Best board ever for big, choppy Wellington waves.

so how would a ds go as an all rounder?

Lost doggy was onto it with the Simon 5-spark. Great small wave boards. I like em so much I’m about to order number 3.

Simba there are a heap of variations my DS is purely for bigger size surf others here I note have a lot less volume and specs are different

Nice review pops, I can only dream of explaining how a board feels like you have on this thread, just dunno how to articulate it!

I'm just about to order another DS, a 6'6". Froth levels are rising

Simba, I'll let you know when I have some time on my yet to be ordered 6'4.

It won't be an allrounder/DD, but I'll be surfing it a lot around here. We either get flat to small waves or OH reef waves.

Interesting read guys. Am looking for a standard 'performance' board myself. Never bought one of the name boards before. Always stuck with the local fella. Am intrigued about something like the Phantom or Sharp eye HT2.5.

Just a question for those who ride the Desert Storms. Everyone seems to rave about them. Why isn't there as much chatter about Webster's short boards?

Freeride, you don't find them as good?

If you surf well enough to make a high perf board work (which I gather you certainly do) I don't think you'd go wrong with a Phantom. Plenty of other great boards out there though!
I've never ridden a Webster, so can't comment there.

I've ridden standard shortboards from various local shapers in the past. Lately have been on different sort of crafts from Gary McNeill and other twins etc. I jumped on a couple year-old thruster the other week and loved reengaging with that feeling stability and confidence through turns. Made me think about getting something new like that.
When I say 'performance' I kind of mean bog standard PU shortboard thruster that everyone makes. Something for conditions you have described above: 2-4 foot NSW beach breaks.

Sounds like you ride similar stuff to me.
It'll fit the bill for sure.

I've ridden a couple of webby's shorties and didn't like them but there are plenty of guys who rip on them, they just weren't for me.

Yeah interesting. Different strokes for different folks. Just thought I'd ask to question to those in the Leba area as everyone always talks so much about the DS

Anything with forward width around 12" and a more pulled tail .Something like a Fred Rubble rounded pin or swallow as a Quad, like kelly rode for ages.

Anyone have a Pyzel Ghost that they find goes well in head high waves? Or does it need to be a big bigger / better ?

From memory FR might have done a review on the Ghost?

Yes.... over on the Grit

Thanks, just read it. Sounds good. I'm not sure if I'm surfing quality waves regularly enough from that review.

Yeah, it needs a good shaped wave. But head high will do it.

had a heap more good surfs on it in the swells around TC Uesi.

Starting to get the hang of that turning arc now FR?

yeah totally.

had that really nice banked turn snowboard feeling. which you can then push harder and harder on.

Yeah, I'm really falling in love with that. Seems like it'll take as much as you can give it and then some.

Are you getting that same feeling on the Phantom Pops?

Yeah. Also see my review/comments a little way further up (/on the previous page).
You get this crazy accelaration out the back end of a turn.
Probably not identical to the Ghost, but the two boards do share some DNA.

Edit: I've never snowboarded, so can only guess what FR means by that analogy.

Solitude ..6.4 Ghost 37L Futures boxes on the Goldy - $380 with 5 Futures fins.

edit : Seller will take $350

that was the biggest and best surf I've had the Ghost out in.

felt a little small on the paddle in thick, 6ft+ ocean-style point surf but deliriously reliable handling once up and riding.

How much more juice do you reckon it could handle?

not much, for my skill level.

but at a slight increase in length, say 6'3" instead of 6'1", heaps.

Still, a 6'1 handling that is doing pretty well in my books.

Pyzel and John John on board design / Ghost /Shadow
You Tube

That bloody insightful. John has a very good head on his shoulders.
Does make me think, what hope do the rest of us have? So many variables that they can control. We’re (avg joe) pinning our hopes on a prayer with our yearly / two yearly purchase.

Another thought, how close are these local ghost shapers (pyzel, JS , DHD, Mayhem etc) coming to what the main shapers are doing with the final product?

I watched the JJF / Pyzel video last night. Pretty interesting to hear them speak about such specific details on boards that to me seem pretty similar at face value. I'd love to have the skill (and conditions) to be able to feel the differences between them. I found it interesting that JJF rides a 30L board as I thought the pros tended to go for really small boards. The collab board mentioned piqued my interest. The main thing in here I found interesting was Matt Biolos breaking down the fundamental curves of board design and how both shapers (designers) seemed to be leaning towards what sounds like a somewhat minimalist design in outline and rocker.

Just out of curiosity punched Ghost 6.4 x 201/4 x2 7/8 Thruster into Pyzel Sth Africa

Price given 8500 Rand = $757 AUD shipped Capetown to East coast Aust
https://www.pyzelsurfboards.co.za/collections/surfboards/High-Performan…

How much if you bought one in Oz ? East coast

$925 i think

Shit good deal!

Who ships it, Pyzel Sth Africa? I'd be surprised if they shipped to a country where there are plenty of Pyzel suppliers.

I filled out full order form with East coast Aust postcode and they gave flat rate international shipping price of R1000 .

Reckon there'd be an import tax on top of that?

If applicable + $35 ?
Christ knows how they work out international shipping rates - under $100 for that distance.

O&E leggie 1-0 Phantom

free picture hosting

Serves you right shorten the cord

Yeah you're not wrong.