Mentawai Board Test
There’s a funny old belief that still floats around the surfing fraternity regarding the performance of big boards, or more specifically the lack of performance. Although times are changing and people are beginning to realise that extra foam doesn’t always hurt, you still often hear comments relating to boards ‘not working’ due to their size. Rather than bruising the ego of the surfer making the comments, by explaining that it is more likely the ability of the rider than the equipment they are riding, here at Island we like to show proof that bigger boards do work, and they work in the best waves in the world.
Today the proof comes in the form of a photo set brought back from the Mentawai’s by Slim, Island’s resident glasser and stalwart of the Phillip Island surfing community for decades. For two weeks on the “Jiwa” in the famous Indonesian island chain, Slim tested his Greg Hogan “The Fish” in a range of conditions, surfing waves such as Macaroni’s, Napussies and Roxies. Slim is the perfect specimen for a test using a board such as this. One of the many ‘mature’ (age-wise) members of the surfing community, there is no doubting his ability after years of indulging in the daily surfing routine. But there is a common theme for many in their later surfing years.
As time moves on things get in the way. Kids come along, there goes a heap of surfing time, and don’t forget that you have to work more to support the rugrats, even more time lost. Then the cold winter mornings don’t look as appealing as they did when you were in your twenties, and all of a sudden fishing, golf, and football (more likely watching than playing) start to take priority. You’re eating more and drinking more, and let’s face it the body just isn’t quite what it used to be. But you still want to surf, once or twice a week when you get time. So the ability hasn’t really been lost, you just need something to get you into the waves a little easier, and make those couple of surfs a week a little more enjoyable.
That ‘something’ is known as the Big Boy Board. Basically this is an oversized short-board. Still running with the same templates as most of the standard surfboards, the dimensions are just pushed out to add more foam, which results in better paddle-power, and of course more wave catching ability. “As long as the template remains the same, the boards tend to remain responsive and loose, almost as if you are riding something a lot smaller” were the Slim’s thoughts, which are similarly echoed by shaper Greg Hogan. “It was easy to get into the waves, but still held in the bigger stuff. I surfed the fish in waves anywhere from one to six foot” says Slim.
Not only are these boards great for the ageing ripper, but they also serve as a fantastic ‘next-step’ board for those scaling down from a Mini Mal, as well as for the general surfer looking for a summer board to ride the slop. This all goes to show that if you can get past the unfair negative connotations associated with these bigger boards, there is a great likelihood of your surfing improving, and more importantly your enjoyment of riding waves increasing.
Slim took away the Hoges Fish with dimensions: 6’9”x21”x2 5/8”
Check out the photos as taken by on-board cameraman Chris Proud.
