Stoker V Machine

[cwall36]

Greetings, Forum

This may belong in "Lessons", but here goes:

I've been experimenting with new shapes after exclusively riding long boards for several years. I picked up an 8 foot Stoker V Machine and have been amazed by how easy it is to paddle and get into waves. I can also trim it up and down the face for speed pretty nicely, but am getting increasingly frustrated by how difficult it is to turn. I can't cut it back from the shoulder back to the critical part of the wave, and don't even dream about trying to go vertically up the face from a bottom turn. My 10' feels easier to change directions with!

9 out of 10 times when someone isn't getting the performance they want it's the surfer and not the board, so I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on how to ride these things? Fowler himself has said that they can be surfed farther up the board than most boards, but I've had no luck getting this thing to turn with my back foot 12 to 18" in front of the fins. When my back foot is close to the back I just seem to bog and catch rail.

Any suggestions? Did I buy a dog?

I'm 6'6" 195lbs and surf point breaks like Leo Carillo, Malibu, and County, btw.

Thanks to all...

[waikikikichan]

Were the long boards you were riding for the past few years SINGLE fins ? The Stoker V Machine seems to be only set up as a Thruster fin.

[cwall36]

Were the long boards you were riding for the past few years SINGLE fins ? The Stoker V Machine seems to be only set up as a Thruster fin.

I shoulda mentioned: The long boards were all single fin.

I've got the Stoker set up as a Tri with the middle fin square in the middle of the box.

[waikikikichan]

Then you're going to have to learn how to turn a thruster or 2+1 set up as they do not turn ( "turn in" actually ) the way like a Single fin does. You have to more drive the multi fins all the way thru a turn, while on a single you need to load up the fin and then release the pressure coming out of the turn.

[cwall36]

Then you're going to have to learn how to turn a thruster or 2+1 set up as they do not turn ( "turn in" actually ) the way like a Single fin does. You have to more drive the multi fins all the way thru a turn, while on a single you need to load up the fin and then release the pressure coming out of the turn.

I probably just haven't developed the muscle-memory for this yet. When I try to drive the fins into the face during a cut back, I'm bogging and catching rails.

[waikikikichan]

I probably just haven't developed the muscle-memory for this yet. When I try to drive the fins into the face during a cut back, I'm bogging and catching rails.

If you have a 2+1 set up with a center box, try running it just as a Single for a bit.

Don't try to drive and focus in the turn, look thru the turn, open the front shoulder, front leading palm up ....... board ( fins ) will follow.

You're bogging maybe:
1) because of not enough speed entering the turn
2) too far out on the shoulder before turning in
3) too tight of an arc
4) looking at the turn