Surfing Waves

Ok, so everyone hates Bic. my favorite quote (and I can't remember who it was) is: "Like trying to park a supertanker is a drug store carpark" (or something similar)

So, anyone, what makes are good and what makes suck?

What are NSP like?
I've heard Al Merricks' are good.

thoughts anyone?

I don't hate Bic! I've got a Natural Surf 7'9 and I love it! OK, so I know it's 'only' an popout, and I'm blatantly not supporting UK/local shapers, but it's the perfect board for me! I don't get out often enough to improve that quickly, but my Bic is big and floaty enough that I can stand up (well, most times! ) and enjoy myself whenever I do get out! They might not be 'cool' surfboards but I'll stand in their corner (at least until I'm good enough and rich enough to afford a custom board! Then I'll be pestering Kitey to make me a board! )

BTW i like your new name, Divvy Fox! Still can't quite work out what your avatar is though

Divvy Fox wrote:Ok, so everyone hates Bic. my favorite quote (and I can't remember who it was) is: "Like trying to park a supertanker is a drug store carpark" (or something similar)

Well, yeah, they are
But they're perfect for learning on. I bought Mrs DBBB one and she got on fine with it. Admittedly I only ever had one go on it and I hated every second, but hey ho

Divvy Fox wrote:What are NSP like?

Pretty much the same as BICs. People will tell you stuff about NSP's being far better than BICs, but its still a learner's pop-out.

Divvy Fox wrote:I've heard Al Merricks' are good.

Yup. But Al Merricks are such a big brand now that you shouldnt be fooled into thinking you're getting a custom made by the man himself. You're paying for one of his designs, not his craftsmanship.
And there's an awful lot of kooks out there on 6' AM shortboards that they bought 'cos al is the best make and it'll make me a real good surfer...'

As for other makes -

Ive got a surftech - and that comes down to the custom Vs epoxy debate. And Im not getting into that again....

And a couple of Tunnel Vision boards - both of which have served me beautifully over the years

Next on the list is a Harmageddon mutant shortboard thing - Harmageddon boards are great, but I hear the shaper is a total flesher

Yeah I gotta go with Sal I have the same board, and I love my Bic

Really easy for catching waves, pretty darn stable since i'm a complete clutz!

Is you avatar an Animals (camels/lamas) head with a hand in a latex glove, checking to see 's if it's alive? Cos I see a bit of blood in there?????

Bic boards, not what ya ride its how ya ride it !! ( Rant Over )

Back to being nice


Ive got a Bic Board and its fine for now !

I've had a play on a couple of BICs and they struck me as being pretty heavy and very much straight line machines but ideal for learning on. I currently have something made by a (local) chap called Dave Farrow and repaired by a man called Jeremy

S Boy wrote:Bic boards, not what ya ride its how ya ride it !! ( Rant Over )

Granted.... Ive seen a 360 air on a 9ft foam board (oh, how small did I feel that day...)

But, to use a motorcycling analogy, I can scrape pegs on a Harley (*shudder*) but I'd rather do it on an R1

Nice Analogy

drowningbitbybit wrote:

S Boy wrote:Bic boards, not what ya ride its how ya ride it !! ( Rant Over )

Granted.... Ive seen a 360 air on a 9ft foam board (oh, how small did I feel that day...)

Tis true one 4ft+ day at Widemouth i saw a surf instructor out back and carving away on a foamie, he obviously just couldn't resist the conditions.

northswell wrote:Tis true one 4ft+ day at Widemouth i saw a surf instructor out back and carving away on a foamie, he obviously just couldn't resist the conditions.

Yup, it was a surf instructor (Simon Twitchen) at Putts....


We're not worthy....

harmaggedon surfboards are amazing

Echo Phil

On the Bic front, I went home for the holidays for Christmas and although most of the time I was using my 6'0" Harmergeddon retro fish, I went on my sister's 6'7" Bic shortboard (was mine) for a laugh, and although it was nowhere near as fun to ride as my Harmergeddon, it was still good fun to ride. I've also used a few bic mini mals a few times, and have had fun on them too.... I'm not a great surfer, so I can't give an expert opinion, etc but for fun and learning, they're cheap, nigh indestructible and not too bad.

Also ask bluesnowcone about his Bic longboard which he loves.

el_timmo wrote: I was using my 6'0" Harmergeddon retro fish.

What no picture

ahem sorry



unfortunately I don't have any pics of me surfing it in Trinidad, but next time hopefully!

drowningbitbybit wrote:Next on the list is a Harmageddon mutant shortboard thing - Harmageddon boards are great, but I hear the shaper is a total flesher

He is when it comes to rubbing it in when he's at the beach and ur not, which can be quite alot of the time.....

northswell wrote:Tis true one 4ft+ day at Widemouth i saw a surf instructor out back and carving away on a foamie, he obviously just couldn't resist the conditions.

Ive seen this too at widmouth bay, a couple of years ago.

It's just that I'm blatantly out of practice, as my last surfing session proved and I was never that skilled anyway. I'm about to buy a new board (haven't owned one since 2004) and I'm interested in what to buy.

I plan on surfing at least two weekends of every month this year as well as getting away for a week or two once or twice (portugal or morocco are looking probable) and I don't want to buy something I'm going to grow out of two quickly.

I also don't want to buy a *complete* beginners board because I picked it up fairly quickly when I was surfing every weekend. (every weekend there WAS surf!)


*edit*

sal wrote:BTW i like your new name, Divvy Fox! Still can't quite work out what your avatar is though

pault wrote:Is you avatar an Animals (camels/lamas) head with a hand in a latex glove, checking to see 's if it's alive? Cos I see a bit of blood in there?????

I'll give you a clue. Go read the "I'm a local hero" thread in General chat. If you can't guess it in two go's I'll tell you what it is.

If anyone can guess first time (before I have to tell someone) I'll buy 'em a pack of beer for the first meet I see them at.

Its a dead alpaca in Ohio.
But why the hell do you have it as your avatar?
Thats 2 mins of my life wasted finding that out

scuba steve wrote:Its a dead alpaca in Ohio.
But why the hell do you have it as your avatar?
Thats 2 mins of my life wasted finding that out

Because in the thread entitled "I'm a local hero" I say that I have all the surfing skills of a 3 day dead alpaca.

Any yes, that's two minutes of your life you'll never get back. But it's not wasted! I now owe you beer. Now THERE'S an incentive for going to the meet people are planning for march / april ish.