Am four sessions in to my new board relationship with a Gong Zuma 6'9" 140 litre board in the FSP2x construction. Ordering and delivery was straightforward although being in the UK makes a little harder than it should be.
The board construction looks good, nice finish apart from the kick pad /Eva which lifts in the corners (I did rolling pin the pad as instructed). For me they could leave the non slip flat as I don't use the kick pad except as a grab handle.
Weight is good for the size and the FCS hardware is good quality.
I have been foiling since 2017 first windfoil then wingfoil and in the last 18 months SUP Foil using a Starboard 8' 130 litre. with Armstrong Foils. I am 94kgs naked and this time of year you can add 5kg of winter kit. The Hypernut was an original version and worked OK. That is to say I managed to consistently take off and foil ride in small to medium surf. But it wasn't great as I had to move quite a lot on the board after take off to balance the foil and in chop it was very hard to balance in the line out because the tail sank too easily.
The Zuma is much easier to balance in choppy water and I don't have to move after take off so it has fixed the problems I was having on the 'Nut. Being. A lot shorter in water line length the Zuma is naturally less directionally stable but with the small fin up front I am getting used to it.
Its also much easier to pump through flat sections but with my foils I don't think I will be getting pumped back out anytime soon.
The advertising blurb talks about easy paddling around the break, well these things are relative, it's no touring SUP but it's not too bad. I can paddle easy enough in SUP stance whereas I often had to paddle the 'Nut in surf stance I fit was choppy. It's super easy to spin round and drop in.
I have had. A few nice rides on it now and more than a few falls and fails. I am not using foot straps and don't intend to. The deck pad at the front is all one colour and the screw holes are very small to see. This makes it hard to consistently place my front foot in the same place each time and across the centreline. There is no ridge like some other boards have so you can feel the centreline. I only look for my front foot never the back.
So I have had a falls because I haven't been in the right place. Think I am going to paint marks on the pad for reference.
I have used it with my Armstrong CF2400 for three sessions and the HS1850 for one. With 60cm A+ mast and 70cm fuselage, CF300 Stab.
First session on an ok swell I put the mast in the middle of the track, mistake, it lifted so much I couldn't actually get the front down! Pushing the mast all the way back got it under control but this needs a lot more practice.
With the HS1850 it's easier to paddle, take off is fine and wave speed is better. The CF2400 turns fine but is pretty slow after so long
Next I am going to try a 60cm fuselage and HS stab and also see if the HS1250 works.

So happy with the Gong Zuma, price was a factor. It's a 2022 board (think the 2023 is use a different colour) and I could literally buy two for the price of other PVC sandwich boards out there. Not sure for my level paying twice as much would get me anymore waves.
Happy to say the 140 litre board is fine and I am glad of the advice received on size as it was spot on.
So I would recommend it and if it falls apart in the next year I will come back and update this.

Happy to hear any advice on foil set up for SUP foil and what if anything the Armstrong HA series would be good for on this board? Although not sure I will ever have money for the Armstrong HM mast.

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FarNorthSurfer said..
apart from the kick pad /Eva which lifts in the corners (I did rolling pin the pad as instructed

Alas the rolling pin trick is not foolproof if the pad was a bit unstuck, the glue may have dried.

I advise to just try to gently pull up the pad, and re-glue it if you see parts that have a tendency to come off.
The 2022 pads have much less this problem than the pre-2020 ones (all my 2019 Gong SUP boards had it, none of my 2022), but "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"... better fix things beforehand.

My advice:
- use an MS Polymer glue
- a very, VERY thin layer on only the pad underside, no need to put it also on the board
- let cure at least 12 hours under pressure and in warm temperatures (20 to 40C). I use warm tap water in a bag:

Thanks Colas, advice appreciated. Good shout on the volume of the board.
I am not worried about the deck pad and it not an issue that would put me off another Gong.
After I rolled it the rest of the pad is fine but it's not going to hold at the kick pad unless I do like you say and rebond it with something stronger. The shape of the white kickpad foam block is constantly pulling off the board.
And yes I have chipped it already but that's definitely not the boards fault. If I had whacked the Hypernut as hard as I hit this it would probably need repaired! This afternoons job is touch up and rail tape.

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FarNorthSurfer said..
The shape of the white kickpad foam block is constantly pulling off the board.

Actually, I saw the same problem on a lot of other boards.

When you apply a tail pad with a kick, there is some angle on the underside at the base of the kick. i guess it has something to do on how the various thicknesses pull one against each other when the pad is stored before use.
In your photo you see that the yellow layer would have "wanted" to straighten itself with time, creating this angle.

So if you just apply the tailpad "flat" you get this space: the rear edge "catches" the board deck before the junction part.
When I apply tailpads, I have to "unroll" them forcibly to avoid creating this gap.

I guess the workers applying pads have to work with too much time constraints...

I have studied the photos of the 2023 Zuma and other boards which look like they have fixed the problem.
The new smooth grip looks like it meets the kick pad in a new way and the joint looks much tighter.
Could be just the promotional photos I guess but looks like a revision.

Rail chip fixed and tape applied, looking forward to the next session. Hope it warms up though last session was about 2 degrees C.

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FarNorthSurfer said..
I have studied the photos of the 2023 Zuma and other boards which look like they have fixed the problem.

You are right, the "deck" of the pad is now cut, suppressing the problem:

Quick update on progress, about seven sessions in and improving.
A few bigger days with chop and wind and a few small wave days with clean glassy water.
Getting used to the balance of the board and choppy conditions are OK now although of course it's tiring and two hours I am toast.
Have been using my Armstrong CF2400 and 70cm fuselage with CF300 stab. But have found that it's pretty slow to paddle with this foil and it has to be right at the back of the box or there is far too much lift.
Have had more success with the HS1850, 60cm fuselage and HS220 stab. Quicker through the water easier take off and more control because the lift is under control. (This is one of my daily drivers winging and I almost never use the 2400 winging as it's much too slow so this might be a factor)
session this evening in very small clean waves scored 20 good rides and am now in control of the foil on the wave. Would have been put on the longboard SUP previously but the foil rides are so much better, faster and just think about turning and it goes round.
So far so good, I am enjoying using the Zuma.

I can pump it when the wave backs off for example but it's hard work. Not sure if the 60cm or 70cm fuselage would be better for pumping. More practice required if I am ever going to get back round for another wave. Clearly the size and weight of the Zuma is a factor as I can pump my Patrik Wing board more easily flagging the wing.

Any advice on pumping other than practice practice practice?

Is it worth thinking about going to a high aspect foil on the Zuma? Not sure I could ever get it up to speed on unbroken waves to take off, it's just too wide and I am too heavy at 93kg.

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FarNorthSurfer said..
Any advice on pumping other than practice practice practice?

[1] Have speed. You must try to pump when already at speed. A lot of people resort to pumping when they slow down at the end of a ride: it's too late.

[2] quick small nervous motions rather than ample ones. You must feel as if the foil is pushing against a hard surface (laminar flow), not churning dough (stalling)

Colas might know the answer to this one.
The deck grip on the Zuma has notches mid rail pretty much where the balance point is for SUP stance paddling.
Has this been done deliberately to encourage a narrower stance?

Copy the advice on pumping thanks. The better efforts were when I kept speed off the wave.

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FarNorthSurfer said..
Colas might know the answer to this one.
The deck grip on the Zuma has notches mid rail pretty much where the balance point is for SUP stance paddling.
Has this been done deliberately to encourage a narrower stance?

Ah, this I don't know.

You may be right however. If you remove the straps, the front pad zone seems to "suggest" the proper front foot placement...

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colas said..

FarNorthSurfer said..
Colas might know the answer to this one.
The deck grip on the Zuma has notches mid rail pretty much where the balance point is for SUP stance paddling.
Has this been done deliberately to encourage a narrower stance?

Ah, this I don't know.

You may be right however. If you remove the straps, the front pad zone seems to "suggest" the proper front foot placement...

Front foot placement or getting it right every time has been one of the hardest lessons since I bought the Zuma
its almost impossible to see the screw holes while setting up for a wave, seriously considering painting lines between the straps.
I read with interest your comment in another thread about using a front strap only. I might try that but a little reluctant having ruined my knee and destroyed an ACL in a kite surf accident involving one strap.
Will try paint lines first I think.