Dominator vs mini driver

[Freaked_Out]

Has anyone paddled a 6'4" dominator and compared how easily it paddles against a 6'4" mini driver?

[prjwebb]

I've paddled a 510 in each. Dominator wins for paddling hands down. The MD paddles a touch better than a shortboard a few inches longer.

[csarqui]

I've paddled both in similar sizes. There's no comparison. Paddling the Dominator has ruined me for most other boards.

[Freaked_Out]

Me too, thats why i asked the question that I probally knew the answer to. I got rid of my flexfire step up because it doesnt paddle as good as the dom and in the biggest day I surf, it defeats the purpose. I wonder in the 6'6" chubby chedda would be my bigger wave board? 40litres which is similar to the 6'4" dom, plenty of paddle speed and length?. I wish there was a hybrid step up models, like an old guys artilliary, the could call it the "doddle bug". Artillary for old dudes.... Minni dirvers that paddle like a dominator!

[Slowman]

Hmmm, maybe do some freestyle masters squads, with stroke correction. Naturally you can't apply all the technique to swimming, like the roll from side to side to that increases reach and stroke but you can adapt and alligator paddling style to get longer paddle strokes, combined with good hand catch and push off techniques. Good technique is free speed! Of course some training will add strength too. Just a thought.

[buzzy]

I was a State level swimmer as a youth but struggle now with paddling, as I have what I believe to be a torn rotator cuff. I can manage to paddle with it, but there is pain if I excessively extend or try to paddle with too much force. Consequently most of the time I paddle at 50-60%. Because I "practice" less paddling close to 100% my paddle speed is still below that of others who surf as much as me when actually paddling aggressively for a wave. That's one explanation for why I like a tad more foam in my boards than contemporaries. I've also got a slightly tweaked left knee which results in my takeoffs being a bit slower.

Apropos of not much.

[buzzy]

Me too, thats why i asked the question that I probally knew the answer to. I got rid of my flexfire step up because it doesnt paddle as good as the dom and in the biggest day I surf, it defeats the purpose. I wonder in the 6'6" chubby chedda would be my bigger wave board? 40litres which is similar to the 6'4" dom, plenty of paddle speed and length?. I wish there was a hybrid step up models, like an old guys artilliary, the could call it the "doddle bug". Artillary for old dudes.... Minni dirvers that paddle like a dominator!

I would recommend against using a foamed up small wave board as a step up, although I guess it depends what you're stepping up into. By all accounts the Chubby Chedda goes well in up to 1.5x overhead, so if that's what you're looking at that might work.

If you want around the 40 litres and want a HPSB you really can't look past the 6'8" Alternator. It doesn't paddle quite as well as a Dom but it paddles fine. I imagine it would certainly paddle better than a Flexfire. Ideally it would have a round tail as that would give it more versatility but as a squash it works fine anyway. I can remember only a couple of times where I lost the fins on a bottom turn and in large part that's probably because I was too far forward on the board. I have surfed the Alt in up to 3x overhead although my personal comfort zone is closer to 2x overhead.

[buzzy]

...incidentally I should say that when I lost the fins it was one of those big fat bumpy days, not a clean hollow day.

[Jase]

I'd say that 3x overhead is approaching a lot of people's uncomfortable zone!