well, i have had around 5 surfs on my 8'3 hokua x32. i am 6ft tall and 98kgs, figured this is the only board i can really paddle comfortably. i am a confident surfer with pretty good ability, floaters, carves etc. my old ride is a 10ft mana, and although i enjoyed it, i wanted something smaller that i could really start to hack around and move a bit easier.
i keep reading everyone saying this is good on only small waves, wind swell beachies, i found the opposite. i found this board only starts working on over head waves, anything under and it is slow and sluggish, yes, it turns on a dime etc, but it, for me just isn't nice in small waves. its hard to keep going, i mostly ride fast beachies, and this just doesn't cut it for speed. i am always getting behind the crest, where the mana will just gun it down the line. i dont have any issue with 'bounce' or 'flap' on a wave, once it is on big waves, i can just cruise smoothly, maybe that is because of my weight?
i am a bit disappointed to be honest, i thought by the reviews, for my waves in my area, this would be great. but i just can't like it in the waves it is 'made' for. not sure if i want to sell it or put it in the garage for pumping days and enjoy the mana. over head and pumping is it.
Throw out crap Naish fins and get a set of quality quad fins I use Jerry Lopez L - I only use large rear naish fin in 4ft plus surf fully back in box
I ride the board mainly in 1-3ft flat powerless waves in Perth and it is the bomb - I only use as a quad as this really helps get the board on the rail during turns and keeps board speed up - fast and makes any section and gotta say out surfs any other board I have used in small surf up to 4ft- The board has heavy rocker and a pulled in nose so needs to be turned to develop speed and in fast waves you gotta speed pump it and accelerate immediately unlike the mana that develops speed in a straight line - I have also used in heaving beach breaks and it is fab up to 4-5ft then gets pretty loose in tail and loses drive if bigger - I have used it in pumping 6ft reef break surf at Rotnest Island but it is just to loose and scary dropping in at Strickos. In small surf you gotta get energised on it and surf it like a surfboard and it is amazing -if you find a 10ft mana better in smaller waves you aren't surfing the 8.3 correctly - a guy off a 9-8 wide point said the same as you when we swapped but he surfed with a long board style and was always waiting for the board to find the speed- the 8.3 gets it speed from you turning it off the tail. - try again stand back on tail and turn like a surfboard with lots of shoulder and body power and use the paddle - The board is also great in late heavy take offs as the heavy rocker never lets you down.
Go to the Naish site and watch how Robby Naish surfs it - always turning the board and pumping it for speed a master class on how to ride a short wide standup board that has tons of rocker.
I think JohnnoKeys nailed it.
However, instead of adapting your style to the board, the other option is to get a board that suits your style. Get a board with a flatter (faster) rocker, that will give you tons of speed instead of your struggling to generate some.
I'd also recommend a shorter board, to keep the agility (flatter rockers are easier to move around in shorter lengths).
Mini-longboard, wombats, modern Simmons, ... you have the choice of plenty of designs oozing with speed and glide... and fun for you.
Thanks. I agree I must adapt to this board after riding a longboard. However, once I get on a good size wave, I can really carve it up on it, I love taking off late, and just figured out it likes to fire off the bottom on take off and generate some speed that way. I will try a quad setup and see how that goes too tomorrow as its forecast for small clean waves. I do love the feel once i am on a wave and get some speed up. at my weight, i don't think there are many other options than this board without spending all day ankle deep. thanks
This is my set up after testing different options, the home made Nubster like thing, gives it some extra hold in a steeper wave, bigger fronts with regular site bites in the back.
ok, although I dont have flash fins, I ran it today as a quad not expecting much. shoulder to head high, and was 100% better! i didn't think that there would be such a huge difference, but it was like a different board. thanks for the advice. guess i better save up for some nicer fins now.
Select to expand quoteJohnnoKeys said...
Throw out crap Naish fins and get a set of quality quad fins I use Jerry Lopez L - I only use large rear naish fin in 4ft plus surf fully back in box
I ride the board mainly in 1-3ft flat powerless waves in Perth and it is the bomb - I only use as a quad as this really helps get the board on the rail during turns and keeps board speed up - fast and makes any section and gotta say out surfs any other board I have used in small surf up to 4ft- The board has heavy rocker and a pulled in nose so needs to be turned to develop speed and in fast waves you gotta speed pump it and accelerate immediately unlike the mana that develops speed in a straight line - I have also used in heaving beach breaks and it is fab up to 4-5ft then gets pretty loose in tail and loses drive if bigger - I have used it in pumping 6ft reef break surf at Rotnest Island but it is just to loose and scary dropping in at Strickos. In small surf you gotta get energised on it and surf it like a surfboard and it is amazing -if you find a 10ft mana better in smaller waves you aren't surfing the 8.3 correctly - a guy off a 9-8 wide point said the same as you when we swapped but he surfed with a long board style and was always waiting for the board to find the speed- the 8.3 gets it speed from you turning it off the tail. - try again stand back on tail and turn like a surfboard with lots of shoulder and body power and use the paddle - The board is also great in late heavy take offs as the heavy rocker never lets you down.
Go to the Naish site and watch how Robby Naish surfs it - always turning the board and pumping it for speed a master class on how to ride a short wide standup board that has tons of rocker.
+1 on all the above, Johnno. Quads are the way to go with this board (is it the wider tail?). I found it was too stiff as a thruster and not as responsive.
I love my 8'3 in waves up to 5'. It is super lively if you give it life. It is not a down-the-line board. It wants to turn and squirt the minute you stand up!
This is what works for me - Dane Pioli's on the front and PC-3's in the rear. Works a treat for my 90kg
Keep pluggin away Supwhiti, it took me a whilst to get this board wired.
thanks for your set up AA, appreciate all the help, this board has been awesome since i changed over. so thanks heaps.
I have new Naish 8.3 x32 and need some advise how to choose quad fins and which size? what are the numbers on the fines presents?
thanks
