Outer islands flex tails
Think Mitchell calls 'em V2's? I'd also be interested in feedback on them.
Yeah, very. Been meaning to chat to Mitchell for a while about his flextails. This might be the kick up the date that's needed.
Don't let that stop anyone else from reporting in, I'd be real keen to hear about other's experiences.
yeah i have a couple of mitchells v2's both quads and round tails , they go really good theres a hell of alot of squirt out of turns a great deal more than on a normal board thats for sure , his boards really are well made and extremely well crafted as opposed to the big name brands that are mass produced .
Bishmann, did you get unique customs or they a variation of one of his models, if so which ones ? Any negatives at all ? I've heard he's a true craftsman.
Blowin ,
the first one i got was about 2 years ago and that is a smartboard 6'1 x 19 1/4 x 2 7/16 and the next 2 where customs , one with a bit more refined profile same dims as above and a 6'4 for when it gets bigger , all of them are great boards , there not cheap but hey you pay for what you get so as far as i am concerned they are worth every cent .
if anyone wants to go FASTer than they've ever gone on a surfboard in powerful waves, then get an outer flextail....ive had 4 carbon tails and one V2.....V2 went fast but the carbontails have a turbo effect once the carbon tail springs back...WHOOSH, they are the high point of speed surfing.Mitchell describes his V2 with a carbon tail as the ultimate in FLEX....1500-2000. only invest if you ride grunty waves.ive also had 5 other centre stringered normal outers(mondo/smart/fish/and 2 supamals)....still fast but the more you pay the faster you go.
I have a couple of mates who been riding the flex tails for many years and absolutely swear by them. Mano is a hellman and rides nothing else. As Quadzilla says above, they go very very fast and I've finally ordered one for myself and cant wait to get among it as I've wanted one for years!
Hey Blowin , I've got two V2s , a 6''3 smartboard quad and a 7'2 coral reefer and I just finished packing them to fly to bali in the morning .Great timing. Don't hesitate give Mitchell a call mine are great and very well constructed , ive given the 6'3 a hiding over the last two years and it just keeps giving back, heaps of drive , speed and loves late take offs. The7'2 has given me plenty of confidence up to 10ft great to paddle and speed to burn. He puts great spray jobs on them to . Yeah they cost a bit more but definitely worth it ,I wouldn't get a board from anyone else again .Check out his website and goodluck .
Hey Stu, I've been fortunate to have had a couple of Outer Island boards come to me this year. In the pics I recently sent you from Nt Sumatra, I was riding a 6"10 flex tail and it was without doubt the fasted board I've ever ridden. Mitchell has been awesome to deal with and a very interesting man. You should do a story on him at some stage?
I love the look of his boards, works of art, love the V stringer thing totally makes sense only wish he would do some epoxy composites.
just checked out the Outer Island Website...love the whole handcrafted and philosophy of Mitchell...
have a few queries on some of the design elements....in 1978 we tested Tinkler tails ...and found that the flex was not the strong point of the technology...but the Torque/twist in the back 3rd of the board was the relevant design affect on the bds....still one of the best bds I have ever rode at Bells 6'+......could not spin the board out......but they all broke doing bottom turns....
what we learnt from this was that flex was not as important as Torque......how do ya measure flex or Torque...we can't yet its all about feel...still subjective....
I spoke to the head hydrodynamic designer for the Americas cup ,who designed and built the Oracle....and he confirmed that having a stiff front 2/3rds of the board with the back 2/3rds torqueing twisting off ...but you need the tortion to have memory/pop ...so as to give instant reflex ...using carbons /bamboo/ laminated ply.....
hopefully as time goes by.......more and more designers will up their tech ante which will only benefit the customer....
I agree that none of the big global brands are doing anything except reproduce past designs and technologies......as DHD said in a USA interview..." I let the small guys do all the R&D and then commercialize their work.".....
Has anyone surfed one of Mitchells 'bladerunner' boards......wild concave and channels.
Bushrat surfboards, Jed has his own version of 'tail' flex.
Mitchell shaped me a v2 flex, 6'10 Coral Reefer flex tail for a recent trip to Nt Sumatra, it was the fastest board I've ever ridden and I made some critical drops and got around some sections I wouldn't normally have made on a conventional board. I know a couple of very capable chargers who've been riding his flex tails for ever and surf on nothing else. I'm stoked to have a couple of them (my new 6'4 V2 flex Moonraker arrived on Friday, surfed it on a nuggety wedge yesterday morning and it flew around quick as you like). I wrote a review for Mitchell which he posted on his blog last week. True craftsman and very knowledgeable about all design fundamentals and aspects of shaping top of the line surfboards. Here's my review and some pics of the kids and I blessing my new board and riding it in Indo recently..
https://outerisland.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/simons-610-v2-flex-coral-ree…
I have 2 x 8' v2 supermals. One more refined then the other. Both exceptionally good boards. The v2 flex comes into play in more powerful surf. It is not noticeable until you put it into a big turn then the turbo kicks in and it accelerates out of the turn and the arc of the turn tightens. Committed turns are well rewarded. Equally as impressive, in my uninformed opinion, is the chined rail and concave in the first third. I have found that in hollower waves I can step forward and pump speed.
Surfed off the tail in steeper more powerful waves the more refined board is silky smooth.
Very good boards, meant to be surfed.
I was lucky enough to get a 6'5" V2 Flextail Coral Reefer off of Mr Rae.
In the barrel it's like a rat up a drain pipe. It's built to last but it won't be my last.
Interesting clip on one of Mitchell's early flex tails here that's been showing on TV of late... Donavan Frankenreiter carving in it up on a 30 year old + Outer Island board
https://surfthebarrel.com/mitchells-magic-carpet-behind-the-curtain-ep-5/
bigkiwisi wrote:
Mitchell shaped me a v2 flex, 6'10 Coral Reefer flex tail for a recent trip to Nt Sumatra, it was the fastest board I've ever ridden and I made some critical drops and got around some sections I wouldn't normally have made on a conventional board. I know a couple of very capable chargers who've been riding his flex tails for ever and surf on nothing else. I'm stoked to have a couple of them (my new 6'4 V2 flex Moonraker arrived on Friday, surfed it on a nuggety wedge yesterday morning and it flew around quick as you like). I wrote a review for Mitchell which he posted on his blog last week. True craftsman and very knowledgeable about all design fundamentals and aspects of shaping top of the line surfboards. Here's my review and some pics of the kids and I blessing my new board and riding it in Indo recently..
https://outerisland.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/simons-610-v2-flex-coral-ree…
Hey Kiwisi. Just ordered a MoonRanker of Mitch. Just a bit worried it might have a bit to much float. Its 6-3 x 20 1/2 x 2 3/4. comes in around 41 litres. I'm 6-1 tall 94kg and 52old. Would really love to hear more of how your one rides and if maybe I should cut the litres down on mine. I have a rare bird from chilli in the same width & thickness but at 6-2.
Just the right amount of litres for your weight
Good to see the ol boy Mitchell treating himself to a M F F indo massage for his 60th birthday.
Cheap Flextail just listed on gumtree ,6"10 swallow tail older looking board $ 200 neg
comes with steel fins [alloy I guess] ?
Cheap enough to try out and add to your quiver.......Wooolongong not far from you Stu.
Thanks for the heads up Udo. I checked it out, and I know the fella selling it, but as much as I like it I thought better of it. Reason why?
Just threw down four hungey on this, an AB-shaped Byrning Spears 6'0" six channel in great nick.
Nice brd Stu, but wrong thread mate.
Outer Islands Flex Tails????
Maybe would go great in, an AB thread, with much respect to him
RIP.
Nice brd Stu, but wrong thread mate.
Outer Islands Flex Tails????
Maybe would go great in, an AB thread, with much respect to him
RIP.
Unbelievable.
That is damn close to my perfect board....or so I can only imagine .
It's the board I'm looking for when I ever go on EBay/ Gumtree.
Paint me jealous.
Could you please report on its performance ?
Slip down to Burleigh will ya Welly and grab that 6"4 AB channel bottom for yourself ..Not in as good nick as Stu's but $200 neg.....includes a set of ABs fibreglass fins.
Edit: listed on gumtree 7/2015 last edited 1mth ago over a 1000 views and still for sale hmm ?
Righto, everyone off EBay now.
I need priority to shop properly.
You're giving me performance anxiety with all the competition.
Blowin, the _ding _ king instagram -scroll down to the 7'4" channel bottom.
That thing is beautiful.
Need channels....
Can anyone zoom in on the dimensions on that 6'6" outer island on EBay ?
The buy now one $295 is 6'6 x 19 1/4 x 2 7/16 futures boxes - cond 7 out 10
Can anyone who has one of the carbon flex tail boards from Mitchell or Bushrat comment on how their board dimensions changed? I'm wondering if making the last foot of the board carbon means that people increased their board dimensions? Any experience would be greatly appreciated.
Outers have a rubber piece attached to the flex part, it floats so its the same as/or similar to a normal foam back.Bushrat just has the flat ugly carbon platform,but I've seen the rubber attached to them by a guy who rides both brands.Pretty sure its vacuumed on.
Gumtree Forrestors beach not a flextail but a 6'8 Outer island 'twin vee concave' pintail @ $ 120 neg
Yeh, stu.
Kicked one pretty gently a month or two ago while sitting on my board and it sliced a few layers of skin off like a knife.
Blowin wrote:
Anybody ridden one ? They look interesting. I've never ridden any kind of flex tail , but I'm specifically referring to the foam and glass numbers with the two stringers that converge in the nose from mid board and that have no stringer in the tail as opposed to the all glass tails.
You still keen on one of these, blowy?
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/new-farm/surfing/outer-island-6-5-surfbo…
Anybody ridden one ? They look interesting. I've never ridden any kind of flex tail , but I'm specifically referring to the foam and glass numbers with the two stringers that converge in the nose from mid board and that have no stringer in the tail as opposed to the all glass tails.