Just got in from 5 hrs in the water today, all I can say is about bl**dy time huey!!
Finally got to test my new 8 6" surfshapes In some decent waves. I spent 4 hrs on the 8 6" and 1 hr On my 9 6" naish.
I was at the beach at first light (lighthouse still flashing) to be greeted by 2 -3ft surf with absolute glass, and poor visibility due to sea mist. I paddled out on my own anyway into the sea mist on the 8 6", straight away I felt comfortable and thought how well it paddled, It would start to turn easy as you paddled so maybe a bit more side swapping than a bigger board but nothing to worry about. I punched through the white water and got out with dry hair.
I was 106kg with my 4X3 steamer on and really no-problem to balance or paddle, on a par with the 9 6" naish, maybe better.
It punches up over white water really well and feels straight and stable, because of the pointy nose it doesnt get knocked sideways. I caught a nice clean little reeler and noticed on this size wave it was a little harder to catch than the 9 6" naish , but over the morning as the swell picked up, it caught the bigger waves with ease.

As I paddled back out a big school of salmon swam under me, the mist had cleared now and it was turning Into one of those classic mornings, sunny , crystal clear water and sheet glass and the swell was kicking from 2 ft to a good sized 3ft. I was waiting for another a wave, still on my own when something turned out of the water and went under, could not see it properly, but thought it could have been a guy, so caught a wave in and sat on the beach for 10 minutes looking for a fin.

I didnt see it again and it was cranking so I was back out there, caught a nice sized lefthander (my backhand) on the next wave, as the wave was approaching I tried a pivot turned with ease, and dropped into the wave on my backhand and drove down the line on it staying up high with the lip then dropping down and driving a hard bottom turn off the bottom, this board is awesome for bottom turns and wacking the lip.
The next wave was probably the biggest of the day a nice fast right hander, I did another pivot turn, dropped late with the lip, hard on rail bottom turn and drove down the line, pumping and weaving for speed. This board surfs like NO sub I have ever used, this thing does feel like a 6 4" shortboard, I did find it has a definate sweet spot that you need to be In each time or you would loose drive and it would feel stop- starty, typical of any good surfboard untill you find that sweet spot.
Once you have that sweet spot the thing rips, and throws buckets I had a great time on it and was wrapped how it went, I love my 9 6" but when I got on it for the arvo session it felt like a mal, compared to the 8 6".

I can tell this board wants solid surf, it is hard to get going in anything under head high, but once in decent waves its fast and loose, I ran it as a quad , like the 9 6".

I did notice when laying down paddeling it if you got caught inside it was harder to hang onto, this is because the rails are thicker than the 9 6" naish , but thats a trade off because they need to be that thick to float me.

Over all an awesome board, looks like the surfs on again tomorrow, so i will be using it again Big thumbs up from me in glassy surf, see how it will go in some chop and I will let you know.

Brooko said...

still on my own when something turned out of the water and went under, could not see it properly, but thought it could have been a guy,

WTF !!!!!! Is "Guy" code for the unmentionable

Sorry mate at first I thought a "floater" (Bod) then a scuber diver or snorkler , but that early and around there only with a death wish, but now I think I get it. whew !!

Board sounds good

Great review Brooko. Thanks for putting in the time to write it.

Sounds like a super fun session.

tha dogman said...

nice work brooko

sounds great

waves up this way are smokin

bit bumpy but heaps of swell

keep up the good work dude

later dogman

Hey dogman, good to hear from you mate, glad your getting good waves yeah havnt tried It In bumpy waves yet, sometimes even the 9 6" Is a handfull If Its to bumpy and chopped up

Good one Brooko! Finally some clean waves to rip apart, and it sounds like you did!

I have been riding my 8'6 but only in fat small surf, lumpy and onshore, more for paddle fitness than anything else. Last Sunday was clean but full and I surfed three times that day in between chores and tides.

I started out with the standard quad setup on Sunday but found that it was too hard to keep an edge in the fat, small waves. The board was bottom turning great but the cuties were a bit too slidy, ended up going tail first most of the time. I put the small trailer fin in and the board tracked and held the edge better in the fat stuff. I reckon an even smaller fin would go great and allow a little bit more slide but with control.

It has been blowing westerly all night up here so we might have waves this morning instead of on shore crap. The swell chart still looks good too.

Rod

Surfs lookin good here too, going to set up the gopro.

Rod