Sweet Potato Review (short)

[hwork50]

So I bought a 5'0" sweet potato and surfed it for the first time tonight. I really bought it for my son thinking we could both surf it. I only caught one wave as I was really tired from surfing a couple hours earlier. I took off kind of late and the board performed amazing. Fast easy to turn, and went down the line no problem for my 6'3" frame at 185 lbs.

So there you go, probably could have been better if I got a 5'6" or 5'8".

[iggy]

Well remember that the board was intended for your son wasn't it??? ;).
With your frame and given that you must have quite a few seasons on your belt, I would suggest the 5"6" for good balance between cruiser and small wave performer. The 5'4" could be also interesting but would be a bit more challenging in the smaller crappier stuff

[hwork50]

I was thinking 5'6", volume wise my 6'2" Dominator is spot on probably could go 6'0", but you are right I think the 5'6" would be perfect. Would really like to get a baked potato or at least see one as that looks a little more refined for my style.

[iggy]

Baked potato or the potatonator, right in between the Dom and the Potato

[iggy]

Baked potato

309


potatonator
310

http://blog.bcsurf.com/new-2012-firewire-surfboard-models-potatonator-baked-potato-and-activator/

[hwork50]

So they are both pretty close in shape. The Baked looks full in the nose, just trying to figure out which board would make a great low end board. I love my DOM but would love to add either of the boards posted above. I think we will have to wait and see what these look like when they hit the floor. Thanks for the pics and the blog post link. Cheers.

[iggy]

you already have the dominator so the baked potato will increase you count more significantly than the potatonator

[prjwebb]

Yeah I agree with Iggy on that one 100%

[hwork50]

I will be getting one of those, maybe even brand new, we shall see how the money comes and goes.

[surferireland]

SPUD TASTIC - my god thats alot of choice

[Danga]

So how much difference is there between a sweet potato and a baked potato? What size/condition surf. If I have a dominator already which one would be best to get for smaller waves?

[iggy]

I havent ridden one yet, but looking at the pictures and descriptions of both, seems like the Baked Potato is a more refined sweet potato that will suit the same wave range. We could say that the Baked is a higher performant Sweet for waves that will normally require a longboard

http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_boards.php?boardid=baked_potato&fb_source=message

320

The BAKED POTATO offers a few subtle design adjust- ments over the SWEET POTATO. The nose is pulled in slightly and some of the rail volume has been removed to allow for even faster rail to rail transfers. The BAKED POTATO has the same aggressive double concaves and ‘V-spline’ running down the center of the board which allows the board to get up on the rail much faster than the overall design would indicate. Primarily designed for smaller, weaker conditions, the BAKED POTATO will surprise you by its performance characteristics, and how the quad fins set further back and closer to the rail than usual, allow the board to hold with- out sliding, even in larger surf. Get cooking on a BAKED POTATO.

[iggy]

Actually the most important difference IMO besides the tail will be on the profile. Check the volume distribution specially over the tail and the rocker:
Baked Potato

323

Sweet Potato

324

[kdropin]

you sure thats the baked potato profile??? looks like a dom

[prjwebb]

Yeah I think the SP and BP are going to be pretty similar in foil.

[iggy]

It actually does!!!.I was pretty surprised when I saw it on the web
Maybe a typo?.
Looks like the potatonator's foil

http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_boards.php?boardid=baked_potato&fb_source=message

[iggy]

Seems like if there was a baked potato 5'2" the difference between it and a sweet potato 5'2" will be around 1lt or so in volume

[Erling]

I don't think that they've updated the foil section on any of the newest boards yet... Potatonator, Hellrazor, Baked Potato, Activator all have the same foil, and it looks like might have used the Hellfire foil temporary.

[iggy]

A little potatonator video
http://vimeo.com/35963627

[Chris]

NONONO. Potato-nator and baked potato are not that close in shape. the potato-nator is about 70% Dominator, 30% potato.

To help I ride a 502 potato and a 508 dominator and a 506 Potato-nator on the west coast....but would go 508 on the east coast or if i lived in a place with winter suits. performs so well...

[prjwebb]

Sweet Potato vs Baked Potato here Chris not Potatonator! :D

I think the foil pics on the quiver section of the website is confusing people. Seems all the new boards have the same image at the moment.

[hwork50]

Give me a Baked Potato video so I can druel over that!

[iggy]

But this is something interesting I found
http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_volumes_length.php?boardid=volumes

[iggy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAqD7Ev27fc

This is as far as I can go...;)

[hwork50]

Not funny!

[iggy]

Sorry but I spent yesterday more than an hour trying to obtain a video to post and nothing... I guess that we will have to wait a couple of weeks for Chuy to give it a go.
For the looks of it, I anticipate the board to ride pretty similar as far as the sweet spot is concerned, the only difference will be that the board might be a bit more aggressive and could draw tighter arcs

[Chris]

There will be one soon...

[prjwebb]

Speaking of new videos

http://vimeo.com/36147422

[iggy]

Nice

[hwork50]

I am not in a huge rush to see a video of the Baked Pot. as I am sure it will go just fine. I am stoked that FW has made it and cannot wait to expand my quiver of boards.

[iggy]

Have you surfed the sweet potato yet?

[hwork50]

Yeah, I have surfed a 5'0" but it was 6-8 inches too small. It rode really well and I was pretty stoked on it. Maybe Ill pick up a sweet potato.

[iggy]

Well I remember I had previously a 5'6" pottaoto and swithched it for a 5'2"... felt too corky. Fast as hell but very corky on the turns. Now I'm pretty happy with the 5'2".
If you like the 5'6" version, you might want to take into consideration the Baked potato since, for the looks of it, would be a bit more responsive and could draw tighter arcs than the swwet version

[hwork50]

Yeah, that is what I was thinking. I do not have the money right now, but will in a couple months. I am 6'3" 185, so that is also something to consider. I love my DOM at 6'2" so that is probably what I am going to go for float wise as it paddles and surfs perfect for me.

[iggy]

All right, nobody knows you better that your own self!!.
All I can say is that the potato will increase your surf count and will put a big smile on your face on those days where you would have taken a longboard or an SUP

[hwork50]

Can't wait for that as my DOM has pretty much been the board of choice for the last couple of months. I can't believe that my wave count would go up even higher. I surfed my DOM yesterday and pretty much had any wave I wanted as the guys who had too short of boards could not catch the outside sets. Amazing board! Thank you Nev, you are a genius!

[Chris]

yeah the potato will just give you that same wave-catching ability on the smaller days!

[iggy]

Just came back from a deceiving swell at the East Coast USA.Forecast (Tragic Sea Weed) called for 9ft 10sec swell and what we got was probably 6' with a period that ranged from 4sec in the morning to 10sec in the aft.
Went out first with my hellfire 6'0" and I was having some trouble finding the waves. Lots f duck diving and quite some ice cream headaches (-6C). Finally decided to change strategies and took the potato 5'2"... what a blast I had in the afternoon sesh!!!. Caught a bunch of head high waves on it and he board just flew!!. Doring the turns I would have wished to have had a bit less tail a few times but still. Waves were big full and mushy with some steep ones from time to time. Was site surprised how it hadled them

[Chris]

what day did you get out and where? Heard it was an epic swell...

[iggy]

Sat and Sun were The days. I heard that the River Mouth was Epic as well as short Sands.
We drove on Frid morning after getting my shift covered.Left here at 3am, got to Long Sands at around 9am. First sesh until 12 (pretty frustrating since it was quite choppy). Went to the hotel, slept for a few hours, next sesh from 2-5pm... nice cleaner lines but quite chilly (-7C). Back to the hotel, slept 3 more hours, depart to Montreal. Caught a snowstorm on the way back so it took us an extra hour to et here. Road was pretty sketchy. Arived here, slept a few hours and a 13hrs shift!!!;)
The potato was a total blast. Brought my hellfire as well but it stayed in the car. Took the potato for a test ride and...

[prjwebb]

Has to be said, a day in the life of Iggy puts most other surfers to shame... Full commitment!

[core personal training]

its not commitment.....its insanity...!!!

[kdropin]

damn i bitch about my hour drive to the beach.. with gas prices going the way theyre going i'm going to bitch more! ha.. pickup eats gas.. but i lil rice burner wont get me out on the 4x4 beach

[iggy]

You got to do what you got to do...;)
If somebody throws you lemons, make sure you use even the skin to make that lemonade!!

[core personal training]

i'll have me a glass of that...!!

i've started driving an hour each way every day, even though some of oz's best reefs/ledges etc are minutes away...this gets me to beautiful clean DESERTED beaches...yesterday i did not paddle out til someone else turned up because of more than one close encounter up there lately..!!..this change in routine clearly shows the beauty of a spud..(gotta get one)..near home i can surf high quality waves pretty much guaranteed every day, so a HI-perf board is all i need...but up there i dont know what the banks will do and it is all exposed to the wind...having a spud or similar with me would mean every day is a winner...so who's gunna tell my wife to buy me the spud..???

[iggy]

First river sesh of the year and the potato was the chosen one
505506507508504

[iggy]

Oh and a little testament of the perils here509

[prjwebb]

I'd love a bit of time on a river wave like that to really work on round houses. My local is so racey down the line you rarely get a wave that opens up enough to fit one in.
I love watching guys do nice, big, powerful round houses, I'm going to focus on them this year. It's too easy to get into the 'pump pump pump closeout whack' habit here.

[Chris]

must be a master of the cut back after spending a few hours there.

[Chris]

how's the left??

[iggy]

That's the main wave, when it's on is sooo much fun
510

[Chris]

how many days a year like that?

[iggy]

depends on the flow but usually 2-3months every day!

[Chris]

maybe this fall...

[iggy]

all right buddy!!!

[core personal training]

i'll be booking into "Chez Iggy"..my youngest (mini kelly) is hanging to go over to see Mr Iggy the madman and his river wave...going to take years to save the airfares though..!!

[iggy]

Buddy more than welcomed!!!!!.I'll put the zoo in the balcony and we stay all here!!

[core personal training]

there is a guest suite in Puto's huge new condo....!!!!

[iggy]

jajajajaj!!! is my tradition the guests take my bed and I take the couch!
Just came back from a 3hrs sesh on the spit again!!!!.It felt sooooooo good. Outside temp 28C water temp 8C

[iggy]

Wow, came today from a 3hrs sesh on my 5'2"patate (potato in french) and let me tell you, I have never seen the small wave as crappy as it was today. Despite that fact, that little thing was bouncing more than a basketball on a high school. I had sooo much fun on it!!!.Where people on reg boards where flushing and long boarders and sup's were barely enjoying, I was on that little thing having a blast!!!. Again more of the same but what a good board for crap conditions!!!!
Thanks guys!!!