A mate of mine, Dan (DTM) took up SUP about 3 months ago and like many of us has gone totally nuts on it. He bought a Ripper 9 3 after 3 weeks on a Starboard and hasn't looked back. Being a shaper for a number of years naturally he couldn't resist making one himself.

Anyway I got to ride it both days this weekend and it was very interesting. It is based on a Ripper but shorter (8'8"), narrower (28"), with more rocker, a rolled deck and rails about 30% thinner. Being EPS/epoxy it weighs about 6.5 kilos even with a full Creatures deck grip. The fins are much further back with the rear of the center fin about 4 inches from the tail (mine is 8).

Haven ridden Casso's DC briefly in tiny surf I kinda knew what to expect - ie lively and manouvrable. The waves were about knee to occassional chest high and man this thing just blew my mind. It felt like it had the speed and accelleration of a shortboard on a perfect wave (not the 2 foot slop I was riding) but turned and carved on a dime!! I could not believe the drive I was getting out of turns.

The shorter length made getting my foot over the fins very easy and being so under bouyant it was very responsive to any movement. The trade off of course was paddling the thing out. I reckon the volume is about 105ish liters and being shorter it is a bit slower to paddle and quite tippy for my 83kgs. It felt quite similar to the 8 10 Naish paddling wise.

Surprisingly the low rails didn't seem to cause me too much grief paddling - Casso had mentioned a similar thing about his DC.

I am hanging even more now for my Laguna custom which is almost identical dimentions so I had better get fitter!!

These types of SUP are really a totally different ball game to the larger wider style and definately won't suit everyone as you would need to surf many times per week (if you are an old fart like me) just to be fit enough to ride em, but the pay off in small beachies is unbelievable.

PS will try and post some pics later.

I was in the same boat as DTM. started out on a pop out. didnt really like the feel of them, so i went custom. The boys at laguna know there stuff.
After a few boards from tully and co, i went down my own path.
Nothing better than making a board thats personally suited to your wants and needs.
looking forward to the pics.
heres my latest.

lookielookie said...

I was in the same boat as DTM. started out on a pop out. didnt really like the feel of them, so i went custom. The boys at laguna know there stuff.
After a few boards from tully and co, i went down my own path.
Nothing better than making a board thats personally suited to your wants and needs.
looking forward to the pics.
heres my latest.

Hey Lookie good looking shape
Construction IS ??pls

Great looking board and logo

Piros

lookielookie said...


[}:)]Viva la "deth"[}:)]

.....lol......

lookielookie likey.
Green is the color of champions. And the Irish

Gday Lookie,

Mate your sticks look the goods.Are you a famous shaper or what?Are you going down to the Mambo so we can have a crack of your stuff? These and many more questions cloud my tiny mind!!!!!!!

Robbrooooooooooooooooooo0O0o0o0o0o0:-}

lookie lookie your board looks cool mate like the pro spay job well done

lookielookie said...

mybrosweeper said...

Gday Lookie,

Mate your sticks look the goods.Are you a famous shaper or what?Are you going down to the Mambo so we can have a crack of your stuff? These and many more questions cloud my tiny mind!!!!!!!

Robbrooooooooooooooooooo0O0o0o0o0o0:-}

hi mate,
No im not a famous shaper(notorious,yes). but i have worked with simon anderson, DHD and a few other guys in the past.
Im trying to figure out a way of getting down to the MAMBO with a few different prototypes for guys to test. just waiting to see what pans out in the next week or two.
i think i might have to come down just to set up a buisness relationship with DTM and the goatman.
look out for a new SUP brand in the future

Cool Lookie,
Look forward to meeting you and seeing your "deth sticks" in real time,
RobbroRobbro