Filed in: Surfing Trends | On: December 18th, 2008 | Comments: (12)
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If you watched the finals of the Vans Triple Crown 2008 Pipeline Masters contest, then you probably saw Kelly Slater’s stubby looking Al Merrick surfboard. I had heard the commentators talking about Kelly’s board, dubbed ‘Deep Six’, and how unique it was compared to most Pipe boards. His board reminded me of the boards I normally ride; flatter rocker, stubby nose, and slightly thicker and wider. Another odd part about his board was its round pin tail. Surfline.com was lucky enough to get their hands on the board and talk to Kelly about his new hybrid board. According to Kelly, he actually shaped his 5’11 x 18.5 x 2.5 Pipeline Masters winning board and did it while experimenting on the computer. He laid his Channel Islands 7’0 Step-up and 6’0 K-board on top of each other and blended the two together. The wide nose was the result of pushing the wide point forward which he claims helps him with late drops and helped him maneuver in the constantly shifting barrel at Pipe. He also added a bit more thickness and width to compensate for shorter length which helped him get into waves earlier and maneuver the board as only a smaller board could. Another interesting aspect about this board was he pushed the fin placement up on his 5’11 like he would on a longer board while utilizing fins with more flex. According to Kelly, larger waves accommodate fins with more flex because the turns are longer whereas small waves require stiffer fins because you don’t have as much time to turn. The amazing thing to me is that Kelly shaped this board by himself and actually one the biggest contest of the year on his prototype. He was actually planning to ride a 5’3 he shaped but broke that board a week before surfing in Micronesia! I would have loved to see him surf 8 foot Pipe on a 5’3! It’s a coincidence that I read somewhere that Al Merrick had been trying to push Kelly to start shaping boards…probably because Kelly has given Al a ton of feedback over the years and is very keen on details. Slater says he plans to keep working on his new boards all winter…who knows, we may see that board in surf shops next year. Congrats to Kelly, the greatest surfer of all time and future master surfboard shaper? 12 Comments »By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the TERMS OF SERVICE. Any violations of these terms may result in account suspension or deactivation. Please keep your comments civil and in good taste. To report a comment, email info@surfboardshack.commattias, on January 15, 2009 @ 3:52 am |its just another admirable facet of kellys confidance to be experimenting with shorter fater boards while surfing the pipe masters, inspirational,,! David Bosque, on April 29, 2009 @ 11:34 am |I think Kelly Slater is making a big mistake buy using those new boards. He thinks he is going to win the world tittle with those new boards; well he is wrong…. Here is the logic to it: Neal, on April 29, 2009 @ 1:25 pm |David, you gotta give Kelly credit for changing his quiver so drastically. No one on the tour is willing to ride anything but a rockered out potato chip. Having said that, it’s awesome that he’s willing to try different equipment out with all that on the line. Also, there’s a reason Kelly has won all those world titles, he’s not an idiot…I’m sure he knows what he’s doing. The reason he didn’t do so well this year is maybe the fact that he’s getting old! Anyway, glad to hear your input…this is a great discussion. Leslie, on August 3, 2009 @ 1:30 am |i think hes looking to win on a new design to say it can be done, to continue his charge of redefining the way of surfing as we know it.. im sure after so many years on tour you get tired of just using what works and want to start seeing what else works… Johnny Damaso, on December 16, 2009 @ 6:39 am |Totally agree with David Bosque. With 26 years sufing I think exactly the same. Fan of Kelly and Curren. Kelly´s surfing still always incredible but much better with traditionals boards, before. brennan, on February 13, 2010 @ 10:01 am |IMO, Kelly is trying to diversify his boards too much. Yeah, that board worked at pipe, but he could have surfed anyboard that day at Pipe. He has always been known for surfing smaller boards in the past at big wave spots. But, watch his turns out of the pocket on these stubby boards, they are not connecting as normal and seem to be pushing too much water off the rail. They are bogging down in essence for the most part. When 99% of the rest of the WCT are riding proven shred sticks,don’t just think you can win a title on a stubby board with no rocker. Also, you have to take into account the surfing taking place around Kelly now. Julian, Jordy, Dane, Clay, Parko, those guys are ripping harder now than Kelly. Look at the magazines lately. It is sad but true. Surfing is progressing so much, you almost have to ride an alternative shape to get attention as an older vet on the tour. If not, you really need a new small shred stick to bust rodeos and surf strong and powerful yet loose and agile like the rest. Don, on March 22, 2010 @ 10:35 am |I think it is great that Kelly is going against the establishment. I read a good article on Surfline that made a point that contests are driving everyone to the standard potatoe chip thruster. Basically you have to make these specific moves, which are best suited for a thruster, or you will not win. Same thing was going on with snowboarding. It all comes down to a formula dictated by the judges. Keep shaking up the establishment Kelly! Neal, on March 22, 2010 @ 11:19 am |@Don, I totally agree with you. What Kelly and Dane have done for the average surfer with their non-traditional quivers is amazing. The bottom line is that most surfers can’t make your typical contest shortboard (6’0 x 18″ x 2″ 1/4) work well enough. Most of us surf marginal waves most of the year and just don’t have the same quickness that tour surfers do. We see them killing in videos but most of the time they’re riding perfect powerful waves. Don’t get me wrong, these guys could kill it at our local breaks but they’re just freaks. Shorter, wider, thicker boards with more nose area give average surfers more paddling power, more speed, and way more fun on a day to day basis. I’ve had some of the best sessions of my life on my twin and Proctor Lil Rascal. Neal, on March 22, 2010 @ 11:23 am |@brennan you’re probably right about his stubby boards not being the right shapes for tour surfing but it’s about time someone in the limelight started experimenting with surfboard design. We’ve been riding the same shapes for 20 years now and same materials for 50. Look at almost every other sport…they’ve all used technology to improve performance and fun. It’s time to get out of the dark ages and move forward with innovation. Those ASP judges need to get their heads out of their asses and embrace change. ks, on December 22, 2011 @ 4:29 am |David Bosque, Leave a comment |
robert, on December 18, 2008 @ 4:24 am |
i saw the photos. fukin unreal. this board will sell to older experienced surfers for hollow beach break conditions. where can i get one????