I have been more and more interested in those over-long kind of boards for the few last years. Cumbersome for sure (but my 12’3" fitted inside my van… -I have a long van-) but such a pleasure to ride! Of course, don’t expect to perform rad aerials or other shortboard manoeuvers with those, instead relax and enjoy the feeling of riding a Cadillac. Would like to know how many of you ride or shape 11’ + gliders and would appreciate a discussion on those.
Here are both my 12’3" (ridden for a while then sold to a friend who says it changed his life) and 12’ that I just finished for the 10th edition of the Surfing Art by Shapers expo in Hossegor a few weeks ago. Still far from Ryan Burch’s 14’… Ryan Burch GLIDER on Vimeo
. - I’ve traveled down the same road to some extent and really enjoy the ride!
I’ve surfed both these boards in 2ft - 15ft faces and nothing beats the glide.
Black board is based on a gene cooper c2 gun but mellowed out a bit for out large (kinda mushy) surf. 11’6
other board is a twist on the old hotcurls/duke planks and is the smoothest ride. Holds a great line and is a flying feeling you just don’t get with fins. 11ft
That will probably be the next step. Ever since I watched Derek Hynd riding J-Bay with a finless board I have wanted to give it a try. Aaaaah, so many things to try and not enough time…
I, too, dig your boards, my friend. especially the C2.
Gui; I’m curious as to were you are riding these boards! I don’t remember too many point waves in La Barre or Anglet! LOL I have been riding an 11’ board I call “A Thinline” design that has a wide nose with 22" waist that is 2 1/2" thick that has he same kind of glide in the crowded West Coast spots I surf. I don’t get many hassles, but the guys that paddle out on a “Fry” without grey hair seem to get a lot of hassles. Anyway, hope all is well with you and I hope your planer collection has grown. Take care, mon ami, and let me know next time you come to So Cal, I was pissed you didn’t let me take you guys to dinner in HB! Brian
Obviously, you never rode Parlementia (Guéthary, photo 1) or Lafitenia (St Jean de Luz, photo 2), my friend.
Also, La Barre has been dead since the mid-seventies, following sand dredging and jetties building. No more “european pipeline” in France, you have to go to Mundaka (Spain) now… And battle hundreds of angry locals.
The planer collection has remained stable since Greek secured me this Mall beauty a few years ago (photo 3).
As soon as I win the Loto again, I’ll fly back to California and YOU will be my guest at any restaurant you choose.
This was the board…One of my all time favorite surfboards. It never let me down in the water. There is way more to it’s story but I will just let that part go for now. Just do not believe everything you read. Sad way for it to end.
13’5" by David Faulkenau… I traded for this board, sight unseen, about ten years ago… Ridden exclusively at Westport, WA, from 1’ to “as big as it gets (and stays rideable)”… I think David had access to some Skip Frye templates… Handmade blank from strips of 1.5" wide foam insulation… Up close, not so pretty… No flat spots anywhere on it… Truly a magic board, and intimidating as hell once it gets 2x overhad, but on no other board would I rather be… I’ve had more memorable waves on this board, than any other… Thanks again Dave…
12’0" by me… Back when I still worked with foam… Photo taken at the first Swayaholics Big Sur gathering… Another board that worked well, from 1’ to huge…
Ace, for some reason, those photos reminded me of the book by Hemingway “The old man and the sea”. More specifically, towards the end, when the old man makes it to shore but the sharks have eaten most of the marlin that he spent hours to catch.
"That afternoon there was a party of tourists at the Terrace and looking down in the water among the empty beer cans and dead barracudas a woman saw a great long white spine with a huge tail at the end that lifted and swung with the tide while the east wind blew a heavy steady sea outside the entrance to the harbour.
“What’s that?” she asked a waiter and pointed to the long backbone of the great fish that was now just garbage waiting to go out with the tide.
“Tiburon," the waiter said. “Eshark." He was meaning to explain what had happened. “I didn’t know sharks had such handsome, beautifully formed tails." “I didn’t either," her male companion said.
Up the road, in his shack, the old man was sleeping again. He was still sleeping on his face and the boy was sitting by him watching him. The old man was dreaming about the lions.
