Sticks or Lids, Moynier Wants To Know

[rodndtube]

Robert Moynier asked me to post this quesiton on the forum:

The questions to be posed is:how do you think a suitably shaped, (either foam /glassed, wood,or carbon fiber) paipo would perform in these kinds of waves?

What are the relative plus and minus characteristics of the bodyboard versus paipo…especially in solid conditions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRQYcNKcYSY

[bgreen]

Hello Robert,

Krusher and ex-bodyboarders could answer the second question.

I reckon you could ride a bonzer paipo in some of those longer lined looking ones, especially. John Galera's NoFin would handle these conditions - with John riding rather than me. My new board, which has a concave and narrower tail might be up to the task.

Bob

[krusher74]

The short left barrel that Fergal is riding is called rileys and I happen to have surfed it so I can give you a first had opinion

In short In 99% of surf my paipo will out perform by bodyboard no matter how late of steep or critical the drop. The flex of a bodyboard makes them much slower.

Many bodyboarders like doing airs and those you don't want to be trying to land on a paipo I have however landed small el rollos on mine when the section is mild.
The only surf I take my bodyboard out in these days is very choppy/bumpy surf as the flex takes out the punishment you get through the paipo, but these conditions are probably hat most people don't even go out in.

However I feel 99% of bodyboards work and work well, there design is pretty honed now and reliable. But paipo's come in all shapes and sizes so I fell you need a good one (one that you feel good on) to be in that better than a bodyboard realm.

So if i was off on a trip tomorrow surfing irish slabs and reef breaks, and a board was going to be provided for me, I would rather be given a high end bodyboard, than a random paipo i had never ridden. Taking my own board I would 100% take my paipo.

So I guess as a conclusion, if you have never ridden a bodyboard or a paipo before, riding a bodyboard you will be 95% there on how they ride on any of them. But on a paipo you could be start out on something that's very unsuitable for the conditions, and be left feeling that they don't work at all. With a bodyboard you bend extra rocker into the board on a steep drop as needed, with a paipo your stuck with the rocker you shape into it.

I would like to try a hybrid design,where I put the design aspects of my fav paipo into a bodyboard. These would be deep concave and V, and more stiffness with the usually single stringer, but also 2 extra stringers in the back half of the board nearer the rail.

here is somemore rileys for you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwAWSL1MLms



I have actually though of contacting Fergal and mentioning paipos, as it might be something he would prefer to the bodyboard

[dr robert]

Bob and Krusher…thanks, I always mind surf any wave I'm looking at and in this case throw a paipo in there to "see' what may happen.
I would LOVE to see a paipo in these kind of (Irish) waves…my question has to do with the seeming ability of the body board to flex and adjust to some of these radical ledge drops…and then accelerate on the face.I think a paipo (depending on how you define that) is as fast or faster on the face, but how about not imploding on the take off?
As for Mr Fergal…well he has a few Bonzers shaped especially for him by Malcolm Campbell, wouldn't it be grand to see him on a few slabs on a Bonzer paipo?
Or you Krusher…has to be you or Fergal, cause I ain't going out in that stuff!

[bgreen]

Robert,

Do Fergal's bonzer's include a paipo?

I have a trip booked for Ireland next year, but while death slabs aren't on the agenda, I have previously surfed some pretty steep waves there. I think one issue for a paipo is where the wave goes from a mass of water to jacking. Late takeoffs in these waves can be fatal. A surfboard can have an edge in terms of earlier entry. The Hawaiian guys who I've spoken to, who have ridden waves like Pipeline, utilise bodysurfing techniques, into their surfing, which no doubt assist with heavy drops. A body and a board to handle the curves. A boogie board is certainly versatile being able to handle waves like this as well as average waves.
Bob

[krusher74]

Bob and Krusher…thanks, I always mind surf any wave I'm looking at and in this case throw a paipo in there to "see' what may happen.
I would LOVE to see a paipo in these kind of (Irish) waves…my question has to do with the seeming ability of the body board to flex and adjust to some of these radical ledge drops…and then accelerate on the face.I think a paipo (depending on how you define that) is as fast or faster on the face, but how about not imploding on the take off?
As for Mr Fergal…well he has a few Bonzers shaped especially for him by Malcolm Campbell, wouldn't it be grand to see him on a few slabs on a Bonzer paipo?
Or you Krusher…has to be you or Fergal, cause I ain't going out in that stuff!

The only benefit of the bodyboard is the softness to your elbow/hip if you take a air drop. I have air dropped in the very irish slabs you see and talk of and the flex of a bodyboard for me does not help with the grab for the rail on contact and trying to initiate rail grab and forward momentum, bodyboards slide out much easier that my finless paipo and I would think finned paipos might be even better. (remember out there most ot the time you have the padding of a 5/4mm wetsuit)
Its kind of a case of using your arms to take the inpact and you would bend your knees if standing up, foam or cork on the decks a great elbow ease too.
Here is a pic from nov5th of me seeing how far I can push my endeavor prototye with no padding! (this time splat!!)

[bgreen]

Keith,

Interesting photo, on a number of fronts. Firstly, there seems to be very little contact of the board in the wave (is mid some radical manoeuvre ?), then there is the position of your body in the wave face, and the thirdly - board length. This is one of the big differences between, many paipo (especially fibreglass boards but not the HPD) and boogie boards. The shorter board must fit into curves better. I typically ride a board 53-57"

Bob

[krusher74]

Keith,

Interesting photo, on a number of fronts. Firstly, there seems to be very little contact of the board in the wave (is mid some radical manoeuvre ?), then there is the position of your body in the wave face, and the thirdly - board length. This is one of the big differences between, many paipo (especially fibreglass boards but not the HPD) and boogie boards. The shorter board must fit into curves better. I typically ride a board 53-57"

Bob

In the picture, i am coming round to complete an el rollo (or not!) I have already launched into the air, barrel rolled and now I am coming down to land, I'm not in contact with the wave at all in this pic neither is the board.
An el rollo is the simplest air in bodyboarding (and as far as I ever got with that kind of thing) I don't really do them at all anymore now I paipo, in this situation I think muscle memory just took over out of a bottom turn as the launch ramp resented it self. I ust used thepic as it was recent and kind of a air drop as we were talking about them.

I personally on a 53-57" board would have a foot of board i would not know what to do with, would be either a food further to reach for the nose or my torso a foot further on the board. I'm sure less body in the water means faster, but i need my weight over that back corner for control.

[bgreen]

It looked like your legs were in the water. How tall are you? 53" is 3/4 my height.

Bob

[Papa Paepo o]

Robert Moynier asked me to post this question on the forum:

The questions to be posed is:how do you think a suitably shaped, (either foam /glassed, wood,or carbon fiber) paipo would perform in these kinds of waves?

What are the relative plus and minus characteristics of the bodyboard versus paipo…especially in solid conditions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRQYcNKcYSY

Aloha Rob,
What I found out and very straight forward on shapes is the person height(H) and shoulders width. I use to be 246lbs. that rides multiple sizes wood-boards. If your 6'ft tall then your boards would be 50"-up. Take 2/3 of your (H), that would give your board (H) and then your shoulders points (width). Shaper / riders has various board thickness: 3/8",1/2", 3/4", 1"-2-1/2" thick.
Now shapes:
1). flat-board w/ no rockers/ no contours (multiple shapes & Sizes).( I did ride a 48" x 8' drift plywood floating, so I use it to surf 3'-4'ft. surf a Kewalo Basin. It was fun, but dahm' splitters ).
2). Nose rocker, flat bottom whole length.
3). Nose-rocker, w/nose counter, flat-bottom whole length.
3). Nose-rocker, scoop-rails like the (HPD) board flat bottoms.
4). Nose-rocker, board with "scoops", bottom w/contours. (one or two contours on the bottom).
It's hard to find a perfect board to ride, it's easy when you have buddies that let you try out their different size boards. hope this help you out in finding and knowing what your looking for in wood-boards

[krusher74]

It looked like your legs were in the water. How tall are you? 53" is 3/4 my height.

Bob

5' 10" (165lbs)

In the bodyboard world there is a very small window of board length most riders ride, 5'10" would be 41.5" to 42.5" for 95% of riders, a 6ft person would maybe go to a 43"

I measure my paipo as 44" but its basically a 42" bodyboard template with 2" extra for a pointy not blunt nose.

I'm riding a board 63% (60% blunt bodyboard) of my height your at 75% , what ever works!

The typical bodyboard board choosing has been one that comes up to your belly button.

[rodndtube]

71% for me. Also a practical max length (50 in) having to do with board bags and air travel, not to mention the trunk of most cars