Hi all
Looking for a bit of board advice, does anyone have much experience or info on the dripping wet home brand boards?
I have been riding an 8' mini mal for about a year and bought the fish 6 months ago but I just can't get to grips with it
I don't wish to be the tradie who blames his tools but it was a cheap as board - are they any good and is it just my lack of ability?!
Lack of ability and wrong concept. A fish should be smaller than your theoretical normal shortboard. So e.g. I ride a 5'9" 'fish' board (and would still prefer a couple of inches less in ideal conditions). A 6'8" x 20 3/4" is a boat. No doubt super straight rail line and lots of volume (how thick?). It's pretty much the same thing as your mini mal.
What do you expect it to do and what is it not doing?
Thanks for the responses, fully willing to accept its operator error but more just if I can get something more helpful I would rather just buy another board than persevere with something f that's making life harder.
Will chuck photos up tonight.
What's it not doing? Basically just don't seem to be able to get any momentum into the take off the board is either bogging down, generally after this happens a few time I get frustrated and move my body position forward and the board then nose ]dives as soon as soon as it picks up and throws me end over end
Sure they make perfectly good boards but I did say I didn't know what I needed and that's what they sold me so that's my only criticism really
Pretty sure they are the "home brand boards" made in china and the shops just have their logos on them. I bought a mini mal for someone of the same brand. It was heavy, slow and didn't turn. But at the end of the day you get what you pay for.
Yeah, I was going to say the opposite to doggie, that it might be flat rocker causing your issues in this instance.
So you're paddling in too far back, making the board sit on its tail and not plane and then when you get frustrated you are paddling in the right spot but given how flat the rocker is with minimal nose flip if you stay centered like that it will pearl.
So what you need to do is paddle in the further forward position but when you go to get up you need to shift your weight backwards.
But given how much foam is in that board you should be able to get in really early and no matter where your weight is if you're early enough it shouldn't matter. I.e. no late takeoffs. If you are still taking off in a steep enough section then you need to work on paddling more.
On my 'fish' it's a lot easier because it's a foot shorter so you can make minor adjustments easily. It has really flat rocker but it's rare for me to nose dive because I can stand on the tail a bit and do an acid drop without shuffling.
Your board will never be a manoeuvre monster given how much foam is in those rails and how straight it is. I don't really understand oversized fishes. I don't get what their purpose is.
Are you nose diving because your too slow to your feet From pick up (wave surge) you need to be quick to your feet..Especially if heading straight to the beach. As Legion said if you can take of a little more down the line you can then be a little slower
Im sure that makes no sense...
Ok, windsurfer. You know when you do a carving jybe? You lean in the direction of the jybe, taking off is the same point your'e board in the direction you want to go and aim higher than you think. It will also help you get up easier
Yeah think I'm with u mate
Guess overiding comment seems to be get on my feet ASAP and get speed in te board however possible!!
Thanks for the contributions by the way guys- learning to surf in bondi hasn't always been a friendly experience so appreciate u taking the time to help!!
If you're just learning, paddling and positioning will be your biggest issue. Didn't we just have a thread on that?
Thanks for the help guys
I have been told by a number of people that they are copies of a bigger brand - anyone know where they get their "inspiration" from
Guess its hard to protect design IP on that sort of thing
Perseverence is starting to pay off a bit with this board - anyone know of somewhere in sydney area (or within 1 hours drive) that rents or lets u try out different shapes / sizes?