The Go To Board

[shawntkeating]

Just looking for a board to ride either strapped or strapless. Very new into board design and not even really sure what I need as I am new to the area. I live in southern New Jersey now, originally from Huntington Beach California, so the waves here stay on the smaller side, with the occasional bigger swells coming through from time to time.
I am looking for something with:

Light Wind ability

Skatey fun loose

Can do both light and heavy wind

Will be a board I hang onto for as long as possible

Strapped or Strapless ability

That go to board

I am 210lbs, 5"9 currently ride back bays/choppy with TT but want to head to the ocean now and just use the waves to have fun.

What do you think about this board?

http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2365052

[Scribble]

I bought the LF Kitefish at the beginning of the season to learn strapless riding. I am very happy with the board. I weigh about 210.

Pros

Pretty much indestructible.
Good in lightwind.
Was easy for my to learn gybes.
Nice Skatey feel.
The price is right.

Cons

Weighs about 1 million pounds.
May not be the best board for big steep waves.

All in all I am very happy with the board. I think I will eventually want another surfboard for the coast, but for learning and messing around in lighter wind this board is killer. I have also had this board out in 35 mph and it held an edge and ripped upwind just fine.

Keep in mind this is my first season on a directional board so I'm a total noob. I have plenty of seasons with a surfboard, but not behind a kite.

Maybe Chanson will chime in. He took my board out for a quick session and he has much more experience than I. I do remember him saying, "damn that board is heavy".

Andy

[shawntkeating]

Thanks for the info. Do you think because it heavy it smooths out the ride quite a bit? I wish I could try one. Figured thats why i would post here first.

[Scribble]

The weight of the board is due to the wakeboard construction. You could probably throw the board off a moving car on the freeway and it would barely get a ding.

I wouldn't think the weight of the board would have anything to do with the smoothness of the ride. It seems to me the shape of the board would have more to do with it. If it was one of those huge boats on Deadliest Catch then maybe so, but can a surfboard sit low enough in the water to smooth out the ride? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

It does seem to have a pretty smooth ride though.

Andy

[shawntkeating]

Any more info on the Liquid Force Kite Fish would be appreciated. What about the Ocean Rodeo Mako King?

http://oceanrodeo.com/kiting/mako-king


Any input on this board? How does it stand up to my requirements in the original post? I kind of am starting to think I might just end up getting a fun board and a actual surfboard. I was hoping I could save some money and get enough of both worlds in one board. This Mako King SOUNDS like a blend of both, but I always like to hear peoples input.

[ICP]

The Mako is defintely NOT a surfboard. Glorified twin.

Look for a 5-6 to 5-10 18 3/4 to 19.

Ian

[shawntkeating]

I decided to go with the slingshot celeritas 5'8"

[mike dubs]

Shawn,

you will enjoy it, I had mine for 16months, I weigh 86kg, I rode it 95% strapless, get going quickly and handles speed very well. Should be great in the conditions you quote, you can carve it nice and wide and crack it round tightly with your back foot right at the rear of the pad. You can use it in light winds with just the two thruster fins too.

Get an nsp adapter for the mini tuttle boxes and you can then fit FCS fins.

Mike

[shawntkeating]

Shawn,

you will enjoy it, I had mine for 16months, I weigh 86kg, I rode it 95% strapless, get going quickly and handles speed very well. Should be great in the conditions you quote, you can carve it nice and wide and crack it round tightly with your back foot right at the rear of the pad. You can use it in light winds with just the two thruster fins too.

Get an nsp adapter for the mini tuttle boxes and you can then fit FCS fins.

Mike

Thanks for the tips Mike.