Artisan Surf Designs by David Falkenau

Got Glass-ons?

2009-07-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

I just made a fresh batch of Glass On Fins. My Inventory is constantly changing because I mainly do this as a hobby, so I take my time, and make sure my fins are very high quality. For my fiberglass fins, I pay to have the fin panels oriented and laid up for me. Then I take the fin panels back to my shop, trace my templates onto them, cut the fin blanks from the templates on my band saw or with my jig saw (depending on the material), foil them with my Makita sander / grinder, fine tune them by hand-sanding and hand-polishing them, and once they are quality enough to be glassed on a board, I sign them. Check with me on sizes and colors. I also make Wood Baltic Birch Ply Fins and Carbon fiber reinforced fins (which are slightly more expensive due to the carbon fiber material that is used).

Side Bites / Side Runners / Bonzer Runners (1 pair)... $30;

Twin-Fin Set (1 pair)... $35;

Keel Fins / Fish Fins (1 pair)... $40;

Tri-Fin Set (Set of 3 fins)... $45;

Quads / Twinzers (Set of 4 fins)... $50;

Give me a call at 619-757-0100, and I will meet you over at my shop (2658 State Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008) to show you the fins I have.

Thanks,

Dave

Here's the fin I made for Eric Holt's 8' Balsa Gun

2009-06-08T21:33:00.001-07:00

I grabbed some scrap from my stock, glued this up, traced out my template on it, cut it out on the band saw, foiled the fin blank, went over to my buddies, and glassed it with a tint made to look like amber. The strips are Redwood, but I'm not quite sure what wood I grabbed for the light shade... too much wood just mixed and matched in my stock pile.

I roughly foiled the amber glassed fin and hit it with some fine paper and diamond shine wax polish. It still needs a precision foiling and a high grit automotive polish (but I'll leave that up to Eric, since I haven't actually seen the board).

I left a tab in case he wants to use it in a box, but most likely, that will just get cut off on the band saw and glassed onto the 8' balsa gun.

This was a fun project for an old friend, and a great surfer of the "freshwater" tribe!

The fin will finally make its home with the 8' Balsa gun in Holland Michigan.

I'll post the final pics when I get them from Eric.

Here's my 13'5" Yellow Single Fin Pintail that I'm trading to Paul Jensen for his 24' Maas Unlimited Class Open Ocean Paddle Board

2009-06-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

More shots of the 5'10" Thrailkill Twin that I shaped... it's down in Sandy Eggroll, with Josh Hall right now.

2009-05-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

This is the Thrailkill Twin / "Destroyer Twin" / BT Arc Fish / Broom Fish / Grouper Fish. It goes like a scorched ape!

I can make it 5'4" 5'6" 5'7" 5'8" 5'9" 5'10" 5'11" 6'0" 6'1" 6'2" 6'3" 6'4" 6'5" 6'6" 6'7" 6'8" 6'9" 6'10" 6'11" 7'0" 7'4" 7'10" 8'0" 8'6" 8'10" 9'0" 9'2".. pretty much just about any length. I just reuse my nose and tail template, and re-bend the rail curve with my wood fare-curve baton, and make a new template.

This board was designed with the help of Bill Thrailkill of the "Surf Systems" fame. What many people don't realize is that Bill is the originator of the "twin fin", the use of the "D" and reverse "D" fin, the "widow-maker", stabilizers, and corner fins. He was riding his "twin-symmetrically-foiled-fin" set-ups 2" off center back at Pipeline before anyone else ever thought about anything but the single fin. He designed big wave boards that looked like large short boards, which could out-surf anything out there. His theory was that you can always slow a board down, but you can't get a slow board to go fast! This board was built for speed. His boards are arguably the fastest in the water, even today. Typically, the tails are 10" - 10.5" and set-up with the "twin" or "widow-maker" set up.

The actual board in the photos is the 5'10" with a 9" square-tail from tip to tip, 21 3/8" wide, and 2 1/2" Thick.

I wanted to take it out on this small crappy beach break day to see how it compares to a traditional fish of the same dimensions. Steve Lis' fish was originally designed for these Southern San Diego summer-like conditions, and my square-back-Thrailkill-twin version proved itself on every wave!

Above is Noah Houde's dad testing it out

Well... as of today, I'm officially an EMT!!!!!!!

2009-05-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

After about a year of school, scenarios, testing, performing skills, etc... I finally made it!

Next up... EMT-I and EMT-Paramedic through Hill College, Texas! It'll take me about another year, but I'll make a pretty good candidate for just about any fire department around with my Paramedic.

My Skil 190, 5.5A Serial #A-730889 (approx. 55 years old) after Pete Casica's overhaul

2009-05-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Following Josh Hall's advice that my Clark Foam Hitachi planer # CF 4353 was 99% of my problem when I'd run into shaping problems like dips in the rails of one of my longer boards, I decided to sell it (got $250 for it) and invested the money into overhauling my Skil 190 planer circa 1954/1955. This will be my sole planer from here on out.

Note: The knob is from Phil Edwards' own personal planer, from the box of Skil 100 parts he gave to Pete C... so it has some cool history! Terry Martin looked my planer over as well, and commented on what a classic tool it is, and told Pete to find him one! Pete said he's only seen two -- mine, and another one that was in really bad shape.

Here's what I have into my Skil 190, 5.5A
Serial #A-730889 as of today's invoice from Pete C...

$256.09 (price I paid for it on E-bay)

$25.00 (shipping)

$62.00 (what I dropped on the carbide tipped planner blades that I destroyed with my hammer)

$34.00 (NEW ANK HSS Planer Knives to replace the originals and the ones I destroyed with my hammer)

$2.38 (CA sales Tax)

$6.00 (Priority shipping)

$135.00 (Pete C making it like brand new again)

______________________________________

$520.47 (grand Total).....

Not bad for a classic tool that will last longer than I will on this planet.

Here's exactly what Pete did to my planer up in Dana Point and at his Riverside location...

ITEM DESCRIPTION AMOUNT:
1) Bead-blast all housings and cutter drum, paint steel covers (No charge)
2) Disassemble, clean, check mechanical and electrical; Clean motor communtator;
Modify/adjust depth lever for free operation; Resurface and remove sharp edges on
baseplate and shoe; Reassemble, test. ($ 50.00)
3) Install new bearing set (4 bearings) ($ 45.00)
4) Straighten cutter drum and motor shafts. ($ 25.00)
5) Install and align new blade set. ($ 10.00)
6) Remove knob stud and install Skil 100 front knob. ($ 5.00)

SUBTOTAL ($135.00)
TAX .00
SHIPPING & HANDLING .00

TOTAL $ 135.00

-Kawika (David Falkenau)
Artisan Surf Designs: Falkenau Surfboards & Fins
http://www.artisansurfdesigns.blogspot.com

For those of you who still think that we don't get good waves on Lake Michigan...

2009-05-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

If you really want to get a good feel for the musical talent in the midwest, check out these bands.... Leatherheads...and.... The Deal With 44....

2009-05-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

I originally wanted to move to California so I could have my shot at trying to bust into the music scene. I had always thought that the music scene was weak where I grew up in the Midwest. What I quickly realized after moving here, was that the quality of musicians I was working with in the Midwest was far superior to the musicians I was working with in California... and I don't mean that in a bad way... I just know that the people I worked with in the Midwest were more seasoned, well practiced, disciplined, and had a deep soul for the music they were playing, and I realized that it's not the musicians in the Midwest that are lacking, it's the small crowd factor and the inconsistent pool of fans that have always kept us behind in the race to the top.

So before you make any kind of assumption or comment about the music scene in the Midwest, remember, Wilco lives and records in Chicago... go buy Yankee Hotel Foxtrot... and watch "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," a film about Wilco by Sam Jones. Also, keep in mind that Umphrey's McGee started up at Notre Dame, and those guys all started out playing in other outfits, mostly made up of our circle of friends and fellow musicians. furthermore, Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes holds jams in Chicago and often resides there as well.

The bands/musicians that were really good, that stand out in my memory are/were (in no particular order)The Mushroom Head Experience; Umphrey's McGee; Ali Babba's Tahini; Little Frank; Sixteen Tons; X-ray Roger Jimmy; Matt Kovatch (the John Popper of the Midwest); The Deal with 44; Jake Sandock; Aaron "ABE" Sandock; Steve Krojo; Brian Pierce; Steve Pierce; Kieth Paraska; Eric Norris; Derron Hess; Joe Griesenger; Jeff Harrison; Nate Rowe; Dry Rain; The Happy Campers; Kyle Pulk; Chris Lutz; Scott Burkhart; Andy Wincek; Captain Smoothie; John Hicks; Dave Fisher; Jack Wilkinson; Doug Lambert; Aaron Hatton; George Anagnos; The Why Store; Chris Shaffer; Strawberry Larry; Governor Davis; John Mellencamp; Tofer; Jason Michael Thomas; Wilco; Jeff Tweedy; Uncle Tupelo; Jay Bennett; my old drummer "Vinny"; Leatherheads; and gosh, I could go on with this list all day long.

My point is, there is a hub of musicians in the Midwest that need to be placed in the lime light... it's their time to shine!

Here are two of those bands....

Yesterday morning out front of my house... not too big, but fun and uncrowded! I was riding a 5'6" Keel Fish that I shaped for this particular wave.

2009-05-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

A Failsafe Formula for a Chart Topping Pop Song By David Falkenau

2009-04-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

A Failsafe Formula for a Chart Topping Pop Song

By David Falkenau

Tell your version of the story.

Your song’s story should have a beginning, middle and an end – or like an essay, an intro, body, and conclusion. Split your song up into three parts.

Use the recipe… only add to it after you’ve mastered the original! Then you can spice it up!

Two chart topper “pop” formats are:

Intro/Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge/Instrumental/Outro

(I/V/C/V/C/B/i/O)

Intro/Verse/Pre-Chorus/Chorus/Verse/Pre-Chorus/Chorus/Instrumental/Pre Chorus/Chorus

(I/V/PC/C/V/PC/C/i/PC/C)

Don’t make it too long… and don’t make it too short!

Four minutes to four minutes and thirty seconds is the ideal length (4:00 – 4:30).
Thirteen seconds (:13) is the ideal length for an intro, and no more than fifteen to twenty seconds (:15 - :20) at the longest.

You need a well balanced beat / tempo / time-signature.

Chart toppers are usually mid-tempo grooves or up-tempo dance tunes.
4/4 time is ideal (4 whole beats per measure… one, two, three, four…).

If you’re fishing for listeners, set that hook!

Your song must have a “catchy” melody in the introduction or in the chorus that will “hook” your listeners, and make them want to sing or hum that melody over and over in their heads.
Your melody should build-up, or rise in action (like a plot diagram in a novel) through the verse and pre-chorus on its way up to the chorus.
Your melody should climax, or reach its “peak” at a point in the chorus where it all seems to come together.
Let your hook stand out or be known as set apart from the rest of the song.
Give it a different rhythm that clearly “hooks” your listener’s curiosity or attention.

Thank you S.D.F.D. Station 12 and Medic 12 for an awesome ridealong experience...

2009-03-09T08:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning, Sunday, March 8, 2009, I pulled up into the parking lot of Station 12 in Lincoln Park, San Diego at 6:58 a.m. I was led through the gate by a firefighter in turnout gear. She showed me where to park and introduced me to Chris, from the San Diego Fire & Rescue Rural Metro 9-1-1 unit, just getting off a 12 hour shift. He showed me where to put my gear, and went over the compartments on the ambulance with me. Before I even had time to introduce myself to the C-shift crew, getting ready to change the shift over to the A-shift crew (and drop off the bagels I brought as a token of my appreciation), Chris's pager went off. My ride-along was supposed to start a 7:30, but Chris said, grab your gear... let's go. I put on my BSI and rolled up onto the scene of our first call.

I ran the first call with Chris, an EMT, and Colin A. Lewis, a Paramedic. The rest of my shift was with Colin (Paramedic), Bobby C (Paramedic), and the A-shift crew.

I cannot legally discuss details of the calls we were on, but we ran 6 calls in a 12 hour shift (which was actually 7AM - 8:30PM for me... and I loved every minute of it!). We ran calls ranging from adult respiratory to adult cardiac to infant respiratory to an MS patient fall to abdominal pains to an attempted suicide.

I know how firehouses are very much like my old Beta Theta Pi fraternity house at Ball State Univeristy. The crews are very close-knit like family, and they love to mess with the new guy probies and ride-alongs. Put it this way... I didn't fall for the "Oh come on in... were not like that here... we're very chill... just have a seat and read the news paper, and get yourself some coffee..." line when I first walked into the kitchen. And I knew better than to even look into the TV area of the bull pen. I was cracking up when Bobby and Colin told me about the last kid that rolled through here. The guys had him all kicked back with his feet up on the kitchen table, reading a newspaper, and drinking coffee out of the Chief's cup, when the Chief rolled in... I wish I could have seen that!

Anyway, Station 12 is a solid group of genuine people, doing one heck of a great job for the people of San Diego. They have the greatest job in the world, and they don't take it lightly.

I want to thank each and every person that allowed me to make this ride-along happen, and everyone who worked with me... C-shift, A-shift, and especially Chris, Bobby, and Colin on M12.

You guys (and gal) made my whole weekend!

Thanks!

- Dave

Gotta say thanks to San Diego Fire Department Station 12, Medic 12 for letting me do my 8 hour ride along clinical time with them...

2009-03-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

I will be putting in 8 hours on Sunday Morning, March 8th from 7:30 am to 3:30pm with Medic 12, Station 12, Lincoln Park, San Diego! It's all part of my EMT certification for my Firefighter-EMT.

Twinny Report: February 20-23, 2009 - Army Navy Beach, Carlsbad, CA

2009-03-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

I took my 5'10" twin out again this weekend...

I caught 3 waves on Friday before the sun went down, and each one was perfect, glassy, and wide open. I was absolutely flying... or at least it felt that way. My 3rd wave was from the General's house all the way to Fred Kiko's white wave house which is nearly a football field in distance. I was putting so much into that wave, that I felt like puking when I kicked out and laid back down to paddle out... When I got out of the water, my neighbor, Pat, yelled down from his balcony, "David, you looked like you were twenty years old again... nice job out there, kid!" That made me feel like a million bucks.

Saturday, I surfed from 7am until 10:15am, and just couln't surf anymore. I caught too many amazing lefts and rights. My turns made me feel like I was just all style, but I know it was just the board, doing all the work for me. I can't really describe the feeling...

Saturday evening, I surfed again for about 3 hours and just killed it. I was just cranking the shit out of my bottom turns, and just flying back up the face and blowing the lip apart, and re-entereing the face, flying past the sections back up into the upper 3rd, cutting back, makeing sections into shallower water going top to bottom in seconds, just mind-blown at the performance aspects that this new fin setup has added to my "used-to-be-fish-template". It is night and day (this template) ridden as a fish, quad, or twin.

I was too pooped to even paddle out on Sunday... my arms were noodles.

Thanks, Bill, for making me feel like 35 ain't so old afterall!

-Kawika (David Falkenau)
Artisan Surf Designs: Falkenau Surfboards & Fins

ARTISAN SURF DESIGNS: 2658 STATE STREET, CARLSBAD, CA 92008

2009-02-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

Check out this Yellow Skip Frye Keel Fish

2009-02-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to see these beautiful Frye Fish, they are hanging on display in the back room at Legends Surf, 2658 State Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008...

2009-02-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

THEY ARE NOT FOR SALE, SO PLEASE DON'T ASK... THEY WERE GIFTS FROM MY WIFE AND FROM SKIP... I WILL NEVER SELL THESE! I've ridden "Big Red" the Salmon colored one a few times, but "Baby Blue" the Blue one with the sick pinlines has never even seen a bar of wax.

Bill Thrailkill routing out twin boxes in my shaping bay....

2009-02-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

Read about the twin set-up here!

Chad Brienza (a.k.a. Chad Matthews)

2009-01-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Here's my drummer... thought I'd give him props and also help Ian Gallagher show off his photo skills!

2008-12-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Here's a Photo Collection of some of my shapes...

"Just me and my pal Johnny Walker, and his brothers Black and Red..." I made these DESTROYER TWINS for my Thrailkill Twin arsenal...

2008-12-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

These Falkenau Fins "DESTROYER TWINS" work "'Thoroly' good" in my Thrailkill Twin box set-up with my arsenal of Falkenau - Thrailkill Square / Arc / and Broom Tail boards (5'10", 6'0", 6'8", 6'9", 7'0", 7'4", 7'10", 8'4", 8'10", and 9'0"). They are a tribute to one of my favorite bands... George Thorogood and The Destroyers

New Caledonia Shark Steaks

2008-12-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

New Caledonia Shark Steaks

3lbs. shredded coconut
5lbs. shark filets (calls for Great White, but obviously that's not possible or even cool to use... so I just used Thresher, Blue, and Mako)
3 tbsps. coconut oil
4 cups crushed pineapple
1 clove garlic, crushed (may be left out if you prefer)
Pinch of Saffron (I couln't find Saffron that didn't cost a grip of money, so I just used Mexican Saffron and it worked just fine)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water or fish stock (I think fish stock is nasty, so I used chicken stock and it worked just fine)

Lightly fry the shredded coconut in coconut oil.
Add crushed pineapple, garlic, saffron, salt & pepper, plus water or stock.
Place shark filets over the mixture and bring to rapid boil.
Let boil for 20-25 minutes, keeping the kettle tightly covered.
Remove shark steaks and place over French bread, if available, or yams which have been baked.
Now boil down the remaining liquid so that it is thick and pour over the shark.
this is really delicious, although the garlic can be left out if you don't like garlic.
It is just that Garlic is ubiquitous in all French recipes whether it is needed or not, so since this is a French recipe and I love Garlic, I use it... all of it!

Enjoy!

Here's my Vintage Relic Surfboards Australia Pin Machine around 7'...gave it to Joe Roque over at Whitlocks because he has been boardless for awhile!

2008-12-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

This was made in the G & S Factory in PB back around 1968-1970 when Floyd Smith was mowing foam in the bays. It is #9098. I couldn't find a signature anywhere, but maybe it's a Floyd Smith, or a Skip Frye. I've even been told that Larry Mabile shaped it, Hence the "Lion" logo, but I don't think so because Lairmo didn't start with G & S until 1979, and this was definitely shaped before 1979.

Report #3 for the 5'10"... and pics of the board...

2008-12-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

12-11-08
2:39PM - 3:47PM
Army and Navy Academy Beach
2' to the occasional 4'
Clean and Glassy
Super Low Tide

I am starting to really get used to this board, riding it standing up, riding it prone, and riding it as a knee board.

The board can be as fast as the wave allows it, allowing me to be where I need to be, when I need to be there. I can always slow it down by putting my hand in the wave face.

Also, I've noticed that it is very maneuverable... just as maneuverable if not more maneuverable than any single fin, twin fin, fish, quad, 5 fin, tri-fin (thruster), widow-maker, 2 + 1, or whatever that I've ridden.

I used to have a quiver of over 150 surfboards, hanging from the ceilings and walls of my living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, deck, and stashed around the campus at the school where I teach.

I used to surf a minumum of 4 sessions per day... in the morning when I woke up before school, on my break, at lunch, and after school with my students. On the weekends, I would surf for hours at a time... my longest being 10 hours before I felt like a wet prune, burned to a crisp by the sun, and weak from paddleing with no food or water. I just loved to surf.

My point in telling you this is that, all of those sessions gave me the oportunity to take out a new board, or try out a new fin, or experiment with a new set-up... basically what ever I felt like doing with that board at the time. Changing boards through my entire quiver allowed me to really know what worked, what didn't, how it worked, what I liked, what I didn't, what I would have changed, How each board and fin set-up felt, etc.

All of this R & D out in the water allowed me to absorb it, think about it, and take it all back to my shaping bay to apply what I had learned to the boards I was shaping at the time.

I think that was the most valuable lesson in learning how to shape the perfect board for me and my style of surfing (and how to really surf to my highest potential), because I learned exactly what I needed to learn from each of those boards and from the waves I was surfing, so I could apply it to the surfboard designs I was refining, the shapes I was designing and the boards I shaped in my shop.

This board is one of those "perfect" boards for "me". This 5'10" is the end product of all of those surf sessions on 150+ different surfboards with various fin set-ups, countless discussions with Master Shapers and Master Craftsmen... Artisans like Mike Diffenderfer, Carl Ekstrom, Skip Frye, Bill Thrailkill, Jerry Ingham, Donald Takayama, Danny Hess, Paul Jensen, etc. -- not to mention all of the countless hours of posts, PM's, reading, conversations, and research on SWAYLOCKS!

I have finally found the perfect board.

REPORT #2 for the 5'10" ...

2008-12-09T09:35:00.000-08:00

Posted: Dec 8, 2008, 12:48 PM on Swaylocks

Okay, Guys.. here is report #2 for the 5'10"
....

Army and Navy Academy Beach
Saturday 12-06-08
Session: 5:30AM - 10:45AM
Wave Height: waist to shoulder
Conditions: side shore / slight offshore and glassy

I got up at 5:15AM, moved the BT high Aspect Ratio Fins all the way up to the front of the box, with the leading edge about 14-16" up from the tail, donned my smelly wetsuit (still wet from the day before), re-waxed the 5'10, and headed down the Academy stairs (having a key is definitely a perk) to my home break.

I have been living out front of the Academy for about 6 years and have surfed it for 8, so I pretty much have the place wired. It was still a little too dark, but I paddled out anyway.

The waves were there, but due to the extreme high tide, it was breaking too mellow and close to shore to get anything of any quality.

I paddled back and forth from The Point to the north of the Academy and south to the Beach Terrace Inn until about 10:45.

The wave quality and rides got better as the tide dropped. The first wave I took was in front of the lifeguard tower and I took it right with a glassy face and open shoulder about 50 yards to the public access stairs next to Dr. Meiberger's yellow beach house. The board maxed out the wave's speed every time I pumped up into the upper third and held that line. The fin adjustment made a dramatic difference from having them all the way back to the tail the day before. It was much looser, and more to my style and feel.

After moving north toward the point, I got into the rip between the General's house and the new condos and held my position there against the long-shore current because I have figured out that when I first see the wave starting to roll, I can see whether or not it is going to be a right or a left, and sitting in that spot allows me enough time to paddle (at first site) over to catch a right or a left. My next two quality waves were both lefts.

I paddled almost too deep into the pocket of the first left with some good size to it, gave one stroke as it started to throw, got up, grabbed a rail for a split second (not quite barreling yet because of the tide) and flew down the wave until it closed out. I did the same on the next left, only it closed out sooner than the last.

A nice right rolled through and I took off late, made the hook back up into the face and just flew like a scorched ape (as Bill would say) down the face, made another bottom turn as the lip started to fold, planned on doing a floater, but instead, aired right out of the damn wave, because I was going so fast. That surprised me, because it didn't seem like a board I would think to do aerial maneuvers with... especially with those high aspect fins... wouldn't want to come down hard on a landing and snap one or both of those fins or over-stress the boxes.

I was having so much fun that a set wave rolled through, started to break before I could get to it, and decided to ride it anyway on my knees. I couldn't believe how fast I flew out in front of the foam and face. It worked even better as a knee-board!

I ended up riding it as a knee-board for a while and getting little barrels on the inside.

I rode perfect little barrel in a prone position on the inside and felt like a dolphin... it was too cool... just a great feeling.

As the tide dropped out and the waves started to really get good shape, I went back to standing, and just pushed the envelope until my wife and kids came down to the beach. My arms were noodles by then, so I got out and passed the board on to my buddy Steve Peek, when he and his brother Dave came down the public access stairs. He said "What's that!?!" I said, "Go ride it! It's the board you saw when you drove by my house the day I was showing it to Bill, before he routed the slots out for the boxes!" He grabbed the board and caught about 5 waves on it. He came back in and told me it was fun and asked if he could ride it again when the waves got bigger.

I'm just going to keep passing this thing along to let people try it out.

I texted Skip Frye and Left a message with Josh Hall as well to get Richard Kenvin to ride it. I think with the waves down south of here in San Diego, the board will really come alive and show its true potential.

Until next time... stay tuned!

-Kawika

5'10" Square Tail Fish w/ Thrailkill Twin Set-up Report #1

2008-12-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

Posted: Dec 5, 2008, 5:33 PM on Swaylocks

Okay, I admit that I'm still buzzing from the adrenaline, so please excuse me and my Greenroom Font Color...... BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

The waves were mediocre, 4' faces with lefts, rights, and a lot of closing sections. I tried to get out at mid-tide, but life kinda got in the way. However, I was able to run over to my shop, pick the board up, wax it at home, and walk down the beach access to my home break.

I caught 7 good waves (4 rights and 3 lefts).

The first right I took off on closed out quickly, but one good pump in my bottom turn and I flew right past the foam and connected the section. I immediately stood up in the waist high water, flipped the board over, and said, "I'm really onto something here!" I had the fins set all the way to the back of the box, and it was fine, but I think next time I'll move them up a bit to make my turning radius looser.

I have to make this post short, because my wife is at home waiting for me to get there so we can all have dinner....

Anyhow, There was no learning curve with this board. I felt comfortable with it right away... very stable, very fast, very maneuverable. In fact, I noticed that once I got to a certain speed, I could put pressure on my front foot and it revealed a sweet spot that was like an accelerator... I mean that thing really zipped across the face. I tried to paddle in sideways to the waves to get in quickly and stay in the upper third of the wave face and avoid having to make a bottom turn, where at this particular beach break, I would lose that time that I needed to get going before the lip folded and closed out. This helped a great deal and I definitely saw the potential of this fin set-up.

My last wave was a left hand set wave that was about head high. I was going so fast that at one point the board nearly shot out from under my feet, and I had to lean forward and into the face more to stay with the board. I was flying. This was the wave where I realized that I am sure that I will be experimenting more with this setup. I had to call it a session after this wave... I wanted to end it on a good one!

I am completely stoked.

Until Report #2, stay tuned......
-Kawika