Building my quiver. Again. Fun, maybe leading to divorce.
4 boards.
1 x Ironing board. Deep Minion. Tick.
1 in the pipeline. Ssshhhh.
1 x 10 foot Slog. TSJ Laguna Bay. Tick.
1 x 9 foot fat boy gun. Smik custom. Tick.
Don't know why, but I'm glad I did.
I had Scotty shape this up for the bigger days. He was great to deal with, and I nearly shat when it was finished in 3 WEEKS! WTF?! Brought it over from W.A. himself, and I picked it up from his sister's house in Brizvegas. I felt like one of the family!
Have had it out twice in atrocious crap, but the waves I did get were awesome. The squirt off the tail on this board is amazing. And that was with the stock fins. Can't wait to try it with C Drives.
Slight single concave through the nose, flattening out through the centre into a subtle double concave through the tail.
I never lost confidence taking a late drop. The nose is perfect.

9'1" x 30" x 4 1/4" (@ centre)
124L
9.2kg

Pros:
- Nice forgiving nose kick
- Aggressive deck grip, flat standing area, nice fat kick pad
- Tough coating, great finish all over, looks f'n smik
- Turns so very well off the tail, got me out of the poo a few times
- Turns almost as well from the middle
- Volume nicely centred, fine, slightly pulled down rails
- Quality carbon fins
- Big deep handle for big fat mits

Con:
- Handle is about 6" too far back, drops the nose when carrying, and messed with my head stance wise. Learned to deal with it pretty quickly.

Stoked, stoked, stoked! Cheers Scotty!

Looks SMIK

Great looking board!! Love to try one out, hopefully Merimbula this year!!

Personally I wouldn't accept a board with a handle that is way off....in fact I have sent a board back for that reason and quite rightly it was taken back and new one given. With a custom you expect it to be bang on. Basically you have a board that is faulty imho, regardless of whether it surfs great.

I have a pal with a custom SMIK with the same problem....he finds it a pain to carry.....but it surfs great. It is a small light board so he can put up with it. Anything bigger and he would be in difficulty. SMIK isn't the only one that produces boards now and again with handles that are way out....but these are customs so you would expect attention to detail.

i just don't know why folk put up with this. It is **** imho.

Sorry if this spoiled your stoke post...it is a really nice looking board...but if that were me that handle will piss me off in the long run if you have long walk ins. And selling on can be a prob.

Come on manufacturers....get it right!

yes, the handle thing is a particular gripe of mine as before I got tough on dealers I put up with it....stupidly. Starboard, Fanatic, Naish.....all had niggles until sorted.....I have long walk ins and use bigger boards mostly. Jimmy Lewis, JP Aus....bang on so far for me.

There is no excuse for misplaced handles in my opinion.

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Slab said..
Personally I wouldn't accept a board with a handle that is way off....in fact I have sent a board back for that reason and quite rightly it was taken back and new one given. With a custom you expect it to be bang on. Basically you have a board that is faulty imho, regardless of whether it surfs great.

I have a pal with a custom SMIK with the same problem....he finds it a pain to carry.....but it surfs great. It is a small light board so he can put up with it. Anything bigger and he would be in difficulty. SMIK isn't the only one that produces boards now and again with handles that are way out....but these are customs so you would expect attention to detail.

i just don't know why folk put up with this. It is **** imho.

Sorry if this spoiled your stoke post...it is a really nice looking board...but if that were me that handle will piss me off in the long run if you have long walk ins. And selling on can be a prob.

Come on manufacturers....get it right!

yes, the handle thing is a particular gripe of mine as before I got tough on dealers I put up with it....stupidly. Starboard, Fanatic, Naish.....all had niggles until sorted.....I have long walk ins and use bigger boards mostly. Jimmy Lewis, JP Aus....bang on so far for me.

Honestly doesn't worry me that much mate. Every board I've owned has had it's quirks. I was struggling to find anything negative to say about the board. Would have been poor form not to mention it. The last custom I had made doesn't even have a handle.......
Funny you mention two other brands at the end. I've had both. One chipped along the rails like it was painted with house paint, and the other creased across the nose within a month.

Looks like my Jimmy Lewis Stun Gun 9'2 pretty much same dimensions and shape is pretty close too...!!! Hope it ripps mate

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Dylpeters said..
Looks like my Jimmy Lewis Stun Gun 9'2 pretty much same dimensions and shape is pretty close too...!!! Hope it ripps mate

It does mate. Dusted off my C Drives and took her out for a spin this arvo. Lovin' it.

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Brenno said..

Slab said..
Personally I wouldn't accept a board with a handle that is way off....in fact I have sent a board back for that reason and quite rightly it was taken back and new one given. With a custom you expect it to be bang on. Basically you have a board that is faulty imho, regardless of whether it surfs great.

I have a pal with a custom SMIK with the same problem....he finds it a pain to carry.....but it surfs great. It is a small light board so he can put up with it. Anything bigger and he would be in difficulty. SMIK isn't the only one that produces boards now and again with handles that are way out....but these are customs so you would expect attention to detail.

i just don't know why folk put up with this. It is **** imho.

Sorry if this spoiled your stoke post...it is a really nice looking board...but if that were me that handle will piss me off in the long run if you have long walk ins. And selling on can be a prob.

Come on manufacturers....get it right!

yes, the handle thing is a particular gripe of mine as before I got tough on dealers I put up with it....stupidly. Starboard, Fanatic, Naish.....all had niggles until sorted.....I have long walk ins and use bigger boards mostly. Jimmy Lewis, JP Aus....bang on so far for me.

Honestly doesn't worry me that much mate. Every board I've owned has had it's quirks. I was struggling to find anything negative to say about the board. Would have been poor form not to mention it. The last custom I had made doesn't even have a handle.......
Funny you mention two other brands at the end. I've had both. One chipped along the rails like it was painted with house paint, and the other creased across the nose within a month.

Cool....glad it ain't a prob to you. Was out this morning ....20 min plus walk in with a bit of wind...one guy cursing his off handle, the other talking about his mate's new board that is getting replaced as it drags due to the handle. Two of us using web straps it's when you are carrying longboard SUPs that the handle thing becomes a big issue.

Hope the board rips and keeps you stoked

Brenno, Looks awesome - totally smik! Handle schmandle. Put a sticker if you don't know where to put your feet, but I know that's not your issue.

Have started a conversation with Scotty. May lead to USA geezer Twinnie

Cheers

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Brenno said..

Dylpeters said..
Looks like my Jimmy Lewis Stun Gun 9'2 pretty much same dimensions and shape is pretty close too...!!! Hope it ripps mate

It does mate. Dusted off my C Drives and took her out for a spin this arvo. Lovin' it.

Wouldn't mind trying out the C-Drives. Anyone know where you get buy them on the Sydney North shore?

handle aside, lets talk about the colour nice shape though

Geez, I thought the good JP's stayed home. Chippaholic BAD. Never again..