Hey Jacob, had my first surf on the 8'4 minion yesterday which is 30.5 wide. Can't go wrong mate it was suprisingly comfortable for the first paddle and will def be my go to board. The difference on a wave compared to my 9'6 pro wave was huge, and I still haven't really worked it out yet. 8'2 could work great. Speak to Simon he's great

Jacob
like any new board it does take a while to dial in ..but once you find the sweet spot..its all good and you will be up and riding . Im 6ft 95kgs,..these Minion shapes allow you to push the specs in terms of volume and width and still retain stability due to the parallel shape profile. I could probably have dropped to a 7'4 105L but happy i stayed with the 7"8 .
Chur

Cheers guys I am sort of tossing up between the standard 8ft size which is 29.5 wide or a custom size 82x30.5, I guess I will just have to talk to Simon once I am ready to take the plunge

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JacobMatan said..

Supmaori said..
Mate I had a couple of boards the 8'10 fanatic pro and Fanatic 8'6 which think was around 30' wide. My minion is 7'8 and 27' wide..it's my go to board in all conditions now..doesn't mind chop but u have to have had it dialed in when using in less favourable conditions. It's as stable as the pro fanatic IMO
I have had my minion close to double overhead..no problems...handled it well. My pro fanatic is dry as a bone.
Chur

Thanks for the reply mate, So you have also dropped 2 to 3 inches in width and are loving it. I recently bought a hokua 8'8'x32 and still have a JP surf 9'2x30, on the 9'2 x30 I am solid as a rock when its clean but I can't handle all conditions, The Hokua I can ride in anything that I would want to go out in and It is probably just slightly more stability than I need. That is why I was wondering about width on the minion I had been thinking of 8'2 x 30.5. i had sort of been holding out for the Hypernut (mostly because I could demo it here in WA) but with the extra expense over the minion I don't know if I can justify it plus the 8'0 hyper nut might be wider than I need. i would like either of those boards to be my go to board for 80% of the time and it is not that often that I am getting out in double overhead or even close to it. for reference i am 105kgs, 6'3, intermediate but prefer my boards to be on the comfier side

Jacob, I have been on a minion now for 18 months (7'8" x 28 1/4") and recently tried the Hypernut. They are so different. I can't recommend highly enough that you try the minion.

The speed and acceleration of the minion still excites me

Exactly like the good doctor said..just when u think u have it cracked you just know that there's so much more to crank out of the minion.and keep.improving...admittedly I haven't tried the HN..or any other board since my Deep purchase..says a lot :-)

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Jacob, I have been on a minion now for 18 months (7'8" x 28 1/4") and recently tried the Hypernut. They are so different. I can't recommend highly enough that you try the minion.

The speed and acceleration of the minion still excites me

can you please elaborate on the differences of the Hypernut and the minion? were the size(s) you tried similar for both?

Just put a little ding in my Minion this morning, damn reefs, what's the best quick repair stuff ?????

Tape it and keep surfing

Selley's aqua kneed it. It looks green but mixes white and cures when wet too. Jam it in the ding smooth it out paddle back out dries in 20 min sand it down later easy as

Need something clear, Solarres Epoxy ??????

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beached56 said..

Jacob, I have been on a minion now for 18 months (7'8" x 28 1/4") and recently tried the Hypernut. They are so different. I can't recommend highly enough that you try the minion.

The speed and acceleration of the minion still excites me

can you please elaborate on the differences of the Hypernut and the minion? were the size(s) you tried similar for both?

+1 please doc

I've only had my Minion just over a week and caught a handful of backhand waves. And WOW I love my backhand but this steps it right up there. Mines 8'4" and feels so much like any short board I've ridden backhand, awesome..... And I haven't really got the board sussed yet!

I am wondering about fin size for the Minion as I have had two opposite bits of advice:
1. The Minion/Vanguard shapes need bigger fries to handle the wide tail and generate speed.
2. The Minion/Vanguard shapes need smaller fins to really engage the rail and rocker line in the turn.

So to experiment I changed my fins from the stock Deep/Shapers model to a set of Shapers Carbon Stealth Quad-E to see how they went as the Quad-Es are smaller and have loads more flex and cant in the box than the Deep stock fins. Turns out the smaller flexier tip fins made a significant difference. The board didn't track quite as good paddling out but on a waist/shoulder high wave the board was 'freer' and looser but felt easier to set the rail in the bottom turn. Scored some really good rides and now getting 3 or 4 turns and a lip smack/floater. Feels like I am getting slingshot out of the bottom turn on the rail and find I can turn off the top with more torque - but more easily and throw more spray - which is really nice and where I want my SUP surfing to go.

I am going for the smaller fin option at the moment as I think I am "feeling" more of the rail and rocker line in the turns.

Steve..I've been thinking of changing mine to see if there's a noticeable difference..did you leave the nubster in or just run it purely as a quad with your new fins
Chur

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Rossall said..
Need something clear, Solarres Epoxy ??????

Solarez is great. Just be sure to
- sand slightly everything that will get in contact with the resin
- cover the resin with clear tape before exposing to the sun: if solarez is in contact with oxygen when curing it will stay sticky
- I like to knead a bit on it while hardening to "sculpt" it in place, and make a tighter bond

Most people that say that solarez (or similar) do not work usually do not obey the first 2 rules.

Another option is Just some clear epoxy glue + microsheres under a tape is great too, or epoxy paste that you knead (but use gloves: bare fingers will make it not stick enough). Not clear but you can sand it away once back home and make a proper repair.

Hey SUPMaori, I kept the Darc Drive Nubster in but I will take it out as an experiment to see how that goes. Probably make it more skatey? I also use another set of Shapers Quad-E fins on my LSD 8'6 Flashback in a quad set up with no nubster.

I am a bit of a fin freak and always experimenting with different set ups and sizes as I learn something new about the board and like to get a different feel.

Yea mate..the Deep ones are quality but can't hurt to have a change up..Thanks for the advice..if possible could you send me a link ..just wanna make sure I'v got right ones

After having had a few surfs lately back on a big board Ive re discovered stability is a big plus for the enjoyment factor yet wanting to ride boards of the smaller variety Ive had the light bulb moment that Im going to have to head down the vanguard type road .
Ive had the opportunity to try one of the big brand boards in really ordinary conditions was impressed with the stability but only got a couple of crappy waves but was enough for me to inquire about the price ,which brings me back to here.(out of my budget ,sheeet )
Given you can drop litres due to stability what is the best place to shave them , thickness or width in regards to performance , I see benefits with both but wondering about others opinions .

PS Sorry about long story to get to a short point

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paperboy said..
what is the best place to shave them , thickness or width in regards to performance

I'd say reducing width has a dramatic effect both on rail-to-rail swiftness... and instability. Reducing thickness is somewhat less spectacular, you get a just a better "feel" for the board, which is quite pleasant in hollow conditions.

Also, reducing the volume will slow down the board paddling speed, and performance in weak waves.

So my advice:
- reduce volume, but keep some if you plan to use it also in weak waves
- reduce width as much as you feel comfortable with. Hint: the older you get, the more width you will enjoy. Also no need to go narrower than what your technique can manage: no need to have a board that go rail-to-rail in a blink if you do not have the expertise to thread turns as fast as that.
- then, reduce thickness. Note that you can reduce rail thickness specifically (domed deck, step rails, volume distribution more towards center)

My "vanguard" board is at neutral floatation: its volume (in liters) = my weight + weight of board (in kg). It feels nearly as stable as a pointed nose board of 20 liters more. But it is not enough volume for fun in weak waves. I would have added 10 liters to use it as a one board quiver, but the low volume make it a great board for powerful but choppy conditions. It is wide (for a vanguard) at 29", but I enjoy the stability... I could have got to 28" I guess, but not narrower for my 55 years.

Agree with Colas, but would also add that it depends on how you surf them. I find that rail turns and carving are easier on a thinner board , though you could achieve the burying of the rail with step rails.....or just more oomph/weight!

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Rossall said..
Need something clear, Solarres Epoxy ??????

I had a small crack just stuck sum super glue in it

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Rossall said..
Just put a little ding in my Minion this morning, damn reefs, what's the best quick repair stuff ?????

EPS foam sucks up water so you'll want to seal it immediately. I always keep a roll of 2" wide clear packing tape (with the roller) in the trunk of my car so I can quickly seal dings until I feel like fixing them. I've had taped-over dings on my boards for months with no worries of water getting in.

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magentawave said..

Rossall said..
Just put a little ding in my Minion this morning, damn reefs, what's the best quick repair stuff ?????

EPS foam sucks up water so you'll want to seal it immediately. I always keep a roll of 2" wide clear packing tape (with the roller) in the trunk of my car so I can quickly seal dings until I feel like fixing them. I've had taped-over dings on my boards for months with no worries of water getting in.

I have managed to put a small hole in one of the Tail "points" with my paddle. The force required to do this was comparable to hitting a home run. I put a small crack in the other "point" by drinking too many beers before I put it away, and smacking it in to the wall of my house. Poor board.
I repaired both with 24 hour araldite. Tough and you can sand it if you wish.

For quick repairs, I have read good reviews of product that seem quite interesting: www.bogindustries.com.au/
But I have also read that i can be hell to remove to do a proper repair...

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Brenno said..

magentawave said..

Rossall said..
Just put a little ding in my Minion this morning, damn reefs, what's the best quick repair stuff ?????

EPS foam sucks up water so you'll want to seal it immediately. I always keep a roll of 2" wide clear packing tape (with the roller) in the trunk of my car so I can quickly seal dings until I feel like fixing them. I've had taped-over dings on my boards for months with no worries of water getting in.

I have managed to put a small hole in one of the Tail "points" with my paddle. The force required to do this was comparable to hitting a home run. I put a small crack in the other "point" by drinking too many beers before I put it away, and smacking it in to the wall of my house. Poor board.
I repaired both with 24 hour araldite. Tough and you can sand it if you wish.

Faarq, I thought you got the tough vac bagged. I'll have to stop using mine to chock the car!

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Brenno said..

magentawave said..

Rossall said..
Just put a little ding in my Minion this morning, damn reefs, what's the best quick repair stuff ?????

EPS foam sucks up water so you'll want to seal it immediately. I always keep a roll of 2" wide clear packing tape (with the roller) in the trunk of my car so I can quickly seal dings until I feel like fixing them. I've had taped-over dings on my boards for months with no worries of water getting in.

I have managed to put a small hole in one of the Tail "points" with my paddle. The force required to do this was comparable to hitting a home run. I put a small crack in the other "point" by drinking too many beers before I put it away, and smacking it in to the wall of my house. Poor board.
I repaired both with 24 hour araldite. Tough and you can sand it if you wish.

I should have pointed out before that the use of packing tape to seal dings until you're ready to fix them obviously only works on surfaces that will enable the tape to lay flat - which means it won't work on the points. Good thing you repaired those points right away.

So i've got a custom shorty on the way for my daughter, for a combined chrissy and birthday prezzy. Lucky gal.
She's dead keen on doing some artwork on her new board so i ordered her the gear and it's arrived well ahead of the board.
Hmmmmmm. That poor minion i've been flogging is looking a bit tired, maybe time for a pre-xmas spruce up?
4 hours and 6 beers later........

^^Love the artwork^^