I'm in the hunt for a kite surfboard that is designed for Perths sloppy side onshore conditions.Im looking for a board that has really snappy fast turns .
I always do downwinders and I fly fast turning small wave kites.
I'm wanting to get more turns on a typical short mushy Perth wave and being able snap into a completely different direction on a 5 c coin.Any ideas ?
I think I may have a similar style, I like small fast turning Kites.
What I found is a short wide board with fairly flat rocker is good up to 20 knots, then I change down to narrower more stock shape thruster around 6" 2 with less volume.
I don't think you can gave one board for all conditions especially if you are on the heavier side, I fluctuate between 86 to 90kg but with the right board I am up and going around 17 knots with a 7m on a floaty quick planning board.
The biggest thing I have found is getting the right size fins, the wider board tend to spin out and not drive so hard. A light wind board I have had a lot of fun with is 20' wide 5" 8 (similar shape to a 6" 4 but few inches off the nose and tail)
Curious to see other recommendations
Cheers
Rich
I have used the nugget in light wind and above 20 knots until I snapped the nose of it .I have this nsp surfboard which is solid and has good strength to handle the constant pounding,but it's turning is really quite slow .I recently bought jimmy Lewis and it is seriously lightning quick with snappy turns,but it's a bit limited when riding toe side up wind up the wave for a floater or a off the lip arial and is no good in light wind.It just doesnt seem to climb the wave aswell as both the nugget and the nsp board.
I'm thinking a shorter board already.My nsp is about 6 foot with medium rocker and the outline looks like it's designed for good stability.It is quite fat through the body , but tail is a lot narrower than the nugget.The nose is narrow too.
I agree with richswing that fins are a key factor. Like all surfboard manoeuverability conversations, it's a balance between your weight, board volume, tail shape and fins. I'm riding a Colin Earl 6'0 round pin, pretty flat rocker, and extra glass for strength / weight. It spins on a dime, but that has it's flaws as well. When there's a lot of chop in the wave face (which happens in Perth a lot) that little flicky board spins out too much. Have fixed it by using larger stiffer fins.
Have had other boards like a 6'2 squash tail which was great manoeuverability, held it's turns just as good, but on smaller fins.
Basically, don't think there's any right answer, just get a wider shorter board and mess with the fins (the one variable you can control) until you dial it the way you want.
Also, unsure of your skill level, but learning to down-loop will significantly increase your turns-per-wave count.
Good luck
Something like Airush Compact or the superseded Cab Skilit was a good shape. Had a BWS Drifter a couple of years back which was one of my favourites for Perth.
Shorter/wider boards are fun when hitting Perth kickers. When it gets very windy with bigger swell they become more difficult to control, but you would have experienced that with your Nugget.
Diamond what height/weight are you?
Select to expand quotedanno said..
When there's a lot of chop in the wave face (which happens in Perth a lot) that little flicky board spins out too much.
Yes. Small waves boards generally have generous double concave which creates LIFT when planing.
Too much speed and a bit of chop, you end up planing high on the water surface. Try to turn, but too much lift so cannot bury a rail = losing it or spin out.
Bigger fins help.
I find a bigger board with a quad set up with bigger fins in front and smaller fins in the back provide enough drive and great for upwind riding.
I weigh about 85 pies and my height is 5"10 . I have a full repetoir of kite loop skills , but I would say my surfing is average.Thanks guys I will play around with some fins . My nsp board has fins that bend almost like rigid rubber.
Cheers.
play with different fins side and back also!
I find for kiting you want reasonably stiff large fins on side for bite and ability to go upwind and also not spin out with so much kite power and chop to contend with.
SO i run tpattersons side, and a smaller and much looser and upright mulcoy rear. this way can turn quick, get vert and slide out fins easier with the smaller, flexier rear.
bigger swell tho or point breaks i go back to a larger rear for solid hold and more drive.
This being said need a board that also works.
Each to their own on this.
id suggest speak to a shaper and see what they recommend.
Ryan Von Dresselt "VON" surfboards can decyfer what you say you want or think you want and can tweak his range of shapes to suit kiting, surfing or a board for both.
I wouldnt go too wide on the rear as i find that slows down your turn. also width. but dont go too narrow as you dont want to bog down.
+1 Von
a buddy has a couple of vons in innegra cloth - holding up well, and feel great. one is in particular for perth mush.
not a pimp either, you could also get a katana or earle and be super stoked, but i liked the vons.... might have to think about getting one under the tree this year as well
+1 for Von too. As Maz mentions, I'm really enjoying Ryan's boards - my comments below may invite some unfavourable thumbing for pimping but keen to share a few observations I've made trialing many surfboards (and some kiteboards) over the last few years to arrive at this.
I've got a few boards from Ryan that I surf and kite on over the last few years and other than being a overall great guy, he does listen and translate shapes well as CAUTION mentioned. I kite the same boards I surf but we have been working on a more durable construction to try achieve a good balance between weight and durability - in this case Innegra seems to be working pretty well. They have quite a distinct lively feel that was a bit unexpected.
No affiliation, but really liked the way the first couple surfed, kited a couple and loved them, snapped them, was bummed, then started investigating a few alternate materials / constructions and persuaded Ryan to try work with Innegra, which isn't quite as friendly as regular cloth. Best Kiteboarding use this on their PU kite boards as well, but don't seem to be as popular in oz.
Below is a quiver I took delivery of for an overseas trip earlier this year about a week after blowing out my ACL....
For interest, dims from left to right are:
5'11 x 18 1/4 x 2 3/16 'Porto Double' - step up
5'9 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/4 'Porto Double' - regular short board in decent waves / high wind
5'6 x 18 1/2 x 2 1/4 ' X-Ova' - smaller wave / regularly kite on
All are surfboards with a couple of variations in construction for durability vs weight i.e. blank density and glassing. The X-Ova feels best in Perth general conditions. Rode the 5'9 yesterday on the 5m at Trigg and it did manage the chop better than the 5'6. Ran FCS2 Performer Small thrusters in both. Bigger would have been better - I'm a relative lightweight, so may be able to get away with it a little easier at 70kg.
As with most comments above, I've generally found the shorter, slightly wider, flatter rocker shapes to perform better on most days in Perth. I don't like too much extra width / volume in the tail as it does become more difficult to control as the conditions change - volume can be hidden well in different places without making it feel boaty or spin out. Fins can definitely help extend your range of conditions, to which the extent is often underestimated.
Like most things to do with our sport, it becomes extremely subjective based on many factors, so hope it's of some help!
I have a 2014 Sling Shot T-Rex for sale. Awesome for Perth beaches', can ride it thruster/ quady, twin;
Having the short nose makes it feel small but it still has 29L, sometimes I take the straps off and just surf it before the wind kicks in.
Solidly built as well.
$555.55 ono 
