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[Poobah]

Ahoy Mates,
check out Tumak's new board...

[Poobah]

Is the bottom concave? Or just an illusion? You got some pretty good turn around time on this board. How fast can the average Joe get one? I suppose the blank is an odd factor in the equation.

[Birdie]

Beautiful!!

Howz it ride? and what are the dimensions? Weight?

[tumak]

I just brought the board home Monday (Mar. 22) at sunset; I haven't ridden it yet because it's just blown out Victory at Sea conditions here right now - just a head-high washing machine...and it will be for at least a few days!
The board's dimensions are:

N - 18"
W - 22" (2" rear of center)
T - 20"
L - 59.75"
Rocker - Nose: 3", Tail: 1.25"

I haven't weighed it yet, but remember that it's solid balsa; plus it has double 6 oz. glass top & bottom. The weight is not a problem in any way; in fact, I find a little weight desireable, personally. The bottom is flat - no concave. I was going to put chine on the rails but decided against it. Just before George shaped this board, I rode one of our older flat-bottomed paipos and just really dug it, so I decided to go back to that on this board.
It's easy for George to make balsa blanks, but the price of a balsa board like this rises dramatically above foam. Though working with the risk of knots in the wood can lead to anomalies along the rails, the payoff in choosing balsa above foam is found in its beauty and its durability and, in my opinion, its weight. George Robinson can be reached at (321)751-9257 if you want to ask him about cost and production time. I envision foam duplicates of this model to also be glassed rather heavy, and to be very beautiful with those dual cedar stringers! I'd like to get a foam version for my wife at some point, say, in coke-bottle green. Anyone who's interested should just call George and ask him for a Chris Harazda Model Paipo. Personally, I prefer single-fin set-ups on all surfing equipment, but I think my design would adapt nicely to twin & tri set-ups for those who like that. As soon as I can get out there and ride, I'll come back and give y'all a full report on my findings...I suspect I'm going to be royally jazzed!

[kage]

snazzy!! I want one of those.

[tumak]

Okay...this morning in Brevard County we have hard onshores...I actually saw a bird at the beach flying backwards! That gives you an idea about the wind's intensity. Anyway, the shorebreak had some faces and shoulders, so I decided to enlist the help of some of my Viking gene pool and bravely enter the chilly North Atlantic waters in order to test The Mysterious Turtle...wow! Being thin and wide, with a pretty wide tail, the first thing I noticed was a different feel to the float. As soon as I took off on the first wave, probably about chest-high, I played with its turnability, and found it to be very maneuverable! Turns off the bottom were solid. On one wave, I descended to the bottom, then evened out and angled in trim, then went down low again as the wave started to crest. With the lip starting to pitch out, I flew up the face and shot through the lip, thus exiting the wave. I could've probably rebounded off the lip, but in the split-second moment opted out of that, due to the weird conditions and the fact that it was really dumping. As I expected (and I'm sure you did too) I am jazzed...I am stoked! I wasn't out very long because the onshores have brought in some cooler water, and the wind chill was probably close to 60 degrees...I was in surf trunks and a 3 ml vest, and my feet were going numb!
So there's my report on The Mysterious Turtle! Can't wait to get back out there...the wind should diminish some by tomorrow and Saturday, and there's a long period swell coming in about that same time. OH YEAH, bring it on baby! And bring back those mid-upper 80s temps again! Are you listening, O mighty gods of sea and sky?