1 minute read
THE CHECKMATE
from Surftech Surf 2024
by Surftech
SINGLE FIN/ DIAMOND TAIL
Game over; this board wins! The Checkmate is a takeno-prisoners, no holds barred, capture-your-king kind of longboard, so get ready to surf at the top of your abilities. Designed by Wayne Rich in the 80’s as contest board for Donald Takayama and Dewey Weber’s visionary resurgance of longboard competition, the Checkmate is quick off the bottom, nimble rail to rail, and powerful off the tail, the Checkmate is every bit a performance longboard. Fast wrapping turning in the pocket and hard down-the-line bottom turns are standard maneuvers for this modern gal. At the same time, a soulful outline meets a timeless bottom contour that rolls into a classic 60/40 longboard rail, resulting in a board that noserides, trims, and glides as lovely as any traditional log on the market. The Checkmates traditional features remind us to “Never forget.” While we can’t divulge all the Checkmate’s secrets, we can share that a hard edge is snuck into the board’s tail to deliver a controlled drive when cranking tight turns and a lite concave in the nose blends through the front third of the board allowing for lift and acceleration when hangin’ the piggies. We suggest the Checkmate for all surfers looking to expand their repertoire of maneuvers on a longboard. Originally designed for the Santa Barbara points, the Checkmate works best in long, drawn-out walls head high and below but can be ridden up to a few feet overhead and at your local reef or beach break. If you are an old-at-heart-dog looking to learn a few new tricks, the Checkmate is for you.
Natural Fiber Technology is not only made with natural composite reinforcements but its got an amazingly natural feel. Half of the reinforcement by volume on these boards is made from naturally derived fibers. The other half is composed of E glass and the whole lot is layered up and vacuum bagged under pressure to maximize the bond and minimize any excess resin, allowing for an incredible strength to weight ratio. The natural fiber not only replaces a good chunk of what would otherwise be fiberglass but also improves dampening for a predictable, natural response. There is an elegance to the simple aesthetic to the layup that is matched only by its ride.
FUSED CELL EPS CORE
// Fused cell EPS core provides more response + flotation
CLEAR HD-EPOXY RESIN
// Epoxy resin with high thermo-mechanical performances
HIGH QUALITY E-GLASS FIBERGLASS
// E-glass is the industry standard reinforcement as it has the most reliable strength and performance of all surf glass variations.
NATURAL FIBER REINFORCMENT
// Renewable, reliable, resilient, and real smooth.
What It Does How It Feels
Suggested fins: 9” - 9.5” Power Fin
