rodndtube.com's (OLD) MyPaipoBoards Forums. Reading but no posting on the OLD forums.

[geoffreylevens]

Yes, loosing planning area an issue. My understanding of the parabolics is that they hold in better, a little less drifty on turns, a bit more carvable. Could always start from a wider board and then cut the parabola to end up w/ similar planning area...

I will email J and T and see if I get a response I will post it here.

[geoffreylevens]

Also emailed Mike Stewart, just fishing for info from those who might have done a lot of R&D. I won't say who said what just to protect the innocent etc but this answer just came in:

[Uncle Grumpy]

I have no interest at all in a 7'6" prone board.
Waste of wood IMO.
_________________
Prone to ride.

[geoffreylevens]

Yeah, I think a 7'6" would be a specialty board for 2 feet and under at a long long point break. IMO a desperation thing. I'd rather ride a mat or just go snorkeling or something. Heck, read a book...

[bgreen]

Before I bought an alaia, I met Tom Wegener (who we have an interview coming up with) and tried a heap of his boards, including an 8' board. The surf was bigger than 2' and a beachbreak.

My basic feeling is that it would take a lot of skill to ride a longer board in such waves. I might do a better job now, but the problem was the area you have to move on - I was paddling the board, which arm paddled fine, but when I took the drop I was in the wrong position to turn the board from the paddling location. On a clean long lined wave you could probably take a high line and just fly, on peaky sectioning waves I think you'd take your life into your own hands.

In terms of fitting into a waves curves, watch the footage of Tom learning to ride the long olo, I believe it would be a parallel experience. There are guys who ride fibreglass longer boards, but these boards in part rely on getting into waves earlier. They go looking for long lined point type waves.

Bob

[Poobah]

I'm still waiting for a Trombone Bellyboard. I was hoping Surfoils or Mr. Mike would have perfected one by now.

[geoffreylevens]