THE ULTIMATE UK TESTED
BOARD
GUIDE
2010
058
WL SURFMAGAZINE
download@wavelengthmag.co.UK BOARD GUIDE
THE ULTIMATE
BOARD GUIDE
Ian Battrick, France Photo: Tim Nunn
UK TESTED
BOARD
2010 S
urfing is a simple sport; challenging, frustrating, complicated and notoriously difficult to master, and yet, beautifully simple. Aside from the need for wetsuits for us surfers populating the colder waters, there really is only one item essential to surfing that links surfers the world over; the surfboard. Everyone remembers their first. Mine was a 6’3” Spyder from the late, great Welsh shaping legend Paul Ryder, not an ideal board to learn on, but I loved it until it eventually got nicked off the top of my mate’s car several years later. And everyone loves getting a new board, even if it’s second hand. There’s something about that first surf on it, like a first date, slightly awkward with both parties trying a bit too hard until finally you relax and discover you’ve got loads in common. But strangely, only a small number of surfers regularly try out different boards, even though many shops and shapers actively encourage people to demo their
boards. To do a board justice, you really need to take it out in decent waves, and that means potentially wasting a whole session trying to get to grips with something different, instead of having a great surf on the board you’re already familiar with. This issue, as well as bringing you the usual comprehensive board guide featuring shapes and sizes to suit surfers of all abilities, we, along with beginner, intermediate and pro surfers, have decided to heroically sacrifice our surfs in the noble quest to actually test the boards in this guide and give you honest reviews of each of them. And our conclusion? Well, the only clear conclusion is that every board is different to every surfer, and one man’s lipper can be another man’s trusty wave magnet. So enjoy our board test, consider the reviews and who is doing the testing, and get inspired to sacrifice your next surf and test something new. It might just be the boost that your surfing needs.
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GUIDE
BOARD GUIDE RRP: From only £559 We tested the non carbon deck version of this board, opposite.
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TIKI
Tiki SLX Sumo Fish Features: • All the virtues of an easy paddling, wave catching minimal wrapped up in a fun, surfable fish shape • Fun for any surfer in any waves • Comes in the super light, super durable SLX Biaxial technology AND it’s under 400 quid!
Available from 6’4 to 7’4
TIKI
PU Performer Features: • Don’t let the minimal-esque shape mislead you. This has the foil and rails of a performance fish • The deep tail vee combined with a pin tail make this board both lively in crap waves and solid in sizey waves. And the quad fin placement, just try it RRP: From only £325
TIKI
McKee Retrolution Features: • Bruce McKee has been making quads for the likes of Tom Curren, Tom Carroll and Sunny Garcia for over 20 years • The Retrolution is one of four shapes that Bruce has made for the UK, check tikisurf.co.uk for more info • Sizes from 5’10 RRP: Prices from £385
RRP: From only £385
SHAPER: BRUCE McKEE Bruce McKee has become a house hold name where shaping is concerned. Growing up in Australia, at Bungan Heads to be precise, his passion for everything water related and especially surfing was developed at an early age. His inquiring and inventive mind soon led him into the world of shaping, and allowed him to travel first to the States and then on to Europe. During this time, as well as shaping for most of the world’s top pros under his own label, he was also a house shaper for the Pukas brand; one of Europe’s most respected. It is his quest for constant innovation though which has thrown him to the fore, whether that innovation is in wakeboarding, windsurfing or in what we are interested in, surfing. He is best known for the development of his WL SURFMAGAZINE
Available from 5’10
Tiki Carbon Deck Shortboard Features: • In simple terms – this technology is the dog’s nuts; the 6’1 comes in at 29.2ltr volume but weighs just 2.96 kg. That’s less than your average 4oz glass job but with the carbon this thing is close to bomb proof • Available 5’10 – 6’3
Photo: Courtesy of Tiki
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TIKI
Available 6’8 and 7’2
Available from 5’10 to 6’3
contact: web: tikisurf.co.uk email: info@tikisurf.co.uk tel: 01271 812442
Quattro boards, those with four fins. He is a devout believer of the four fin board having more fluidity, drive and security than a three fin and many a top pro rides his shapes as testament. Perhaps most famously he got Tom Curren on one of his Quattro designed boards during one of the most famous sessions ever caught on celluloid. In Rip Curl’s The Search part two Curren famously takes apart perfect J-Bay, for a lot of the sequence he is on one of Bruce’s boards. What he has done globally is opened the minds of many surfers and shapers to innovations in design and fins. Now he supplies Tiki exclusively in the UK, his four and five fin boards are legendary, so getting hold of one can be tricky, but you won’t regret the ride when you do get one.
TESTED: THE TIKI SLX 6’1 Tiki: What the shaper says. Re-shaped for 2009 - now features a flat bottom into a deep single concave through the fins. The SLX version is slimmed down on the rails to compensate for the extra float of the EPS foam. Oli Adams: Professional Surfer Skill Level: Pro It’s not really my dimensions and when I first looked at it I wasn’t expecting it to be that great, but actually surfing it, it went a lot better than I thought. It’s not my favourite board I’ve ever tried, but it paddles well and catches waves easily and I think it could be a good choice for someone who has been surfing for a couple of years and wants a shortboard to improve their turns. Tim Nunn: Editor Skill Level: Intermediate I don’t usually ride shortboards like this, but found it pretty easy to surf. It flew and turned well on sucky sections, it held its speed through flat sections well. I’d say this would be a good board for a first shortboard straight off the shelf and a good all rounder for British beach breaks. Simon Marsden: Elecritcal wholesaler Skill Level: Intermediate Similar to the board I ride, just with a bit
more volume. Really easy to paddle and my wave count went through the roof. Dj Millward: Webwizard Skill Level: Intermediate Clean shoulder high Polzeath. My preconception was that I’d struggle to get out and struggle even more to paddle into waves at this size. Actually the paddle out wasn’t too bad, probably helped by being one of the easiest boards I’ve used for duck diving. Paddling into this size seemed totally fine. I managed to get a couple of the set waves where long drawn out cutbacks seemed the order of the day. I’d have thought in smaller and punchier waves where you can whip the board around a bit more, it’d come into its own. Greg Martin: Managing editor Skill Level: Intermediate Compared with the board I normally ride, this thruster felt pretty narrow and similar to the sort of boards myself and my mates used to ride years ago. I was surprised at how well it paddled, it cuts through the water with ease and feels fast. I found it performed better in the steeper waves where as it seemed to lose drive quickly in the fatter ones and through the flat sections.
I’d say this would be a good board for a first shortboard straight off the shelf
-TIM NUNN
SUIT: Intermediate, progressive WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak, point, reef POSITIVE: Great all round board, good wave count NEGATIVE: Can struggle in powerless surf
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 6’1 BOARD WIDTH: 19 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 3/8 RRP: £349
BOARD GUIDE RRP: £305
CIRCLE-ONE
DOUBLE WING SWALLOW TAIL Features: • Hand Shaped EPS blank with wood stringer. Innovative sandwich construction Epoxy resin and fibreglass with multiple layers of nero-cross link honeycomb material • Plenty of volume to catch waves easily. Increased width makes for a forgiving board that is responsive and loose • Tail shape: Double wing swallow tail Bottom contour: Four channels Fin setup: Quad Fin
6’11 x 21½ x 2¼
CIRCLE-ONE
WiNG SWALLOW TAIL Features: • Hand Shaped EPS foam blank with wood stringer. Innovative sandwich construction Epoxy resin and fibreglass with multiple layers of nero-cross link honeycomb material • Perfect short board for the bigger guy or intermediate who wants shortboard characteristics with a higher volume • Tail Shape: Wing swallow tail Bottom contour: Double concave Fin Setup: Thruster RRP: £305
RRP: £315
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CIRCLE-ONE
7’1 ROUND TAIL Features: • Hand Shaped EPS foam blank with wood stringer. Innovative sandwich construction Epoxy resin and fibreglass with multiple layers of nero-cross link honeycomb material • Ideal as a progression from a large mini-mal to thrusters Tail Shape: Round Tail Bottom contour: Double concave Fin Setup: Thruster RRP: £315
SHAPER: JEFF TOWNSLEY Jeff Townsley is one of the UK’s original surfboard shapers. Having travelled extensively throughout Europe and North Africa in a Volkswagen van, he became inspired to start shaping when he got home to Devon. Since those humble beginnings, knocking out a few boards for mates and locals, Circle One have grown into not only a top notch shaping house but have also become one of the best wetsuit manufacturers in the UK. All custom Circle One surfboards, along with their range of surf kiteboards, skimboards and stand-up paddleboards are hand shaped and laminated using epoxy honeycomb, and hand finished for an exceptional strength to weight combination. It is this personal touch and WL SURFMAGAZINE
7’1 x 21½ x 2¼
CUSTOM WING ROUND TAIL Features: • Hand Shaped EPS foam blank with wood stringer. Innovative sandwich construction Epoxy resin and fibreglass with multiple layers of nero-cross link honeycomb material • High volume catches waves easily, round tail with wing makes for high maneuverability and great hold • Tail shape: Wing round tail Bottom contour: Two channels Fin setup: Thruster
Photo: Courtesy of Alder
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CIRCLE-ONE
6’7 x 21¾ x 2¼
5’10 x 21½ x 2¼
contact: web: circle-one.co.uk email: sales@circle-one.co.uk tel: 01363 773005
attention to detail which sets Circle One surfboards apart from other competitors. The range of heritage boards, pictured above, come in a huge range of colours and finishes to suit every individual, and the many shapes fit perfectly with the needs of regular British surfers. The Xpose range of shortboards and mals are far more highly tuned, the shortboards in the range are performance orientated and suited to the more advanced rider. The Jeff Townsley Classics are for those of us who just love to ride retro, whether it is a classic retro fish or an egg. With the experience and passion behind him, all of Jeff’s boards are made to the highest standards in some of the most advanced shaping bays in the world, to a quality which you can rely on.
TESTED: CUSTOM WING ROUND TAIL Jeff Townsley: What the shaper says. Full plan shape with plenty of volume to catch waves easily and surf fast. This board is a great fun all rounder. Tim Nunn: Editor Skill Level: Intermediate This board has a serious amount of volume which I wasn’t too keen on to start with. I got to ride it in two to three feet clean high tide left handers at Crantock. It paddles like a dream, catches waves with ease, and quite simply flies. The waves didn’t allow for a lot of turning and it felt a little uncomfortable in what turns I could squeeze in, but this was due as much to the surf as the board. Its volume would allow a larger surfer to ride this sub six footer with ease. Simon Marsden: Elecritcal wholesaler Skill Level: Intermediate This felt massive when I got on it, for a 5’10 it has so much volume in it. It was pretty good fun though, catching waves was so easy, I managed to piss some longboarders off by getting into them way too easy. It was fast off the mark, turned pretty good, would be a blast for weak summer swells. Only negative I’d say on a couple of big duck dives the volume was definitely working against me, but I am a
weakling at only 10 stone. Richard Parker: Lecturer Skill Level: Novice This board looked way too small for me, but the volume made it totally do-able. I caught waves pretty easily and it was totally stable and so fast. I’m not sure I’m really ready for a board like this yet but it gave me food for thought as I could actually ride and turn it fairly easily. Carl Price: Mechanic Skill Level: Novice/Intermediate I loved this Circle One board, I need a bit of volume in the boards I ride and this was sweet. Paddling wise it was so fast, my mates on mals couldn’t keep up. It caught waves easily as you’d expect, but it was the way I was able to generate speed on quite small waves which was amazing. Great for small surf when fun and wave count are of top priority. Stephen Kennedy: Student Skill Level: Novice Wasn’t sure I was going to be able to ride this as it was so short, but the volume and width made it pretty stable. It caught a lot of waves, as much as I would on my oversized shortboard and was fast and responsive. Great board for small clean conditions, like we had last night.
I loved this circle one board, I need a bit of volume in the boards I ride and this was sweet
-carl price
SUIT: Retro rider, soul, cruisey WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak, long mellow points POSITIVE: Paddles/catches waves like a dream NEGATIVE: High volume in chop
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 5’10 BOARD WIDTH: 21 1/2 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 1/4 RRP: £305
BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
FISH Features: • Cortez surfboards are designed for maximum floatation and durability for great all-year-round fun • This board is fast and forgiving. If you are looking for a board that excels where your shortboard seams to bog, this is the board for you • FCS-compatible fin system and excellent high-gloss finish RRP: £255
8’ x 22½ x 27/8
HAWAIIAN SOUL
HAWAIIAN SOUL
CAT Features: • Perhaps the most versatile board in the HS quiver to date, the Cat takes your shortboard riding to a new level • Maximum flotation allows you to ride this board shorter than your normal shortboard. The Cat rides free and easy, and catches any wave that crosses it’s path
MINI-MAL Features: • The Hawaiian Soul Mini-Mal puts the fun back into funboard • Squash-tail for stability and good manoeuvrability, keeping buoyancy in the tail • All round mini-mal with progressive template • Excellent wave count due to low level rocker which also makes for an easy-paddling board
RRP: £350
RRP: £350
ALDER SURFBOARDS One of Britain’s original homegrown surf companies, Alder have been producing clothing, tech gear and surfboards for forty years. Their three ranges of surfboards are built on this experience and offer the British surfer versatility for our huge variety of surf conditions. The Hawaiian Soul range are hand crafted fun boards. They all have squash tales which means they remain stable and buoyant through the tails but also retain excellent maneuverability. They are great all round mini mals incorporating a really progressive template, but with a low entry level rocker making it great for paddling and catching a serious amount of waves. The Cortez boards are hard wearing Epoxy models; all from hand crafted templates they offer surfers a tough 064
WL SURFMAGAZINE
7’ x 19½ x 3
CORTEZ
6’3 x 21¾ x 3
5
5
6’3” x 20 /8 x 2 /8
contact: web: aldersportswear.com email: info@aldersportswear.com tel: 01566 783 444
ISLAND ROSE
RETRO RUG Features: • Single concave bottom contour, masses of volume resulting in an easy to paddle, quick to plane board • Pin tail and a single fin for super loose manoeuvrability • Deluxe high-gloss resin tint finish with high-gloss bottom RRP: £379
alternative to custom shapes. The models range from fun boards to fish to grommet boards and are very popular. If you are looking for a board which is going to get you into surfing, or are looking for the next step up before maybe getting onto a custom stick then the Cortez range of hard wearing Epoxy boards are great. The Island Rose range deliver high quality hand crafted boards for the surfer who appreciates some retro style from performance mals to a retro rug. All three ranges of boards epitomize Alder’s dedication to quality and delivering boards which are perfect for the British rider as they have been doing for four decades. Whether you’re looking for a first board, a performance retro shape or simply a board which spells fun with a capital ‘F’ then you’re sure to find one here
TESTED: THE CORTEZ FISH Alder: What the shaper says Great first time short board for people coming down from a mini mal or for first time lightweight surfer or grommet. Epoxy Gel coat makes for very strong board, FCS fin system. Swallow tail for easy take off and easier turning, a really great all round board. Richard Parker: Lecturer Skill Level: Novice I liked this board a lot, I’ve only ridden Mals up until now and getting a high volume shortboard was going to be my next move. It paddled like a mal, caught waves like a mal, but having a shortboard shape and a little less volume made it way more fun. It’s perfect for anyone wanting to step down from a mal or even to learn on if you’re not too big in my opinion. Tim Nunn: Editor Skill Level: Intermediate Nothing like a board I usually ride, this is more or less a beginners board for me and as you’d expect it paddles well, has a heap of volume and catches waves very easily indeed. Alison Rhodes: Student Skill Level: Beginner I’ve been learning on a mal, which for a short girl of average strength is a handful
at times. The Cortez 6’3 though was awesome, It was way easier to handle in the water, especially when you’re getting bashed around a bit. Paddling and getting into waves was just as easy as a Mal and once up it was stable enough and felt more lively. Stephen Kennedy: Student Skill Level: Novice I’ve just started riding a 6’6 big boy shortboard, so was a little skeptical about being able to even paddle a 6’3. But the Cortez was pretty awesome, paddled well, caught waves really easily which is important for me at the moment especially as I don’t get in the water much. The waves were only a couple of feet but it appeared to turn really well, looks like it would last for ages too with really solid construction. Carl Price: Mechanic Skill Level: Novice/Intermediate I quite enjoyed the Cortez, a couple of years ago it would have been my perfect board especially as I wasn’t getting in the water very much. It’s stable, easy to paddle but has enough characteristics of a shortboard to be able to start putting in a few turns.
I’ve only ridden Mals up until now and getting a high volume shortboard was going to be my next move -RICHARD PARKER
SUIT: Novice, beginner WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak POSITIVE: Paddles/catches well. Solid construction NEGATIVE: Not for the advanced surfer
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 6’3 BOARD WIDTH: 20 5/8 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 5/8 RRP: £255
BOARD GUIDE STOKE-A-POP Features: • New school approach to progressive surfing, Stokesy is frothing on this • Loads of speed with maximum control, flat entry, loads of kick in the tail, deep single concave • The Stoke-a-pop should be ridden four to six inches shorter than your normal board and comes with a rocket tail • Surfer: Beginner to advanced • Wave size and conditions: Any RRP: From £385
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QUIVER
RETRO FISH Features: • Nev has spent years perfecting his version of the retro fish • Fast, loose and great fun in all conditions the QRF is a must have in any serious surfers quiver • Surfer: Everyone • Wave Size: One to two feet plus RRP: From £425
POPPA Features: • A board that can be used in weak surf, but also in the comps as a shortboard • Comes with a rocket, squash or a swallow tail • Ridden one to two inches shorter and slightly wider than your normal board • This is the board that Stokesy won a 6* WQS expression session on • Surfer: Intermediate onwards • Wave size: One to two feet plus RRP: From £375
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9’0 x 22 x 2 9/16
5’11 x 18 5/8 x 2 3/16
QUIVER
SHAPER: LUKE HART Luke Hart is probably the youngest professional shaper in the UK. Although he has only been shaping for about 18 months, Luke’s reputation for shaping high performance shortboards, favoured by many of the best British surfers, is spreading like wildfire. Luke learnt his trade by working as a glasser for Nigel Semmens at Ocean Magic, and then moving on to shape for Dan Keggie at DK Surfboards in Newquay. Luke told us, “I went to work for Dan Keggie and he sorted me out with my first tools (which were actually his original tools) and showed me the tricks of the trade. Dan is a top-notch performance board shaper and his experience and tips gave a huge boost to my shaping. Without Nigel and Dan’s help I wouldn’t
Photo: Greg Martin
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QUIVER
5”10 x 20 ½ 2 9/16
3
5’8 x 19 ½ x 2 /16
contact: web: seabase.eu email: info@seabase.eu tel: 01637 875811
QUIVER
Q-PRO Features: • The result of Mark Neville’s years of shaping performance mals for some of the best surfers in the world • The Quiver Q-Pro is a proven contest winner and the ultimate all round performance longboard • This is the EPS Epoxy Carbon parabolic version which is light and strong with unreal flex properties RRP: From £499
be where I am today.” Seabase brought Luke in to shape part of their Quiver Surfboards range and soon built up a solid team of riders including Alan Stokes, Tom Butler, Mitch Corbett and Mark ‘Egor’ Harris. He has been working with the team riders to develop new shapes for Quiver including the Stoke-a-pop, which he created with the feedback and input of Stokesy (obviously). Luke spends a lot of time filming the Quiver riders so that he can carefully analyse how the boards are flowing and handling in the waves. As well as this he gets in as much as possible at his local beach, Fistral. Luke Hart’s shapes are part of a wide range of shortboards and longboards that Seabase produce under their Quiver Surfboards brand.
TESTED: QUIVER STOKE-A-POP Luke Hart: What the shaper says Designed so you use the whole board from tail to nose when you surf. It has a deep single concave running thought the whole board, with a high kick in the tail and low nose rocker. A board for the more experienced surfer wanting to up his or her performance level. Oli Adams: Pro Surfer Skill Level: Pro This was definitely my favourite board that I tested and is the sort of thing I like to ride. The waves were a bit weak and hard to surf and this board seemed to perform well in them. Not the sort of thing I’d use in contests but it’s definitely a lot of fun for everyday surf. James Canon: Student Skill Level: Intermediate This board was perfect for me, more high performance orientated than I’d usually ride but that was good. It turned really well, was really easy to put on a rail and to just bust the tail out. It was very easy to generate speed on and although the conditions were a little bumpy it held its speed through the wobbly sections. I reckon given a few more sessions on it I’d be getting pretty loose on this board, the extra width on it gave it plenty of volume
for catching waves too. Nigel Weaver: Student Skill Level: Intermediate Such a sick board, I thought it was a little short for me at first, and I reckon if I were to get one of these I’d go about two inches longer. It still went really well in the surf which was about head high. Turned so easily and you could feel it wanted to get airbourne when you hit sections, although I don’t have the talent to do that yet. I reckon for a surfer who knows a bit about what he is doing this would be an awesome board for the summer. Stuart Peterson: Roofer Skill Level: Intermediate I found this board to be super loose, it took me a little while to get used to it, but once I had, it flew, literally. It was easy to turn, hit sections and to get into the air, although not so easy to get it back down again (my skills, not the board I’m afraid). It feels more like a normal shortboard than a fish type surfboard, which I really liked. It’s made me totally reconsider the sort of board I want to ride this summer. I could ride it at this length, but I think if the surf was a little weaker I’d need to go a bit longer and have a bit more volume.
definitely a lot of fun for everyday surf -OLI ADAMS
SUIT: Advanced, pro, new school WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak POSITIVE: Short fast, fun and easy to boost NEGATIVE: Suited to intermediate plus surfers only
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 5’8 BOARD WIDTH: 19 1/2 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 3/16 RRP: £385
BOARD GUIDE PEANUT Features: • Will catch anything, ideal for small to medium waves in any conditions • Has a Convert fin set up giving you multi fin options (quad, thruster, twin) • Fast, loose and forgiving • Sizes 5’9” - 6’6” from £329 inc fins RRP: From £329 inc fins
ESCAPE
SCREAMER Features: • Designed to generate speed from all possible wave ranges • Drawn in tail with four deep channels for performance, width and volume under the chest so you catch everything • Convert fin set up giving you multi fin options (quad, thruster, twin) • Sizes 5’9” - 7’3”
THRUSTER Features: • Single to double concave for more drive • Performance surfboard with extra width • Square tail for response and loose feel • Matt finish RRP: £315 inc fins
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ESCAPE
Pix-y Features: • Lower rocker line for speed • Double concave for drive • Fast small wave performance board • Every pro will have a board like this in his quiver this year • Matt finish RRP: £329 inc fins Note - For ultimate strength to weight ratio Escape can make these models in the new EXPS blanks (extruded polystyrene) and Epoxy. Call for info.
SHAPER: BILL ATTLEE Bill Attlee’s first experience of shaping was in 1974 when he decided that as a qualified boat builder he should really be making his own surfboards. The first attempts with kits bought from Strand Glass were pretty awful, but it wasn’t long before he started producing ‘okay’ boards for himself and mates at Trebarwith. In 1982 Bill ‘turned pro’ and was a co-founder of Lightwave Sailboards which with the inspiration of Californian Clyde Beatty was leading the way in making super lightweight surf and sailboards utilizing epoxy/polystyrene construction. This company became a leading innovator of new construction systems many of which are considered to be ‘new technology’ in the surf industry today. Having left Lightwave in the early 90’s Bill WL SURFMAGAZINE
5’8 x 19.5 x 2.25
6’2 x 19 x 2.3/8
ESCAPE
RRP: From £379 inc fins
Photo: Greg Martin
download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
ESCAPE
6’3 x 20.75 x 2.6
6’0 x 21 x 2.5
contact: web: escapesurfboards.co.uk email: info@escapesurfboards.co.uk tel: 01208 863962
went to France and established Escape as a brand with a strong following in Brittany. For family reasons Bill brought the manufacture of Escape Surfboards back to Cornwall in 1997 and moved in to the present residence in Rock. Former Lightwave colleague Alex Murray joined Bill in 2000, Alex is a very good surfer, kiter and now into SUP. They continue to develop new materials and have been working with some of the new bio resins and foam as well as UV curing resin systems. Bill fully embraces computer technology in shaping and uses Homeblown’s CAD system for some of the models. Their focus is to provide the best contemporary shapes and the latest construction methods, adapted to the individual needs of the rider.
TESTED: THE ESCAPE PEANUT Bill Attlee: What the shaper says. Designed to pick up on loads of waves and make small to mid size waves fun. It has lots of foam to it and width in the tail so will keep going even in mushie waves. It’s a fantastic board for intermediate surfers looking to step straight from a first board to something short, manoeuvrable and responsive. Also for an experienced surfer looking for a fun skatie board that finned right can also hammer it down the line. Oli Adams: Pro Surfer Skill Level: Pro I’d say the best thing about this board is that it paddles well, so you are going to catch a lot of waves on it. It is fast and would maybe be good for a grommet because it’s so short but has a lot of stability. Otherwise, I guess it could be fun, but I found it a difficult board for doing turns. Tim Nunn: Editor Skill Level: Intermediate Chest to head high glassy Holywell. I took this out as a thruster first off and it was ok, good to paddle, catch waves etc. Great speed down the line, found it a little sticky to turn. I switched to the quad set up and went back in, it was like a totally
different board and would turn on a sixpence, I love quads, which probably helped but this board seemed way more comfortable as a quad than a thruster. I would imagine if the surf had been smaller it would have probably gone better as a thruster, or even a twin. Greg Martin: Managing editor Skill Level: Intermediate I wasn’t sure I was going to get on well with this board, it looked too short and sitting on it for the first time it felt like a skimboard. But surprisingly, I absolutely loved it. As a quad, it picked up any wave going, flew down the line and made it easy to make sections. This is a fast wave magnet that is so much fun. I want one! James Wilkinson: Graphic Designer Skill Level: Intermediate I took this board out at my local break, it was just dropping off high tide, there was a few punchy little waves coming through and it paddled into them with ease. The extra foam allowed me to anoy longboarders by sitting out with them and robbing their waves ( it’s the small victorys in life that count). Fun, fast and your wave count should be high. A little difficult from rail to rail, but definately good fun, it even floated a few sections.
Fun, fast and your wave count should be high -james wilkinson
SUIT: Intermediate WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak, points POSITIVE: Fast, stable, fun NEGATIVE: Not so good for tight turns
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 6’0 BOARD WIDTH: 21 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 1/2 RRP: £329 inc fins
BOARD GUIDE CHOAD Features: • The team’s go to board, for under shoulder high surf • Super relaxed entry rocker and a wide plan shape, allowing ease of paddling and early wave entry, coupled with a deep concave in the back half of this board, generates immense speed in small waves • Ride four - six inches shorter than normal shortboard RRP: £375
DIPLOCK
SHORTY Features: • A smooth relaxed rocker throughout the board and wider fuller template and a fuller foiled rail, gives this board great padding and wave catching abilities • Deep single concave for lift and creating a curvy rail rocker, makes this board surf fast and vertical • Ride one or two inches shorter than normal shortboard
STEP UP Features: • A smooth flowing rocker, coupled with a slight single to double concave, running into flat behind rear fin, gives this board a precise predictable feel coupled with low boxy rails, rounded pin, and wider nose area. This allows you to get in and out of those critical situations • Ride two to six inches bigger than normal shorty RRP: £390
RRP: £375, plus art
5’ 8 x 203/8 x 23/8
6’ 6 x 18¾ x 27/16
DIPLOCK
DIPLOCK
QUAD FISH Features: • Double to single concave, contemporary rail rocker and a foiled rail line; gives this board tremendous down the line speed • Nothing beats this board in three- six feet faces • Fitted with Lokbox for the ultimate fin tuning options • Ride four to eight inches shorter and one 1/2 wider and 1/8 thicker than normal shortboard RRP: £410, plus art
SHAPER: BRO DIPLOCK Bro started surfing back in 1979 on a kneeboard that his dad had shaped for him. “My first surf on it was at Daymer Bay which is just around the corner from Polzeath. It’s a soft breaking log wave, not ideally suited to a kneeboard, but I didn’t know any better in those days, and from that day on at Daymer it was surfing.” A surf trip to Oz in 1987 got Bro interested in shaping, and when he returned he set about trying to find a job where he could learn how to make surfboards. He was taken under the wing of Graeme ‘Bunty’ Bunt at Local Hero surfboards where he learnt the art of shaping. After several years, Bro moved
Photo: Greg Martin
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DIPLOCK
6’ 1 x 18½ x 2 ¼
3
3
5’ 10 x 19 /8 x 2 /8
contact: web: diplockphoenix.co.uk email: orders@diplockphoenix.co.uk tel: 01208 816095
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on to go and work for Nigel Semmens at Ocean Magic, where he production shaped for seven years, learning the finer details of shaping across the whole range of surfboards from kite boards, kneeboards, to eleven foot mals. Eventually Bro decided it was time to set up his own company and start shaping his own ‘Diplock’ boards. He built shaping and glassing bays in an old cow shed near Wadebridge and teamed up with Paul Fluin, also an extremely talented board builder, to produce high quality surfboards for all shapes, sizes and styles. Taking inspiration from the glassers, shapers, designers, sanders, and sprayers that he worked with along the way. Bro shapes a wide variety of boards to suit the changeable conditions in the UK.
TESTED: THE DIPLOCK CHOAD Bro Diplock: What the shaper says. The Shortboarders Fish. Features a deep single concave, relaxed entry rocker and a wide template. Enables easy wave catching and will turn on a dime in marginal conditions. Oli Adams: Pro Surfer Skill Level: Pro This board is really fun. I normally just ride standard shortboards so it’s pretty interesting trying shapes like this. On my first wave I found it hard to find the right place for my feet to be, but by my second wave I had got used to it and it was flying along. It was really fast through turns and quite manoeuvrable, and I even managed to pop a little air on it. Tim Nunn: Editor Skill Level: Intermediate Three to four foot sucky low tide Holywell. I was pretty amped to surf this, looked like the sort of board I love to ride on Cornish beachies. I was not disappointed either. The volume is spread nicely throughout to make it easy to paddle and catch waves. It was a blast to surf, fast, responsive, can I keep it? Greg Martin: Managing editor Skill Level: Intermediate I took the Choad out in 2-3ft fun surf but
with a very strong offshore wind. Considering that I was expecting the board to be a bit too small for me, and despite the strength of the wind, it was surprisingly easy to catch waves. Once going, the Choad absolutely flies and feels really loose and manoeuvrable. I found it definitely liked the set waves with clean face more than the more crumbly, sectioning waves. Phil Martin: Accounts manager Skill Level: Intermediate I had heard a lot of good reports about the Choad so I was pretty excited to give it a go in fun sized surf. It felt like such a nice board and was really responsive and easy to make turns on, but I think it would have been more suited to waves with a little more power and size. James Wilkinson: Graphic Designer Skill Level: Intermediate I took this little puppy down to Watergate, it was a couple of feet and clean as. It paddled really well and seemed to get into waves with ease. It took me a few waves to get in tune with, but that’s expected with any new board. Once going I was able to generate some real speed on quite small waves. A great little board, really forgiving... Put a smile on my face.
fast through turns and quite manoeuvrable, and I even managed to pop a little air on it -OLI ADAMS
SUIT: Intermediate WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak, point, reef POSITIVE: Great all round summer board NEGATIVE: Needs a bit of power to really perform
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 5’10 BOARD WIDTH: 19 3/8 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 3/8 RRP: £375
BOARD GUIDE RRP: £457
BILLABONG
KEELFISH Features: Produced in Hossegor, and handmade by Shaper Rob Vaughan. • Retro style outline full nose thin through tail with vee bottom and contemporary keel fins, lock box or fixed fins, lightweight sand finish – or resin tint and polish
Available from 6’2 to 6’8
BILLABONG
SEMI GUN Features: Produced in Hossegor, and handmade by Shaper Rob Vaughan. • Slight single concave and thin rails for light to medium surfers • Performance semi gun • Tails: Swallow, diamond or pin RRP: £457
SHAPER: ROB VAUGHAN Billabong boards are handcrafted exclusively in France, shaped in Hossegor, glassed and sanded by individual craftsman using the best materials available to ensure they are of the highest quality. Billabong Europe first started producing boards back in 2001, with UK shaper Rob Vaughan at the helm. Rob has gone on to become one of the best known and highest regarded shapers in Europe, whether he is shaping boards for the Billabong pro team in Europe or Joe blogs the quality is second to none. Billabong offer full custom models, hand shaped to your specifications or built to order from a range of boards including Keel fish, standard short boards, fun boards, single fin hybrids, right up to semi guns. They also have an artist on site, so WL SURFMAGAZINE
BILLABONG
HYBRID SINGLE Features: Produced in Hossegor, and handmade by Shaper Rob Vaughan. • Flat deck • Chimed rails • Vee bottom • Flex fin • For real cutbacks RRP: £480
RRP: £487
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Available from 5’10 to 7’0
SHORTBOARD Features: Produced in Hossegor, and handmade by Shaper Rob Vaughan. • Slightly flatter rocker fuller outline and triple concave • Performance shortboard for smaller conditions
Photo: Courtesy of Billabong
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BILLABONG
Available from 5’6 to 6’6
Available from 5’0 to 6’4
contact: web: billabongsurfboards.com (europe) email: bbg.surfboards@billabong.tm.fr
your wildest spray jobs can be made into a reality, or you can go for one of the house styles. Either way you’ll have a board which will stand out from the crowd both in performance and style. Billabong also exclusively distributes JS surfboards from Australia. Renowned as one of the top shapers in Australia, JS boards have a long heritage and progressive designs which are used by some of the best surfers on the planet. These surfers include most of the Billabong pro team who all have their own signature models, including Occy, Andy Irons, Joel Parkinson and Luke Egan. As well as these guys other top pros Bruce Irons and Jordy Smith all have their own models. So whether you want a pro stick or a handcrafted weapon from Rob Billabong have it totally covered.
TESTED: THE BONG SHORTBOARD Billabong: What the shaper says. Our shortboards are all handcrafted and finished in Europe and custom made to your requirements. Performance is the key with these boards and they are highly tuned, but are also built to suit your style and conditions you’ll be riding. Brian Townsend: Office manager Skill Level: Advanced This is just a really nice shortboard, volume in the right places, really nice rails. The swell built from three foot to almost double overhead in this session and the board just seemed to get better. Amazing for turns, big drawn out swooping cut backs, but also had the turn of speed to make difficult sections and was decent in the tube, for the brief moments I got. Tim Nunn: Editor Skill Level: Intermediate This felt like a really good refined shortboard. It maybe had a little under the amount of volume I could do with but it still performed really well. It turned so well, yet the rails were pretty forgiving and released easily. I’d say this is the best out and out shortboard I’ve ridden in a while, just feels right in all aspects of surfing. If it had a little more volume I think I’d be trying to sneak this home.
Will Daniel: Student Skill Level: Intermediate This was pretty close to the board I normally ride, but it felt a lot more lively. It seemed to have a lot of drive off the bottom and really turned smoothly. The board felt less comfortable when the surf went onshore, but that would be the same for any performance shortboard I guess, although it handled the increase in size really well. Stuart Peterson: Roofer Skill Level: Intermediate This board was the closest to the sort of board I’d usually ride, but it felt way looser than my own. I tried it on a really fun day, glassy three foot so it was perfect conditions. It seemed to generate speed really effortlessly and went rail to rail with no problems at all. It was through turns though that I really loved it, it seemed to accelerate and then release the tail at all the right moments, something which I usually have a bit of trouble with. It’s a board for an experienced surfer though, I wouldn’t recommend it as a first custom board as it’s definitely geared towards high performance surfing. I’d love to get it in a hollow French beachie!
Amazing for turns, big drawn out swooping cut backs- BRIAN TOWNSEND SUIT: Intermediate, advannced WAVE TYPE: Beachbreak, point, reef POSITIVE: Versitile all round shortboard NEGATIVE: Requires experience to get full benefit
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BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
BOARD LENGTH: 6’2 BOARD WIDTH: 18 3/8 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 3/8 RRP: £457
BOARD GUIDE download@wavelengthmag.co.UK
TRANSFORMER Features: • The Transformer is retro/new School with an exciting twist... it can be transformed into any fin set-up near enough possible • With four FCS Fins and an 8” box you can have any combo from five fin to single • This board is extremely versatile, great for traveling, and one of the most exciting boards we have ever made RRP: £425
SKINDOG
LUFI Features: • Designed by Ben Skinner and one of the most respected longboard shapers in the world Lufi from Portugal • A good all round board for all conditions and abilities, this is the best seller in our range
6’3 x 18½ x 2¼
SKINDOG
SHORTBOARD Features: • Skindog Surfboards do a complete range of high performance boards designed by Chris Harris and Ben Skinner from 5’8 upwards • Featured board is 6’3 step up board for surfing good waves RRP: £360
RRP: £585
9’0 x 21 ¾ x 2 ½
SKINDOG
9’0 x 21¾ x 2½
3
6’2 x 19 x 2 /8
contact: web: skindogsurfboards.co.uk email: ben@skindogsurfboards.co.uk tel: 07584045153
SKINDOG
AR Features: • The All Rounder is exactly what it is! • We have designed this board to be one of the most versatile on the market • A good noserider, a good paddler, and great off the tail • This boards curvey outline and consistant rocker, is what makes it all of these things and more RRP: £560
SHAPER: CHRIS HARRIS Chris Harris grew up in South Africa where he learnt to surf aged 10, back in 1981. He went on to represent the Western Province in the Junior Surfing Team until the start of the nineties, when he first discovered his love of shaping. “Legendary Jeffreys Bay shaper Glen Darcy once said that every surfer should have a go at shaping their own board. I took this to heart and set about making my first board in my Mum’s garage, that’s how I got hooked.” After learning the trade, shaping for Town and Country boards in Cape Town, Chris took advantage of his British passport, (thanks to his Welsh Dad) and came over to the UK on holiday. He enjoyed the scene, found some waves and decided to make England his new home. Chris went into 074
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partnership and set up MMY surfboards, which he shaped and sold through his shop in Newquay. After several years, Chris struck out on his own, shaping for most of the main surfboard brands and setting up his own CHD surfboards, which he still runs today. Up until a couple of years ago, Chris’ focus had been on shortboards, but after meeting Ben Skinner and joining him at Skindog Surfboards, this amazing shaper/surfer relationship began. With Ben’s longboarding skills, Chris’s talent as a shaper and the combined knowledge that Jason Gray and Chris have, things have gone from strength to strength. Together they have fine tuned the range and introduced models like the Transformer. Since then, Ben has been pretty much unbeaten on Skindog Boards.
TESTED: SKINDOG TRANSFORMER Chris Harris: What the shaper says. The Tranformer evolved from an experiment with one of our team riders. He wanted a retro/new school shape with a 2 + 1 fin setup. After making the board, Skindog and I were looking at it over and over realising we had just created something much more. After looking at every fin setup on the market and some research with FCS, we came up with the Tranformer. Oli Adams: Pro Surfer Skill Level: Pro I had this board to test but was waiting for a smaller day. Then I snapped both of boards at this reef, it was pumping and the only board I had was the Transformer. I had to get back in, but it’s not the sort of board I would ever usually ride. It went so much better than I expected, if you’re a surfer who wants an amazing all round board this would be the perfect all rounder in my opinion. Greg Martin: Managing editor Skill Level: Intermediate For a start, this board feels super solid, almost heavy in comparison to the board I normally ride, (actually I’m told the board we got to test had an extra thick glassing job on it). Despite it’s muscles, the
Transformer is very quick to paddle and agile in the water. It was a piece of piss to catch any wave and then as soon as it’s going it accelerates like a dragster. I only tried it out in small waves and had it set up as a thruster, although I would have been interested to try it as a quad, which might have suited the waves slightly better. I reckon this board would be very comfortable in waves up to and way beyond the edge of my comfort zone, even at slabs and heavy reefs, a far cry from the mush I was surfing. I’ve always been very sceptical about having one board for all waves, but this could be the closest thing to that one size fits all board. Ian Thompson: Postman Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate I like the idea of having a shorter board than I surf just now, but that will still get me into waves early. The Transformer felt nice and solid and was easy to get out the back on it. It took a bit of getting use to but as soon as you paddle for waves it does feel like it wants to go. The only thing I found was that I kept making the nose dive, and I’m not really sure why. The board seems quite flat, so maybe that had something to do with it? Apart from that I had a lot of fun on this board.
quick to paddle and agile in the water- GREG MARTIN
SUIT: Novice upwards WAVE TYPE: Beach, reef, point POSITIVE: Catches anything and very versitile NEGATIVE: Might feel a bit fast for some
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BOARD GUIDE
BOARD LENGTH: 6’2 BOARD WIDTH: 19 BOARD THICKNESS: 2 3/8 RRP: £425
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Photo: Clive Symm