Howdy,

I was wondering if anyone has ridden a glider - Skip Frye-esq.

There are a few shapers around the traps that have a version of them, I would love some ride reports/info.

Are they an all-round board (as far as longboards go) that they are billed as - e.g. handle ankle to well overhead depending on skill.

Its funny - the older I get the more I am drawn to longer boards.... Must be trying to compensate for something

Haven't ridden one but the attraction to an 11'+ is strong.

I haven't but riding my 10' CA would be similar and I find its great up to head high and even over as long as the waves aren't too steep and critical.

also, I know "Big Spaz" from here has just had a Dead Kooks similar thing shaped, looks unreal!!! he's hardly on here so maybe send him an IM.

cheers,

Roger Hall @ Surfline is just starting one ,knowing him it will be something special keep an eye the Surfline Facebook page over the next few weeks .
There is a picture of the blank , I tried to post but it didn't happen

Seen a few things on Skip Frye and his big boards. He calls it cross country surfing. The perfect board for small waves on points and river mouths. If you have a wave like that nearby it would be a good board to have. You'd even outdo some of the 666's on one of those.

Yeah, yeah, this has been posted before. But still....

im going to buy a 50ft board for snapper look out farkers

The California gliders are a poor design type in my opinion, and they are certainly not all rounders.

Select to expand quote

RoyStuart said..
The California gliders are a poor design type in my opinion, and they are certainly not all rounders.

Thats correct anything coming out of any other shaping bay is sh-t right Roy

Select to expand quote

vanders1 said..
Haven't ridden one but the attraction to an 11'+ is strong.

you leave the longer boards to to the 666 boys ,sorry men.


when you go 12,6 out in the surf come and talk to me.


and yes I have prone surfed a 14 ft 66 out at snapper

Select to expand quote

Macaha said..

RoyStuart said..
The California gliders are a poor design type in my opinion, and they are certainly not all rounders.

Thats correct anything coming out of any other shaping bay is sh-t right Roy

Nah it's the shape not the place it was made in which counts.

Here's a 13'9"

Select to expand quote

RoyStuart said..
The California gliders are a poor design type in my opinion, and they are certainly not all rounders.

Why do you think they are a poor design Roy ? I agree that the board isn't an all rounder but in certain waves it would be a very good board.

They don't turn well in trim, and are overly long for the usual longboard forward trim/tail turning mode. Pulling the tail in from the wide point cures the problem

Select to expand quote

RoyStuart said..
They don't turn well in trim, and are overly long for the usual longboard forward trim/tail turning mode. Pulling the tail in from the wide point cures the problem

Well his turns sure looked a lot better than yours

Wavelength - Thanks for posting that vid, that is what has gotten me interested in these boards. Amazing surfing, I have watched this about 100 or more times.

Roy - From my limited understanding (very limited) does having the rail not pulled in (straighter) allow the board to stick to the face of the wave more. Making the board not slip out? P.S - I enjoy your input, just for future reference please use small, layman's term words as 90% of what you say goes over my head most of the time.

Cheers Leashless. Get one, I say!
This bloke goes allright on his 11' Eagle too...

Hi Leashless,

They are amazing !

I started following these styles in about 2003 and got my hands on a 10' Wegener Crusader Model in 2007 (after watching Tom Wegener carve in Siesta's & Ola's on a similar shape).

Josh Hall has more recently pumped out some beauties after learning his trade via Skip Frye and Dead Kooks are making some gorgeous Gliders now here on the East Coast.

This is my most recent - it's 10'9 in length and a magnet.

As for riding them, they do take a bit of tuning after riding a 9' something but the feeling is sensational after getting them dialled.

Dont limit yourself to peelers either, they fold across a wave face at overhead in a way that's surprisingly good too.

F0rking hell SA - that is a looker. I am green with envy looking at your boards!

I have been checking out Josh Halls versions and they look unreal....

I am sooo torn on what I want as the next board - between a Creative Army noserider and a glider... I think the glider is coming up the winner at the moment! ! !

Can you give some insight into whats going on underneath there? Hull entry, single to double - Any vee????

Thanks mate!

Very nice SA...

That's a beautiful board Surfanimal. Love it.
Leashless.... there's some good (and not so good...) info in this thread... I especially liked Binky's input on p3.
forum.surfer.com/index.php

Thanks Wavelength - some interesting replies....

Here is what "Binky" had to say on page 3. Super interesting............

I have a Josh Hall double eagle version that is 10' 10". Just like that orange one, but a foot cut out of the middle. Thought that I would only ride it in tiny mush. Wrong! The more I ride it, the more I ride it in different wave types. It takes a few sessions to get it figured out, but if you give it 5 or 10 sessions you will be hooked.

Bottom is belly at nose, long single concave through middle, and super double concave V in tail. 8.5" frye fin that is really far forward, like almost a "double shaka" from the tail. It has NEVER slid out on me, even when getting hit with whitewater. I see no need for side fins on these. The limiting factor in turning an 11 foot board is that it is an 11 foot board! If you are on the tail it will do a cutback or carve, but these things have almost no rocker so you just want to trim them anyway. Board is just wicked fast. It is totally addictive. It is true that there is a sweet spot and it is back toward the tail. Unlike most longboards, you don't get any speed benefit from going up to the nose. Just stand tall and GLIDE.

They actually work great for short beachbreak waves, because you can catch the swell, set a line, then just backdoor the section that you would be just starting to catch on any other board. This was the biggest surprise for me. It also makes really boring waves become really fun. Everyone who surfs should get one, because they teach you so much about trimming, body positioning, and just get you to relax and not spazz out. The board finds the right place to be on the wave.. just kick back and let it take you there.

My friend has a Larry Mabile version with a different bottom (no concaves) and a little fuller outline. Also fun as heck

Select to expand quote

wavelength said..
Cheers Leashless. Get one, I say!
This bloke goes allright on his 11' Eagle too...

?rel=0

CJ was using one of my Spitfire fins on that board during the session, he used it for the entire trip.

"Oh man!! I love the fin and rode it daily in my 11' skip frye eagle copy. It's changed a lot of my perception of what works. My mind is opened. I put it in my 9'6 when I got home from Mexico yesterday but havnt surfed yet. I will keep you posted on how that goes."

Mark CJ Nelson

Select to expand quote

surfanimal said..

Hi Leashless,

They are amazing !

I started following these styles in about 2003 and got my hands on a 10' Wegener Crusader Model in 2007 (after watching Tom Wegener carve in Siesta's & Ola's on a similar shape).

Josh Hall has more recently pumped out some beauties after learning his trade via Skip Frye and Dead Kooks are making some gorgeous Gliders now here on the East Coast.

This is my most recent - it's 10'9 in length and a magnet.

As for riding them, they do take a bit of tuning after riding a 9' something but the feeling is sensational after getting them dialled.

Dont limit yourself to peelers either, they fold across a wave face at overhead in a way that's surprisingly good too.

The Crusader is an entirely different animal, a much better design I don't know how you can stand the one above.

Select to expand quote

leashless said..


Roy - From my limited understanding (very limited) does having the rail not pulled in (straighter) allow the board to stick to the face of the wave more. Making the board not slip out? P.S - I enjoy your input, just for future reference please use small, layman's term words as 90% of what you say goes over my head most of the time.

Not really, what it does is allow a fast locked in trim but very little else unless the rider swings the board around from the tail.

That's becomes more noticeable as the boards get longer and heavier, lightish 11 footers can sort of get away with it.t

Select to expand quote

Tux said..

RoyStuart said..
They don't turn well in trim, and are overly long for the usual longboard forward trim/tail turning mode. Pulling the tail in from the wide point cures the problem

Well his turns sure looked a lot better than yours

If you say so... my board is however three feet longer and weighs 55 pounds.

It has the glide, and turns well, at any speed.

The same board in small point break waves:

... but for long railed glide and trim nothing beats the super flexy and thin 12'9" Makaha with its 9 feet of ultra flat rockered tail...

...for something closer to 11 feet:

Mark CJ Nelson commented on this video that the board "turns amazingly well from the sweet spot"

Roy how hard is it to paddle onto the waves on those boards?

Select to expand quote

RoyStuart said..

leashless said..


Roy - From my limited understanding (very limited) does having the rail not pulled in (straighter) allow the board to stick to the face of the wave more. Making the board not slip out? P.S - I enjoy your input, just for future reference please use small, layman's term words as 90% of what you say goes over my head most of the time.

Not really, what it does is allow a fast locked in trim but very little else unless the rider swings the board around from the tail.

That's becomes more noticeable as the boards get longer and heavier, lightish 11 footers can sort of get away with it.t

So what's wrong with trimming the board and stepping back onto the tail to turn before stepping forward to trim it or maybe running up to the nose ? To me long boarding is about utilizing the boards length and moving up or back on the board as the wave dictates as opposed to standing in one spot.

Thanks for hijacking a post on Gliders with 6 straight posts on your boards and fins Roy.

Maybe consider starting a new topic on CJ Nelson or your Fins / Boards rather than smothering this topic next time.

Unless you've ridden the Dead Kooks 10'9, you cannot comment on 'how I can stand riding it' as I won't comment on your boards or fins as I won't ever ride either.

....shame, this topic had potential.

Select to expand quote

leashless said..


I am sooo torn on what I want as the next board - between a Creative Army noserider and a glider... I think the glider is coming up the winner at the moment! ! !

There's some Glider action in this vid from about the 2.52 mark... Interesting to see how it goes in similar waves to the 10ft noserider that's being ridden at the start of the clip by the same guy. Food for thought, Leashless. It has me swinging back towards the 10fter, but then it's just one clip.... Maybe get both.

Cyrus's 4 day California road trip to get some waves during January 2014's run of clean surf.Surfboards ridden in order10' Noserider by Ryan Burch
11'2" Glider by Ryan Burch
10' Log by Almond Surfboards
7'6" Quad by Jeff McCallum