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Board Talk


2020LSV23

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Hey I wanted to get a discussion going and gain some insights into everyone’s preferences for brands/skim vs surf and fin configuration.

I have 2 boards for me now, both are Phase 5:

Model X - 58

MVP - 56

These 2 boards have very small fins.

Im reading up on Doomswell also as they Have some nice boards. 
 

Which boards are you guys running and what’s the fin configuration on them? Also what tricks are you doing and your body size?

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My two favorite boards are the Phase 5 Hypsta and Chaos Pro!  The Hypsta is a hybrid that is very stable but easy to maneuver.  It’s a fun board!  The Chaos Pro is a surf style.  All I can say is that I love love that board! It took a bit to get used to, but after the brief learning curve it is my favorite board...fast, maneuverable, and recovers easy from the back!   Nick was great to work with and the price was great for a custom board!

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Model X is a great board for beginners as well as larger dudes. Unlike most beginner boards the model x actually allows for room to advance on. The model x is more of a hybrid style just because of its size and multi fin setup. 
 

Where the mvp is pro level skim board for skim style tricks.

Doomswell boards are a true surf style which is a totally different ball game. Surf style fins generate the speed and want to take off, where as with a skim the fins are there for stability purposes. For the surf style board, beginner tricks will consist more of carving and airs vs with skim for board slides and spins.  
 

Doomswell is a great intermediate surf style board for the price.  For a more high performance style I would recommend taking a look at Kanuk, blu surf or soulcraft. Kanuk being the least expensive out of the three being in Canadian dollars. 
  
Surf style I ride the burnsy pro, which has tons of speed and is still able to be spun. Regarding fin configuration on a surf style board there are endless options of future fins to choose from. 
The kanuk shift is also a great choice, more of s beginner surf style board, all around a good time. Definitely a step above a ronix or similar but not quite a pro level surf. 
 

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1 hour ago, goodmatt78 said:

I ride the model x and liked it, but was thinking mvp.  What are your thoughts between the 2?

Model X is good nice for me being 230 + pounds. MVP not sure yet just pre ordered the 2020 they aren’t shipping out yet date is December 13th wakemakers said 

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1 hour ago, Cole2001 said:

Model X is a great board for beginners as well as larger dudes. Unlike most beginner boards the model x actually allows for room to advance on. The model x is more of a hybrid style just because of its size and multi fin setup. 
 

Where the mvp is pro level skim board for skim style tricks.

Doomswell boards are a true surf style which is a totally different ball game. Surf style fins generate the speed and want to take off, where as with a skim the fins are there for stability purposes. For the surf style board, beginner tricks will consist more of carving and airs vs with skim for board slides and spins.  
 

Doomswell is a great intermediate surf style board for the price.  For a more high performance style I would recommend taking a look at Kanuk, blu surf or soulcraft. Kanuk being the least expensive out of the three being in Canadian dollars. 
  
Surf style I ride the burnsy pro, which has tons of speed and is still able to be spun. Regarding fin configuration on a surf style board there are endless options of future fins to choose from. 
The kanuk shift is also a great choice, more of s beginner surf style board, all around a good time. Definitely a step above a ronix or similar but not quite a pro level surf. 
 

Thank you very much for the information!

Soulcraft mentioned to me their custom boards are a bit more fragile than the phase 5s. Is this common with custom built boards compared to mass production mainstream boards like Phase 5s?

 

Also which Lake do you run on in summer cowichan?

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1 hour ago, 2020LSV23 said:

Thank you very much for the information!

Soulcraft mentioned to me their custom boards are a bit more fragile than the phase 5s. Is this common with custom built boards compared to mass production mainstream boards like Phase 5s?

 

Also which Lake do you run on in summer cowichan?

No problem!  
 

Soulcraft will definitely be super fragile as they’re all hand glassed boards. Just in general the surf style boards will be much more fragile, the carbon skims are super durable. 
 

I’m mostly on McIvor lake which is just outside Campbell River, absolutely beautiful spot. Go to other lakes throughout the summer and nothing’s compares.  Where are you located? Most people don’t know anything about the island lol. 
 

Getting out and trying some demos would also be a great option. I’ve got a small a surf school on the island, as well there are numerous options in the Okanagan. 

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3 hours ago, goodmatt78 said:

I ride the model x and liked it, but was thinking mvp.  What are your thoughts between the 2?

I have the Model X and ride it with a single 1” tail fin.  Not saying they are the same, but get a single 1” tail fin for your model X and try that out. Like mentioned earlier, the MVP is a pro level board. The model X has 2” fins and the MVP has a 1” fin. The 1” fin on the model X changes the board big time and makes it a lot looser. If you like the way that rides and can handle that, then step up to the MVP. If you do get it and it is to difficult to ride, try putting your 2” fin on the MVP.

I have ridden the MVP and really liked it.  It is a really light board. That will probably be my next board. I really like it for the full pad on it.

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5 hours ago, Cole2001 said:

No problem!  
 

Soulcraft will definitely be super fragile as they’re all hand glassed boards. Just in general the surf style boards will be much more fragile, the carbon skims are super durable. 
 

I’m mostly on McIvor lake which is just outside Campbell River, absolutely beautiful spot. Go to other lakes throughout the summer and nothing’s compares.  Where are you located? Most people don’t know anything about the island lol. 
 

Getting out and trying some demos would also be a great option. I’ve got a small a surf school on the island, as well there are numerous options in the Okanagan. 

We will be on sproat this summer for the most part, we may venture more north though to check out your lake!

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4 hours ago, Hemmy said:

I have the Model X and ride it with a single 1” tail fin.  Not saying they are the same, but get a single 1” tail fin for your model X and try that out. Like mentioned earlier, the MVP is a pro level board. The model X has 2” fins and the MVP has a 1” fin. The 1” fin on the model X changes the board big time and makes it a lot looser. If you like the way that rides and can handle that, then step up to the MVP. If you do get it and it is to difficult to ride, try putting your 2” fin on the MVP.

I have ridden the MVP and really liked it.  It is a really light board. That will probably be my next board. I really like it for the full pad on it.

Thanks for the advice!

Ill try swapping the 1 inch fin from the MVP to the Model X assuming bolt pattern is the same.

Im also looking at surf style boards now. Anyone have thoughts on the Phase 5 Phantom?

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8 minutes ago, 2020LSV23 said:

We will be on sproat this summer for the most part, we may venture more north though to check out your lake!

Awesome. Spend a bit of time there as well.  Let me know if you have any questions or would like some wakesurfing tips, do coaching on clients boats too. Check out island wakesurf on Instagram or Facebook!


Phase 5 isn’t generally known for surf style  boards but I have heard decent things about the phantom. 

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I appreciate the post and would like to jump in on it - I am in a similar situation where I have a Phase 5 hammerhead for my skim.  Love it.  It is stable but still can spin quick. 

I am now looking for a surf style - I bought a 58" Phase 5 Swell but at 210lbs - it was too big and was like riding a raft.  Anyone have suggestions on a good surf style board?  I like Phase 5 but am not tied to them. I see they now have a 55" swell...suggestions?  

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My wife and I are going to get custom boards built for our surf style. The cost really is not that much more for custom.

Soulcraft seems to be very good from reviews so I emailed them!

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On 12/7/2019 at 6:39 PM, Cole2001 said:

Soulcraft will definitely be super fragile as they’re all hand glassed boards. Just in general the surf style boards will be much more fragile, the carbon skims are super durable. 

My soulcraft is going on its 7th season.  I don't baby the board at all, other than NOT putting it in a board rack.  I've had to repair a ding, which was completely my fault, and the board definitely has some heel dents from airs.  But it's still quite serviceable.  So I wouldn't exactly say it's "super fragile."  

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1 hour ago, shawndoggy said:

My soulcraft is going on its 7th season.  I don't baby the board at all, other than NOT putting it in a board rack.  I've had to repair a ding, which was completely my fault, and the board definitely has some heel dents from airs.  But it's still quite serviceable.  So I wouldn't exactly say it's "super fragile."  

 

1 hour ago, NWBU said:

And I’ve put my Soulcraft in my racks weekly for the last couple years after babying it for awhile. No issues so far either.


I once famously disagreed with the Doggy on the subject of Soulcraft boards. Turns out he wasn’t wrong then and he’s not wrong now!

I’ve been running my Soulcraft hard four years straight. I never so much as put a sock on it... zero damage until late this past season. The cause... like NWBU we sometimes throw it in the rack. One day at the dock the racks didn’t get swiveled in and my beloved Soulcraft got pinched between a pole on the dock and the weight of the 25 LSV... CRUNCH!! It was a bone chilling sound. I feared the worst... 

I rushed my baby into the local Soulcraft dealer (also our local Nautique dealer). They don’t know me from Adam, but treated me awesome despite the huge Malibu logo on my board. Next day she was all fixed up!  

Point being, these boards are expensive but if you have a decent repair shop in town just treat it like any other expansive item you own... it’s not disposable and worthy of the occasional repair bill. 
 

BEFORE vs. AFTER

B32C72C3-3F6C-4204-A3FE-4954CEC26718.jpeg

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Just for fun I went back four years in my photo roll to find a pic of my baby when she was born... DAMN she has aged!  I was so excited to bring this board home. Makes me want to feel that again. Perhaps it’s time for a new Soulcraft!

Last season I did pick up a Phase 5 Matrix and I love that board too (totally different experience). 

84BF4C23-EC7F-4728-9177-2797F790D2F0.jpeg

55D666BF-2EED-49CF-A9CD-87C86748075D.jpeg

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Ok, I will chime in. I am a bigger guy 230+.  I like a skim style board, so last year on the "Doggy's" :biggrin: And @isellacuras suggestion I purchased a Victoria Captain Fiber. Absolutely love this board. Very fast, very loose, recovers from way back and will still cut(remember I am not that good). However, after reading this thread, There might be a Soulcraft in my rack this year.

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19 minutes ago, Sparky450 said:

Ok, I will chime in. I am a bigger guy 230+.  I like a skim style board, so last year on the "Doggy's" :biggrin: And @isellacuras suggestion I purchased a Victoria Captain Fiber. Absolutely love this board. Very fast, very loose, recovers from way back and will still cut(remember I am not that good). However, after reading this thread, There might be a Soulcraft in my rack this year.

No reason not to own both... surf + skim 

that way you can make a “game time” decision as to what experience you want during a given set. 

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I have a Hyperlite Shim for surf that I wont ride anymore. I just don't like it. Maybe it is fin configuration. I have a couple boards that I demo'ed and would have returned, but somebody else on the boat liked them. I am fortunate and store them on the houseboat. Who is riding with us, I take the board they like. I have one person that keeps going back to my old 07 Tsunami. He loves that board. It is too small for me.

Edited by Sparky450
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5 hours ago, 2020LSV23 said:

My wife and I are going to get custom boards built for our surf style. The cost really is not that much more for custom.

Soulcraft seems to be very good from reviews so I emailed them!

Kanuk is a local BC company just sayin:biggrin:


@shawndoggy Yeah maybe super fragile wasn’t the best way to put it. Just not the board I would hand out to a complete beginner worrying about it getting banged into swim grid, etc.

With the customs sun is one of the hardest things on them. But that doesn’t make a difference performance wise. 
 

I would always recommend beginners own both a surf and skim style board. Being able to ride both equally makes things come much faster. 

Edited by Cole2001
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totally agree that a custom surf style may not be the best board for a beginner.  We certainly have more success putting newbs on my victoria factor pcx (or larger ones on our victoria captain).  Newer riders tend to have trouble controlling the soulcraft's quicker reactions.  All that said I know that soulcraft's shapes have evolved a lot since I got mine, and there are probably more beginner friendly options these days.

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@Sparky450 we should really get together and ride sometime. I have a custom soulcraft voodoo that changed surfing for me.  It might be a tiny bit big for you but it would give you an idea of what to expect out of a custom.  Not sure if you’ve ever ridden a proper sized soulcraft but it really was a game changer for me.  I rode stevos HC Pro which was a little small for me but I could tell when I rode it that I had to have one. There is absolutely no comparison to any of the wakeboard brand surfboards to a custom-made-for-you board. I am on a mission to loose weight and that will force me into another board. Next time I think I am going to go with a Zombie. Jeff (soulcraft) and Frank (zombie) know their stuff and with a quick conversation can make some suggestions and build  something just for you. I agree with IXFE that there’s no reason not to have both. Having a surf and a skim in the quiver allows for two totally different surfing experiences. 

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4 hours ago, isellacuras said:

@Sparky450 we should really get together and ride sometime. I have a custom soulcraft voodoo that changed surfing for me.  It might be a tiny bit big for you but it would give you an idea of what to expect out of a custom.  Not sure if you’ve ever ridden a proper sized soulcraft but it really was a game changer for me.  I rode stevos HC Pro which was a little small for me but I could tell when I rode it that I had to have one. There is absolutely no comparison to any of the wakeboard brand surfboards to a custom-made-for-you board. I am on a mission to loose weight and that will force me into another board. Next time I think I am going to go with a Zombie. Jeff (soulcraft) and Frank (zombie) know their stuff and with a quick conversation can make some suggestions and build  something just for you. I agree with IXFE that there’s no reason not to have both. Having a surf and a skim in the quiver allows for two totally different surfing experiences. 

Man you guys like spending other people’s money😂😎 And yeah we do need to get together and ride.

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