As summer is approaching I am looking to upgrade my surfboard for kiting.
Currently use a 2011 5' 6" Cab Skillit which is great for the Perth slop but have been considering a custom as I can have some input on shape.
Just wondering about the pro and cons of custom versus mass produced and would like to hear from users of each who could comment on what they like about their choice.
no comparison in my book. go see a local shaper & get a handcrafted stick that is made for the way you ride and your conditions. plus you get to have input in the design & benefit from an expert's advice.
get a heavier stringer and a couple of layers of 6oz to beef it up, and ask for extra patches thrown under where your feet go to minimise dings.
all for less $ than a chinese pop out...
Most off the shelf boards are made ultra thin high performance (aka designed to explode into a milllion pieces the first time a decent 3ft lip hits it).
- Stone Surf
- Katana
- Dave Lewy
All doing nice looking shapes.
Custom pros:
- It's a custom
- Support a local business
- Shaper/rider relationship etc
Custom cons:
- maybe re-sale vs big brands?
The only Pro to getting a shelf board is maybe the re-sale as mentioned, but also the convenience.
Hey Mr swinging, so how was Bali?? you must have had some big waves, or else you might not be asking this question...
Heres my $5 worth ...
A lot of surf board shapers dont have a clew aboat kite surfing and dont kite them selves, if you can tell them exactly what you want, and how much glass where, your ok with just about any shaper in Perth, they will all do a good job.
Best thing would be to bring in a board, and say" I want this, with that changed," etc
If you get a custom, thick stringers and heavy glass jobs eliminate flex and will make your board perform like sh1t.....If you already surf shortboards to a decent standard, seriously put up with the dents and breakages......All of the kite brands surf boards are fkn terrible in my opinion, way to stiff and heavy, depends if you want to actually surf with a kite, or tear up and down in a straight line, strapped in.
Thanks guys, some helpful comments and the consensus is to go custom.
I have a Katana 6' 4" surfboard for paddling - I'm not good at it but its not the board's fault - so I will give them a call
@SugarQube - Bali was good thanks, wind was light but great waves. You're right, that's why I am asking now as the Cab felt pretty heavy and slow. There were some French guys with custom boards there and I tried one out. Felt looser and much snappier, even to a hack like me.
call dave from katana. he does epoxy kite boards. They are cheap (especially if you dont have strap inserts) and he double glasses under the feet and uses carbon on the rails and balsa on the deck. they look the part to!
Stoked with my last custom from Ocealine up in Wangara, it's holding up well but if anything I did go a bit overboard with the build, my fault I said I wanted strong after snapping 3 boards in 12 months before this one.
It is a little bit to heavy and stiff but was exactly as I wanted at the time.
P.S. nice conditions over here in Bali today, the wind lasted longer than I did.
I reckon check the fin tow-in and the rocker otherwise the board will feel like its s bogging the whole time and you cannot get the speed up.
The new shorter fatter boards are the way to go as they are longer boards cut down so the rocker is a bit flatter.
See you out there SITW.
My 2 cents.
Rich
Definitely custom, when you've been riding enough to talk about how you ride and what you do.
My new custom milch board is truly jizz-o-matic. Never enjoyed wave kiting so much
Custom all the way. Still not many pro surfers ride epoxy boards coz they just feel a bit odd.
Also if you ride in Vic, a board made for Gold Coast conditions will just not be right for that type of wave. So go to your local shaper, request it a tad stronger, then enjoy your masterpiece.
you could also try a custom delta design bamboo deck "AMP".there are no complaints down south or up north about their performance and price.
10 years of kiting really counts in dialling a kite board compared to a surfboard.
i'd rather play guitar but sometimes a note or two on the trumpet is necessary !!!
Thanks for everybody's input
I've had a custom board made up by Dave at Katana - took it out yesterday for it's first run - am stoked, great board, snappy turns and powers upwind.
Construction is epoxy with carbon fibre rails and bamboo deck.
Size 5' 6" x 18.75" x 2"
A few pics attached.
Looks sweet Al, bit hard to tell from photo's but looks like a fair bit of concave possibly double concave towards the tail and a bit of tail rocker.
One thing that does stand out is one of your side fins isn't right in, better sort that out or it will be a weed catcher. 
Gottta watch that with FCS's.
P.S. Nice lawn.
^^
Cheers TL, have fixed the fin
Yes there is a double concave and some rocker.
The lawn's so that I can go kiting instead of being collared for gardening duties 
rail make the board feel rigid..
Yep another great looking board Slack, lovin the look of the bamboo decks.
Damn I shouldn't have got my last board made so strong, I can't justify another board yet unless I snap it, looks like I am gunna have to start jumping it.
Thanks for the go on your new board the other day Allan, very nice and so light and loose compared to mine.
