Finally, here's the review as promised...
Bugger it. I thought I'd found my perfect board (the 7'2" DEEP Minion) ? then I jumped on the latest prototype concept board from DEEP Oceanboards - the PaddlePop.
One word: Smooth
The board is 7'4" x 27" x 3.875" x 89L
I was very hesitant when Simon from DEEP told me about a new little concept he was working on. Hesitant for two reasons: one, I didn't need another new board as I was completely happy with my current quiver and, two, the dimensions I'd require in this new design would equate to only 89 litres of volume (when I was currently running at 87 kilograms). The Australian Titles were coming up and I was keen on dropping a few kilos for that anyway, Simon said he'd do me a good deal as it was only a prototype and I'd be up in Queensland about the time it'd be ready so we could save on delivery costs - an optimistic SUP junkie might interpret all that to say the stars were aligning so I gave him the green light to fire up the shaping machine.
I arrived in Queensland after seeing a few diagrams and a couple of spy cam photos of the 7'4" mid production, with excitement and enthusiasm. The board was looking soooo nice and I was very keen to see it and maybe even give it a quick test run before the comp. Unfortunately it was still being finished and Simon wouldn't be able to get it to me until halfway through the contest window. Probably just as well, as I didn't really need an unknown variable thrown into the works at this late stage, with such hot talent in the comp.
When he did bring it down to the contest site, I was ecstatic. It looked even better in the flesh - such smooth lines, perfect foil, great volume distribution and awesome finish. It definitely got plenty of attention on the beach by Australia's best SUP surfers.
I waxed it up and rode it the day after the comp, as a thruster in some super fat Queensland waves. I could paddle it fine (I'd got down to 82 kg for the comp) and it was surprisingly stable for the plan shape. It felt a bit stiff and a little slow but I assumed (and hoped) that was due to the fat waves and large thruster fins. I took it back to Sydney, popped it in the garage and didn't really think about it for over a week while I caught up on work and family time.
There was another contest coming up, the Surfing NSW Surfmasters which were including SUPs for the first time. I was keen to give this a crack and thought it'd be a good chance to try the PaddlePop in a few heats. I removed the wax, slapped on some deck grip, threw in the quad set (with Darc Drive) fins I'd been used to from the Minion and took it for a spin the day before the comp.
Wow, what a different board! It blew me away how much a good set of fins and some decent waves could transform this puppy into something I was frothing over. It now had so much speed, awesome drive and heaps of liveliness. I'd definitely be riding this in the Surfmasters the next day.
My heat of the SUP division was about to paddle out. It was a decent size, one might say big, with a stiff off-shore wind. I was a little apprehensive. There was no repechage round. Had I chosen the right board for the conditions? Had I had enough practice time on this board? Ahhhhhhh.
I paddled out and was pleasantly surprised again by the stability of the lowest volume board I've ever owned. I was lucky with my timing of the sets and got out the back with dry hair. So far, so good. The hooter sounded and we were on.
A few minutes passed and a smaller set which looked like it would hold up alright came through. I was waiting a bit away from the others so it was all mine for the taking. I paddled hard for it as the wind was pushing up the face and it was a bit smaller and fuller than some of the waves out there. I felt the lift of the wave behind me and was soon dropping down the face. A slight fade before pulling into a drawn out bottom turn and then a series of fairly gentle top turns and a grinding cutback had me arrive at the shorebreak with a great opening wave under my belt. A 6.5 from the judges. That's a solid start with some room to build with a second wave.
The sets at Wanda were a little inconsistent that day and I waited a good ten minutes for another wave. I could see some lines forming way out the back and the thought of getting caught inside one of those closeout, clean up sets I'd seen earlier, had me paddling towards the horizon. The first wave of that set was slightly smaller than the second one but it looked a better shape. I began the take-off arc to change direction and head for the right hander. I had complete confidence in the little PaddlePop's ability to stay in control and get me straightened up and just in front of the feathering lip in time. A fall or even a little wobble at this stage would have definitely had me missing the best wave I'd seen all heat, maybe even all morning. I got it and it was a good one, a really good one. Using my first wave as a practice, I took the same line down the face - with a slight fade left before getting down as low as I could to drive into a big, deep, smooth bottom turn. Remembering my learnings on good heat strategy and wanting to build on my scores throughout the heat, I knew I should be pushing my turns harder on this wave. This wave was bigger and steeper than my first one so the elements were conducive to going big. The bottom turn lasted forever as I froze in that low crouch while the 7'4" drove around a full 180 degrees and started heading up the face again. The long, straight rail of the modern planning hull held its line beautifully as the blade of my KeNalu Konihi skimmed the face of the wave; tap, tap, tapping over the ripples. By this time the wave was starting to pitch right above my head and I made the concerted effort to smack the crap out of it. A BIG first move always impresses the judges. The PaddlePop felt great under my feet and gave me the confidence to pivot tightly as the wide nose connected with the lip and spin it around so I was pointing back down the face again. Keeping pressure on my front foot and my weight forward had me hurtling towards my next bottom turn. This one was a bit quicker and less drawn out though as I could see the wall starting to race away and I had to get moving. The little 7'4" was flung out of this bottom turn with incredible speed and I was heading for the lip again in no time flat. I approached the top of the wave less vertically than the last top turn so I stabbed the top of the wave deeply with my paddle and used that as my anchor point while pushing as hard as I could with my back foot to kick the tail through the crumbling crest of the wave. The small Darc Drive stabilizer in the rear got blasted out of the back of the wave and lost what little bit of traction it provides. The tail of the PaddlePop slid what seemed like two feet sideways but was probably only a couple of inches in reality. Woah. Hang on to it Casso - this is only the second turn and there is lots more epic wall to work with in this wave's future. I focussed on keeping my weight over the board and waited for the fins to bite again. Great, I soon had control and was beginning to plan my next attack on this innocent lump of ocean. The wall hadn't changed appearance much so I thought I'd do a carbon copy of that last whack. A similar bottom turn and face climb ensued. This time I was more prepared for the potential fin release at the lip so I pushed it a bit harder, this time waiting in anticipation for that cool but disconcerting drifting feeling. Wow, I made this one too and with a little more elegance I think. That's three great turns on this awesome wave and I might be able to get one more in. I redirected before I got back down to the bottom of the wave and started shooting along a high line. I quickly swapped my Konihi to my heel side as the wave started to fill up slightly. I felt the kicker on my tail pad against my back foot, crouched down very low and applied pressure to both heels evenly as I twisted my torso and lent on the paddle behind me. Holding that position, I engaged the rail and glided around a super smooth arc until the foam ball in the pocket came into vision. This was my new target. I was going to belt that thing as if I was doing a massive backside re-entry. Judges also like a good closing manoeuvre as this will be the freshest in their mind as they decide on a score. I straightened up, transitioned the board off the rail and swapped my paddle back to my toe side again. As I approached the white water, I applied pressure to my back foot, twisted my torso towards the sand and put my head down. I felt the board lift up onto the wall of foam and when I envisaged it was nearing the top, spun it around with both my feet which were vertically in line with my head and used my paddle as a brace out in front of me. The Cat's Ears tail of the PaddlePop was flicked around through the aerated ocean and the board started to fill back in under my feet. I was jettisoned out of the white water with force and was presented with calm green water again. Yes. That'll do. I'll quit while I'm ahead and soul arc off the back of the fading wave instead of trying to grovel to the shorebreak. 8, 8.5 and 8 from the three judges, averaging out to an 8.17. I think that's the highest single wave I've got in a comp. Stoked. Thank you Mr 7'4" - couldn't have done it without you.
I won that heat and also ended up winning the final with a 6.83 and an 8.0 after moving over to the lefts - this board goes soooo well on the backhand too.
I've since had a few more surfs on it in some different conditions and suffice to say - this is definitely now my every day, go to board.
Highs:
- Super fast
- Planes through dead sections beautifully
- Holds a rail all the way through big carving turns
- Very forgiving and controllable in all parts of the wave
- Floats over turbulent foam nicely
- Slightly pointed yet relatively flat nose pushes through white water nicely
- So light and easy to throw around
- Super strong construction
- Stable for its width
- Paddles ok for its length
- Works great in tiny or large waves
Lows:
- Forward wide point means you need more deck grip to cover the paddling position.
Casso
> 9 months ago, 14 Oct 2014
