I love my 10' log for 1-4 gentle waves, but what are people riding on hollow beach breaks, 2-8 foot, while still retaining a retro feel?

I had a look at the South Coast Slot Machine, and the McT Tracker in smaller sizes. Both look nice. Any other nice single-fin options?

lets be real here, most would be riding short boards in hollow beach breaks.

and shorties have been around for ages now.


its about the right board for the right job- no real way around it imo.


disc i'm being honest and i mostly ride 666's

I think Lacey is onto something here

Ya just don't ride a log in big surf there are many better options out there now days

Well that's what I am asking Slot Machines start at about 5'10" I think, and Trackers at about 6'2"?

What are people riding as an alternative to logs in the bigger hollow stuff? I have tried a few times to return to performance short boards for the more serious stuff, but it really conflicts a lot with my style of riding nowadays. It's like I have to relearn how to surf every time I change back and forth.

Scoping out a new performance shortboard with a little more volume than I am used to, but would still prefer riding something a little more connected to a traditional feeling.

Sorry your going to have to go for a tracker my friend,its a McT after all

Oh the pain of it all

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zarb said..

Oh the pain of it all

more pain coming your way

http://www.mctavish.com.au/surfboard/tracker

saw this one in the flesh awesome

www.mctavish.com.au/surfboards-buy/unique-shapes

Thoughts on the Bluebird?

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zarb said..

Thoughts on the Bluebird?

I was asking what would the one board that would be sort after as a wall hanger the bluebird name came up that's all I know.

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zarb said..
I love my 10' log for 1-4 gentle waves, but what are people riding on hollow beach breaks, 2-8 foot, while still retaining a retro feel? I had a look at the South Coast Slot Machine, and the McT Tracker in smaller sizes. Both look nice. Any other nice single-fin options?

Diverse GM 7'6" pintail. Its 22" wide x 3" with rails that you'd find on a shortie. It has a v bottom but nothing extreme.
Mine was one of the earlier ones before Dave labelled them as a funboard (aargh) on his website and made some of them with round tails.
This was before the Tracker re-release.
Designed as a board for longboarders as a board to ride in waves that are pushing the limits of said longboards.
I can still duckdive it effectively as long as there isn't too many waves in a set.

Ridden mine mostly as a 2 plus one with bonzer sides and 6-7" centre. I did ride it with a 9' fluid foils soul flex in 4-5' tea tree and want to try it with an 8" Greenough 4A I have but the waves have been a bit small for it lately.
One good thing about the Diverse's is Dave has a good sized demo fleet so there's the chance to ride first.
I didn't need to ride one first though. As soon as he showed off the one he shaped for himself I knew it would fit the gap I had in my quiver.

Also have a 6'10" G&S magic fish which is shaped by Nigel Perrow.
It has the planshape similar to an MR but its foil is all 80's thickness with todays rails in a single flyer swallow.
Ride this when I want to surf more progressively than on the longboard-ish feel of the GM.
This board allows the power surfing carves of my youth in larger waves.

Prior to these two boards taking over the larger waves duties I'd ride a 7' x 21" x 3" Michael Cundith 7T diamond tail with a 2 plus one. Mostly rode that with bonzer sides and a 6.5" centre.
Had the old skool 70's feel but with the modern rails and single into double concave teamed with the bonzer fins it allowed it to be surfed with more critical turns than an old single.
All three boards inspire confidence in solid waves with early wave entry and no skittishness.

Used to ride a 7' Rooster (Darrell Dell) 70's style single (similar to a bluebird) and found it too one dimensional for my tastes. Seen some come through my local surfshop in the used racks and I look at them and think they look nice and then slap myself back into the present.

Fyi Diverse have a used 6'10" bluebird ($1000) and a G&S tracker remake ($500) for sale in their used boards on the website.
Would be interesting to find out what boards the customers traded these ones for.

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zarb said..

Well that's what I am asking Slot Machines start at about 5'10" I think, and Trackers at about 6'2"?

What are people riding as an alternative to logs in the bigger hollow stuff? I have tried a few times to return to performance short boards for the more serious stuff, but it really conflicts a lot with my style of riding nowadays. It's like I have to relearn how to surf every time I change back and forth.

Scoping out a new performance shortboard with a little more volume than I am used to, but would still prefer riding something a little more connected to a traditional feeling.

sorry about that chef. i thought you were still looking at longboards for hollow

No problemo. Done hollow and big on my 10' log before (much to the amusement of the other surfers). It's fun but definitely not something I would subject myself or the board to every day

I think Cuttles suggestions are spot on. I hate the way they call it the Funboard shape as well Cuttle.

I had SDR shape me an 8fter with bit of extra rocker 22 x 3 and 57 litres. He calls is "WA" rocker. I find this works well in punchy beachies but is a little slow at LM when I surf with all the old men I pretend I can duck dive it but a decent set will clean me up.

Lacey Daneli is talking about you again

Mct G2 or Speedshape carver look like they might do the job....or you could get Wayne Lynch to shape you up something...he has a few in the Patagonia shop and they look sweet

Mct g2 in beachbreaks?
Peurto Escondido here we come.

I just had a suggestion over on the shortboarders forum to check out one of the local shapers for Jackson surfboards. I'll have a good look around!

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Cuttlefish said..
Mct g2 in beachbreaks?Peurto Escondido here we come.

8ft hollow beachbreaks...dunno what you would be using but I'd want something with a nice low entry rocker and plenty of paddle power....

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Cuttlefish said..

Fyi Diverse have a used 6'10" bluebird ($1000) and a G&S tracker remake ($500) for sale in their used boards on the website.
Would be interesting to find out what boards the customers traded these ones for.

The G & S Tracker is my brother's board. He bought it about 13yrs ago to take to Bali instead of longboard. He arrived the day of the Sari Club bombings and was about 200m from it when it happended.

Its a full remake of their boards from 1970 / decals / voulan (spelling) glass job. Its in good condition - a couple of deck compressions as I'm not to quick to my feet when I surf it!!

He know lives 6 weeks on 6 weeks off in Bali as he is on the merchant ships and has just taken the following boards over:

(1) 7'6 McT Tracker
(2) 8'0 Vouch single fin - rolled bottom, think Inner Most Limits of Pure Fun

vouchsurf.blogspot.com/
(3) 9'6 Diverse Nose Rider / Log. - traded the Tracker & new Classic Malibu nose rider with glassed in fin (not good for travel)

He's always been a bit of a retrosexual and has eschewed anything that is not 40 yrs out of date!!

PS: 8ft hollow beachies and I'm riding my body board!!

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Tux said..

Cuttlefish said.. Mct g2 in beachbreaks?Peurto Escondido here we come.

8ft hollow beachbreaks...dunno what you would be using but I'd want something with a nice low entry rocker and plenty of paddle power....

See my post above for what I ride. When it hits 6-8' I am not hitting beachbreaks anymore because they'll hit me back.
Straight to my local points for me.

Great story Dazzler.

8ft beachies.....I will stay on the beach. Once it gets to 6ft I leave beachies alone and hit the reefs or points only. Had too many bad experiences. Ouch

Some of those creative army boards look lovely.

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Ted the Kiwi said..

8ft beachies.....I will stay on the beach. Once it gets to 6ft I leave beachies alone and hit the reefs or points only. Had too many bad experiences. Ouch

Some of those creative army boards look lovely.

check it Ted

yew

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zarb said..
I love my 10' log for 1-4 gentle waves, but what are people riding on hollow beach breaks, 2-8 foot, while still retaining a retro feel? I had a look at the South Coast Slot Machine, and the McT Tracker in smaller sizes. Both look nice. Any other nice single-fin options?

Even better than a Tracker, would be to retain the Tracker Template, and add some harder more modern rails, and you can retain a glassed in fin and tint... 70's retro looks, with improved performance.

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62mac said..

Lacey Daneli is talking about you again

Could be the start of a new Bromance

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jasdeking said..

check it Ted

yew

yep....I liked the look of the Captain....and a few others.........lots of others

Did you build that site? If so nice job!

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Ted the Kiwi said..

jasdeking said..

check it Ted

yew

yep....I liked the look of the Captain....and a few others.........lots of others

Did you build that site? If so nice job!

yeh we did thanks mate and joshconstable.com some great vids in it

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Simondo said..


Even better than a Tracker, would be to retain the Tracker Template, and add some harder more modern rails, and you can retain a glassed in fin and tint... 70's retro looks, with improved performance.

I think you're on to something there...I'd have a go...maybe 7'2"?

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zarb said...
[br]I love my 10' log for 1-4 gentle waves, but what are people riding on hollow beach breaks, 2-8 foot, while still retaining a retro feel?

I had a look at the South Coast Slot Machine, and the McT Tracker in smaller sizes. Both look nice. Any other nice single-fin options?

If you are really serious about big hollow waves I would be cautious of trackers or any similar board. They can be as challenging to ride as your log. If you are not careful they will spin out constantly.

Myself, in bigger conditions when I want to go retro, I fish out one of my old early to mid 1970's mini gun single fins. If you want a modern version of the same go to Mark Richards website and have a look at his retro series. For a four times world champ, they are very well priced, not to forget exceptional quality.

If you were not serious about double overhead killer tubes you might even get away with a 1978 MR Free Ride twin remake. These boards are v bottom with lots of thickness towards the nose. I have one of his 1980's and it is an incredible board. Still, the 78 would be the pick if you wanted a more traditional work of art.

For me bigger waves and I want more rocker to give me some more control.