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HPD paipo vs. Freeline or Romanosky bellyboard-Which to buy?

 
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johnxyz



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts:
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:49 am    Post subject: HPD paipo vs. Freeline or Romanosky bellyboard-Which to buy? Reply with quote

I was going to ask on the forum what other posters experience with the
Hawaii Paipo Designs board. I spoke by telephone to Paul L. and he
appeared to be a good guy. Can anyone further clarify how the HPD's are actually constructed?

Is Paul the only manufacturer of paipos in the US? If not what are the
other brands?

Also what is your opinion of the PU foam and glass, finned belly boards from John Mel/Freeline and Ron Romanosky?

Type of fins (and fin sox) recommended - Voit Duck Feet UDT, Churchills
( brands I grew up with)? What about all the new brands featured on
ebodyboarding.com? I don't want a boogie board. (My brother and I
bought the originals back in the 70's from Tom Morey when you had to
assemble them youself w/ 3M adhesive!)

I'm located in here on the East Coast in NJ and would like to purpase a
paipo or finned bellyboard.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations/advice on purchasing a new paipo or bellyboard.
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Poobah
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 09 Jan 2004
Posts: 696
Location: California, San Diego

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All three of the board builders you mentioned are very good and enthusiastic about what they do, but just the cost of shipping one could exceed the cost of a skimboard option.

I recently purchased a fiberglass & divinycell Wave Zone skimmer on Ebay for $45.00 plus $20.00 shipping. It was a diamond tail similar to this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22710&item=7143841636&rd=1

I can't vouch for the longevity of the Wave Zone skimmer, but the workmanship looks and feels good. You might want to blunt the lower side of the rails with wet-dry sandpaper. You could be riding one in a week, and then you could take your time looking for something else to ride, like a custom bellyboard from a local shaper or???
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Poobah
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 09 Jan 2004
Posts: 696
Location: California, San Diego

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poobah wrote:

I can't vouch for the longevity of the Wave Zone skimmer...


I should elaborate on that a bit. The Wave Zone diamond tail is rated for a 120 pound rider. To a certain degree it's a strength rating, but more importantly it's a bouyancy rating for standup skimmers. A heavy rider bogs down the board, and a light rider is too high on the water (less manuevarable.) Will the 120 pound-rated skimboard withstand the weight and torque of a 175 pound bellyboarder? Maybe yes, maybe no. You're not jumping on the board, and the weight of the prone rider is distributed better. And will it ride well in New Jersey waves? Maybe yes, maybe no. So "buyer beware" when experimenting with a skimboard as a paipo. Consider also that it's only a $65.00 gamble (shipping included), and not a $400.00 to $600.00 gamble.
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johnxyz



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts:
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poobah

Thank you for your reply. I didn't realize that a modern skimboard could be used as a paipo. Is this the way to start out rather than ordering a HPD right off the bat? It certainly makes sense monetarily. What is the shipping on a HPD from their Hawaii or Seattle company to the East Coast (NJ)?

I agree about getting a BB built locally as shipping boards is really expensive. What dimensions, rocker, rails for a BB?

Maybe the skim as a paipo is the way to go. Anyone else?

Poobah what is your sugesstion for swim fins for the skimboard? Source?

Thanks again, John
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kage
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am exactly there! As many may know, because I have been whining and moaning on various discussion boards, my Hawiian Paipo Designs board just fell apart. Not that I am complaining I have had it for about 5 years and rode and rode it and roded it. Probably about 100 days per year, more than any of my other boards. That seems like pretty good wear. Though he does sort of imply that they are guaranteed forever and others have sort of confirmed so we will see. Anyway it was an awesome board. I rode it in little winky tink 2 footers up to yikes 10 foot hold on for dear life. It is the only commercially made paipo I have ever ridden.
Which brings me to the next question Romo or HPD or Freeline. I just got back an email from Ron - $375 for a clear board, I beleve John at Freeline will charge the same, that's what he told me for a new kneeboard last month. So the HPD is cheaper. I don't know if you can tell -- the HPD is waaaay thinner, it's not strictly a foam style board. Now that I can see inside of it , it's about a quarter inch of foam and a whole lot of glass, just barely floats you a little bit. When you take off (strictly fins) you are pushing totally and then jumping on. The Romo boards I've seen pictures of -- like Lollipop ((wow!)in the other thread) look more traditional thick foam construction. I am used to the thin spoon type board and would probably not ride anything else if I could knee on it. But the thought of a custom board from either of those two masters - Mel and Romanosky is awfully tempting. After getting innumerable emails bumped back from HPD (the address is bogus) I left a message on the phone so we will see. Anyway Mr. Xyz keep me posted, because I think we may be arguing about who should get their board made first. he he he
by the way -- Vipers! V7's 100%!! Very Happy
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kage
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just can't shut up once I get started. Poobah, is there any kick in the nose on that skimboard? I've been on flat boards before and couldn't handle the pearling.
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johnxyz



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts:
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kage

Thanks for the reply - $375 for a handshape from Mel or Romo seems tempting, especially in light of the HPD appearing a la Surftech/pop-ou-tish.

But ordering a Wave Zone off of e-Bay is tempting at that price point. The construction appears similar to an HPD although the dimensions are quite different.

By the way where do you buy your Viper V7's?

Poobah - enough nose rocker on the skim to work in waves like Kage referenced?

Thanks guys
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kage
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ebodyboarding.com for fins. There is always a debate going on about fins at his discussion board too.
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PaipoJim
Director of CTU


Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts:
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnxyz wrote:
Kage

Thanks for the reply - $375 for a handshape from Mel or Romo seems tempting, especially in light of the HPD appearing a la Surftech/pop-ou-tish.

But ordering a Wave Zone off of e-Bay is tempting at that price point. The construction appears similar to an HPD although the dimensions are quite different.


John,

I would start with an HPD if you can swing the current $240 price. It's thin foam covered in fiberglass and polyester resin construction. Check out the old posts on this board for the pros and cons of this design. The three things that I can say about this design are that it absolutely xxxx excels at down the line speed (once you're on plane who cares about buoyancy!), can facilitate duckdiving under BIG whitewater like a mofo, and doesn't travel that far away when you lose it; due to its neutral buoyancy. As for turning - well it's just great when you are in a glassy barrel, the wide hip acts as a skeg when you are cranked over in a high speed turn.

For junkier mushy stuff a little more foam and some fins may very well help. Our eminent host Rod Rodgers really rips on thick, finned, foam boards so don't rule 'em out. He's really crankin' on a fairly mushy wave in the second pic of this previous thread: http://rodndtube.com/paipo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=200

I am completely addicted to the speed a totally flat planing surface can generate: http://rodndtube.com/paipo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=201 so I am trying to overcome any reduced turning ability in the flat skegless design by building s fair amount of flex into the wings. I'll post some photos when i get one working.

Victoria Skimboards ough to have cornered the "market" in thin paipos Laughing (for all 43 of us) but I guess they have their hands full. Using a skimboard looks promising but they have a little too much total rocker and not enough nose rocker for my tastes (although I'm always pimping the kids in the shorebreak to get outside and catch some waves with them.)

Have you thought about building a prototype of your own out of plywood?

Fins: <personal journey deleted> Start with short yellow dot Vipers.
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PaipoJim
Director of CTU


Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts:
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kage wrote:
The Romo boards I've seen pictures of -- like Lollipop ((wow!)in the other thread) look more traditional thick foam construction. I am used to the thin spoon type board


Lollipop has really fat rails in order to hold high while tucked up in the pocket on a steep face. Belly-boarding while going left at L***** C***** down in SoCal was the reference break when talking to Ron about this board. Only 44 inches long though. It floats plenty well but might be a bit unstable for knee-ing it, but maybe not with longer fins. When rding it prone it likes short fins for easy turning (it can spin like a boogie) and long fins for larger arcs down the line.
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rodndtube
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 690
Location: USA, MD, Baltimore

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John, I like a more flexible blade so I go with the Vipers 5" Flex Orange Dot. The Yellow Dot is the stiff blade and comes in both the 5" and 7" models. You won't see the Viper V5 Flex Orange Dot listed on http://eBodyboarding.com, but just make the XL order for the V5 Yellow Dot and make a special notation in the check-out comment box and follow-up with a phone call and they will take care of you with a special order.

Flippers/fins are like keyboards and monitors and wetsuits -- lot's of personal preferences.
_________________
rodNDtube
"Prone to ride"
I love my papa li`ili`i
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kage
Dolphin Glider


Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Santa Cruz

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I finally got in contact with Paul (HPD) and considering my difficulties with the previous board, he's letting me have a new one at a deeply discounted rate. Quite nice I thought and I'm also upgrading to the flex model so I can't wait.
The email address on his website worked after all, apparently aol filters out some mail from business addresses becuase it appears to be spam? So if you have trouble with his email that might be it?
Anyway with the money I save and if I sell a couple of boards I might be able to afford a foam style board, Romo or Freeline. Decadent me. Very Happy Thanks for the advice from all.
As has been said on this forum many times and others too in regards to flippers --try them on!
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