A Friggin Stock Board

A “magic” surfboard is hard to find. Top ASP competitors go through 40-100+ (if you’re Jordy) custom boards a year attempting to increase their odds of getting that “one.” Until recently, I’d never entertained the idea of picking up a stock board to ride. And before that, I’d never ride a board without glass-on fins. By switching entirely to fin systems I have increased the range of conditions that each board excels in.

This year, out of necessity, I’ve grabbed three stock boards and the result has been two “magic boards.”

The board in this video had been sitting in my shed for six months. After one surf in average FL conditions I determined it needed, and would be best suited to, a more powerful wave. I liked the extra vee of the tail and the ease at which it rolled onto a rail even in small surf, so I waited for the right trip to give it a go again.

With two shiny, new custom boards along for the ride as well, it wasn’t until day four of this trip when I finally screwed in my largest fiberglass fins to see what would happen. With just 30 minutes to surf, here are the only six waves I caught that session, but it was enough to let me know that this was the “one”.

The rest of the trip those custom boards sat in the house collecting dust.