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Kalama SUPs interview with Dave

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Created by pohaku > 9 months ago, 22 Jul 2023
pohaku
NSW, 851 posts
23 Jul 2023 12:53AM
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justaddwater
NSW, 743 posts
24 Jul 2023 12:52PM
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Great interview Dylan,very refreshing to hear Dave's very honest review of his short sup surfing ,I can totally relate to his experience,of short v longboard sup,for years i resisted going smaller,and loved 10 ftlongboards ,but like some started to go smaller and smaller,to where I'm at now.but being a longboard lover for a long time I'm seriously thinking of going back to a longboard sup for all the reasons Dave mentioned! but I need more width @70+ y/o than 28".and the 9.2x 30" wide carries to much volume for 75 kg I have owned one,for a brief time,and I personally love pintails.I totally get Dave's business model of keeping it simple,but I personally don't fit into his numbers, again a very informative interview,thanks

Slab
1111 posts
24 Jul 2023 3:48PM
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Always an interesting guy to hear and I like the fact he wants to keep things simple..agree with that. Wish you had asked him about fins and why so many seem to think his longboards work much better as quads.
It's a shame he has no interest at the mo in bringing his boards to the UK and get a dealership going, or to sort a board out for testing. Maybe in the future. I would have tried his 9,2 x 30 but opted for an Infinity New Deal which I have to say is excellent. Great to watch him surf the big boards..smooth as you can get.

wazza66
QLD, 616 posts
26 Jul 2023 11:06AM
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Refreshing video and nice and simple explanations of the how and why Dave designs his boards.
Thanks for posting.

Barry4
2 posts
29 Jul 2023 3:13PM
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Wish you'd asked who was the dill who decided to put the carry slot in the middle of the board (instead of at the balance point). I need a name to curse every time I carry the board down to the beach with two fingers hanging outside the box:)

interestingly, the balance is better (still wrong, but better) after the board is wet!?!?

pohaku
NSW, 851 posts
20 Aug 2023 5:16AM
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Select to expand quote
Barry4 said..
Wish you'd asked who was the dill who decided to put the carry slot in the middle of the board (instead of at the balance point). I need a name to curse every time I carry the board down to the beach with two fingers hanging outside the box:)

interestingly, the balance is better (still wrong, but better) after the board is wet!?!?



You must have a one off board. Like your one off Seabreeze post to complain

BostonSUP
19 posts
20 Aug 2023 5:36AM
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Makes sense that given how devoted a thruster guy Dave was/is, he would prefer the quad trailers closer to the stringer.

Would like to hear more about the design characteristics of the SUPs; what kind of bottom contours, what kind of rail profile, what kind of rocker (fast/slow - where is the apex), etc.

Thanks.

justaddwater
NSW, 743 posts
20 Aug 2023 9:26AM
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Select to expand quote
Barry4 said..
Wish you'd asked who was the dill who decided to put the carry slot in the middle of the board (instead of at the balance point). I need a name to curse every time I carry the board down to the beach with two fingers hanging outside the box:)

interestingly, the balance is better (still wrong, but better) after the board is wet!?!?


Barry I get it !presuming the board was brand new,premium price! And no fins! I'd be pissed off as well !!! Sounds like the balance could be fin weight/ distribution,dependant thruster /quad? ! How does any manufacturer/shaper / designer who does not supply their signature fin set up get the balance right!.or it could be a one off as has been suggested,either way it should have been delt with ,with something other than a piss take answer,I'm a bit sensitive to this type of response from a distributor ,or as in my experience an owner of a very well known oz company who's product is built o/S,with the same balance problem,and being told I'm to fussy!!! Bad luck!!! Yeah sh.t happens but it's the way it's resolved is what's important ,IMO.Just saying.

Barry4
2 posts
21 Aug 2023 5:47PM
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Not a one off. I think someone else mentioned the balance in another thread. I think they meant io ed the slot should be "2 inches further back". I guess this happens with offshore factories from time to time. Someone got their wires crossed. Also, I don't think the fins can fix the problem. I have run it with a HI thruster set and later with an old single fin. Both a pain to carry, but the single is worse. It's a shame, because it was not much chop as a thruster (about the same as my old board), but has better speed with the old single fin.

pohaku
NSW, 851 posts
25 Aug 2023 6:35AM
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More to my point, instead of commenting on here pick up the phone and give the distributor a call and lets see what we can come up with as a result for the handle situation. How does the board perform for you in the surf, on a wave & paddling etc? is the handle the only negative?

Slab
1111 posts
27 Aug 2023 2:28PM
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Bought a lovely Naish Nalu GTW a few years back..handle was way off meaning walking with the board was near impossible. Spoke to the shop, they sent a courier to pick it up and replaced it. Now that's what I call top service. Bought from them again as a result.

surfinJ
674 posts
29 Aug 2023 1:55PM
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Thanks Pohaku for the vid. So Dave has confirmed for me that two of my sup tendencies are not 'out there'. My larger boards still get lots of water time. Sure my 8 footer has it's place on the epic days, but it is the higher length/vol boards that get the stoke going on the average days. And my minimalist paddle usage is not a lack of skill. I was a surfer before sup and when on a wave using the paddle just slightly when needed just feels better.

Surlygringo
95 posts
30 Aug 2023 11:03AM
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Thank you for another interview with Dave. I very much agree with him that having fewer decisions can be a good thing. I have to travel for surf these days and I really appreciate how much fun my 9'x28" is in a variety of conditions. The board just has a great smooth feel in everything. Ideally my quiver at the moment is the 9', a prone short board and a pair of fins.

surfinJ, I watched some of the sup worlds a while back and I have to agree that the paddle work looked a little over the top. I get that they added using the paddle into the judging criteria, but I do think a bit less hacking is more stylish.



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"Kalama SUPs interview with Dave" started by pohaku