Potatonator: small wave assasinator?

[jon_bro]

I know how you feel Cuttlefish! I surf a pretty crowded metro line up with a lot of log riders. I have a 5 8 SP RF that suited me perfectly (I weigh 100kgs) but I got a logger drop in on me and chopped it up. I was so devo the logger said he would pay for it but I did t bother (I think he was actually scared of me). Shit happens and I paddled her in. Gave her to a local shaper to repair which somehow managed to take 2 months to fix. Anyway, I got me a 5 10 SP FST as I thought it would give me more paddling power and higher wave count. But I find you get to a point that it's either to boaty or doesn't paddle at all. It just didn't work as good as my 5 8, so it goes to show that fine line between having to much volume and not having enough. Personally the 5 8 for someone 100kgs like me is perfect. But I have just ordered a 6 2 Pnator so will hopefully send pics of her when she gets here. I'm gonna run her on Future AM2 first and hopefully she goes just as good as my SP RF.

Also has anyone ridden a 6 6 addvance? Do they track at all with the fuller nose?

[keith]

Jon-bro, that spins me out, 100kgs on a 5'8", you must be fit and flexible.
Great post cuttle, i have rellies in Ballina so i can relate to the waves you are on, i had good surf at flat rock and wategoes, 2 years ago and a good day on the lefts at south wall when it went north one day. I always have trouble getting my head around a wide nose, i see them when im surrounded by mal riders. My 6'10" Simon Anderson Mollusc has a fair bit of area in the nose and i dont think i have ever felt restricted by it. The local surf shop just rang and said they had a 5'8" P'nator just come in so i will have a look, although i wouldnt go smaller than a 6'4".

[jon_bro]

I was about 90-95 when I got the SP but still catch heaps of waves. Definitely not flexible when the wetty comes on and I'm worrying about how I struggle with flexibility. Wouldn't say fit either just positioning and most of the time luck haha.

I can't wait for my trip creso last year we scored it about 3-4 with only a handful of us out and on the SP it killed it all the way from point to beach! So I'm frothing for the Pnator to show up :-D

[JaM71]

Cuttles cut the sweet p some slack! You can use the pnator as your small pointwave board and all rounder, use the sweet p for what you bought it for......high tide fat waves, back breaks that are difficult to connect to the inside and just quietly they re great fun in onshore mush of all sizes. Give the little chubby fella a fair go:)

[Bumper]

Hey cuttle

Seems like u have a pretty good handle on the pnator. What type of wave might it have difficulty with. I assume anything steep over shoulder high. I have a hellfire and dom for those waves and a sp for knee to thigh. Im pretty sure im going to pick up a pnator but ive had an eye on an el fuego too. Leaning toward the panator but just want to know more abOut its limits.

[buzzy]

Cuttlefish, you're on fire!

One thing I suspect (but can't know as I haven't surfed them) is a Potatonator and Dom probably suit a more Back footed style, whereas the SP and EF might suit a front footed style more. Cuttlefish might be able to add some thoughts here.

[cuttlefish]

Cuttles cut the sweet p some slack! You can use the pnator as your small pointwave board and all rounder, use the sweet p for what you bought it for......high tide fat waves, back breaks that are difficult to connect to the inside and just quietly they re great fun in onshore mush of all sizes. Give the little chubby fella a fair go:)

The pass thru to Clarke's with longboarders all over it like flys on a steaming turd is probably not the best place to subject the spud to when it's unfamiliar territory. LOL!
Bumper, I've had the p'nator out in well overhead waves and it's performed faultlessly. I showed the board to a Byron shaper who's been around a long, long time and he approved off its eccentric shape. He also commented on the good amount of tail rocker for the overall flatness of the board.
I haven't come across any waves since I got it that it hasn't eaten up and kept on making me happy.
It all depends upon what you're used to but I've been surfing all manner of wide, flat rockered boards for years and I'm quite a home on the p'nator but doing turns that bely my age.
Buzzy,
I reckon the p'nator's pretty balanced regarding feet positioning. I do have a habit of standing too far forward on occassion but because it's short and also thick through the deck underfoot it lets you get away with poor foot positioning.
It will slow it down a bit standing too far forward but it doesn't bog like other thinner, more sensitive boards.
The spud is back footed that's for sure.

[cuttlefish]

Note to self...off home today and will give the "Big Spud" a run at home where it was intended to be ridden in the first place.
Scored 3' plus smoking barrels firing lefts and rights in a glassy sea right out the front at Byron main beach today.
Nice steep drops as the waves hit the bank and jacked throwing into barrels and either chewed me up or coming out into a gouge or two and a big reo into the end closeout.
Running the p'nator with Blackstix EA thrusters and had a blast.
The p'nator paddled in early and flew.
Someone asked about any negatives of the board in any waves...well I need to figure out how to stall it better for tubes as if you put more weight on the back foot it goes...Giddyup!
I love this board!!!!
Dropped into Firewire at Currumbin and in the short time I was there saw two customers asking about the p'nator.
The word is getting out.

[prjwebb]

Ha that's classic! Get him a paddle and he can SUP that bad boy.

[cuttlefish]

Oops...editing and computer getting the better of me. Try again.
Here's my 3 & 1/2 year old taking the p'nator for a test paddle.
He reckons it paddles like a canoe.
Have to work on his stance to get him feeling "natural" and his back foot back on the tail pad.
Plenty of time for that.
The 6' sweet potato would be sup-able for him for sure.
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