Ok I am over this. Surfing is costing me too much. Have snapped two boards in the last two weeks.
I'm picking up a custom tomorrow that supposedly has the "strongest epoxy resin to be found anywhere on the gold coast" - the resin is something his mates in america have been working on. It will also have carbon strips in the places its needed. But will this be strong enough?
What is the strongest surfboard? Epoxy? Firewire? bamboo? I just want a board that lasts longer than a couple of months!
Even if a board is flogged as the "strongest" they canwill still snap in that "one off" situation...just look at those Aviso's built with the same stuff they make the nose cones of missile rockets.
Many a man have regular PU's and have had them for many a year. Through either good board care or High quality shaping process and materials.
1. Maybe you need to look at your surfing...ie rethink pulling into those chunky slabs or pulling those 10 ft punts...or just surfing on super low tides. other things like... are you bailing your board instead of duck diving? Do you find yourself going over the falls a lot. Surf closeouts? All situation of course would contribute to one snapped stick.
2. Look at your boardsshaper - Are you buying HP or Pro models which are mostly wafer thin and very lightly glassed. Are the glass jobs up to scratch?
We will see how this next board goes. I made sure that he understood that it needed to be strong.
I think my surfing plays a big part in it though. I have a thirst for chunky waves that perhaps only boogers should be bothering with. I don't care much for "moves", all i want is the pit! But that comes at a price. Ah maybe I need to just take it easy a bit and paddle into makeable waves rather...
I was having the same issue.
Now go for a 6 X 6 with a blue blank. A bit heavy but pretty durable.
I found if i went any thicker on the glass the board got too stiff!!
Im wondering what the hell your doing to be breaking 2 boards in 2 weeks surfing the goldie.... Stop driving over them.
I have been surfing in WA for 10 years and only done 2.
Maybe stop goin over the falls or pulling into death pits???
lol Im just playin with ya , Keep charging mate
My theory is if you don't snap at least one board in your life your not trying hard enough. Then again it's an expensive theory.
Just using the "strongest epoxy resin to be found anywhere on the gold coast" isn't going to help you. You probably need to go heavier on the laminate or a denser blank - but even that won't save you from everything.
Yeah have gone with heavier glass for this one. Went and inspected it today and it will be ready tomorrow. Still feels kinda light. I don't go over the falls too often, I like to consider making the drop my one and only skill haha.
Ps. It makes me sick just thinking of being more reserved when paddling into death bombs!
Except that you need to mortage your house to buy one - Riley balsa boards are I think guaranteed for 12 months (against everything). I haven't ridden one and know nothing about them but I think I remember reading their speel about guarantees against breakage !!
I'd be just happy to find a pu board that I don't depress the hell out of with my heels after the first surf - same place on every board, every time regardless of how well glassed they are. Maybe I should buy a pair of crocs to surf in - that may protect the board and keep my feet warm as well. (oops wrong forum again - thats a sup thing)
Just found this about a Riley balsa fish - Ken expensive though - $1400
Does anybody out there own one of these. NO I am not thinking about buying one - $1400 is a lot of dollars for a shortboard in my books. It's always good to hear from owners of these SUPER boards to see if they match the hype about their strength. Also has anyone had a triple stringer shorty for strength ? Seem though that most boards get broken in shorebreaks that quite often aren't all that big - just wrong place wrong time.
Features:
• 12 month warranty - you snap it - we replace it
• The Marlin is as light as a regular polyurethane fish.
• It is stronger and more durable
• 1/8’’ unparallel stringers
• Stable buoyant EPS core
• Proven shape
• Every Riley Surfboard is hand shaped in Australia
• Swallow tail for sharp turns
• Better resale value
• Micro-tagged to prevent theft
Over the years I reckon most of the shorties I have seen broken have been in the shorey and longboards rolling under broken waves getting out. Interestingly (not really) I have seen 3 bigarst sups of a particular brand all broken in 1ft shorebreaks. I have also seen 2 shortboards snapped by an irate ding repairer (nameless) who came across people riding unpaid repairs !! So I avoid heavy shoreys - only roll my mal when I really have to and I always pay my bills
By the way, Are you buying HP or Pro models which are mostly wafer thin, are the glass jobs up to scratch?
Ok ok, here the new bugger is...absolutely loving it!! Had a 5 hour surf at D'Bah yesterday, and also surfed all arvo at South Straddie on Sat.
Based on Slater's 'Phantom Sleeve' board..
Quad (With Thruster option) 5'10" X 19 3/4" X 2 3/8"
sweet board, love the lizard.
I've had the same issue with snapping boards, 2 in 2 weeks. think they were light glass jobs though.
first was on a fairly large closeout but deep water so no chance of hitting the bootom, think the lip just landed on it?
second was last weekend when i got flipped in the barrel and landed jaw first on the stringer and SNAP! i think it was lucky the board gave way before the jaw. still sore.
i bought a carbon deck board of ebay that has copped a flogging and seems to be holding up. its has foam not hollow, so i think its pretty bullet proof... and only $140..can afford to give it a beating
good luck this board, no close out bombs first surf.
DunkO: Yeah it's a pain in the arse to snap boards one after the other like that, makes you reconsider for a sec! But then you realise that its all worth it for that bit of barrel time. That new board of yours sounds good, let me know if it holds up in a 6ft shorey .
doggie: The two rear fins are side trailing fins, so they are those really small FCS fins. Seems to work quite well. The board feels good. Very responsive and very quick. I was amazed at the foam sections i was getting around over the weekend. Like a bullet!
Round tail quads are the way I recon, they pivot so well and have heaps of drive.
I bet you never ride it as a thruster.