Haven't surfed for longer than Bolgo has (20+ yrs - see ROW threads)
But Kiting has ignited the old passion
Any of you current Xpurt board riders like to suggest what sort of board an old Mal (thats all there was back then) rider should go looking for to get back into it
Any/All thoughts app'd

? 4 strings ?

Hey Guys,

As a recent convert to surfing after 10 years of wave sailing and 4 years of kite "surfing", I started out on a 7'3" short board with plenty of volume in the nose and mid section. although this was great as an intro, it lacked as a mal type board and also lacked in the shorter more hollow waves of the city beach breaks. Don't get me wrong, it still has it's place in medium sized waves.

I then started riding a 7'6" mini Mal by Starboard which is super light, incredibly strong and super easy to surf and paddle. This allowed me to avoid the BS by catching waves a little further out that the short boardersand it dominated at places like Noosa and Byron. Problem is, it's too big to chuck around on a wave and so I have found the solution in Marty from Delta's new "Fish".

After winning the Rotto Wave comp, first prize was a custom Delta kiteboard (which was of no use to me as I am sponsored by Airush and love the Compacts Fusion and Protoy) so I asked Marty to build me a fine short board for waves from 1-6 feet. Marty steered me in the direction of his new "fish" and gave me a 6'6" short fish, which I thought would be too short for my 6'3" height and 85 kilos.

Anyway, I tried the board in 1'-2' onshore crap waves and caught waves as far out as the mal riders and it handled like a short board being really responsive, fast and light, but with the bonus of being easy to paddle, wicked at catching more difficult waves and allows me to sit further out than the pack without having to rely on a mal.

Again don't get me wrong, I still love the mini mal and when Tina and I go surfing together it's always on the mals and we love it(Quality time)! I still reckon the mals are the only way to go for a more full wave, but WA doesn't have too many waves like this apart from Cottesloe.

Marty is coming to Perth next monday with some demo boards (and my new stick - Yay!) so maybe catch up with him if you get the chance.

Winter rules for swell and surfing. Time to put the kites into hibernation unless it gets really good. Surfing is more pure!

Just my 2 cents worth.

agree with the above
hassles are a part of surfing but if you are a keen bean (eg early, rotto, 4wd)a quiet session can usually be found, might mean compromising but i would rather surf gallows in peace than lefties cranking with 30+
delta design fishes (epoxy -light & bouyant)are the go
had a mal for a while, not for me (heavy, didnt turn,only for fat 40+ olds), but there are some good epoxy or pop outs these days - len dibben has a few
surfing is the best sport no arguement, indo the best place to surf by far
ha dream on!