Another try on the 7'8 Hokua

Another bust weekend for surfing the 7'8. The wind was too strong for it to be fun. Strong enough to knock me off balance and double the challenge of surfing the 7'8.

Comfortable flotation

The wind is killing me

Lame stuff near the beach

2011 PSH Rippers?

The raceboard inspired Hull Ripper bottom shape

Notice the rail shape and vee bow

A Little More Downwind Board Progress

In the time beween my last board construction run, I read somewhere on the web that guys had found sign shops to be a good source for scrap high density foam. I asked my neighbor, who owns a sign shop, if they had any foam like Core Cell (I had one small piece left over to show him). A few days later he brings me this awesome 1.5" thick high density foam perfect for setting fin boxes.

FYI, Bark uses plywood in his custom carbon raceboards. Way heavier that good high density foam, but certainly cheaper. High density foam is expensive and expensive to ship because it comes in 4 x 8 sheets if you buy wholesale.

Hole routed and ready to set high density foam

Foam covered with plastic sheet and weigh applied. Foam is under weight, set in epoxy and filler.

Paddle Edging Secrets

There has been some discussion on paddle edging recently on the Zone. I thought it might be time for another blog post on the subject.

I'm approaching 4 years of SUP experience. I have owned some boards that were famous for rail chips! In those years, I've only had 2 rail chips. That is a record that is hard to beat. I always use car door edging on my paddles, except on raceboards. My secret to avoiding the draggy catch and release caused by door edging, is to simply not use it on the bottom edge. All you have to do is tape over the edging with some nice electrical tape in your favorite color and it stays put.

Kai Lenny's Little Brother

More Surfing Videos

It looks like he SUPs a Naish prone surfboard.

Day 3 on the 7'8 Hokua

My 9'0 Hokua order is CANCELLED. This 7'8 is the best SUP I have ever surfed. It's one of those rare magic sticks that we call a "must have" in the quiver. So much easier to stand on than you could ever imagine possible for a 7'8 and surfs at a whole different level. I'm sure 200 lb guys with good SUP skills could surf this too.

Today I ran the fins I saw in Robby Naish's 7'8 Hokua. The Q1 trailers. Although I had M5s in the front and Robby had M7s. It felt spot on.

After this mornings session, I'm "dreaming" of surfing like Autry (a.k.a Surf Machine).

All photos from the same wave

A Good Day for Shaping

Entered the shaping room at 8am. At 3 pm it's finished and ready for spackle tomorrow.

A Naish Geeks Dream Board Chart

These boards have all been in my garage and were personally measured in careful detail. Enjoy! (The 7'3 is my estimation.....for Hunter). The nose and tail widths of the 7'8 provide clues about why it is stable.

The shaping room is ready. All I need is motivation

Day 2 on the 7'8 Hokua

Hunter takes the 7'8 for a test drive. Hunter weighs 145. The 7'8 was like a Mana to him. Stable as a house boat. He's ordering the 7'3 Monday.

Hunter on my 7'8

Dwight totally defeated by the 8'4. Sitting on it, is about all I can manage today.

Hunter on the 7'8

7'8

Stable

I Surfed the 7'8 Naish Hokua Tonight!

Way easier than I thought it would be. Easily handles my 185 lbs.  More stable than I remember the 8'0 PSH WR. I think the biggest difference between this and the PSH, is more width carried forward. I can really lean on that extra meat forward of center. It makes paddling into waves much easier, than a board that sinks the nose with the slightest error in fore and aft weight shifting. Well actually not weight shifting, just leaning forward can sink the nose on many boards at my weight and height. This extra meat up front feels like the magic potion for me. Pure shaping genius by Harold Iggy.

As for how it surfs.....FAST as a rocket. Look for me to be firing down the line. This stick is going to help my surfing a lot.

I think the 9'0 Mana and this board might be all the quiver I need. I may have to place my 9'0 Hokua order on HOLD until I get more testing in. Maybe I should order Jacky the 7'3 and take her surfing to the next level.

Tonight we had light offshore wind, with rebound waves coming off the beach making it slightly messed up. I fell once in one hour of surfing. The challenge was about like day one on my 9'3 Hokua. I can see it only getting easier from here on out.

The fins. Notice the tiny rears. Only 3 1/2". A little small for my weight, I think.

The 7'8 Hokua at Coastal Urge

I hear a 7'3 might be coming to Coastal Urge too.

Who's Going to be the First...

around here to man-up and ride a 7'3 SUP?  This is Jacko in Australia at 165 lbs.

the 7'3 Naish Hokua quad beach break specific model

Today's Garage Progress

The hot wire rig for Brian S.   It's connected to a variac

Jacky's board roughed out this morning

Northeaster at the North End this Morning

Wind averaging 16 mph at 10 am. Gusts to 22, but fading fast, like usual. Not enough to use the 10m Fuse today. I did a shortened downwind surf run due to the fading wind.

Dwight on the Firewire

CB North End

Hot Wire Work

Gorilla glued blank extension in place. Rocker already hot wired

Extension piece rough trimmed

People always ask, what are you doing different on this batch? I traced last seasons template design in red, to show the difference with the new shape (in blue)

Comparison of tail template changes. Fuller hip, narrower tail. 

Hot wire work done. Ready for the planer.

It's That Time Again

The foam for downwind boards number 7 and 8. This foam came from Craft Hardware in Wrightsville Beach. They stock 1 lb EPS for contractors building docks. It's not ideal because it comes 23 1/2 wide, but it's cheaper due to no shipping cost on my part. Shipping doubles the cost of EPS.

The EPS survived the drive home

Safe in my garage

Just Me and Igor this Morning

Our new ride

Igor