What first caught my eye in this pic was not the Vanguard boards but it did get me thinking how these boards would go kiting. Not really sure if loosing the nose is a good idea but do vaguely remember Airush had a board something similar a few years back.
Thoughts
I made one pretty much the same for kite. Can be fun in smaller surf and when your not to powered. Also good if you like to keep you kite at 12'oclock and play silly buggers near waves like most "waveriding" videos seem to be these days.
I have one of these from Lost Cause (Colin was airush's board shaper for some time) but appart from this board i've only ridden twin tips so i can't really preach on its pro's or cons
Hey rowdy weird design. Do they work?
Also 'playing silly buggers at a wave face with the kite at 12' ....classic man
A good way to sell all those snapped nose blanks FireWire has. Just get a few pics with some pros on it and a little bit of marketing and you'll probably sell a few to the kooks.
Pretty clever really.
Lol.
Select to expand quotesurfingboye said...
A good way to sell all those snapped nose blanks FireWire has. Just get a few pics with some pros on it and a little bit of marketing and you'll probably sell a few to the kooks.
Pretty clever really.
Lol.
New timbertek series com'n out soon tho
Honestly even my crapy attempt at making one was a lot of fun to surf and made airs way easier than they ever were on other longer (regular) boards I have had in the past. I can't wait till I have some more money saved up to get a real Tomo shape.
Hillarious all you guys who think a surfboard should have a pointy nose and f.a volume..
It was a mass production decision way back when Bob Simmons or someone like him figured out how to make glass resin for surfboards go off and a long story short - volume nose and tail - very fast shape for small to medium waves... but industry turned and said nooo, we want a "traditional" look and thats why people spend so much time floundering around in lineups...
Thats why you wonder do these odd looking things work.
The video above in about 5 seconds showed 'everything' done on traditional boards but faster... speed and fun :)
^Spot on.
And in my eyes they don't actually look that weird at all. It just depends your perspective and past experience. If you've spent all day looking at regular surfboards most your life you probably think they look ugly, but if you spent most of your time riding skateboards (especially oldschool ones), wakeboards and wakeskates you probably think these boards look pretty cool.
In the end you have to try one and justify whether you think the performance outweighs it's "odd look"... I think it does, especially so in the small to medium wave realm.
Personally I don't give a toss how it looks, kite or board...how does it perform. Those that keep banging on about looks need a head check I think.
Select to expand quoteeppo said...
Personally I don't give a toss how it looks, kite or board...how does it perform. Those that keep banging on about looks need a head check I think.
Some of the same cats that give me crap about saying no-strut kites are a stupid idea, bit of a contradiction really... I mean they are stoked about the idea of a kite that both looks and flys crap, but wont give a board ago that actually works... hahaha.
Felix rates them.....(but no suprise there), I don't think there,s a kite version out yet.
Don't really need a "kite" version when they already come in Firewire construction and really small sizes. I don't reckon most people could even kite the 5'3ft one properly.
Select to expand quotetoppleover said...
[br]What first caught my eye in this pic was not the Vanguard boards but it did get me thinking how these boards would go kiting. Not really sure if loosing the nose is a good idea but do vaguely remember Airush had a board something similar a few years back.
Thoughts
rigg!!
peace to that
Classic surfingboye. Yeh rowdy you did indeed get raped over your opinion on the strut less idea. I just kept my mouth shut! It will all come out in the wash. Lol.
Yeh felix could kite on a bloody house broom and look good!! Lol.
Firewire are releasing a new range of boards with no strap inserts and a bit lighter than the previous kite range...i beleive the Vangaurd will be in that mix too...I think it will be a great trick board/light winds etc..I am not sure how it will go breaking out of speed or in choppy conditions..interesting though.
Vanguard is the most fun board I have ridden by far - had it for 4 months now 5'10" and could go to a 5'8" and Im 90kgs - these things have so much volume its very decieving - I tried kiting my 5'6" sweet potato once and it was terrible, too much volume - for a kite board the Vanguard would need to be around 5'2" for me I think
one thing is for sure these boards are super fast
Select to expand quotelancekenny said...
Vanguard is the most fun board I have ridden by far - had it for 4 months now 5'10" and could go to a 5'8" and Im 90kgs - these things have so much volume its very decieving - I tried kiting my 5'6" sweet potato once and it was terrible, too much volume - for a kite board the Vanguard would need to be around 5'2" for me I think
one thing is for sure these boards are super fast
5'10 is definitely a big one! I'm 83kgs and I surfed the 5'3 version and the similar board I built myself ended up being a 5'1 and still surfs fine. You're right about the volume, it does have a lot because the board still has a wide nose and tail and a straight outline, it's not much different to surfing a board about 10inches or so longer!
One thing though, I don't think it's actually the best solution for wave kiting. Yes it is a fun board for small to medium waves but it's not great for all conditions. The longer nose on a regular surfboard is far better suited to choppy conditions and big reos where you need to be very front foot heavy re-directing back down the face. If you're just playing silly buggers near waves though it's probably going to be your ultimate board.
I have a real thomo. It's the latest incarnation. Doesn't sound polite; but it has had its bottom fiddled with. The glass is also heavier, (6,4,4) as the angular shapes are more prone to 'injury'. I like the weight.Of all the boards I have owned; this board has blown me away the most initially. They are unbelievably fast and loose. It flies over dead spots, backwash, and still can sit in the pocket. Basically it's the most fun I've had on a board for ages. Mates have been raving about them for a while now. It's important to get the right size, volume. I have seen some of the latest locked video footage, that is yet to be released in advertising of stu and thomo at lennox point and they are ripping. This board is way better then I am. I count myself lucky to able to get a hand shaped version. I'm yet to kite on it. They're bringing out a pointy nose firewire version as well as the vanguard. You can custom order any firewire in heavier, kite construction now. I've heard of a couple of the firewires breaking. (but that happens). It's been a runaway success for them. They are for an advanced surfer, so you may see a few firewire versions hit the secound hand market. I can't vouch for that model, but Im stoked with what I have. 
Select to expand quotepearl said..
That looks pretty awesome...
Be good to hear how you like kiting on it.
