Author Topic: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!  (Read 12295 times)

SUPcheat

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2677
    • View Profile
Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« on: April 10, 2014, 04:26:08 PM »


I decided to attempt another hard board adventure.  My standard practice board for some time has been the Red Paddle Mega inflatable.  It is a lot of fun, but large at 10'8", 36 inches wide and 6 inches thick. I am 6'1" and maybe about 215 lbs. when geared up on the waves. 64 year old late bloomer.

I rented a Gerry Lopez Surf Music (9'0"Lx34"Wx4.25"T 160.2 Litres Future 2+1 Fin Setup) from Covewater. I figured I would be out of my depth, but the worst that could happen would be a knee paddle/surf session. I have been on the ocean since last May, stood up on first wave last  September.

I tried my neighbor's Pearson Laird Arrow 11'/29 3/4wide over a month ago, and couldn't even figure out how to stand up on it, so I was not sanguine about the Lopez.

I took it out to Privates Santa Cruz.  Shock of Shocks, I was able to stand up on it, falling very little in situations that I may have even fallen on the Mega, and after about an 45 minutes, I was able to handle the darn thing without an excess of stress.  The sweet spot is smaller, and the tremble/twitch factor was a lot greater, but my body was able to dial it in after a while.  It felt kind of like a mini Mega, and my reflexes were not futile and did not have to start completely from scratch.

Conditions were windy and choppy, not ideal for a first session on a new board, but was able to deal with waves, chop, white water, wind pretty well. The Lopez is not a fast paddler, but I suppose it is designed more for the surf side of the equation than the paddling side.

When I came into shore, a nice fellow on a longboard who was out there said he thought that I was riding it well on the waves and that I was controlling the board rather than vice versa.  It didn't quite feel like that, but I was grateful for the encouragement.

I am sure it's entire surf capabilities are beyond me at the point, but I also managed some step backs and short wave rides with it, though the lock remains unpicked as to its potential there. Every motion is just more delicate and less forceful.

  It needs some really hard paddling to catch the wave.  It turns on a dime compared to the Mega, but obviously, I need to practice  for the twitchiness to turn into actual control.  I actually seemed to have better luck catching waves with Mega, but then, I have been on that for 9 months.

I was happy I could even manage it and will take it out again tomorrow and see if I can improve on the theme.  It bodes well that I might eventually deal with a board that might be as low as 150L and 33 inches wide at about 8.5 to 9 feet.
2013 Fanatic Prowave LTD 9'3"x30.5x@134L
Sunova Speeed 8'10"x29.12@131L
Sunova Flow 8'7"x30.25"@121L
Carbon 9.3x32@163L Hammer
Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

supdiscobay

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 797
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2014, 04:54:41 PM »
Great job Karl.  Seeing you out there the past few times we have run into each other, I really think you should be on a "hard" board, for sure.  It's kind of one those thing where you just half to take the leap and do it.  Every time I get a new smaller board, it doesn't take more than a few months for me me to wish I got something even smaller.  Smaller can mean many things, shorter, thinner and narrower, pulled in nose/tail, etc..  It doesn't mean you do it all at once.  Trying and buying different length and shape boards allows me to figure out what works and what doesn't work for me.  Have fun on it tomorrow!!
8'5" Starboard Pocket Rocket, 8'0" Kazuma Fugu custom,  8'10" Kings Sidewinder, 10' Starboard Noserider, 14' BARK Carbon Dominator, SIC F16 V3, KeNalu and Quickblade paddles, 19' Eaton Prone, 67" Goode 9700

supthecreek

  • Guest
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2014, 04:56:04 PM »
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Mr Cheat.... you are on your way!
Good for you... 2nd big step taken!
I sense a new board is in your future... 8)
You will improve much faster on a standard SUP board... the feedback is consistent, where the inflatable feedback is quirky.


Gaucho

  • Waikiki Status
  • *
  • Posts: 34
    • View Profile
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2014, 06:28:55 PM »
Cheat - Nice progression to the 9' Lopez.  I have the same board and love the stability.  I like it set up as a quad...see Scott at Covewater for some GL quads if you get one of these.  Not having a center fin is a big plus with the kelp around Privates and makes the board looser

stoneaxe

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 12084
    • View Profile
    • Cape Cod Bay Challenge
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2014, 07:13:20 PM »
I agree...smart move...and quite a jump. If you can do that so easily you should have it wired for some waves soon enough. Progression starts slowly and gathers steam. I was on my 12-6 for about a year before I started getting other boards. You'll soon be justifying different boards for different uses...I smell a quiver coming....mark my words... ;)
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

SUPcheat

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2677
    • View Profile
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2014, 07:35:07 PM »
Thanks, guys. 

I guess it is like graduating from lengthy kookdom to intermediate gromdom. I am just glad I can progress at my tender age. I guess it is also nice to see that lengthy practice on a more forgiving board can actually be contributory to more challenging board, not just start over entirely.

The Lopez has that "secondary" balance thing where it tilts/twitches rapidly then stabilizes a bit and you can actually ride around that secondary balance.  The Mega just had one basic balance condition, on or off, but it is forgiving.

Kurt, I plan on trying out various hardboards according to your advice and will make a decision about a hard board after rental trials here and there over time.  My neighbor took the Laird Pearson Arrow on a lengthy vacation, but I will give it another stab as well when he gets back with it.

I can easily afford a "quiver", but easing the wife unit, who already thinks I am nuts, into another board klunking around the house is another story. 
« Last Edit: April 10, 2014, 07:44:09 PM by SUPcheat »
2013 Fanatic Prowave LTD 9'3"x30.5x@134L
Sunova Speeed 8'10"x29.12@131L
Sunova Flow 8'7"x30.25"@121L
Carbon 9.3x32@163L Hammer
Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

supthecreek

  • Guest
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2014, 05:30:36 AM »
She'll get use to it ;D

nachoSUP

  • Malibu Status
  • **
  • Posts: 84
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2014, 06:57:01 AM »
hi SUPCHEAT!!!

First of all, congratulations!!!! well done!

Second, i started a year ago and my first SUP was the RedPaddle Mega (still have it) when i figured out that SUP was for me and started getting waves i started looking for a "hard,easy and forgiving wave board" (110 kg and 5´8´´)

Then i found The Zone, and then i read the post from SUPthe creek. Ending buying a AllWAVE 9´6 .  Excelent, almost no need for a learnig curve. 

That was a great board, great stability, very manuverable. almost not using de RedP mega anymore

Here i´m a year later downsizing again.  first i was going for a PROWAVE 9´6 (153 liters) but i thougth that could go smaller and bougth a Naish Hokua 9´5 GT (putting my hands on it this weekend with a forecast of 6´ waves, 14 sec of period and no wind, as good as it get here in Uruguay!!!)

Conclusion: Go for a hard wave board, demo all you can, its going to be more easy to catch waves and even paddle in flat water.


SCruzSUPr

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 213
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2014, 07:32:36 AM »
...easing the wife unit, who already thinks I am nuts, into another board klunking around the house is another story.

Carl

woohoo!  and i missed you out there!  For the summer I am riding my 'big boy' Pearson/Laird 12 footer - lots of glide for me, and I am about your size.  Keep up the kook!  Your wife is right, you know.... now the job is to stay that way!   ;D ;D ;D
10' x 32"        Bill Foote  Triton
9'5" x 31"       Sunova Speeed
11'2" x 32"     Bill Foote 'Geezer Sled'

mrbig

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2465
    • View Profile
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2014, 07:35:11 AM »
Supcheat, That is a great story. The width of the Lopez is the special sauce that makes a 9' board as stable as it was for you. And remember when you decide on the hard board of your choice, just let the air out of the inflatable and there is just one board clunking around the domicile!  8)
Let it come to you..
SMIK 9'2" Hipster Mini Mal
SMIK 8'8" Short Mac Freo Rainbow Bridge
SMIK 8'4" Hipster Twin
King's 8'2" Accelerator SharkBoy

SUPcheat

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2677
    • View Profile
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2014, 06:56:47 PM »
Thanks, again, guys.

Today's session, was able to ride the Lopez from the get go pretty well. I still had trouble figuring out what it wanted for the drop in, many waves riding under, and it does not like to knee surf as the wave mostly just wants to punch through from the back. However, this also means that it doesn't catch any rail for knock off in the churning white water. I was able to stand up surf a large mound of white water because of this characteristic, which most certainly would have knocked me over on the Mega.

 I got a hunch toward the end of the session, though, instead of a right foot step back toward the narrow end of the board from the stability point parallel to the handle slot, it wants a step forward with the left foot toward the front. Then a second step if necessary to put the feet in surfer stance on the midline. It also seemed to want to take the wave somewhat lateral, riding the front down into the drop with the right edge and fin eventually catching.
When I caught one wave this way, it took off like a rocket, faster than anything I can remember, but my reflexes couldn't keep up for more than a couple of seconds before it was SupCheat in space.

 The board appears to have most of its bulk forward of the handle slot, and the tail is unstable unless foot exactly on the middle with forward motion.

I was too tired to continue testing the drop theory, if it is correct at all.  Things turned into major chop, wind and swell for a while after 2PM  around Shark's cove, so it was actually more fun riding the bounding swells around rather than surfing. I did that for a while.

Anyway, I am just stoked that I was able to do this ride, it made me feel hopeful for progress. I may rent the board again for a couple of sessions.

I would like to put in a plug for Covewater SUP in Santa Cruz, a first class experience with the staff.
2013 Fanatic Prowave LTD 9'3"x30.5x@134L
Sunova Speeed 8'10"x29.12@131L
Sunova Flow 8'7"x30.25"@121L
Carbon 9.3x32@163L Hammer
Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

SUPcheat

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2677
    • View Profile
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2014, 10:06:56 AM »
Next on the rental menu, the 9'5" Naish Mana, may try it out next week. About the same volume as the Lopez 9' Surf Music i.e. 155-160L but narrower at 32" and a bit longer.
2013 Fanatic Prowave LTD 9'3"x30.5x@134L
Sunova Speeed 8'10"x29.12@131L
Sunova Flow 8'7"x30.25"@121L
Carbon 9.3x32@163L Hammer
Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

SUPcheat

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2677
    • View Profile
Elderly Kook Grom first session SimSup 8'8"/32"/145L
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2014, 08:13:18 PM »
Another chapter in the annals of elderly Kook Grom.

I rented the SimSup K41 8'8"  32"  145L today to try it out and see if I could balance on it. (reminder: regular board is Red Paddle Mega inflatable 10-8, 6 thick, 36 inches wide, me: 6'1" 215lbs.)

My "method" is to learn how to knee paddle first, catch waves on my knees  to see how it goes, and then stand up to balance.

The ocean around Shark's Cove closeout section Santa Cruz was windy with relentless sets coming in. Great for surfing, not so great for balance practice on a new board.

 Unfortunately, there was no peace and quiet of any length, and lots of low tide beach break.  I spent most of the session learning how to knee paddle against white water and waves etc. 

By the time I got to "balance practice" I was already shot, with my twitch muscles exhausted by unfamiliar endeavors.

I stood up twice, the first time too far back with a fall.  The second time, I was close to the right balance point, and rode around briefly before a wave knocked me off.

The strange thing is, I am confident I can stand up balance this board with some practice, but I just got too tired and decided to just enjoy the session knee surfing.

This board is a FANTASTIC knee surfer.  If it is like this stand up surfing, it is a winner.  I  caught at least 15 good waves on my knees.  It would even surf a closeout wall of churning wall of white water coming up from behind to my great surprise.

  The mega won't knee surf much above 3.5 ft, without standing up to catch them,  but the K41 would knee surf at least up to 5 feet without skipping a beat and probably more. It just melted down into the wave for the roller coaster.

  The proners at the breaks seemed to be fluffing quite a bit while I was charging on knee surfing and catching nearly every wave.  I was only knocked off twice, once because I leaned forward and the second time because a big one just blew me off the board.

I will have to take it out again sometime, and think that if i get at least 15 minutes of calm, I will be able to pick the "balance lock" and stand up on it.  At my weight, it seemed to wet the rails just right. Part of the problem was, the deck pad does not extend far enough forward, and I had to grab the slippery part, which made standing up harder.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2014, 08:38:02 PM by SUPcheat »
2013 Fanatic Prowave LTD 9'3"x30.5x@134L
Sunova Speeed 8'10"x29.12@131L
Sunova Flow 8'7"x30.25"@121L
Carbon 9.3x32@163L Hammer
Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

Subber

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 872
    • View Profile
Elderly Kook Grom first session SimSup 8'8"/32"/145L
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2014, 08:34:02 PM »
Nice Supcheat....nice to read you are trying different boards.

I have been thinking of renting the large SIMSUP at Covewater, or maybe a bit smaller one,
although I do like the glide.  Also, I think they have a Jimmy Lewis Striker that I'd like to try
(actually, I'd really like to try the Black & Blue Noserider but I don't think they have one yet).

As for lack of traction on the bow, they probably wouldn't mind if you put some surf wax on the front deck.
Jimmy Lewis Black & Blue Noserider 10'1"x31"x4.25," 164 liters, 24 lbs, 1 box
Pearson Laird Surftech Longboard 10'6"x23"x29.75"x18"x4.375," 154 liters, 24 lbs, 3 boxes
Takayama Ali'i II Surftech 11'x21.375”x28.5”x17.25”x 4.25,” 162 liters, 26 lbs, 3 boxes

supdiscobay

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 797
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Lopez 9' Surf Music, I managed to go shorter and ride it!
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2014, 10:06:28 PM »
Keep it up Carl, one step at a time.  I might be around on Sunday afternoon.  Let us know how it goes.
8'5" Starboard Pocket Rocket, 8'0" Kazuma Fugu custom,  8'10" Kings Sidewinder, 10' Starboard Noserider, 14' BARK Carbon Dominator, SIC F16 V3, KeNalu and Quickblade paddles, 19' Eaton Prone, 67" Goode 9700

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal