Potatonator: small wave assasinator?

[buzzy]

there's plenty of wives in the "whine" business.
Probably why divorce rates are so high.
I'm ducking for cover now...

Ouch!

[cuttlefish]

I just couldn't resist the play on words.

[FW - Fan]

fw fan, fst or rapid fire construction nator? and how much do you weigh? elevons are a medium size fin right?

suncoast

FST and I weigh about 85kgs plus wetty. I would say the Elevons are a medium to large fin. The rears are def on the larger side and the fronts look to be somewhere between a 5 and 7. Woke up today thinking about them...I didnt like the FCS H2's and have found most fins that are "not normal" to be nothing more than a gimmick...but these Elevons gave me so much lift that I made sections of fat non breaking "swell" to link up to sections further down the beach...about to go and have another session so will let you know how the second ride goes.

[iggy]

Guys just came from a 6hrs sesh today with the Potatonator and the Elevons on it. The wave was a bit better and all I can say is wow!!!. Soooooo much speed!!! and on demand!!!. I thought I was gonna stick with the souls on this one but those Elevons just worked like magic today. Speed speed and more speed!!! and tons of controlled powered buckets of water left and right!!!!.
Jeez I really like this board!!!!. Cuttle you were right!

[FW - Fan]

I just had the same experience as Iggy..3-5 ft peaky fun for an hour and a half (no I didnt surf 6 hours..Iggy who is your supplier..maaaann). I am in the middle of either buying a Potatonator or a Baked Potato...(probably both but have to hide it from the wife). I am also about to demo a Baked Potato with Elevons in it...I reckon that will be a no brainer. Potatonator and Elevons...FW should sell them as glass ons..Elevons should be mandatory in that board !!

[iggy]

jajajaa hear ya!!!!.
Everything hurts now!!!even my eye lashes!!;)
But the Elevons suit this board incredibly.
Get the potatonator and safe the money for Christmas board!!!!!!. Believe me you will not be able to share equal love with the 2 boards!!!;)

[suncoastslop]

Iggy, FW fan, what rears fins you guys running with the elevons?

suncoast

[cuttlefish]

Off topic but relevant taking into consideration the current participators.
Had my 2nd surf on the 5'11" baked potato this morning in very good 2-3' clean, high tide waves at my local soft point (the Bluff).
As usual the longboard crew were taking off 3 abreast on any and all set waves or inbetweeners too.
Sometimes the left over peakiness from yesterday would make it a little sectiony and I could snare some gems out from under their noses.
The baked potato is riduclously easy to catch fattish waves on at this size (2-3').
I'm feeling the 5'11" is not as blisteringly fast as the 5'8" sweet potato in the same sized waves.
But it still has speed to burn.
It does wrap around cutbacks really easily.
My favourite turn on my 6'2" potatonator is a big gouging layback kind of front-side hack. What a mouthful but it is what it says.
Must be it's combination of a bit more rocker and more pulled in nose which makes it do these so easily.
The sweet potato when pushed hard out on the face for one of these will have the tail letting go and the board going backwards, which is fun but different.
The baked will let the rail be buried easier than the sweet potato and so will do more of a controlled turn without the tail letting go.
Don't forget though...I'm comparing a 5'8" spud with flexible Indo controllers to a 5'11" baked with Futures controllers (stiffer).
I was able to stall for a few cover ups on the baked and it was happy in the pocket.
The sweet potato will usually have so much speed it will blow right by a tube opportunity and it's wide tail wants to drift when high and tight in the pocket when trying to get tubed.
So for those trying to decide inbetween a sweet and a baked?
It depends upon your local waves really.
I could happily ride my 5'8" sweet potato in 2-4" high beachies and my local fattish point day in and day out
BUT if I had it to ride in 1' and up I'd go for a 5'10" sweet potato at my stats as I find the extra 2"s and corresponding volume doesn't have the board bogging in turns as easily and allows a lot more speed in nothing conditions.
The baked potato 5'11" I'd say would still not be my choice if I was constantly surfing crappy 1'ers.
However keep in mind I'm pushing 50, have shoulder problems and am no flea weight.
If I'd been surfing the potatonator this morning I would have missed a few waves by not having the amazing ease of early planing offered by the 5'11" baked potato due to the longboard crowd.
If I'm riding my potatonator I'm usually further along at where we call "the corner" which doesn't have as many longboarders and is a shorter wave with a good closeout section at its end. Still has a take off followed by a fuller section so the potatonator, the sweet potato and baked potato blow right over this section without bogging.
So the baked potato for crowd control and wrap around cutties.
The sweet potato for no crowds and eye-watering speedy fish lines.
The potatonator for convincing an old guy he can still throw buckets.
P.S. I want some Elevons.

[iggy]

Iggy, FW fan, what rears fins you guys running with the elevons?

suncoast

The ones that came with the set. I actually had the small rear ones and lost one and got the large ones.

[FW - Fan]

Baked Potato is made for the Elevons..and I just ordered mine. IMO the Baked is so much better than the Sweet. For me, FW has ironed out all of the issues which made the Sweet too fishy and the baked is waaaay more Hi Per. First surf, actually first wave and I know I have to have one of these. Next for me is testing out the Elevons in my Hellfire...I reckon that will work too.