New SMED Wombat

[ragboy]

When we won the wombat, we didn't have fins, so we used some old fins that were not right for the board. Now that we some good fins for it (thanks surfdad) RJ has been really warming up to it. He was using the green loogey this year, but one thing about the loogey, its like a skim/surf combo, and RJ really likes the look and feel of more of a surfboard. We also tried out one of the new Walker pro models from the hortons, but RJ is really taking a liking to the new wombat. I think I am going to try to see about checking out a quad wombat.

I love this picture, smed could use it as an ad with the logo the way it is.

[dogbert]

Yeah, I have to get out with those guys. Time has been a real problem for me this summer.

[Redlined]

Great pic.

Can someone break down the difference between skim style vrs. surf style boards for me? I (currently) run surf styles boards, but I would like a tad more speed out of my quiver. Will a skim style help produce this? I'm just wondering. I've been reading a lot of good things about SMED's, but the price to play is just insane to me. 6 bills for a grom sized board, I just can't get my ahead around that price. Not when I can walk into any shop around here and grab a grom board for $50.00......

[ragboy]

skims are usually more rounded, have very small, or no fins at all, and usually pointed at both ends, designed to ride very similar in either direction. Design for more spinning tricks and stuff. Surf style resembles a more traditional surfboard. The loogeys came from a design to sort of mesh the 2 together.

[Surfdad]

The single biggest difference between a skmmer and a regular surf styke board is that the skimmer can be ridden revert - that is with the tail first. One of the staple moves in skimming is a shuv. As such, a skimboard will typically have a pintail and a matching nose. Also, the nose rocker is minimal to allow the board to be ridden backwards like that.

Surf style boards most typically have a decidedly different nose and tail. Like rag mentioned - skimmers have a single shallow fin, while surf style boards have deep and multiple fins.

In riding, the surf style folks typically prefer a crisp hard lip (to allow launching airs) and a faster speed. Also, taller steeper wake. I'm not sure it's general, but many skimmers like a rounded softer lip and not as steep or tall, also a bit slower speed.

Pictures of the two different styles of boards. You can see on the SS skimmer that the nose and tail shape are almost identical, as oppossed to the TWP board that has unique tail and nose shapes. Also, not the fins on that TWP - the SS has a single 1.5" wakeboard fin.

[ragboy]

Y, but watching your boy doing shuvs on the TWP walker pro makes it look like it should be just as easy on either style. I loved watching his routine. I think of him all the time, because he signed whitney's board, and took up the entire bottom with his sig. Pretty funny.

[Surfdad]

Redlined,

I hear 'ya on the cost, boards are crazy expensive, but a grom sized board isn't suitable for behind the boat. Typically they'll be in the 15-16 inch wide ranfge, where as most of these wakesurfers are in the 20" wide range. Lastly, the rocker is significantly different. I had a 5'6" Barny with almost 4.5 inches of nose rocker and 2" inches of tail rocker. In the ocean, that helps with dropping in, but behind the boat, that much rocker makes the board a slug. You'll note on the Smed Wombat that he adds some flip in the nose, but excluding that, the Wombat probably has less than 2 inches of nose rocker and almost no tail rocker.

In my experience, most surf style wakesurfers have under 2 inches of nose rocker and under 1/2" of tail rocker. Substantially more than that and the
boards are pigs.

[Surfdad]

Yeah Rag - you should have heard the interaction between James and Whitney. She comes over and asks him to autograph her board and I swear you could hear the creaking as his ego expanded. She's smiling and asking him to sign and he's trying to be cool - but lordy come on, cute girl wants your autograpgh!!!! That has to be heaven. He starts to sign it small - like his signature and she stops him and says - no, bigger so I can at least see it.

Viola - the entire board! Good memories for everyone.

RJ is ripping! He's airing that wombat really well.

[ragboy]

y, the prices can be killer. Look at the IS boards with the carbon in them. Nasty.

[ragboy]

Yeah Rag - you should have heard the interaction between James and Whitney. She comes over and asks him to autograph her board and I swear you could hear the creaking as his ego expanded. She's smiling and asking him to sign and he's trying to be cool - but lordy come on, cute girl wants your autograpgh!!!! That has to be heaven. He starts to sign it small - like his signature and she stops him and says - no, bigger so I can at least see it.

Viola - the entire board! Good memories for everyone.

RJ is ripping! He's airing that wombat really well.

Thanks, y whitney is a cutie, she is so bubbly all the time. Always makes me smile.

Thanks on RJ, I love watching my kids surf, as I am sure you do.

[ragboy]

Here is a pic for those that don't know what I am talking about, this is night after the comp, trying out the new board.



And here she was on it this weekend.

[Redlined]

I understand the industry took a major shot to the sac when Clarkfoam closed down, but is foam that expensive today?