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I don't think you specifically need large waves, ideally you need some power. I found mine hard to ride on a thin walled type of wave.

I didn't find a leash dangerous, perhaps where it was fitted and the type of leash contributed. Most people I know that ride this style of board don't use a leash.

I think it takes time to really be able to learn the potential of the design.

I received the board, I m impressed by the width
As expected it doesn t have a leash plug.
Do you think that gluing a classic surf leash plug would work ?

Don't these boards behave a lot like plywood when you lose them in that they rarely if ever get carried very far by the wave, popping back up right near you?

My guess is that the board has a rubber deck pad? Some do and some do not. Also, you might want to inquire with HPD to find out what kind of materials are used and whether it is advised or not to drill a hole. You don't want to drill through and have some water sucking material in the composite.

zensuni wrote:I received the board, I m impressed by the width
As expected it doesn t have a leash plug.
Do you think that gluing a classic surf leash plug would work ?

Aloha, adding a leash-plug would have to be a custom made plug. The smallest (thickness) surf plug is 1/2" thick, how thick is your board?

You got the message, using a leash will cause pull-over or drag under with the white wash. Just keep on riding your board, try using a nose pevit into the face, meaning shallow breaks try lifting outter rail n nose diving along the bottom face of the wave. To deep of a dive will hit the reef, got to do it gradually on size of waves.

zensuni wrote:

Junkman wrote: You direct it from the tail

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.

Aloha, I have two XL HPD boards it's really light do to "composite material used", their great for steep take off but there's a theory behind it. when using a wider-tail, the trick is you need to slide the tail of the board left or right of what ever direction your heading. If your heading " rights" your right-side tail will be under your left hip, holding your board at one o'Clock and 7 o'Clock once your ready to head straight then you slide the board under you. It's what I called a "Stall" as you taking a drop down the face of a wave. Since I've now shape my own wood board I use multiple maneuvers with old style and my own maneuvers to help me taking any size surf.

Maybe get some fiberglass fin rope.

http://www.bashamssurfshop.com/fiberglass-fin-rope.html

[quote="Papa Paepo o"]I do shape Hawaiian Papa Paepo`o Boards,

Papa Paepo o - Great looking boards. Do you put any spoon or lift in the nose? Are your boards glassed?

Aloha,
Mahalo, I'm not doing spoon boards just yet but I am working on the mould for couple of sizes. The boards that you see does have a nose-rocker with a nose contour for riders. I used to ride those type of boards before but now I just ride flat bottom. The photo you see there is a flat-bottom board, the board is shape to the persons body size that will give you an easy menauverbility which you can either do cut-back, drops, spinners, stalls or my favorite under-water take-off with a spinner or two.

Papa Paepo o wrote:Aloha,
Mahalo, I'm not doing spoon boards just yet but I am working on the mould for couple of sizes. The boards that you see does have a nose-rocker with a nose contour for riders. I used to ride those type of boards before but now I just ride flat bottom. The photo you see there is a flat-bottom board, the board is shape to the persons body size that will give you an easy menauverbility which you can either do cut-back, drops, spinners, stalls or my favorite under-water take-off with a spinner or two.

GeoffreyLevens wrote:Don't these boards behave a lot like plywood when you lose them in that they rarely if ever get carried very far by the wave, popping back up right near you?

The board generally stay pretty close if you get separated. There are exceptions, but at least you have on fins!

Junkman wrote:

GeoffreyLevens wrote:Don't these boards behave a lot like plywood when you lose them in that they rarely if ever get carried very far by the wave, popping back up right near you?

The board generally stay pretty close if you get separated. There are exceptions, but at least you have on fins!

First you need to know your board, really!!! What size wave your catching, how it respond to your body movements. Where to be on n where not to be. If I did loose my board it would be because I was to much up front or an insane drop. You have to know how far your board can take you n learn what not to do. Fins are just to help you swim, take off and steer. These board I shape is couple inches wider than your body. As a professional bodysurfer I'm able to do what a bodysurfer, skinboarder, surfer n skateboarder do but on the wave. I have a young man name Keali'i at the age of 16 n he rides my 48" at waikikk walls but stands up n surf it. Wood board needs the weight behind everything you want to do.

I wanted to test the board Today, unfortunately it was very small, here is the longest wave I had:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysItAYkQ6ww

So I couldn't really test the board in normal conditions, but I can tell that this board makes tiny waves very easy to catch.

zensuni wrote:I wanted to test the board Today, unfortunately it was very small, here is the longest wave I had:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysItAYkQ6ww

So I couldn't really test the board in normal conditions, but I can tell that this board makes tiny waves very easy to catch.

Nice board, cool fun wave too. I couldn't but notice going left i seen white water sprays shooting from the left front? It shows that your body is on the rightside n not the left side of the board. I'm pretty sure you can go pretty far on those kind of waves. I know I can. Because the board has a wider bottom, gottah' lean on the inside and watch the sprays shoot behind you n not in front. There's a certain ways of holding your for a take off. While floating, pull the board towards your chest, once board contact chesty where your arms reach and hands are (grip on both edge). That's your body placement, chest will be on that imaginary line. When ur heading rights, have your right side of your body on that right edge of the board, i call that "slicing. Causing sprays shooting out on your left side which looks very cool. Let me know how you did. Aloha.

Papa Paepo o wrote:

zensuni wrote:I wanted to test the board Today, unfortunately it was very small, here is the longest wave I had:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysItAYkQ6ww

So I couldn't really test the board in normal conditions, but I can tell that this board makes tiny waves very easy to catch.

Nice board, cool fun wave too. I couldn't but notice going left i seen white water sprays shooting from the left front? It shows that your body is on the rightside n not the left side of the board. I'm pretty sure you can go pretty far on those kind of waves. I know I can. Because the board has a wider bottom, gottah' lean on the inside and watch the sprays shoot behind you n not in front. There's a certain ways of holding your for a take off. While floating, pull the board towards your chest, once board contact chesty where your arms reach and hands are (grip on both edge). That's your body placement, chest will be on that imaginary line. When ur heading rights, have your right side of your body on that right edge of the board, i call that "slicing. Causing sprays shooting out on your left side which looks very cool. Let me know how you did. Aloha.

Thanks, hard to explain in English, but the wave was so small that I couldn t use leverage to turn, sometime I had to lean right to give the wave some surface to push the board. I guess I need a little bigger wave to turn clean.

I had another HPD XL test session yesterday. It was quite mushy and choppy, the waves were not that small but still a little weak so most of the take offs were late. I focused on bottom turning, I found it not that easy with such a wide board. The rocker definitely prevented pearling at times. I am looking forward to try this board on cleaner conditions. I used a wrist gopro to take some rear view videos: https://youtu.be/wnFCqUoeZ2U

I have used it few times in medium surf...very heavy...leash is dangerous for you.
I had my head hit...

The board is very fast

PaipoJim has a couple of good photos of an HPD in Northern Oregon waves -- maybe he can repost them. Not sure he and his buddy, Andy, do bottom turns much or now or just angle and scream across the face.

A leash can be okay but you may need a longer one than is typically used on a bodyboard.

Haven't used it for a while now. I like it under specific conditions. It needs to be clean, not choppy, not too big, and not crowded since my board doesn t have a leash. Some winter mornings are like that.