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surfboard questions

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 1:57 pm
by jkrug
i'm in my second year of riding strapless, and am struggling a bit with whether i just suck (leaving myself vulnerable with that one) or need additional equipment. i currently ride a Jimmy Lewis KT (6'*20") and really like the board. but when it gets bigger out there, i have a real tough time carving it, or even staying in control at times (like riding down the face of a big wave). my size is 6'3", 210 lbs. would a smaller board help out in those bigger conditions, and if so, how much smaller? or should i just stick with this board and work on simply getting better?

from my windsurfing days i understand the need of a smaller board in stronger winds, but this isn't so much about the winds as the waves, and i don't have a surfing background.

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 2:24 pm
by Boris
Hi,
I had the same problem as you with my Jimmy Lewis.
Got a Cabrinha instead which is much better:-)

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 2:39 pm
by windrupted
jkrug wrote:i'm in my second year of riding strapless, and am struggling a bit with whether i just suck (leaving myself vulnerable with that one) or need additional equipment. i currently ride a Jimmy Lewis KT (6'*20") and really like the board. but when it gets bigger out there, i have a real tough time carving it, or even staying in control at times (like riding down the face of a big wave). my size is 6'3", 210 lbs. would a smaller board help out in those bigger conditions, and if so, how much smaller? or should i just stick with this board and work on simply getting better?

from my windsurfing days i understand the need of a smaller board in stronger winds, but this isn't so much about the winds as the waves, and i don't have a surfing background.
Thats a big wide board. Try staying in the pocket tighter, it's the big uncontrolled drop from the top that makes the board spin out in the flats. Once slotted, it's pretty easy to make small adjustments in there. Surfers have to deal with the same issues, but that is why you see the most advanced surfers riding smaller gunny looking boards: big wide boaty boards are hard to control. Especially if you get in late and come down like one of those olympic bobsledders. It's also easier to scrub off speed if you get your weight up forward and back-foot the rail for traction. You can make that board work.

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:11 pm
by mike dubs
Jkrug,

Seems a big board, width wise when it's pumping. For your size 6 or 6'2 is plenty and anything upto about 19 inches with thin ish rails and a bit of rocker should help you on the bigger stuff.

Get yourself a cheap tuff lite, resin8 or similar surfboard second hand and see how you get on in the bigger stuff. Fins also play a big part, I have a Mulcoy 5'10 from BWS which I absolutely love, changed the fins on it, to ones that were a tiny bit bigger and fuller profile and hated it in the turn, changed them back and it was sublime again.

All this trial and error is half the fun though. I tried loads of production boards for first few years strapless, then got a resin 8 and FireWire and started to understand what I liked bards to feel like.

Mike

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:41 pm
by spleeft

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:00 pm
by ChristoffM
Ah, I have the same problem. I am going to try some thinner/smaller boards. I also love strapless riding, but going too fast down a too big wave and loosing control just ain't fun.

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:58 pm
by Peter_Frank
jkrug wrote:i'm in my second year of riding strapless, and am struggling a bit with whether i just suck (leaving myself vulnerable with that one) or need additional equipment. i currently ride a Jimmy Lewis KT (6'*20") and really like the board. but when it gets bigger out there, i have a real tough time carving it, or even staying in control at times (like riding down the face of a big wave). my size is 6'3", 210 lbs. would a smaller board help out in those bigger conditions, and if so, how much smaller? or should i just stick with this board and work on simply getting better?

from my windsurfing days i understand the need of a smaller board in stronger winds, but this isn't so much about the winds as the waves, and i don't have a surfing background.
I'll ask you the same question as I put to others:

Why did you lose the straps - or have you never tried waveriding with straps ?

And have you ridden the same board with straps ?

Have you ridden other surfboards with straps before your "second year of riding strapless" ?


Curious - as there are often big differences in the boards IMO :naughty:

More rocker wont necessarily help though - as it can make the board even more uncontrollable when going down the waveface with a big/wide board :roll:
It will slow you down, yes (which you actually dont want in big waves where you have to ride around big whitewater sections often), but apart from slowing down which helps but often not desired - it will only make the board even more "unruhig und nervös" (what is the word in English ? Unsteady - Nervous - Jumpy ? )

I use boards with less rocker for bigger waves, and more rocker for small steep waves :thumb:

But a smaller board is one solution yes, if you ride strapless, just remember it can be harder to go upwind compared to your bigger board, especially if more rocker :-?

:D Peter

Re: surfboard questions

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 4:57 pm
by jkrug
i dislike riding with straps. i know it lends itself to more control, but it just doesn't feel right to me. i hate the mandated foot position, and riding with straps on but feet sometimes out of them is never fun either. i've seen plenty of good riders out there having no problem strapless, so just going with straps is not the answer for me. i've also had a gunnier board a while back, but never liked it. perhaps i'll just take the 'get better' approach for now.