Thanks Kat for bringing the board this way, it definitely has a WOW factor when you see it up close; the rails and the fin are especially detailed and the whole thing flows nicely from its tip through its dramatic rocker shape to the extreme pintail. Roy has a genuine talent for working with wood and he’s created something really beautiful with this board.
Ghost 13
The lowdown from a layman’s perspective
The board paddles really easily and the ‘rather pronounced’ rocker gives you quite a lot of lift over smaller whitewash. Rolling it is quite easy on the bigger waves and the more forward you are the less likely it seemed to me that I would get whacked in the head by it. It’s really nice to sit so high in the water and you feel your making good time paddling, aside from the rolling and the typical Muriwai reform you’re out the back in no time at all. I discovered that nothing happens on the spur of the moment with a board like this- there’s no such thing as a quick spin around for a late takeoff, and even if you sit right on the tail it takes awhile to bring the front around. Forward planning seemed like a good idea and I was to discover that getting caught ½ way round can be fairly exciting.
The first wave put a smile on my face for sure, Paddling in fairly early on a head high peaky wave I felt like I was getting hung up in the lip for a moment (could have been because the waves were a bit lumpy) and then the board seemed to release and I was off, leaning to the left a little and the rail had me shooting towards the open face. Initially it felt like the board had a mind of its own but it didn’t take long to get dialed in a bit and my confidence increased to the point that I had no hesitation taking off on a few set waves. You can move around quite a bit on the board and that’s pretty helpful on the double up inside reforms that seem to frequent Muriwai on the outgoing tide; There was more than one “Oh SHOOT” moment when the wave wedged out underneath me and I was faced with a steep drop with the tip buried in what was quite possibly very shallow water but a quick shuffle to the tail seemed to be enough to bring the nose back up and we carried on with my heart beating wildly nonetheless- quite a rush. The last thing I wanted to do was snap the beast in the shorebreak and I didn’t want to get catapulted by it either.
I was stoked to get a couple of quite long waves from right out the back, the board links the tricky sections together easily and it doesn’t bounce around in whitewater sections either. I’d hesitate to say that I ‘threw down a few turns’ but I felt like I was busy all the time and it’s easy enough to bring the board back around to the curl again, The rails/rocker do all the work so it seems like the harder you lean the board over the faster it turns and I never felt bogged down at all.
I was stoked when I first held the board to realise it is quite light considering its size, because I have to admit I was pretty wary about the possibility of surfing it without a leg/calf-rope. There was no problem with that at all, although the surf wasn’t all that big bit it’s not much heavier than a ‘traditional’ or older mal. I reckon the only thing you’d need to worry about would be copping the sharp end of the pintail to the head if it came shooting back quickly- maybe that’s why Roy wears a helmet.
All in all I had a blast on my first excursion and it’s awesome to have an opportunity to be a part of something like this, thanks again Roy for sharing your board with us and to Spud for making the suggestion. There are a whole lot of people who are going to have a whole lot of fun. I’m really keen to keep it a little while longer if people don’t mind to see if I can get out in something a bit more solid, I’ve got my fingers crossed for another swell like the one that came through last week. Here’s hoping J in the meantime I’ll get back to giving it a polish, I’ve attached a couple of photo’s of it, hopefully they show a bit of the detail in the board. It truly is a beauty.
Gordon 04 December 2007:
Today was fun, mate its a conversation starter, I’ve never had so many people talk to me about a surfboard before and its interesting how many either knew about the Hikoi already or are keen to follow it and already know quite a bit about hollow board building.
Adam Dec 8 2007 Tawharanui Beach:
Today the Hikoi moves to the east coast just north of Auckland at the Tawharanui Marine ParkOnce the board bag was opened and the board slid out I really got to appreciate just how big this was. Nearly twice the size in fact of the largest board I have surfed. I have to say it is truly beautiful. Not something you often say about boards made the standard way. Every inch of this just showed how much love and craftsmanship was put into its creation. The fin alone, which would befit a small boat had been hand crafted in the same wood grain as the rest of the board.
Already some of the surfers that were starting to arrive were asking questions and admiring both its stature and look. Most were surprised just how light it was for a board that size. It was about this point that a smile grew on my face as I realised “I am actually going to surf this!”
Gordon and friends at Tawharanui
I am sure there is an outboard motor fitted to that board as it paddles fast! It took a little longer for me to swim out to the line up with my camera in tow! After a few minutes the first set arrived so with camera ready Father Ted took of with ease, gliding down the line.
Gordon on Ghost 13
Well it wasn’t long before it was my turn as Father Ted handed me the leash which I exchanged for my camera. After a quick crash course in operating it I started to paddle the board out a bit to get a feel for her. It really is quite easy to paddle but real hard to turn around for a wave as I found out when the first of the set waves arrived.
“Hmmm OK” I thought “I am going to have to plan ahead with this board!”
So I gradually got her to face the beach and waited for the next wave. It is strange to see so much wood in front of your (oh er missus!) as it looks more like a pier or jetty in front of you! It reminded me of surfing Brighton Pier! Well the next wave was upon me and I paddled for it, got up and promptly fell straight off again. Father Ted made it look easy but it was then that anything I had previously learnt did not apply to this board. As Kat said, it feels alive. Even sitting astride it felt different to standard boards, warmer and altogether very organic in nature which is quite comforting.
Not one to give up, I paddled back out (this board must have a motor, I have never paddled so fast!) and slowly turned the board around for the next wave.“Just one more wave” I said a number of times then finally got myself a small right hander and made the turn and was running the face. Stoked, with a big grin I finally got it to turn. I am not quite sure how, almost as if it did it by itself in pure frustration at me straight handing the earlier waves! I can only describe this board like an analogy to cars. It reminded me of a Rolls Royce, quiet, smooth, big, understated power and just the feel of it alone exudes quality.
It wasn’t too long before Father Ted took the helm once more . Again he showed how at ease he is with the board taking on a few more waves. Before long it was gone midday and it was time for us to leave.
It was a great experience and I am now even more respectful of Roy and his creations and for his generosity at letting us try his board and in such a great way. I hope I get another chance to ride it and do a better job next time and get some more photos of what will become a legend in surfing in New Zealand.
Gordon Dec 13 2007 Bigger waves at Piha:
Once again it took about an hour to get in the water because I found myself talking to lots of the guys in the carpark and on the way down to the water’s edge about the board, it’s construction and the story behind the journey. One of the more telling comments was from a guy whom I see in the water a bit and I know he’s a competent surfer who says ‘that would be more suited to a smaller day wouldn’t it’, yea thanks buddy… just what I was needing to hear.
Gordon at Piha
There was a pretty good gap between the larger sets so I had plenty of time to get myself into what I thought was a good takeoff spot and to do some of that other stuff that you sometimes find yourself doing when you’re by yourself and feeling unsure as to whether it was such a good idea or not, like praying that the experience doesn’t kill you. Its kinda funny because usually I’d have been frothing on the waves because I’d be happily riding a shortboard and thinking twice about the sets, even riding my 9 footer would have felt quite comfortable but the uncertainty of what was too come had me as nervous as hell.
A set was coming, what should I do? Paddle for the horizon again or pick up my balls and go for it…. paddle for the horizon was looking like a good option but I wouldn’t have been able to live it down if I didn’t go so I paddled like I meant it and as smooth as silk I was up and riding. The board slipped into the wave really nicely and there was no question of it nosediving, It felt like I was flying but I’ve got no idea if I was or not. The board was vibrating slightly under my feet as I raced around the first section and onto the open face where I was able to hold my line for a short time before the wave closed out in front of me before reforming and giving me quite a playful little face to ride in to the shore. I was laughing, more with relief than anything else… I was alive… I had so much adrenalin pumping through my body that I was shaking and I was stoked. I sat there on the inside for almost five minutes chuckling away to myself with a stupid grin on my face before turning the nose back to sea and paddling out for some more.
Once you’ve done it once it’s not so intense and it’s easier to get a few under your belt so some time passes, a couple of waves are caught and I’m feeling more comfortable and starting to think I’d better head in and get on with the rest of my working day and I’m thinking I should paddle a bit deeper and pick off one of the Bombs when it comes through, so I did. Now I’m not one to call the size of a wave by the size of the drop and it was probably only a 5’ wave but as I was dropping down the face I swear I wasn’t at the bottom of the wave and this 13 foot long olo board was stretched out full length on the face with plenty of room to spare at either end. I know this because the board did a strange thing- as I was paddling for the wave I wasn’t quite straight and I took the wave at just enough of an angle that it meant that the inside rail was quite keen to start the turning process as I was ½ way down the face. There was nothing I could do, the board turned itself giving me a grandstand view of the wave I’d taken off on and then proceeded to lock itself into position for the barrel. The board did it- I was just along for the ride, there’s something about the curve of the rocker and the rail and the fin and the tail and whatever else contributed to it but the board sliced into that face like a carving knife in a Christmas turkey. I’d had my doubts about it as a barrel riding board and had begun to think that it might be more suited to a wave like Waimea or Makaha Point (it was originally shaped for Hawaii after all) than Pipeline but now I’ve got to wonder whether in the right hands it just might tuck itself quite nicely in there as well. I’m really looking forward to that part of the journey.
I paddled in after that.
On my way home I stopped briefly at ‘freeride’ in Henderson and reluctantly dropped the board off to Jabes who is pretty keen to get it in the water and give it a good go. I hope he has as much fun with it as I’ve had and I can’t wait to see his shots and hear his stories. I’d be quite keen to hook up with him if he gets a chance to take it out in solid stuff again while he’s got it (just remember Jabes, close the vent before entering the water and open it when you exit the water). The torch has been passed again.
Thanks Roy for being a good sport, thanks for lending me your creation and letting me take it out for a spin. I’ve had a great time with it, I’m stoked to have been a part of the journey. This board rides and turns differently from any other board I’ve owned so you have to surf differently when you’re on it- its kinda like grass roots surfing, just waveriding like they used to do in the early days and it won’t appeal to everybody but I think there’s a pretty good chance that you’re onto something with your design, I’m sure the others who get to share in this Hikoi will come away feeling like they’ve been part of something special as well.
What’s that word the Hawaiian’s use…. ‘Aloha’
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