description of my Submoon. I have a 7'6" Submoon so mine is less longboard than mid-length. I love mine, it's a unique board that's for sure. It's like a longboard in the front and a shortboard in the tail. I ride mine as a quad, it seems to go a little faster as a quad and it's just such a responsive tail, I never get tired of stomping my foot as far back as I can and seeing how hard I can turn this thing! I also have not reached the limit of it's turning ability. I haven't been able to master the cheater five, but it generates a ton of speed when I ride it farther up the nose. Works really well at my local point break.

Jaffa grew up at DeeWhy, the two major favourite lefts within walking distance were the centre at DeeWhy and Long Reef Bombora, came back to,DeeWhy for DeeWhy Surfing Fraternity‘s 50th reunion and hit the Bombie, the old outside boil was there to welcome me, alone and outside from the crowd, rode it to the shore with an outside stink eye to keep them away and a big smile that I remembered!

Well that's where I surf- either at Longy in front of the lugga (I rarely venture further south to Poles), the banks in front of the shark tower, the Bommie and xxxxx rock. Butterbox is too fickle. On the other side at the Roy, mainly off the pool or if one is feeling adventourous and its working the Kick or Brownwater. More or less a daily combo of Reef Riders and/or the LR.

Anyway back to the board, I've now got a lge thruster set up on it, I wanna dial it before I try out some quads- haven't really had it in the type of surf I think it will need to unlock it's potential. The swell was was on last Thursday so I ditched it in favour of my regular board & had the best surf I've had in a while.....

Its felt pretty good on some of the wallier and faster waves it's been on, and some more power is only going to make things better.

It's quite twitchy which will mean some harder & faster turns. It isn't particularly good at the small mushier stuff, so not the kind of board that this kind of board (Funboard) is generally marketed at (you know the blurb "perfect for summer groveling slop!!"), which is cool with me- I've got a 10ft mal that does well in that.

I'm dedicating the next two weeks to only riding the sunnies, unless it's freaking amazing!!