May 08, 2015

Feature Friday - The Cloud

Attention Surfers!

Spring is among us and summer is on the horizon, and you know what that means: Small, unpredictable surf with the occasional sizeable swell coming from the south. That being said, it doesnt mean that you have to resort to a longboard or a foamie to keep having fun when the waves have little push.

When I came across this issue last summer, I wanted to build a board that fit the following criteria;

a) easy to ride in small surf

b) could handle the big stuff when we get it

c) fit in the back of my hatchback

Meet the Cloud. Your new best friend for the spring and summer, and this weeks Feature Friday.

The Cloud resembles the "Mini Simmons" template from the past, while adjusting some performance tweaks to it's tail. Traditional Mini Simmons type boards are a little shorter and chunkier through the rails, but the Cloud provides enough float without feeling like too much buoyancy. It sits on the water a little like a fish, but with a easier take off when you scratch into the wave. The template through the nose is rounder and wider, similar to a longboard or funboard. The Chop tail allows the board to feel loose and skatey, but still generates speed and drive rail to rail.

When thinking of a board for the summer months, I really liked the aspects of the Poacher (our speed egg/funboard) that were cruisey, fast and easy to paddle. I wanted to chop it down in length, and keep it wide and chunky while still having added performance.

It's not necessarily the most ideal board to take out in bigger, steeper surf, But i still like the easy drop in and the way it holds in the bigger pockets and big open faces. Big reef spots is where I actually had the most fun with the Cloud. It doesn't need too many paddles to get you into the wave, and thats what I like about it. Lazy take offs, that also can generate a ton of speed.

The Cloud comes to our lineup as traditional Fiberglass only, but is well worth the craftsmanship of Bill Minard, and glassed by the masters down at G&S (Custom Surf Glass).

Stock sizes are 5'4", 5'7", 5'9", 5'11". Call us at the shop and we'd be happy to dial you in with a stock size or create something custom for you.