Bonzer Ride Report

Got the bonzer out at a tight little pocket cove with a bowling takeoff. After that the wave will do one of several different things, like sometimes just dissolve under you, line up a tapered wall, tapered barrel, close-out, and sometimes another peak will crank towards you. I started out with the fin pushed to the front of the box thinking I'd see if it would loosen up the board. This puts the center fin in about an inch overlap with the side runners. On one left and one right I felt no hold or drive from the fin and it quickly washed out when the whitewater hit me. I went into where the water was waist deep and, thanks to the wonderbolt I was using, readjusted the fin to the center point where there was about 1/4" gap with the side runners and was back to the peak before the next set came.

I had good waves after that. I was burying the nose on the takeoff a few times, which is something I don't normally do. This could be the sudden steepness of the bowl, the offshore winds hanging me up, the flatness of the rocker or a combination of them all. I was also wondering if the side-runner fins also cause more drag at low speeds resulting in a slight hang up on the lip. Besides those times, I was having fun catching the small (3') bowls and sitting in the pocket to see what would happen. I've been trying some home made wax and this batch was super slippery so I wasn't able to crank any cutbacks, but I enjoyed the waves for the most part.

I was noticing that even though the board is only 6', I could catch smaller waves than the thrusters in the water, and also enjoy the small zippers more than they were. The result is that I was often sitting inside by myself catching wave after wave. Not doing much on the waves, just kinda cruising in the pocket trying to cram myself into the occasional barrel, but having a good time anyway.

Campbell Brothers Bonzer

This is the Bonzer. To be specific it's a "Light Vehicle" model. No shapers dimensions, but my measuring is 6'2" with 14.5" nose, 20" widest point (forward of center) and 14" tail. The photos are not the same as the prior ones cause I stole these off of a website from where I bought the board. This board was bought after having a session or two with really steep hollow waves in the 8' range. The other boards I have worked alright, but I was wishing I could stall up into the barrel. I figure a narrower tail would allow that, so I picked up this board.

I was also interested in how a bonzer would work as a short board. I have ridden bonzers as longboards made by Mike Eaton and they don't have much glide but are really fast and loose in the juice. I think they're a good choice for longboarding in big waves.

The first couple sessions I had it out were with very light crowds. I felt that it was a bit harder to ride waves on it because it has a narrower range of where I can catch waves. Not too early, not too late. It didn't seem like a big deal until I was riding it at a more crowded spot. I just couldn't compete. I was so frustrated I tried to sell the board that day and dropped it off at the shop on consignment. I've since retrieved the board from the shop and I'm willing to give it another chance.

Besides not catching waves well, it has a different feel that the Haut Quad, which is the board I had been riding most prior. It's more single fin in the way it makes a bottom turn. Where on the quad I could drop late and lean over to the face and catch the fins and start gaining speed down the line with little effort, this board wants a more solid bottom turn. It still likes to be pumped down the line for speed but then has a different feel when you cut it back. It does feel more in control on the steep part of the wave than the quad did. And, I was able to connect sections (both soft and steep) on a wave that resulted in about a 400yard ride (no joke.) The wave wasn't reeling the whole time, but it's still a kick to go that far.

Overall my impression is that it rides like a short single fin with more speed and looseness.

The Good!

Hey look, I have a Campbell Brothers Bonzer! A different feel to get used to. Potential to get tighter to the pocket. The longest ride I've ever gotten at one of the longest waves in my area. Another board with a fin box to play with all those odd center fins I've "borrowed" from my dad over the years.

The Bad :(

Narrow range of when/where I can successfully make the drop. Seems to have a bit lighter glass job than I might like, doesn't feel as loose as some of my other boards.

Feedback please.

One Board Quiver

For some it's the ideal, for most it's something that was left behind during there first years of surfing, never to return. The one board quiver. Can it work?

I was spending some time trying to fit 7 boards into the tiny closet space my wife allows me for boards. The only way I could fit them all in was with some creative jimmying and removal of the majority of the fins. I realize that, of the removable fins, I wanted to leave the fins on my newest board and had to work around to get things to fit. Why was I willing to put in the extra effort? Because that board is the one I'm most likely to surf for the next few sessions. So why do I have all these other boards?

I'm also going on a surf trip to Mexico for 10days. The cost of the trip, while cheap, is more than I should be spending now and the thought of spending extra money to take extra boards seems wasteful. Not to mention the more boards I bring the more boards I risk all the hazards of travel.

All this leads me to wonder if a one board quiver isn't the way to go? I have only one wetsuit (not counting the old ones I use only as loaners) so why so many boards. Wouldn't I gain from concentrating my energy on one board? Wouldn't I do better if I learned how to make one board go in a variety of conditions?

Strech/Homemade Spoon

This one gets an extra photos cause it needs some 'splainin. Based on the George Greenough series of flexable kneeboards, shaped by Strech out of Santa Cruz. It was glassed with a single layer of fiberglass and a single layer of carbon fiber. No dimentions were on board so, as I measure, 5', 17" nose, 21.5", 18.5 tail. The first time I had this board out I broke the rail AND got a in-out barrel a few waves later. I was really into the way the board twisted under me to form to the face of the wave. I was really upset that I broke it so quickly but didn't want to give up so I decided to take matters into my own hands (and my dad's) and add many layers of glass to strengthen the board. I have a whole series of posts at flexspoon.com describing the saga of this board and I wont repeat it here. The board needs to be sanded and "tuned" as the flexspooners say so I'll keep my comments short.

The Good!

Something to do when the surf is flat (sanding, always sanding,) home made, something very different to try, I'll eventually "tune" it to my liking.

The Bad :(

Needs work still, has essentially no floatation, very few people understand these boards so I have a hard time getting advice and I've only ever seen someone else ride one in person once.

What can you say?

Fineline GeeBee

My longboard. No shapers dimensions on this one, so by my best effort we have 6'2", 17.5" nose, 22", 17" tail. As you can see, this is a wide one. It's in the category of hull with it's belly and sharp 50/50 rails but it's not an extreme version. Brian Hilbers is Fineline, but this board was a combined effort of him and Kirk Putnam, who is known in the Hull Circle. It is said to be modeled after George Greenoughs Velo (flexspoon kneeboard) and it has some characteristics even I can see. For instance the bullet shape, the angular belly towards the front half of the board which is known as tri-plane, and the flat bottom going out the tail. I ride it with a L-Flex fin pushed all the way to the fronty front of that box. It's my first choice for small or very weak waves but I have had success with it in hollow'ish waves in the 4-6' range. If you've ever ridden a classic longboard then you'd recognize the feel of this thing. It's glassed heavy and you have to ease the bottom turn using the full rail. I'm still figuring out how to cut back on this board.

The Good!
Wave magnet/hog/catcher, with all that width I can catch a ripple, stable, takes a single fin so I can play with all those odd center fins I've stolen from my dad, can handle that good set wave that comes through on a crappy day, or all the waves on a good day for that matter, Solid (extra glass) glass job so it'll last me years.

The Bad :(
Hard to duck dive with the width and volume, critical drops typically end in wipeouts, I'm not impressing anyone with my moves (unless they appreciate the flow of longboarding,) funny looks in the parking lot, or questions about it when I'm trying to go catch some waves.

A keeper, am I wrong?

Junod Fishy Tri

This is my most recently bought board. Shapers dimensions written on the board are 6'2" 2 5/8" thick, 15" nose, 21", 15.5" tail. Used (as are most of my boards) and repaired well. It's supposed to replace my Haut quad (thus the similar dimensions) and give me a feel something slightly different. To my amature eye it seems to have more volume (width and thickness) further forward than the Haut quad. The tail stinger is deeper and there's only one. I've only taken it out once in bad waves so I can't say much about it except it felt like I needed more fin surface area. It has three stringers nearly touching at the nose with the outer ones going to the tips of the fish tail, and it's heavier than the Haut quad.

The Good!

Only cost me $300. Potential since I havn't ridden it much yet.

The Bad :(

Bigger than what I was looking for and I'm not sure about the tri-fin, although it's supposed to be ridden with two large outside fins (lager than what is on it now) and a small trailer. Nothing solid to report.

Let me know what you think.

Haut Quad

I'll start with my favorite board. The shaper's dimensions written on the board are 6'0" 2 3/8" thick, 15.5 nose x 20.5 x 16 tail. Goes well in all but the very smallest of waves. I have trouble keeping it in the pocket cause it wants to run but it cuts back fine. It has good drive off the bottom and fits well with my forward stance style. I never could excel with small tailed thrusters, at best I would be getting vertical twice a session. While I don't get vertical with this board, I have a blast going everywhere else on the face of the wave.

The Good!
Drops in early, drops in late, always in control (almost always.) Speed to make sections, speed from the first second I'm standing. Duckdives fine. Float so I can get into waves early or catch small waves.

The Bad :(
Maybe a touch to much volume for me. So much speed I can't always cut back until I'm way out on the shoulder, or I outrun the pocket of the wave. I think I've fractured the stringer and there's pleanty of heel dents up and down the deck. (This is a problem common to most boards but I want to move towards more durable boards so I'll mention it now.)


If anyone wants more specifics I can provide them to a degree. As you can tell by the photos I'm limited to a small living space and no board racks. I have no calipers and measuring rocker would be done from the floor.


Please tell me what you think.

Is anybody out there?

Oh yeah, I was trying to start a blog, wasn't I. In the last month I bought a board, tried to sell it, bought another board, decided not to sell the first one, and booked a trip to Mexico.

Quiver Overview:
6'2" Fishy Junod Thruster 6'2" x 21" x 2 5.8"
6'2" Bonzer Light Vehicle 3 fin bonzer from Campbell Bros. Narrowest tailed board I own
6' Fishy Haut Quad 6' x 20.5" x 2 3/8"
6' Fineline GeeBee 6' x 21" x ? This is a 6' "longboard", wide throughout with knifey rails
5'10"? Schrodel Twinzer
5'8" Freeline twinzer kneeboard
5'6" Flexspoon (unfinished) Strech/Homemade effort
3'?" Neumatic Surfmat
1' Homemade handboard

The Junod is the new board, riden once in head high mixed up windswell. Couldn't tell much about it except it duckdives okay and catches waves okay. I think I need more fin surface area, but a friend that rode it one day disagrees.

The Bonzer is the one I tried to sell but now am having second thoughts. My impression of it was that it's like a single fin improved. Faster and more agile than a single but far more single fin like than the Haut quad I'd been riding. I wanted to sell it cause it has a narrow window of take-off zone so I have a real hard time in a crowd.

The Haut quad is an awesome board for me. Great float without being too much, great wave catching and manuverability, great drive off the bottom and very fast. I think I fractured the stringer so it's been put to the back of the closet only to be brought out to serve as an original to be cloned.

Fineline GeeBee can be called a stub, hull, thumb, or stupid looking thing. I call it my longboard. It's got alot of features of a clasic longboard. Belly, 50/50 rails, flat rocker, width throughout, and a big single fin. I can make it go in good waves but I need an extra second on the drop to get control and make a bottom turn.

Schrodel Twinzer. To be honest I havn't given this one a fair shake so I won't talk about it.

Freeline kneeboard. Yes, I kneeboard, and I'm not afraid to admit it. (I'd also ride a bodyboard if I had one.) I've gotten some great rides on this thing. I can make super late drops, I can pull into small barrels, I can surf all day without ever loosing control. I've even riden it stand-up and enjoy that ride as well, although it's hard to catch waves without the help of swim-fins.

Flexspoon kneeboard. Shaped by Strech, I broke the rail on the second wave I got, was barreled later that day. I decided to add more glass to it, way more, and sand down to tune it. I don't have much opportunity to ride it lately, or sand on it either, but it's an ongoing project never to be forgotten compleatly.

Neumatic Surfmat. Ultimatly portable so I'll never get rid of it, but I havn't ever gotten a great ride on it. No skegs, soft inflation -> no edge, a whole different approach to wave riding.

Handboard, homemade, simple with a crappy skeg on it. Seems basic enough but it's surprising how it improves my bodysurfing experience when the waves are more than just whomping closeouts.

Well, that's the overview of what's in my closet. I never really thought about it before but I've got a lot of boards! There are also a few boards that are at my parents house cause they're technically my dad's property, but he doesn't (and wont ever) ride them, and cause my closet is full of the ones I'm most interested in right now.

Is anybody out there?