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SEMI PRO
Height- 5'10
Width- 18 5/16
Thickness- 2 3/16
My Height- 5'9
Weight - 150
Deck Pad -Nate Tyler Design
Fins- Futures AM2 Techflex by Channel Islands
Well, no one can ride this board as well as Slats himself. I've personally watched him take out boards that I barely could get to my feet, and he made them look like he was riding magic boards. Dead serious...So I knew there was a chance that I was going to struggle on his model. Even though it looks pretty normal, you never really know what secret concave or rocker that only works for him. I am willing to bet that he has never made a board with hopes people like it. I think he makes boards that are magical for him and him only. If he made a board that was really good for everyone, then he may give his competitors some sort of advantage. Not gonna happen...
Anyways, I don't have to sell anyone on his skills. What's funny is I really liked it, the board had a lot of drive and held in really well in punchy beach breaks. The nose on the board
brought me back a few years due to it's narrowness. The rocker is really good, I like quite a bit of rocker in my boards for a few reasons. One is that they fit in the pocket of the wave, which is good being from where I live. Also a board with a good amount of rocker spins out of airs really well, seems to keep the fins out of the water if you are spinning out of an air. I would recommend this board and shape in waves with some power. I used it in slower mushy point surf and waves and it lost it's spunk, or I did. I used the AM2 by Futures Fins. If you are looking for a good summer board, and are looking to get a Semi Pro I would maybe try one as a quad. The definitely go much faster in slower mushy surf. See you in the water! Please excuse typos, head snaps, not going right, booties, scenery, brevity.
FRED RUBBLE
Well, now I know why a lot of the guys on the Channel Islands Team are talking about this board... It is one of the best shortboards in the line. With all the hype, I wanted to use some new Future-istic fins to see if it still lived up to the word on the street (& that it did). In the last few months I've wanted to experiment with fins, and these were the perfect fins to use.
The new Elevens are very interesting. When I first got them I doubted they would even work. I told Kyle (who makes these vids), that I may be coming in after my first wave. To my surprise they had no drag, and were opposite. They actually made the board feel really fast. When I looked at the fins, I thought that they would do what the Laird Hamilton Hydrofoil did, lift the tail out of the water. Not quite to that extent, but something close. It was opposite, it was actually more difficult to get it out of the water when attempting airs. If you are bored with your normal fins, they are for sure worth a spin. Best way to get them would be to go to Futures Fins.
With all that said, back to the board... It was nice getting to test the Fred Rubble in some really good waves, so blessed to live and surf where I do. The rocker in the board was exactly what I like, right in the middle. Not to much and not too little. When boards have too much rocker they are usually much slower to paddle on. I am a fan of this board because the rails are slightly pinched, which made it hold in really well on turns. The shape of the board is a very standard shape, it's what I would want for my every day short board shape. I would definiantly recommend this board for all types of conditions, it's just one of those boards. Can't wait to try it with my favorite Vector fins. Not a lot of explanation about this board other than get one if you can.
Next board blog on the Semi Pro, there will be more rights...You have my word. See y'all in the water.
Please excuse typos, grammar, spelling, making sense, booties, head snaps, head dips, only one backside wave & brevity.
THE NECKBEARD
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Board: 5'6, 19 1/4, 2 1/4
Neckbeard= Interesting sessions...
My first session on the Neckbeard was a bit of a shocker. I think sometimes you can have shockers just because, and that it was! Don't think too much while surfing...
On a side note, after that spectacular session I accidentally pushed my spair hide a key into a black hole in the frame of my car. It took 30 min and a miracle to get it out, thanks to an old neighbor who came to the rescue with a hail Mary, hay maker. Thanks Ernie!
My second session, I got tricked by the Great Northern Pacific to paddle out at a 6.0 high tide. It was one of those days were you look at it and wonder why there ain't no one out. Hmmm... So I ran to my car and suited up as fast as I could. Once I got back down to the waters edge I saw that it was breaking 6 feet from shore and to my surprise there was a lot of back wash? Weird... I was gung-ho though, you know, and paddled out. The waves were horrible, and a sweet southern gale came a blowing to top off my 20 min session. You'd think that after being a surf addict for 20 years I'd be a better judge of conditions. Maybe it's the addict part that's the problem... Especially when filming, it'll get me every time.
The next session the waves were really fun, especially for that board. It was waist to chest high and fun little peaks. One thing I liked about this board was that it paddled really good for it's height. That is always a plus for me, a board that's weird to paddle is doomed from the get go.
It was fast and a bit loose off the tail for sure. The board felt like it would be amazing if I was regular foot and got to surf C-street front side. I bet it would be a blast, and wonder if that's what Dane was thinking when he designed it. I am baffled at how well Dane shreds this board, in all conditions and sizes. That dude has a lot of power and is able to tame it like a fine racing horse. I guess that is what makes Dane the best free surfer in the world. He is one of those nonchalant dudes who can air 360 a door. Good for him...
After that session I decided to put my old faithful 3'2 Vector fins in to see if they would give it a little more hold. Well sure enough, they did. They waves were head high+ and the board was feeling fast and free. After 3 sessions I was due for a fun surf on this board, and was thinking this is it. This is going to be a 3 hour session of total stoke. I caught about 10 waves and was frothing, due to timing it right and getting a window of really fun waves and hardly anyone out. Well, it all ended... ended for about a month or so. I went for a backside air 360 on a waist high little right and hyper extended my knee and sprained my ankle. It's been almost 3 years since I have had a injury and the timing is no bueno. It is almost Santa Anna wind time and you know what that means... could of been worse though, and I don't need surgery so it's all good. Wish I could of had a few more sessions on the Neckbeard, but was glad to get a few waves where the board felt really good under my feet. I would recommend this board for mushy, fun, ripable surf, but gets a little loosy goosy which can always put you in interesting places on the wave. Gonna go sticker up my next board The Rubble and stare at it for about a month while I am hitting the gym like Kimbo Slice.
For some radical surfing visit marinelayeproductions.com to see Dane riding this board like no other.
Neckberd=http://cisurfboards.com/surfboards/neck-beard-by-dane-reynolds/
Fins=http://www.futuresfins.com/
Please excuse typos, grammar, spelling, making sense, booties, head snaps, head dips & brevity.