Changing SP for a smaller size

[cuttlefish]

Well I rode the 5'8" in solid 4' plus pumping (high tide) point waves the other day.
Only had the time to catch 2 waves but the shorter spud felt a lot more work to paddle in the flats but caught waves easily enough.
The board felt great on the waves I caught. Super fast and loose. Fast and loose. Oh yeah....fast and loose!
It's a mantra!
The only problem lies in the fact that paddling short boards that have my back arching up when I paddle them pulls my muscles around my scapula out of alignment due to a stuffed shoulder from snowboarding.
Every time I start feeling good I jump back on a board that's just that bit too short and bam...pain city!
So I took the demo back and figured I'd leave it at that.
Tried riding my 6' spud yesterday and again this morning but even carrying it down the beach it was feeling oversized and up and riding it felt so much board.
I'd been tainted.
My head had been messed with.
Curse you 5'8".
Checked the time on my watch.
The surfshop that had the 5'8" is just across the road. Get one in and scoot across to see if the 5'8" demo is there.
It is and after a quick fin and legrope swap with my board it's back out again.
The waves are 2-3' and fast breaking, with hollow take offs.
The 5'8" feels more work to paddle out as I'm deeper in the water.
But paddles into the waves well and my thoughts about connecting with the wave energy by being a bit deeper into the wave on take off are correct.
Super fun.
The drops are easier on the 5'8" in these size waves.
Got some smoking lefts and rights.
After a while my bloody scapula pain starts in.
Not sure what to do now.
My 6'2" p'nator is only a litre more in volume but is easier to paddle around the flats with it's narrower nose so I've had no pain from paddling it.
The problems with my shoulder are always worse in winter with cooler water so I'll see how I go after this.
I'll wait and see how much pain I'm in over the next couple of days before deciding whether I can keep surfing the 5'8".
Hopefully the voltaren will help.

[suncoastslop]

Cuttle great info, i assume the 5'8 was fst? any noticeable difference between your rapid fire and fst?, im now set om the 5'8 just not sure on fst or rp. got distracted looking at a potatonator also today, god dam to many choices

slop

[cuttlefish]

Hi,
Ah, to be honest i can't tell the difference but I've not ridden the same size/model board back to back in both constructions.
I just know that I'm a lead foot and if I can get a board in a stronger deck I'm going to do it.
Some people don't heel dent rapidfire but I'm not one of them.
BTW the bank I was surfing today was right in front of the Alex surfclub.
Great lefts and rights.
One of the crew I know caught up with me after I got out of the water and showed me the Daily's "wave of the day" from Monday with yours truly bottom turning on a chubby left (but on my old school 7t board) at "the corner" not the bank that is in the side on pics posted below which is another 100 metres further North.
Would rather they got a shot of all the good rights that I caught with double the size but oh well, whatever floats their boat.
20120425_144656.jpg
Couldn't catch me on any spud waves...they go too fast. LOl!
You'll be fine on a 5'6" but I still reckon a p'nator has more range and can be surfed with more variety in where you go on a wave face.
I can feel myself getting in a groove of where I'm going on the spud which will ultimately keep it as a niche board rather than any kind of all rounder for me.
And a niche board it is.
Posted the wrong pic and there's my little guy falling off the p'nator again.
Once the wrong photo is uploaded it's a task beyond my meagre computing skills to get rid of it so there it stays.

[suncoastslop]

photo.jpgyup checked out cross section of rf and fst today, no doubt fst is stronger construction, found a couple of pics from the other day, that bank was firingphoto.jpg

[suncoastslop]

no idea why pics have rotatedphoto.jpg

[prjwebb]

bloody hell, just crooked my neck!

[csarqui]

You must be taking those pictures on an iphone. Happens all the time.

[iggy]

jajaaja

[JaM71]

Good post cuttles, quite a dilema you have. I think you nailed a couple of good points 1) the spud is a niche board not an allrounder 2)having demoed a 5'8 and 5'10 i agree the potatonator is more versatile. Perhaps the 5'8 spud (or mini simmons) could be a niche board in the niche section of your expansive quiver to be used when you feel 100% and feel the need to go short, fast and loose. Personally, i feel there is always room for such a board. There is nothing like catching a great shaped decent size wave on such craft.

As you are taking the 5'8 out in decent hollow waves this would indicate that you have fully dialed in the spud for mine, your only question is.....do you have room in the garage for another board? Perhaps firewire can send you a "demo" sticker so that your beautiful wife would be none the wiser......or just keep it in a board bag.

I would keep the 6 ft spud because from our conversations it serves the purpose that you bought it for, so the 5"8 would be the "blast" the "i cant believe i can ride this board in these waves" board. Sounds like you would need to do short sharp sessions on it though, like 45 mins then switch the a longer board or visa versa.

As you know, i never leave home without mine and jump on it for the end of most sessions regardless:)

[damo666]

Cuttlefish, you may have answered this elsewhere, but I just noticed you mention you have previously had a 6'6" Addvance?
How would you compare your 6' Potato to the 6'6" Addvance?

In my mind they seem very similar - a) obviously they are very close in volume b) whilst the Potato has a shorter rail line, it also has much more volume in the larger tail. The Addvance seems to be the opposite, smaller tail to help turns, but volume everywhere else!

I am looking to build a simple 2 board quiver. I have a 6'2" Dominator for everything over waist high, but cant decide between a Sweet Potato or an Addvance for a small wave groveller (essentailly as a longboard replacement).

I'm thinking that the Addvance would be a better allrounder for really little stuff, and probably would be a better paddler than the POtato with similar performance potential?
I'd be interested to hear your feedback as someone that has owned both?