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Minion 8'4" in Bali

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Created by 913pepper > 9 months ago, 13 Nov 2015
913pepper
59 posts
13 Nov 2015 10:37PM
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Just returned from a month in Bali and thought I would share some thoughts. By way of background I've just turned 60 and weigh in at 96kgs. I was told by a number of people that a Minion was totally the wrong board and fins for most conditions in Bali and that SUPers were really unpopular. I bought the Minion in May as a custom and have only used it twice in very small conditions as that is all the surf we have had.
On the popularity I found the opposite. I was treated like everyone else in the line up and saw absolutely no animosity at all. The only people singled out were actually surfers who didn't understand or respect the rules.
In terms of surf I had 6-8' at Bingin and Dreamland, 3-6' at Seminyak, Canngu and Balian, 3-4' at Medewi, 2-5' at the Sanur reefs and 4-8' at Nusa Lembongan. Over the month the only time I didn't get a surf was the first 5 days as Virgin misplaced my board.
Certainly my first few days was at Bingin Beach with a solid 6-8' and definitely way more grunty that what we get on the east coast, Mt Maunganui, NZ. Thinking that my board was wrong for the conditions it took me to my second session to even try catching a wave. I had also listened to advice to change out the standard fins to something with more drive. After catching two waves and struggling to turn the board at speed I changed the fins back to stock standard.
Over the month I experienced most conditions and most types of break. Overall I was absolutely stoked with the Minion. There were times especially at Lembongan where I would have felt more comfortable with a foot less board but then there was a lot of times when i needed the extra stability because of chop or wind or to ease the sometimes long paddle out to the reef.
Having read a number of posts on this forum about the importance of foot placement I spent a few session experimenting. In the end i found that I naturally found the right place to be. In the hollow sections more in the center and running out of wave or coming off the lip right on the kicker.
The biggest issue I had was dropping into a wave and controlling the speed. Paddling into a wave with my feet already in position sorted that.
The glide of the board was also amazing. There were times, especially at some of the Sanur breaks were the waves reformed into a really nice 2-3' wave. I saw a number of longer sups not making it, but had no problem gliding through and onto it.
I had also wondered about the durability as i have experienced the normal damage with traveling with boards in the past. Admittedly I wrapped it in corflute to travel with so no damage there. It was bounced on its rail on the boat ride in heavy seas to Lembongan and dropped on a concrete path by a porter. I had a surfer drop in on me at Canngu but the only damage was from hitting a reef and even then just a small chip on the nose. The board is the vacuum wrapped version and so is a little heavier. To date it is the most durable I have had.
I know there are critics of the design and i know that at 8'4" there are critics of the length. I've been through a number of boards and another Minion to get to this one. To travel with I don't think I could find better, for me, to suit such a wide range of conditions. At home I have tended to pick a board to suit the conditions at any one time. I don't think I will do that now.
Full marks to Simon and the team at DEEP.

SUPbru
386 posts
14 Nov 2015 2:55AM
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Good work....a month in Bali you lucky bug#er...sounds like you had a blast!

What were the final dimensions that you settled on for your 8'4 Minion?

Supmaori
746 posts
14 Nov 2015 4:18AM
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Awesome..Mate so good to know..great review..I have the 7'8 115L custom Minion..just can't say enough good things about this board..it's my go to board in all conditions..and now it's dialed in I'm wanting to experiment with fins..can I ask what you have tried, and what worked well? And did you run the nubster in Bali..I have my Minion in some double over surf on the East Coast here..not hollow..but big and it love it :-)
Chur

913pepper
59 posts
14 Nov 2015 5:19AM
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Hi, 8'4 x 31' x 4 1/4

913pepper
59 posts
14 Nov 2015 6:29AM
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Hey Supmaori. I have followed your exploits with your Minion and they led to me getting one. Thank you.
The fins I was recommended were the Futures Controller quad. They just didn't work for me. Awesome in the bigger surf trying to make it through hollow sections but felt too much speed and too rigid. More to do with the box setup i think. I tried them as a thruster with a side bite in the rear fin box. It worked well and I will certainly be trying that back in NZ. The minion really seemed to go best with a more upright fin.
In the main I used the Jackson Close Shapers without the nubster. I had heaps of grip when I needed it but could still turn on a dime. I did start to notice how flexible the fin was compared to the controller and would like to try a similar profile fin but with less flex. I'm looking forward to experimenting this summer.

913pepper
59 posts
14 Nov 2015 6:30AM
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Sorry SUPING. 131litres

cantSUPenough
VIC, 2122 posts
14 Nov 2015 10:20AM
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Great story! A month away - must have been fun.

Pretty brave taking a board when you have only had two sessions! I can't wait to get back on my Minion.

I am just trying to imagine your headspace when you learned Virgin had lost your board.

How tall are you? I have often wondered how much height/weight/tats/brutality correlate with the amount of stinkeye you get on a SUP.

Supmaori
746 posts
14 Nov 2015 9:03AM
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913..I'm stoked that my posts helped someone else..end of the day that's what it's all about..and thanks for your feedback..I will be definitely be trying those find out. How did the minion go without the nubster in?
Cheers man

913pepper
59 posts
14 Nov 2015 9:46AM
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Hey Can'tSUPenough,
It was shaping up to be a disaster and can now recommend to others to not leave it up to the airlines to find your gear. It took a number of calls to both NZ and Oz to find someone to just go and have a look only to find it sitting there.
I'm 6'2". I started with 7'10' which was noticeably looser however tippy for me especially in cross chop or after getting tired. With the 8'4" I handled any conditions, found the paddle out to the reef easy enough but I suppose like any SUP would have liked less length on some of the bigger sets. Cheers,

913pepper
59 posts
14 Nov 2015 9:53AM
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SUPMaori,
I think it was better without the nubster in. It appeared easier to slide the tail around on cutbacks or even to slow the board down. I preferred the loose feel of the Shapers fins over the controllers and nubsterless felt looser again. It could have been my imagination working overtime however other than the first couple of days surfed without it. It will be interesting to try it in our conditions.

colas
4986 posts
14 Nov 2015 4:00PM
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I have a wide-tailed board where the nubster didnt work: I was feeling the nusbter was always in stalling mode in turns, I could feel the turbulence. The surprising bit was that it worked better with nothing or a real fin (the smallest FCS: a GX I think), that kept a laminar flow.

supthecreek
2583 posts
14 Nov 2015 8:38PM
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Good write up 13P.... thoughtful and useful information..... exactly why I come to forums!

There are always critics.... but generally, they are applying what works for them..... not you.
That is why specific rider stats, and conditions are so useful.... it helps us sort it all out

got any pictures or vids?

flowmaster
291 posts
15 Nov 2015 12:09AM
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Made this one out of an old fin works great however. Don't mean to highjack the Original post, love the info and Bali rocks.


913pepper
59 posts
15 Nov 2015 7:33AM
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Thanks supthecreek. Took a GoPro with every intention of filming waves but just got too busy. Next year!

magentawave
128 posts
18 Nov 2015 1:32AM
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Nice write up! Thanks. I tried but the wide base on the front Controllers never worked for me either.

Where did you stay on Bali for a whole month? Is it difficult to find waves all to yourself on Bali?

Kami
1566 posts
18 Nov 2015 4:50AM
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Select to expand quote
colas said..
I have a wide-tailed board where the nubster didnt work: I was feeling the nusbter was always in stalling mode in turns, I could feel the turbulence. The surprising bit was that it worked better with nothing or a real fin (the smallest FCS: a GX I think), that kept a laminar flow.

Same thoughts, Colas
I do not use nubster thinking and demoing with pictures down here that side fins are more useful on wide tail than any center fin , nubster included. On the pictures under here I use White Line TC at front position and GX-Q as rear fins . Setting the GX-Q as much far back as Done properly on Minion and front one as forward than done on Minion cause of the very short dim (6'5") of my board.
As I lean forward in back side stance, Nubster would be useless even on a strong pressure on the tail as shown on the last picture. On every pictures you can see the water "dripping" along the rail so very far from a center position of any centered fins.
Designing my own board from my experience, those pictures are very interactive to my knowledge, I'm pleased to share with you.

Don't mean to highjack the Original post about Bali and the Minion but VIVE LA FRANCE








913pepper
59 posts
18 Nov 2015 11:56AM
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Hi Magentawave.
We pretty much hired a car and drove with no problem at all. Mostly I was in the surf at 5am as well as the end of the day so saw very little crowds and sometimes no one at all. At first I avoided any crowded break but really had no problem and just took my turn or any wave no one else could catch. Mostly the rides were long so there was a long paddle back. Along the east coast it was always possible to find a peak to yourself.
Will be back next year and will probably take in a little of Java



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"Minion 8'4" in Bali" started by 913pepper