Finley and I have been on a Surfie Odyssey for the last two weeks. The surf has been small, clean and warm and we are spending a lot of time in the tube. We always have five or more surfies with us and every day we share them around with anyone interested. Today we met up with the crew from Wally’s Water Gallery in Marcoola. Wally and his friends are top body boarders and they were super stoked on riding the thin wood surfies. They were throwing spray on turns in waist high peelers which surprised me! I actually never thought of trying it.
Riding lots of variations of the same basic shape has given me some new insights concave vs. rolled bottoms. The surfies regularly cup in the sun. One side of the board dries more than the other side and the board curves up in that direction. Some boards are concaved, some rolled and some flat. After they dry out they go flat again.
A concave catches the wave easier and very quick to accelerate. The board feels more lively and faster in mushy waves. They feel like you are flying a little bit above the wave. I will want a concaved surfie if it is not powerful and hollow.
A rolled bottom is smoother and has more control in the pocket and when straitening off to shore. In a really hollow wave they come into their own and find their own line. Several times I have been in a very crunchy tube and felt the board drift down the face and I thought I was going to get the lip on my head. Then the roll grabs in and I sort of start rising in the tube sort of on top of the foam ball. It is a very good feeling!
A flat surfie is just right in the middle. They work great.
