"Lightning Rods: Surfboards that matter"
Source: STABMAG.COM Words: Derek Rielly Photos: Koji Nishii.
Just recently at a contest in Trestles, a shaper saddled a stallion. That shaper was Matt Biolos of Lost Surfboards. Have you heard of him? Have I mentioned him before? Why am I mentioning him again and again? Here's why...
Because no one builds a surfboard that drives and flies on Tressels waves like Matt.
We asked Bioros to provide us with detailed information about the two boards, Mick and Julian, including their volume.
MAGIC DIMENSIONS
Mick Fanning's "Sub-Driver" 5'11" 18.88" 2.25" | Volume: 26.7cl
Rocker: Nose entry is above average. Rear is below average. The tail rocker where your back foot comes in is very curved, but the tail shape outline in that area is straight. There's enough tail rocker to make it less straight. Bottom shape: There's a solid concave from the nose to just behind the rear fin. It's very thin, with a slightly small vee of a few inches. The concave is deep all the way to the front fin. Rail shape: Standard for Australians. The bottom has an edge that's closer to the outline to make it easier to control the concave and volume.
Things to note: The nose and tail are wide... not too wide in the first 12 inches of the tail, but the tail block and the butt area in front of the front fin are very wide. The nose is a very wide 12 inches, which makes up for the exaggerated nose rocker.
Matt: "My boards are measured in a straight line across the deck. Most Australian shapers measure along the curve of the bottom. So when I say 5'11, it's more like 5'11.5 in Australian terms."
http://www.luvsurf.co.jp/movie/subdriver_mick.html
Video of Mick on the board above.
Julian Wilson's "F1-Stub" 6'0.5" 18.56" 2.30" Volume 26.30cl
Rocker: Gentler than average entry rocker without any visible flapping. Not too tight, not too loose tail rocker with rails that lift up about 6 inches. Bottom Shape: Shallower concave than Mick's board. Uses tail rocker to carve speed spots and has a pronounced double concave towards the fins. Rail Shape: Very standard. A slightly more boxy shape than the typical Aussie brand boards you see in stores. Worth noting: Matt: "This is the third generation, based on the board he entered in the WQS and used the most. He's made it to the finals three or four times on that board." "The second generation had an orange deck and was ridden at J-Bay. It's a pretty standard board. It's basically a neutral (due to the shallow concave) board. It's very flat and has a more relaxed rocker overall. It's a little wider in the nose than typical, but really standard. JW (Julian) also got some boards from JS. I think the JS boards have more tail rocker and a narrower tail block. Julian prefers those boards in punchy waves like the ones he went to in San Francisco this year and Portugal."
http://www.luvsurf.co.jp/movie/f1stub_julian.html
Here's Julian riding a board shaped by Mayhem at Trestles.
What influences the board making at Trestles?
Matt: "Incorporate speed and glide. It's always wider than a board for a Snapper or beach break, where the face of the wave is very fast and the board lifts and wraps around more. A gentle rocker works really well because the face of the wave is flat. Conversely, a flat rocker isn't suitable for a Snapper type of wave."
Who out of the 34 riders in the Trestles contest was using your board?
Hmm...the atmosphere at that contest was very strange. Damien, Ace, Daniel, Kieren, Devo, Dustin, Julian, Mick, and Bred all rode at least one heat or more. Taj rode a few boards in the pre-contest but not during the heats. I'm enjoying working with world-class surfers on board designs.
[Comparing Mick and Julian from the perspective of a shaper]
Julian's boards are very middle of the road. Modern high performance boards: modern dimensions, rocker, rails, foil volume and outline. Mick's boards are very extreme designs not often used in WT. Not suitable for every type of wave, but for smaller waves, like Trestles. Wide nose and tail. Very wide and all-around compared to a typical board. Very deep concave and very loose tail rocker.
Is Mick your favorite surfer? Why did you fall in love with him?
He's not my favorite. I don't have a favorite surfer. My priority surfer is Kolohe. He's pure and simple. Everything I get from him is amazing. Julian is also amazing. Julian is super enthusiastic and challenges me with board designs, reminding me of Shane Beschen in the 90s. Julian enjoys pitting me against shapers from all over the world so they can ride my boards. I enjoy a challenge too. He's really fun to tease, so I handle him very carefully. I'm really exploring young surfers. If I could just go with the "mad science" approach, I could create my favorite surfer.
Thank you for reading the 24's blog in 2011! I wish you all a happy new year!
