Surftech boards - bit of advice needed

[Hang11]

I'm looking for a new longboard to replace my noserider which is falling apart.

Six or so years ago, I bought a Surftech - 9'0" Velzy rounded pin - gorgeous looking board with the wood veneer on it, really nice looking shape, that just looked like it would go great. But I hated it, and sold it after a couple of months. I found that it was too corky, with no flex.

At the time, I was living in the UK, and mainly surfing gutless onshore slop on the South Coast. The corky aspect was a nightmare - paddling out in choppy conditions, it used to float "on" the chop, not go through it, which really did my back in, getting twisted around on the thing.

Actually riding it, I found that it kept bouncing out of the face of the wave, especially doing cutbacks, again in sloppy onshore waves. The board just felt too light.

I went back to a traditional construction board and it was fine. I've been surfing longboards since 1993, so I wonder if I'm just too used to a traditional construction board.

Anyway, I need a new board, can't find a traditional construction one I like, but have seen a couple of nice surftech boards in a local shop.

I'm now living somewhere with slightly more grunty waves, and usually only surf on clean or semi clean days. I've never ridden a surftech board in these kind of conditions.

So.....my questions are - firstly, has the construction of a surftech longboard changed much since I bought one, which was off one of the first batches into the UK, and if so, are they less corky and more flexy?

And.....will I even notice these issues as much, given cleaner waves and more speed through turns these days?

[dougirwin13]

They are still stiffies.

Check out our website for some ideas.

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

[Phil]

i really love my mctavish razer, it does have alot of float and i do find it hard paddling into waves if its howling off shore due to it being so light but when im on waves its the fastest board ive ever ridden, the design has changed a little, but i really cant say for sure if you would enjoy riding them, best bet is to see if you can try one out, they do alot of surftech demos here. there nothing like that in NZ?

[Old Guys Rule]

They are still stiff. They do not have the flex that a Poly board has. Get one custum made if you can not find what you want off the shelf.

[Hang11]

Thanks for the advice. Think I'll give up on a Surftech, out of 12 or 13 longboards over almost 15 years, a surftech is the only one I really didn't get on with.

Time to hunt down a local shaper.

[RJD]

Mate will go halves on renting a mct or something from exit on friday if there open?

[Hang11]

Mate will go halves on renting a mct or something from exit on friday if there open?

Yeah, I'd be keen to give it a go - but none of their demo surftechs are really what I'm after - I want a tanker and they are all performance longboards - got enough of those already.

I called up Baron surfboards today about making me a board, but they don't really do them. I'm a bit stuck really, there's not much in the way of longboard shapers around here. There's some old guy that makes some lovely boards in a storage unit out the back of the pub on Ferrymead, so I may try to track him down and see what he can do.

Still got to get clearance from the wife anyway, so it won't be any time soon

[RJD]

Tried the italien in sumner?

Shame that Gordon/smith isnt still in CS eh.

[Hang11]

Tried the italien in sumner?

Shame that Gordon/smith isnt still in CS eh.

I was thinking I might pop in there at the weekend, get a pizza and check out the boards. A few months ago, I took the kids in there for dinner, and tried to slide a new G & S board on to the bill, but Mel spotted it

Most places just stock chinese knock out longboards or surftechs. It's doing my head in.

[Dec]

Hey, the advantage of poly boards and the strength of epoxy/surftechs have (from what i know) been put into these new composite boards.

I am not sure whether any companies have gone into producing longboard versions, but it's definitely worth looking around for.

[jethrodog]

Bought a Surftech a year ago, I like it but is is corky and hard to paddle out through heavy beach break and very hard to duck dive. Rides fairly good. But I tried out a new TL2 Surtech, night and day. I think that in a blind taste test you would be able to pick out the TL2 from a poly, but they are oh so close. Don't know if they make 9' in a TL2, but maybe check them out if you are still stuck without a new board.

Personally I am hoping and waiting for a nice custom UK board for my surf tour in may.....

[Hang11]

Thanks for all the help.

I've found a place that does nice longboards - will probably get one shaped for me, they're at the other end of the country, but I'll find an excuse to hop on a plane and get up there to see them and hopefully order one before everyone takes a couple of months off for Christmas.

http://surfline.co.nz/long.htm - The electraglide one looks like what I'm after.

They do some really nice work with stringers, tail blocks, and paua inlays too, which will probably make the price quite scary, but hey, it's a new board, I've got 6 years out of the last one.

Paua inlay on the stringer..



Tail block..



More paua...



I just ran it past my wife - she told me the dishwasher has packed up and we need the money for a new one

Yeah right.

[Phil]

is your old board the yellow custurd point?

be hard to get another board like that one i really love mine in small clean waves and nose rides so well

[Hang11]

Yeah it is. It's stuffed - three creases, brown like a bit of toast, it's been well used. I've got another two custard points, a nice all rounder, that's my favourite, and a predator that I break out on the odd hero day. Summer where I live is often small but clean, so I tend to use a big old tanker on those days.

I love that yellow board, surfed all over the world on it I bought it a week after my first kid was born, it's kind of part of the family now.

[jonboy on the nose]

I've never riden a surftech board so can't help there. But when i was choosing a new board a few months back, i visited a shop in Braunton and the owner pulled out a 9 2", turned it upside down, and started jumping on the underside! He wanted to show me how much the board could flex, and believe me, it was bouncing! Actually, it put me right off - why would i want to buy a board from a nutcase who jumps around on his stock??? I went elsewhere...

However, i did end up buying a McTavish Fireball 9 6" and i absolutely love it! Fastest board i've riden and great to turn - loves the small / medium waves and i can get out on the nose too. I couldn't be happier with it. Haven't ventured out in much overhead yet, but gonna give it a go when the swell's decent and clean.

So i still rate the old designs, traditional methods. But as i say, i got scared off by a madman who jumps around on his planks, so i guess i'm just jaded...

[dougirwin13]

Hang,

If you are in NZ and interested in a custom compsand longboard contact Paul Cannon from our website. He'll do you a custom.

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

[Hang11]

Cheers Doug - I may well do that - some of them look gorgeous, and I've heard some great things about his boards.

I'm going to try to sneak a go on one of Roy's boards when it travels my way as well.

Just blew half the surfboard budget on some new fishing gear, so the board will have to wait until January when funds are replenished.

[dougirwin13]

It'd be wicked to have a go on Roy's Primitive Pipe Challenge board! You lucky sod!

Check ya PMs.

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

[RJD]

He's building another to send round NZ and shut some bigmouths up lol.

Hopefully get a ride when it hits chch.

[Phil]

whats this about roys boards? i know he was building one to send to hawaii did that ever happen?