About to give up on My SP

[barney]

It isn't really the board, but I think it is more about me, how I just can't get it dialed in and my lack of skills.

I have only taken it out 2-3 times but every session, I end up throwing away 1/2-3/4 of the session. I am an intermediate surfer, 42 years old, but have fairly short arms (which makes popping up quick, very difficult, so I typically do a little stutter as I am getting up. This is not a problem with any time I ride a traditional thruster, as it tends to hold the board a brief second at take off. It is a slight problem with quad fish or twins, as they ARe so fast, they tend to run down the wave so quickly, but I have figured it out). The problem with the SP is that as the wave picks up and I try to pop up quickly the board either starts to run on me and I look like a total kook, trying to get up after I have already gone down the face of the wave OR the board starts to shake back and forth (kind of like speed woobles on a skateboard). This speed wobble sensation is something I have never had a problem with on a fish and think it is a problem with the SP because of the deep V bottom, which makes it want to teeter totter back and forth (which is what makes it so fun when I actually do get up).

The problem now is that I no longer want to use this board any more because it makes me look like more of a kook Than I already am and I am throwing waves away, which is so frustrating, knowing I could have had so much fun riding the wave on my spitfire.

Anyone else have these problems? I am really thinking about selling it and maybe getting a potatonator, would that ride more like my spitfire, or would I just have the same issues as the SP?

[kdropin]

what fins are u using? i found that with the indo controllers the board was racing way ahead of where i wanted to b.. i couldn't stand them.. stretches are good and will stay in the board from now on

[Slowman]

Speed wobbles? Maybe you are too far forward...as for the rest you are going to have to just get up faster. Practice your pop-ups on land maybe even see a surf coach to have him watch you to assess the problem better. Even with another board it is something you need to work on as there will be quick waves where the same thing will happen.

[prjwebb]

Got to say, I'm pretty hit and miss with mine. Sometimes I have the funnest surf ever on it and other times I'm wrestling with it and blowing so many waves. I think it's the kind of board you need to relax with and let it do a lot of the work. My main issue is I'm always out running waves on it. I was surfing it tonight in head high to a little over head, steep high tide wedges and going stupidly quick on everything. I didn't dare try and fit in any turns at that speed but I did have a lot of fun. Might have had some crackers on my shortboard though.

[barney]

what fins are u using? i found that with the indo controllers the board was racing way ahead of where i wanted to b.. i couldn't stand them.. stretches are good and will stay in the board from now on

Yep, indo controllers my last and worst session on it yesterday. Before that I was running MRTx and gxr (iirc), the MR set up seemed to be less racy, maybe its just a matter of fins or would a potatonator suit my style better.

FYI- I took the SP out yesterday after I already got up at 4:30 am to hit a dawn patrol session on my spit. In other words I not only was tired because it was my second long session of the day, but also because I got up so freaking early. I am just not sure at this point I want to "learn" to surf all over again, no time for that, I just want to surf and have fun. No problems on my Spitfire (love that board) or my stretch F4 quad, etc...

[Slowman]

Having never ridden one I can't make specific comment but sounds like if there are no problems with other boards then just stick to what you like. I would have thought the SP was only to be ridden in 1-2'.

[iggy]

What size potato are you riding?.
As PRJ said, this is a board which needs a "relaxed" approach. I went from riding a 5`8" spit to a 5`2" potato and it did require a little adaptation, but once you get the sweet spot dialed is like riding a bike, you`ll never forget it.
Te sweet as well as the baked and the potatonator, are boards that need to be dirven from the back foot, your foot has to be all the way on the kick of the tail pad.

[barney]

It is a 5'10". I got it big so I can get into waves early when I surf at spots where there are more longboards. Once i get up there isnt a problem riding it, although it is much different that any other short board, and yes, it is very back foot biased. The problem is popping up which makes me feel like a total kook. Yesterday was my most frustrating day on it, and maybe it was just a combination of being on that board, indo controller fins, surfing at shoulder+ head slow surf of San Onofre (which is a slopey wave, not hollow at all), and being super tired.

[aurfalien]

Hi Barns,

Sorry to hear about the frustration.

Well, not every board is for every one so it could be as simple as that. Although I have gotten some sweet rides on my SP, I am up sizing it but yours is big already.

This guy I surf with absolutely rips on hss 5'10" SP and says its his go to board in any condition. He surfs his board top to bottom, off the lip etc... solid bottom turns etc... throws gallon jug sized buckets. He weighs like 230 LBS@6'1".

Could it be too much board, 5'10" is huge volume wise.

Good luck man, I can relate.

- aurf

[barney]

The thought that the high volume might be a problem did occur to me, but typically when surfboards get higher in volume the board typically gets easier, not harder to ride. But maybe the SP is a unique case? I weigh about 195 with my wetsuit.

I ride a 6'4" spitfire which is over volume for me, but I love it.

Hi Barns,

Sorry to hear about the frustration.

Well, not every board is for every one so it could be as simple as that. Although I have gotten some sweet rides on my SP, I am up sizing it but yours is big already.

This guy I surf with absolutely rips on hss 5'10" SP and says its his go to board in any condition. He surfs his board top to bottom, off the lip etc... solid bottom turns etc... throws gallon jug sized buckets. He weighs like 230 LBS@6'1".

Could it be too much board, 5'10" is huge volume wise.

Good luck man, I can relate.

- aurf