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Thoughts of Surf Board


ctvandy23

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Looking for some opinions/thoughts on grabbing a used 2013 Ronix Koal Fish.  Just started surfing this year and have been using a Phase 5 Razz thus far.  Just started letting go of the rope, but it doesn't last long. I would love to be rope less by the end of the summer!  Would love to jump to an HC Pro...After all the positive talk and experience with Soulcraft I reached out to Jeff about getting a board this year but i think i will wait till next season to pull that trigger. That being said, I have found a used Ronix Koal Fish for $200-250 and I'm thinking about buying it.   A few questions on the Koal Fish, will it surf different then the Razz and will it be a good house board for others to learn/use?  Good board overall/worth the money?  I weigh 175, the board is 5'.  Is that a good match?  

 

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Our house/learning board is a 2013 Koal Fish.  It seems to work really well for beginners and we have taught a ton of people to ride with it.  I have not ridden a bunch of boards so I am not the best at reviewing them but to me, the board is fast enough for beginners to ride ropeless, with the three fin setup the board locks into wave well but it's still possible to spin 360's.  if you remove the center fin the board gets loose and can be fun to ride too. The big negative of this board is it is fragile and mine is pretty beat up looking with a lot of repairs, but it still rides fine.

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I have a Koal fish. It was my 2nd board. Upgraded from a broadcast. The Koal is a great cruiser type board. It was way faster then the broadcast. I got the koal with my old boat and the wave was small. It was a good match. 

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23 minutes ago, saxton15 said:

That's really cheap for a 2015!

it does seem like a great deal, but its a skim style as is my Razz so i was looking for a surf style as a second board...unless I'm wrong and the Koal is a skim as well?  Like I said, I'm a definite newbie!!

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Koal is "surf" in airquotes.  Yes it's glass (fragile glass at that).  Yes it's thick.  But you aren't going to be boosting huge airs on it.

"cheap" surf-style boards are (at least according to the evaluation of my own hard earned cash that I spent on them learning this lesson) nothing like a real hand made custom surf style board.  Like the difference between a mustang with a 4 banger and a mustang with a supercharged V8.

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@shawndoggyI hear you on wasting money.  That's why my first thought was going straight to Soulcraft.  Since I'm looking for custom art work the lead time is pushing 3-5 weeks which pushes me to the end of the season.  I was really just looking for something on the cheap in a surf style to try for the rest of the summer and saw the Koal on Craigslist.

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2 hours ago, teamerickson said:

I have a Koal fish. It was my 2nd board. Upgraded from a broadcast. The Koal is a great cruiser type board. It was way faster then the broadcast. I got the koal with my old boat and the wave was small. It was a good match. 

Hey teame',  I'm looking to get a faster board for the 200 pounder in our group.  He's pretty good and can cut up and down but has to pump like crazy to keep up with the boat.  Wake seems fine as I'm riding the short Hyperlight Shim and have a long pocket to work with.  Thoughts?

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5 hours ago, ctvandy23 said:

@shawndoggyI hear you on wasting money.  That's why my first thought was going straight to Soulcraft.  Since I'm looking for custom art work the lead time is pushing 3-5 weeks which pushes me to the end of the season.  I was really just looking for something on the cheap in a surf style to try for the rest of the summer and saw the Koal on Craigslist.

If you are still struggling to go ropeless, I wouldn't worry about getting that soulcraft yet.  You need to get your fundamentals down before buying that mustang with the supercharged v8.

I'm about your size and we have the board one step smaller than your Razz, a Prop.  I think it feels real slow.  My wife loves it but she's like a buck 10.  We've had good success getting people ropeless on the tsunami this season.

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5 hours ago, minnmarker said:

Hey teame',  I'm looking to get a faster board for the 200 pounder in our group.  He's pretty good and can cut up and down but has to pump like crazy to keep up with the boat.  Wake seems fine as I'm riding the short Hyperlight Shim and have a long pocket to work with.  Thoughts?

It's a fast board but not super responsive. 

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Just bought the long Fish. He's not a beginner surfer and is a good athlete - tennis coach, ski racer, and league hocky - just think he's on the wrong board as you guys have confirmed.

Plus, the board just goes from the store room to the rack to the water and back so hoping the proported fragility of the Fish is not an issue.

Thanks.

Edited by minnmarker
addition
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After trying more than a few boards, LF Chase 6er, Byerly Buzz and couple of other, I just picked up a 14 Ronix Parker Carbon Thruster($250).  The board is 5'7 and I am 6 foot 220lbs and let me tell you, I can surf this board ropeless all day long and it is mighty fast for a big board.  Early returns are FANTASTIC!

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How did you like the buzz? 195-200 here have gone ropeless on the buzz,volt,and hyperlite idlewood,  but am still working on staying in the wave and learning how to pump.  

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I can surf the Buzz, I just wish it were a bit longer, I tend to burry the nose.  However, I was able to do my first 360(with the rope) on it last summer.  It is a great looking board and it matches our boat.  So far i am really liking the Ronix Parker Carbon Thrust.

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19 minutes ago, carguy79ta said:

How did you like the buzz? 195-200 here have gone ropeless on the buzz,volt,and hyperlite idlewood,  but am still working on staying in the wave and learning how to pump.  

I have only ever surfed the Buzz. I can go ropeless all day. With only the single fin I can pull off ropeless 360's. I am 180 and 5'11". I can get kids as light as 100lbs ropeless on it and adults as heavy as 220 lbs and 5'8. It has been a good first board for me. Not sure the size. It is the orange one from about 2 or 3 years ago.

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