Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

What works and what doesn't. Share design ideas, references and contacts for paipo board builders.
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zensuni
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#11

Unread post by zensuni »

Bob, the board would cost me 360 dollars, shipment included. Still cheaper than if I bought a new one, if I take in account the shipment price it would cost from Hawaii. But I noticed that this board doesn't have a leash plug, so I definitely won't by it. Regarding paulownia , is it lighter than balsa ? Balsa seems to be a lot easier to find.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#12

Unread post by Uncle Grumpy »

Paulownia is close to the weight of female balsa and lighter than male balsa and doesn't readily absorb water like balsa as well.
IMO it's worth the effort to find.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#13

Unread post by krusher74 »

Junkman wrote:I've ridden HPD boards for the last few years, and I'd recommend giving it a go.

I don't wear a leash and the only times I've been hit by the board is from pulling in to a closeout section. But regardless of the situation, if I do become separated from the board I protect my dome because, as I'm sure you know, you do not want to catch that rail in your skull. And per og-azn's post - the board tends to not travel very far without you on it. But not every time.

The HPD shape requires some getting used to. You direct it from the tail, like bgreen said. Infact, you really have to crank the rail to get it turning. If you just lean over to turn, you'll find yourself in a kind of slow-motion flat spin while the wave runs away from you.

Another thing about the HPD board is that its a runner. Loves to run. Give her a nice open face and she'll take off.

On second thought, you shouldn't get the HPD board because I want to get it. Wait, nevermind, you're too far away and they'll bleed me on the shipping costs. You should get it instead.

No, I'm not a paid spokesman for HPD.
you can get paulowina from spain http://woodensurfboards.blogspot.co.uk/ ... spain.html


http://wood-alaia-surf.paulownia.ws/

65euro for a 30mm thick blank you could get a 42" by 18" paipo from thats pretty cheap. (they also do custom sizes) couple of hours of shaping and you surfing!

here is the one i made viewtopic.php?f=4&t=687
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#14

Unread post by Junkman »

zensuni wrote:Do you mean it is a little bit like a bodyboard, where you really have to slice the wave's face to turn ?

Also, I'm quite short, 5,5 foot, I am concerned about the board (especially this XL model) being just too big for me.
I can't speak to a comparison to the bodyboard/sponge because I never really used a bodyboard.

I'm 5'10 and actually prefer the Monster to the XL as it is 8" longer than the XL (gets my knees out of the water while going down the line). That said, I don't think the XL would be too much board for you.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#15

Unread post by krusher74 »

bgreen wrote:How much is the board? If it isn't too expensive you don't have a lot to lose. Don't worry about the size, XL dimensions are: 30 inches wide at the widest point, and 40 inches from nose to tail.

In terms of paulownia boards, these guys aren't far from you: http://www.surf-longboard.com/info-wege ... boards.htm

Then there is these guys: https://surfeuropemag.com/features/shap ... -wood.html
Interesting to see the wegener paipos all sold for 360euro ($400us) :o A blank to make one of them would cost me less than $100, and they take less than 2 hours to shape :?

Bodyboarders start crying if there boards approach half that cost.

compared to a tomos T4, or a california sufcraft they seem very expensive, I guess you have your money and take your choice. ;)
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#16

Unread post by zensuni »

krusher74 , thanks for the link, it is indeed quite cheap and I think I could give it a shot.
I like their Preformed Bodyboard blank where the rocker and the concave are already there, I m not a great shaper myself so it would be easier for me.
What kind of leash do you use on your paulownia board ?
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#17

Unread post by krusher74 »

zensuni wrote:krusher74 , thanks for the link, it is indeed quite cheap and I think I could give it a shot.
I like their Preformed Bodyboard blank where the rocker and the concave are already there, I m not a great shaper myself so it would be easier for me.
What kind of leash do you use on your paulownia board ?

I use any standard bodyboard bicep leash , but I prefer this https://www.toobs.com/shop/factory/leas ... bicep-pro/ as it has a velcro attachment rather than tied on so easy to take on and off.
In 2ft and under i dont use a leash. but in 23 years surfing I have only been hit by the board less than 10 times, I think over the years you learn how to fall and know where it is. I also think the leash being attached to your lower bicep is much better as with a wrist leash you tend to pull on it with you arm when you fall off possibly dragging it back at yourself fast.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#18

Unread post by bgreen »

zensuni wrote: But I noticed that this board doesn't have a leash plug, so I definitely won't by it.
You can buy a EZ-Plug and glue it on. There might be a local equivalent.

#360 isn't cheap but freight from Hawaii would be a killer, as I've found out the hard way.

Junkman, where do you usually surf?
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#19

Unread post by rodndtube »

krusher74 wrote:
zensuni wrote:krusher74 , thanks for the link, it is indeed quite cheap and I think I could give it a shot.
I like their Preformed Bodyboard blank where the rocker and the concave are already there, I m not a great shaper myself so it would be easier for me.
What kind of leash do you use on your paulownia board ?
I use any standard bodyboard bicep leash , but I prefer this https://www.toobs.com/shop/factory/leas ... bicep-pro/ as it has a velcro attachment rather than tied on so easy to take on and off.
In 2ft and under i dont use a leash. but in 23 years surfing I have only been hit by the board less than 10 times, I think over the years you learn how to fall and know where it is. I also think the leash being attached to your lower bicep is much better as with a wrist leash you tend to pull on it with you arm when you fall off possibly dragging it back at yourself fast.
I use a surfboard leash strapped around my wrist (5 or 6 ft. leash depending upon surf size). Having it around the wrist does make retrieval easier, but the only dangers of a wrist leash is having too short leash of 3 to 4 ft (in head+ surf) which can snaps back quickly. This is more consequential for a hard board than a boogie/body board. Many of the coil leashes are shorter than velcro strap surfboard leashes (light & soft boogie/body board hitting you is not so consequential).
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#20

Unread post by krusher74 »

rodndtube wrote:
krusher74 wrote:
zensuni wrote:krusher74 , thanks for the link, it is indeed quite cheap and I think I could give it a shot.
I like their Preformed Bodyboard blank where the rocker and the concave are already there, I m not a great shaper myself so it would be easier for me.
What kind of leash do you use on your paulownia board ?
I use any standard bodyboard bicep leash , but I prefer this https://www.toobs.com/shop/factory/leas ... bicep-pro/ as it has a velcro attachment rather than tied on so easy to take on and off.
In 2ft and under i dont use a leash. but in 23 years surfing I have only been hit by the board less than 10 times, I think over the years you learn how to fall and know where it is. I also think the leash being attached to your lower bicep is much better as with a wrist leash you tend to pull on it with you arm when you fall off possibly dragging it back at yourself fast.
I use a surfboard leash strapped around my wrist (5 or 6 ft. leash depending upon surf size). Having it around the wrist does make retrieval easier, but the only dangers of a wrist leash is having too short leash of 3 to 4 ft (in head+ surf) which can snaps back quickly. This is more consequential for a hard board than a boogie/body board. Many of the coil leashes are shorter than velcro strap surfboard leashes (light & soft boogie/body board hitting you is not so consequential).
I guess you just get used to a 6ft leash attached to your wrist, seem like an unneeded handycap to me. Are you guys getting hit by your board a lot? happens to me less than once a year and that surfing over 100 times a year. Here is a good video of the benefits of the bicep leash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO9aIOvxyd8
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#21

Unread post by rodndtube »

Like I mentioned, a bicep might be fine for a soft board, not that is way to close for a hard board snap-back. I don't get hit often (of course, I am using a quality 5 or 6 ft. leash!), but the last time I was using a 4 ft. leash, it snapped back on me after doing a Hawaiian pull-out (aka a duck dive pullout) through a wave (in Hawaii, no pun intended). The five stitches was no fun and ended a really nice session at Laniakea.

The longer leashes (6 ft) don't bother me but really come in handy at a few spots I ride on those larger days where a 4 ft. leash would just kill me.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#22

Unread post by Junkman »

bgreen wrote:Junkman, where do you usually surf?
It really depends on the conditions/direction of the swell & wind. Oh, and my family & work obligations.

Don't want to broadcast specific locations, but I'd be happy to talk with you via PM - give me a shout.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#23

Unread post by bgreen »

Junkman,

I'll send a pm in a couple of minutes.

Bob
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#24

Unread post by zensuni »

In a wipe out, is it better to hang on the board until the waves rips it from your hand or is it better to let it go and keep focusing on protecting the head ?
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

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Unread post by rodndtube »

It is also a responsibility to not harm others around you.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#26

Unread post by krusher74 »

zensuni wrote:In a wipe out, is it better to hang on the board until the waves rips it from your hand or is it better to let it go and keep focusing on protecting the head ?
#

Hold on to it, the longer you keep doing this the better you will become at anticipating whats happening in that moment and learn how to move the board so you dont loose it at all. As you get better you can anticipate when a wave might close out or your going to fall and in that spilt second kick out/cut into the wave face/pull straight to minimise impact and the ammount the wave is hitting you.
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#27

Unread post by kage »

This may be a bit late, hope your board is still available. I ride HPDs about 90% of the time and like them a lot (obvs). I'm 5'6" and rode the XL for about 10 years and then switched to the mini. I like it better but I would recommend the XL too. I use a leash, no need to get into that issue here, but the difference between a leash on a plywood or HPD I think is probably minimal. As far as specific conditions (closeout, beachbreak, whatever) I think the rider has a lot more to do with the kind of waves they like to ride than the board. As long as I'm being contradictory I might as well add that I don't ride the HPD exclusively from the back. The takeoff is from wayyyy back and then shoot the board back up under your stomach. Key for me is keeping the location of the board very flexible from hanging over the front to kicking from the back. :D
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#28

Unread post by Papa Paepo o »

I do shape Hawaiian Papa Paepo`o Boards,
These are some of my boards, getting ready for the Makaha Paipo Contest.
10665138_10203242220887289_397122057281166864_n.jpg
I also make these personal boards:
10959295_10205956994154114_7492716746874703221_n.jpg
10959295_10205956994154114_7492716746874703221_n.jpg (73.34 KiB) Viewed 5955 times
No leash is needed, just gottah` find youself on any kind of wood board then you can ride like this...
DSC_4698.JPG
IMG_3800.JPG
10530664_10202101135320863_5697469878005915856_n.jpg
Let me know, you can find me on youtube, FB, IG... aloha...
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#29

Unread post by Papa Paepo o »

kage wrote:This may be a bit late, hope your board is still available. I ride HPDs about 90% of the time and like them a lot (obvs). I'm 5'6" and rode the XL for about 10 years and then switched to the mini. I like it better but I would recommend the XL too. I use a leash, no need to get into that issue here, but the difference between a leash on a plywood or HPD I think is probably minimal. As far as specific conditions (closeout, beachbreak, whatever) I think the rider has a lot more to do with the kind of waves they like to ride than the board. As long as I'm being contradictory I might as well add that I don't ride the HPD exclusively from the back. The takeoff is from wayyyy back and then shoot the board back up under your stomach. Key for me is keeping the location of the board very flexible from hanging over the front to kicking from the back. :D
HPD boards or any "spoon-shapes" wood boards when taking off left or right, all you got to do is shift your tail out. Meaning if your going right, your right tail (meaning bottom-right) would be between your cruch, as going left you do the same left tail between legs. Depends on the width and legth of your board, wider and longer boards you need to add your inside knee. Exambles ...
Here's one of my heavy & wider board 3/4" thick x 48' lgth.x 3"nose x 36" tail :
10959295_10205956994154114_7492716746874703221_n.jpg
10959295_10205956994154114_7492716746874703221_n.jpg (73.34 KiB) Viewed 5954 times
Angle your board when taking the drop, shifting your board left or right of directions, once your clear of drop slide the board under your body and track that face of water.....

B.L. a happy custumer picking up his Hawaiian Papa Paepo`o Board...
IMG_4628.JPG
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Re: Need feedbacks on the HPD XL

#30

Unread post by paolomorgia »

Hello!

I have bought and surfed a XP model but only in small (2-3 ft) waves.

Very fast board but not easy to use.

I used a leash because I was surfing a reef and I was hit by the board on my head.

My impression: needs very large waves, DO NOT USE A LEASH, VERY DANGEROUS
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