Model: Hydro Hull EPS specification
Size: 5'8 (approximately 20 1/2 wide x 2 5/8 thick)
rider
Height: 168cm
Weight: 61-64 kg
*People who recommend the Hydro Hull model, keywords, etc.
- You want a short board length for fast paddles and takeoffs
- I often go into the water without being able to choose the conditions, such as small waves or junky waves.
- I'm looking for a fish board that has buoyancy but also has good action performance.
- Are you worried about your declining physical strength? Haven't been enjoying surfing lately?
During the fish revival boom in the early 2000s, Dick Van Straalen's boards, which appeared on the world with free surfer Dave Rastavich, were my dream. Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to ride several of his boards. I was excited by the timeless ride quality, but I realized that I needed to order a custom board from DVS to get one that really suited me.
When I ordered, I discussed with the local staff in detail about my height, weight, surfing history, the board I'm currently using, my home point, the problems I'm currently having, and the type of waves and how I want to surf with the board I'm ordering. I told them my detailed requests, such as that the DVS full carbon board I was using at the time had a little too much rebound, that I wanted to use it all-around regardless of the wave quality, that I wanted it to be easier to paddle and take off, and that I wanted it to have better action. A month after I ordered, the board finally arrived, and I was so excited to ride it that I took it to a junk condition store that I would never normally go to.
The first thing that surprised me was the speed of paddling and takeoff. The deck concave makes the board very stable when paddling, so even if it's your first time paddling, you can get out without worrying about the paddle position. The lower half of the bottom of the board has a fairly deep single concave that goes beyond the framework of a normal concave. The water flowing through it lifts the board, so the paddle becomes lighter with each movement of the board. This is also due to the lightness of the EPS material.
I usually ride boards with a lot of buoyancy, and the position where I waited for the wave on this board was between my belly button and my waist (about 35L). When I took off, the board floated up at a faster tempo than usual, and when I stood up while holding it down and turned to the junky shoulder, more spray than usual came out. It was my first experience to realize the power of my new board even in waves that were worse than usual. The bottom area is fully edged and the rails in the tail area are pinched, and a lot of ingenuity has been put into the details of the board to reflect the order. The EPS foam has good affinity with the shoulder, so even if you take off from behind the peak, you can easily ride ripping, floater, and cutback without getting caught.
As for the action performance, there are no problems at all since it is a board ordered for me. There is no difference in the approach to the backside, which is said to be difficult for fish. When the size of the wave increases, there is volume on the rail side, so you need to move your back foot a little closer to the rail, but this can be dealt with by changing the fin to one with higher rotation performance. Basically, the included fins are selected by DVS one by one considering the compatibility with the board, so I would like you to enjoy it with those first.
Since then, it has become common to see surfers using this board on all kinds of waves, enjoying waves that other surfers can't surf satisfactorily. This board is also available for test rides, so if you have the chance, please give it a try. You will soon realize why this model is one of the most popular models in the DVS lineup.