PN as thruster v. Dom as thruster?

[westy]

Hi there,

I've been on a 5'10" Dom (set up as a thruster) as my groveller for the past little while. I've loved it, but always felt it had bit too much volume. Initially, swapping it for a 5'8" Dom seemed like a no-brainer but I've been thinking about a 5'6" PN.

Thing is, I'm not mad on quads, so was wondering:

1. if anyone's riding the PN as a thruster?
2. how it feels versus the Dom, as a thruster? i.e. how shortboardy does it feel?

I reckon I'm probably better off the a 5'8" Dom, but can't rest easy until I've received the collective knowledge of the forum.

It's for using in typical, weak, summer, waist and under dribblers - often with a bit of onshore. I'm 6'2" 75kg and been surfing 25 out of my 37 years and am lucky enough to surf everyday there's waves.

Thanks for any input,
Chris

[ScottyDanger]

I've owned both (I'm 6'3 164 lbs) and have ridden both as a thruster. If the board is for waist and under dribblers I would most likely go for the Potatonator. By "dribblers" I'm guessing it is more mushy / crumbly instead of hollow, so the Potatonator should work perfectly. I actually didn't like the Potatonator as a quad; I felt it was a bit too squirely and fast (that was with a nubster too). The Potatonator accelerates very quickly after takeoff (definitely quicker than the Dom) and just flies. As a thruster, I have to work the Dom harder (which isn't necessarily a bad thing given the performance advantages of the Dom).

5'10 Dom is wayyyy too much volume; you are right. I ride the 5'8 and I often feel like I should be on a 5'6 especially when the waves have more juice. If you want a Dom for waist and under 5'8 would be the way to go though.

The tail of the Dom is less wide and thinner, and there are definite performance advantages if you are skilled enough to work the board efficiently to get up to speed in small waves (sounds like you are). I was out on my Potatonator a few weeks back in 1-3 crumbly waves and Timmy Reyes was ripping his Spitfire. Yes, he is a pro, but it is a reminder that you can make the Dom / Spit go great in relatively small surf if you really know what you are doing.

My personal case study is that I sold the Potatonator so that I could buy a Vanguard. I will probably buy another in the future, but for me the current strategy is Dom for anything 2'-5' and weak, and Vanguard for 4'-8' and punchy. I'm covered 95% of the time in socal.

As for thruster fins, on the Dom I've had the most luck with the Futures Rusty R1 set. They hold decently with the wide tail while still being loose (in a nice predictable sort of way). I still need to test more V2 futures fins - didn't bond with the AM1 Blackstix in the Dom. For really small waves I would swap a smaller more upright center fin (I use a WCT). Hope that helps!

[westy]

Hey Scotty - thanks very much for that. Exactly the type of info I was hoping for.

Yep, it'll be for crumbly rather, than hollow grovelling - basically anything I don't need a leash for. Over waist/shoulder high and I'll be on a shortboard.

I like the idea of the PN for real knee-slappers but suspect it wouldn't feel as smooth as the Dom through turns (maybe a bit disconnected if you know what I mean). And like you, being over-tall for my weight, could do with the extra couple of inches of rail from the Dom.

Fins wise, tried a lot of combos and the best I've found (for the 5'10") have been the large template G-AMs. Use it as a quad occasionally with those fronts and SF4 rears but probably need to do some more experimenting.

[ScottyDanger]

No problem. Yes, I do like the extra rail length of the 5'8 Dom given my height. I rode the 5'6 Vanguard and loved it, but I think that the more parallel outline had something to do with it. I actually preferred the Vanguard to the Potatonator - felt much more stable and predictable to me. The Dom feels smoother to me than the 5'6 Potatonator with a definite performance advantage. Don't get me wrong - the Potatonator is an awesome board and is better than 90% of the boards that I have owned haha. I feel lucky that I have such amazing choices these days.

I haven't tried the large template AM's as a tri - will probably give it a go this weekend. Liked the Am1 blackstix as quad fronts with Rusty R1 rears in bigger surf - great control. Love the R1 5 fin setup in the Dom - the quad set is really awesome, especially with a nubster. Insane speed.

[buzzy]

I use a slightly over foamed Dom as a small wave board and it's great. I'm not particularly tall but I don't notice excessive length. My use for the Dom is increasingly chest high and below, and full. It goes fine in hollower waves too but I prefer the more refined feel of my Futura if its small and the wave has some push (me 90kg approx).

[el02]

Hello everyone,

Im 6,1 and 94 kgs and 31 years young and Ive always been a fan of the dominator and spitfire family. I had the pleasure of owning a 6,2 dominator (38 lit), and this board helped me in getting more waves than ever and later on I changed into the 6,0 Spitfire (34 lit) for less buoyancy and more performance wise. I had it for 3 years and then move on.

Yesterday at my local break in Panama, it was crowded and my little ajw xstump 6,1 wasnt making the cut again 2 foot surf and just couldnt catch enough waves like i used to. Catch a few but not enough.... I was in the water thinkin if I only had my dom or spit i wouldnt been having this situation.

Ive been readin a lot about the PN and Im in between the 5,10 or 6,0 range... I consider myself intermediate and in excellent shape to paddle hard with enough buoyancy but I dont need the overfloat...... Im currently at 34 liters range but might want to jump into this board in the 36 or 37 lit range and the 5,10 fits right in...... the 6,0 mayb could overfloatme and make me lazy paddler with my other boards for bigger days.... Any inputs I appreciated?

Does this board handles well the thruster option as the Spitfire?? I like goin thruster on my backhand...

[el02]

My PN its on its way..... Has anybody tried this baby with a Thruster??? any reviews would be appreciated..

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