What are your thoughts on the Quadraflexs?

Did you do anything different with your stance to get the Fwire to click? I have an alternator and I loved it the first few times I rode it and now I am surfing like sht in sht waves and I also have been shopping it around!

Help me out?

Stefano,

It does take a little while to get used to the flex and maximize that aspect of our boards, but the basic foil, rockers and outlines are pretty similar to a regular board - you should not need to change your stance, other than to find the sweet spot on the board which is the case with any surfboard. But that is a matter of inches here or there and should not require a fundamental change in how/where you stand versus a PU board.

Re Quads: guys swear by them. I find they can be a little quirky backside versus a thruster, but in my opinion the top end speed offsets that. I'd be interested in FW-Fan's thoughts.

Let me just say I am a massive quad fan. The FW quads you see are not my only quads. Other than FW' thrusters I only ride quads. I agree that they are not as agile on my back hand BUT, I can develop speed on my back hand and go places on a quad that I cant with a thruster so its a bit of a trade off. I just try not to go backhand unless I have to, lol. I too agree you shouldnt change your way of surfing on a FW. If you do, then they are not right for you. We all have periods where we suck at surfing so maybe your just going through one of those. I doubt it would have anything to do with the board, just a temporary form slump.

My first few good swells I was totally loving the alternator. The speed and ability to beat sections was a big plus.

Waves have been sht in NJ as of late and I am having trouble getting my back foot on the tail and really ripping it of the top. Any ideas?

Hi Fan,

what's your weight & size and what board do you use most frequently under "weak waves conditions" ? ...and what fins ?

thanks !!

Hi FranP, that depends on your definition of weak waves. For me anything that is under 3ft and kind of fat or full would fit that description. If its really small and gutless I tend to use my FW Longboard, the Quad Fish or the Dominator. I really like the TC Aqualines on the Quad Fish. Lots of drive, really loose and excellent hold if you get a dredging sucky section. On the Dominator I use either the FCS PC5 quad set or FCS Stretch SF4 fins. Hope that helps.

Oh and sorry I am about 5'8 and weigh about 83kgs or around 185lbs.

Have in past year been replacing my quiver with FW,I'm really stoked/amped up...purchased quite afew at my local shop HERITAGE, 8 in total:recently went on two great trips Cali and costa rica(hermosa) scored great wave really tested the boards,and they worked great:took my flexfire 6'3 ,F1 lost 6'4 and 6'1.I'm hooked..still have some old boards to replace and looking at a few more FW to my quiver...looking forward to good sj late summer swell..

I'll second that TC Aqualine call for the retro-style Quadfish. I've also loved the H2s on the performance model for the last two years. On my first-generation Dan Mann twin, the MR 78s are perfect. Amazing quiver, FW-Fan. Let's see the rest please.

My FW quad fish is the original high performance model. If you can call a fish high performance !!!. I have never been able to get H2's to work for me on ANY board, let alone FW's. I think its the cant on the rear fins. If they were straighter liker the Aqualines, I think they would work. Always felt to me like they were slowing the board down. Sure they may be a touch looser then regular fins , but too slow in my view.

I feel the same way about the H2s on the retro model Quadfish. Dull, slow, and actually stiff. But they sure click for me on the thinner Quadfish. Go figure. Just proves once again that fins can make or break any board.

All right, here is mine: First board I got once I came to Canada was the Wave Ridding Vehicles 6'8''.Received a call from a friend saying that he just surfed in Montreal so after calling him several times I got him on the phone,gave me the address, went,checked it out and went right away to buy board,bag and wetsuit. Left the shop $1700 after and straight into the river.
Second board was from a local shaper,5'10''x20 (not displayed in gthe picture).
Third board again from a local shaper is the GUAVA, really nice board. I do love that one.5 plugs to set it up for either a thruster or a quad. I personally like the quad with the FCS H2 medium,they do lift the performance of the board. A very reesponsive yet forgiving board for the river conditions,pretty good flotation and a bit extra rocker on the nose for the small pockets. Speed is not a big issue here since there is no sections to pass. Tried it a couple of times in the ocean and it responded well.
After a friend allowed me to try his FW quadfish 5'8'' and it was love at first sight. One wave is all it took.That night I called my not so local surfshop,since it is in Ogunquit Maine, and I ordered the 5'10'' due to my weight (80 kgs,163 cms)
Right after I was waiting for the quadfish to arrive to the shop I buy from all the time in Ogunquit,and in the meantime KSF had some forewires at a really good price so I decided to get my hands on the flexfire 6'2'' round . Haven't used this board much since my fish arrived 2 weeks later but the few times I've used I was impressed. It cuts like a hot knife on butter. A very vibrant board,wants to be pushed hard.
Finally my fish arrived and I dorve 1020 kms roundtrip to get it...what a board, the smoothness on the turns,the ability to hold on the lip without getting flushed,the responsiveness and push after turns (even though the volume).The best board I've had in many many years (I've been surfing for around 18 years already).
And finally I had to get my hands in one of those beautifull sexy longboards. What a board!!!.You want to have one no matter where you go. You can have the biggest fun of your life from 2ft until...well whatever size you have cojones for!!!jejeje.Surprisingly responsive once you have played with the fin setup, it will put a smile on your face.
Finally on hte pic my winter "quiver":2008 waroo kite 9mts, 2008 waroo kite 13mts, 2007 bularoo kite 16mts. A little helmet hat have saved my head several times,2 harnesses depending on the conditions,a north waist and a dakine seat harness, and finally the impact vest to protect my ribbs during my stupidities also from North. 2 snowboards not displayed due to lack of space in the frame jejejej.
That's my quiver

Last but not least,when the waves are flat...

Hey, FW-Fan, have you ever tried your Simon Anderson fins on the Quadfish? If so, how did they go?

Hi iggy,....what surfboard do you use to kite ?

regards

Hey Frank,I do most of my kite on winter.I got into kiting as an alternative to survive the harsh Canadian winter.I surf as much as I can,we start early in the season when the outside temp is around -6C and the water is around 2C.I did kite a couple of times with the flexfire.There is Felix Pivec on one of the other threads and he's giving the best feedback there is on FW's as kiteboards.If there is any question there is nobody more reliablae than him to give you anaccurate answer.
I do use snowboard for kiting during winter a SIMS 138 with lost of flex.During the last winter I was doing a rail on a snowbank left by a snow removal truck.There was a big chunk of ice that I didn't see and the end result was the metal edge bent

Hey Kurt, yes I have used the Simon fins and I like the template.......but not on the quadfish. Simons template has relatively large rear fins. These tend to draw the arcs and turns out too much when combined with a short but straight rail outline of the board. For me, I think its critical that the rear fins on a quad fish are relatively small. That way you dont have too much fin getting in the way of quick turns or snaps. By the way I love the Simons on a step up quad I have. Just a bit more fin to hold and quick snappy turns are not the norm when it gets juicy. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the comprehensive report, FW-Fan. I've tried lots of quad sets and combinations on this Quadfish, but every time I ride it I realize that the TC Aqualines are the best fins for this board. I usually like bigger front fins (with little or no flex) to push off of, but the TCs make me feel like I'm on my old G&S Fiberflex skateboard, and that's a very good thing.

I just received my brand new Taj 6'4".

How sick is this board!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

nice board superc

did the graphics cost extra?

How is the board performing? have you had any experience's with the flexfire model to compare?

what height and weight are you roughly?

Hey Stylar,

Thanks, I think the board looks kick-ass. I am not sure if it costs extra for the graphics as I just ordered it this way and got a price that seemed similar to the normal FW price.

I used this board for the first time this weekend on a surf trip to the Overberg just outside Cape Town. Surfed 2 beach breaks over 2 days, the first day was 8 foot solid and the 2nd day was around 6 foot. Both days perfect offshore 5 knot breeze and the board was perfect!!!!!!

I am sure that I could go down to a 6'2" but the surf here tends to be quite fast and powerful in winter and I got this as a winter board.

I am 182 cm tall and weigh around 80 Kg's , I also use a 6' Futura for small- medium size mess around/mushy waves (the two boards have about the same volume) but have found that this board also goes very well in good solid surf (very surprising).

I have not tried the Flexfire as yet as the Taj was the first FW that I tested and I loved it straight away. I thought it would be a more technical board , but it has turned out to be very user friendly.

Hope this helps.

Chris

My Fire breathing 6'4 SABATaj

Pic was taken just before i waxed this beast up and took for a test flight in epic 4-6 solid waves.
I agree this board Flies, so much drive and turns on a dime. I found that i had to hold back a little on my snaps, the fins (occy FSC) were popping like mad, 180's were nearly sliding into 360's. After a couple of waves i had the flex dialed down, and adjust my speed to loaded up the board for snaps. I'm liking how it makes my surfing feel that more effortless and more controlled, like i've got more time to focus on the turn in the pocket, and not have to hurry to drive to it, the boards super responsive and gets me where i need to be. So performance gets two thumbs up!!
The board didn't seemed like it floated me anymore than my PU's but i can tell it did because, man my lower ribs and the top of arms are sore from obviously sitting higher out of the water when paddling. The only thing I'm disappointed about is how easy these boards are to ding. I had the usually foot and knee marks from surfing, which with all the hype about these boards being stronger and tougher, i would have expected there to be less depressions. Surf was too heavy for airs, so they were all from standard wall to wall action. So time will tell how tough these boards are. I've noticed a few posts of them snapping in two, so there not industructable. Does feel weird not having a complete stringer under your feet.

just my 2cents..

Purchased this 6'0 Quadfish HP and the 6'8" Alternator last year - worked with Mike and Brion here in San Diego and even picked them up at the factory (tour included) Stand-up guys - Great company Awesome boards - THANKS

Just got a shipping confirmation on my new Alternator 6’2”! I’m hoping that waiting a little over 3 weeks for this backordered item will be worth it. If I like the alternator, I’ll order a dominator 6’0” as well. After breaking a few surfboards I’ve decided I need to invest in a more durable surfboard.
I am in the process of picking out fins and a traction pad - If anyone has a good suggestion I’m all ears. I’m think Performance Core or Ultra-Light Epoxy.

Hurricane season is gearing up here in SC!

I really like the FCS PC fins. I think if you have a board with a bit of flex you dont need super flexy fins. The performance cores are stiffer than the glass flex and the lightweight epoxy. I think they (PC's) are the pick for FW's. As for tail pads you cant go past the Dakine Bruce Irons model in my view. I have them on most of my boards and they are nice on your knees and super durable. They have a nice litte arch, a good kick and are a 5 piece to extend the traction a bit. Just my opionion.

Quadraflex 6'4 to surf with and without kite with NSI strap sticky pads

Hi Rod / Mark,

Just want to share my new Quadraflex with custom spray design with you guys.
The great people of Country Feeling in J-Bay got this sorted for me.

Chris

More Custom Quadraflex pics

....... and one more.........

Chris

'would proudly wear your firewire shirts if you send me a few.....

dyoung,
Nice quiver, whats the dims on your boards?

6'6" pin
6'2" round pin
6' Taj
5'10" Futura (2)
5'8" Lost Stealth
5'6" Dominator
( I had a 8'0" Flexflight, but, couldn't justify it in my quiver)
it seems that I use the Futura and Dominator the most; in really good waves the Futura and the Taj ('just got the Stealth,so, the word is still out)

At this point in time, I'm been into the larger sidefins w/ a small trail fin...on all the boards....The Greg Webber flex/concave fins as well as the larger 3 plug fins w/ variable small trailer fins work well with FWs....even on the 8'0". Of course, it is all up to each one's personal preference on the feel of the board.

Wow Im jealous of Dyoung! Here is my big guy quiver from left to right:
non-firewire related LB
6'8" Mann Kine
6'6" Flexfire
6'6" Alternator x2
6'4" Stealth

not the biggest quiver but it gets me places

L to R: or bottom to top? hehe... 5'10 boomerang,flexfire fst 6'0 x 18.5 x 2 3/16 and a flexfire rapidfire same dimensions as the fst but 6'1.

That's a sexxxxxy looking board man!!!

why thank you iggy. iv been using blue wax for a year now and i finally stopped just for my new rapidfire. =)

Here's my quiver. 7'8" Xanadu Semi-Gun, 7'0" Flexfire Step-Up, CI 6'5" K Step-Up, CI 6'2" Proton, 6'2" Flexfire, 6'0" Alternator, 5'8" Dominator.

Hey meangreen, you have a pretty wide stance for waht I can see on your wax.How does your dominator feels from a wide stance point of view???

i know on ample roundtails, i tend to surf both feet forward and draw smooth continuous arcs..rather than pivot/swing off the tail...at least thats what it feels i am doing in my mind....reality may differ..is that your style meangreen??

Me I tend to go back,I love pushing the tail through turns,need to sink that baby!!

ha,i have a few kilos on you iggy...over 90 most of the time...sinking not a problem..although i have just dropped to 87kg and hopefully an even 85 shortly so i may not dominate my boards like before...my latest board (6'4 alternator) was scaring me last week in biiig meaty stuff...i had too much speed and lift, and could not get rail or fins to help me...basically out of control trying to keep it under my feet....only surfed slow mush since losing weight, and it handled this break and conditions before (even with the widish tail) so i put this down to too much buoyancy/weight loss, as it is a great allround design...
the upside is, it went nuts in clean 1ft waves 2days ago with the current floatation....and best of all...i get to inform the wife that i need a ff, a ff-gun, a taj, and a dominator to reflect my new svelt body!!!!

i know i've gone off topic again here...oh hang on..i mentioned a new quiver...that qualifies...!

MOST OF THE TIME jajajaajajja specialy after Christmas right????.One thing I have to admit,that was a good excuse you put to your wife and I already took note to apply it myself jejejeje.
I had the same issue a few months ago while taking my 5'10"quadfish on head high surf,fast as a lightning but out of control,borrowed my friend's dominator 6'0" and the change was drastic,waaay more control. Can't wait to try my DD5'10" under such conditions

Iggy,

Actually, I have a pretty narrow stance. I think its the angle of the photo that makes it look that way.

Must be,same happened to me when I took pics of my boards and my tail pads seemed to be off completely!!!.For the pics you put looked like Taj's stance more or less

Hey pyaldini and iggy... You guys say you've been using the blue wax for long. When you finally take it off, do you find it stains the deck?? I want to try one of those day glow sticky bumps on my Dom, but I don't want a permanently stained board. -Danny

No bluewax for me but I paint my boards with sharpie pens nad believe me those are resiliant to leave. When I want to get rid of a design I use nail polish remover and it's gone, no stains or anything.There are good products in the market to get rid of the stains, anyways you'll be putting more wax on top right????

I paint some of my boards too, but permanently. Never to be taken off. As far as my stain comment goes, resale value is very important to me. I sell boards with the wax cleaned off, always. Stains are not good for value. I'd post some pictures of my boards art, but they are not FW's. Haven't painted a FW because I like the nice bright white. I'm not going to post a pic of a different brand board on this thread! :)

If resale is value is important, and you want some color, why not go with a board that already has graphics? a paint job done post fabrication almost always reduces the resale value of the board. Its hard not to though....

I like to give my boards my own personal touch. I've found that these sharpies stick pretty well even with no resin or anything applied afterwards

This is a decal that I plan to put on my new Dominator at some stage. I realise that this design wouldn't be to everyones taste so it can be peeled off for resale....and protect the deck as well