Turbinia Down-Under

Here’s a mat headed down under to mat surfer Mike Curran. Mike is a self-confect mat addict as you can see from what he had to say when we spoke about his journey into matting:

“I am 65 and nowadays a part time Marine Engineer.

I had my first mat/surfoplane rides at Torquay, Victoria way back when 10 years old when you hired them at the front of the Torquay lifesaving club. The thrill of catching a wave has never been lost.

Wind on to 5 years ago & after 45 years as a stand up surfer, (knees getting stiff) as an avid adventure motorcyclist, (Tiger 900) went way over to the NE coastal side of Tasmania to a little known remote area and took a RedBack Surf Mat so I could have a splash, fun and a laugh and ..actually caught some waves. (And still no idea how to use a mat). I was Immediately inspired!

Then In 5 years since has become absolutely hooked! I am now a regular Matter, and have improved a lot, and also helped immensely when he met through work connections the famous NSW, SCUMM. Since then I have matted around Victoria, NSW, even Long Island in New York, Mentawis, and recently South Central Atoll Maldives!

To add to my current mat quiver I needed a mat with more bite and turning ability to use in grungier waves. I’m ready to welcome my new G-Mat Ubercat. My aim is to eventually position on the inside of Stand-Up surfer and call them, for your wave…When you can do that you know ..you know how to surf a mat !

I have named my mat “Turbinia” which was the name given to the very first experimental & extremely fast ocean going steam turbine ship from 120 years ago.”

— Mike Curran

So then, on to Turbinia. She has a very specific place in Mike’s quiver being specialised to surfing hollow and gruntie waves. After some discussion we settled on the idea of an Ubercat. We went for free-breather venting to maximise responsiveness but combined with a 200/70 construction so a stable deck but responsive morphing characteristics on the go. We have also gone with a positive elastic rocker which I have tried to capture in the photo’s below. The camera never really shows this that well.

Turbinia is all black with grey/black Sikaflex EBT grip and white branding which pops nicely I think.

Mike has also gone for a classic G-Mat Apparel Tee. Thanks for the support Mike!

Have fun with your new ride Mike!

Cheers

G

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Feedback - 21st May, 2023

She’s had about 5 surfs. Main points In point form. 🤔

1. Seems to be much easier to bend and paddle through broken waves than my others.

2. Yes gripping better on the bottom turns and seems to point and turn easier than others.

3. Is faster!

4. Must have it more than 90 degs fold over for best inflation.

5. Loves a late drop.

6. Deck grip very good.

Z-Brah

A bit of a weekend project here building a mat for myself. It was flat and absolutely freezing cold so a warm workshop and podcasts seemed very appealing. I've had a big hole in my quiver for some time now with a Nouveau Racer named "Steady Eddie" and a RB-JMC Ultralight named "Featherweight Fordy" and nothing in between. Basically, if it was ether solidly overhead/heavy or upto shoulder high glass I was golden. The 80% in between I was having to work a lot more and poor FF had been taking a right pounding!

So then, on to this mat. It's called "Z-Brah" because the name makes me laugh and works however you pronounce "Z". Z-Brah is a 70/70 Ubercat. Standard free-breather with positive elastic rocker to get tight on the turns. I've also added a bungee for leash attachment for night surfs and wave pools so all in all... I'm covered! Weight off my mind to be honest!

I've actually finished another mat before this one for Mike Steele which I'll post dreckly.

We have waves at the mo so Z-Brah should see some action pretty soon.

Cheers

G

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UPDATE/FEEDBACK 06/03/2023

Well after all that I sold Z-Brah to Chris Cavey over in Santa Cruz. I ended up building my son and myself mats over Christmas and needed money for a trip so with heavy heart let Z-Brah go.

Here’s feedback from Chris. It’s good to see that the Ubercat does what it says on the tin.

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UPDATE - APRIL 2024

A little edit of Chris Cravey riding Z-Brah at the Kelly Slater wave pool.

Moonlight Matting

I have been excited about building this mat for a while. This is the latest in the run of mats I’m currently doing for some fine people. The latest in that run is Peter St Pierre. For those unaware, Pete is a legend in the So Call surf industry. A true master craftsman in every sense of the word and, to be honest, a legend who’s name spans far beyond his locale. I’ll let Pete tell you about himself in his own words in this Local Legendz video from Korduroy TV.

So on to Pete’s mat. Pete told me that her likes a mat that goes rail to rail easily with decent hold. Also something very lightweight and fast. That perfect combo eh?! Well, an Ubercat sounded like the perfect fit for these qualities. Pete has been riding a 5 Star General he got from Ken McKnight a while back although this is a little over sized and is a different mat to the Ubercat.

Rental (as Pete has named this mat) has a 70/70 construction. She has been built as a free-breather to up the speed and has a positive elastic rocker to help to drive her through tight turns.

Rental is certainly different from anything else in Pete’s quiver but I’m sure she will fit in nicely. Pete is a vastly experienced surfer who has embraced the way of the mat for years so I’m pretty sure they will get on well with each other.

Have fun Pete!

Cheers

G

Pocket Rocket

I have a number of models in my range but have never owned them all. As I am currently working through a batch of mats for people I who have helped me out, I am working through a quiver for myself of all of my mats (in my own time).

This is the latest named “Pocket Rocket”.. She is a G-Mat Ubercat with elastic rocker which combined with the narrow profile of the Ubercat gives a mat that performs tight turns assuredly on the rail. Perfect for wedgy hollow waves.

Pocket Rocket has a deck made from 100/70 twill which was sent to me by Paul Gross (4th Gear Flyer) several years ago. The bottom and I-beams are 70d taffeta as always so I guess this mat is a 100/70/70!

The other thing you’ll notice is that Pocket Rocket has a leash bungee attachment. This is for 3 reasons: firstly, I injured the tendons in my right forearm a year ago which flares up on occasion. Secondly, I am developing an interest in full moon surfing and don’t want to lose a mat into the darkness. And finally, I am planning a matmeet on my birthday at The Wave, Bristol so getting a few mats sorted with leashes means I can loan them out to meet the rules of the Wave.

Let’s hope Covid restrictions play ball with that plan. Could be an amazing day out!

Pocket Rocket has been out on a local wedgy peak a couple of times now and is just what it needs. Easy to get a high cuttie back into the pocket and back out. Perfik!

2 mats left to go in my self-care project then. A Rubber Bucky and a Ute.

I just need to stop moving them on!

Cheers

G

Centurion and Something Else a bit Sexy!

Well, I've hit the century with G-Mat 100!

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This is one of two mats heading off to Oz. The other is G-Mat 97.  Aussie mat wonder, Warren Pfeiffer, was keen to try out some negative rocker and that is what has gone into the mix for G-Mat 97 (AKA "Doppleganger).

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Doppleganger is a 70/70 Rubber Bucky. As I say, she has a negative rocker and has pigmented grip in glorious forest green to match the bottom skin. She also has the Hestered valve welded in which is a development that I'm pretty pleased with. Extra work but worth it. I'm pretty sure Warren will enjoy this set up. Not the easiest ride but is set up for lots of glide and speed.

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G-Mat 100 (AKA "Centurion") is a 70/70 Flying Carpet in sexy black on black with a blue bottom skin. Flat rocker to get her moving and the valve welded in again. The jungle pattern looks interesting with the back on black I think.

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Both of these mats also have a new sealant which has tested very well recently. Puraflex 40 has all of the pliability of Sikaflex 11FC+ but seems to be more durable. It'll be exciting to hear how this holds up in the long term.

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So then, 2016 sees me hit the century. I'm pretty pleased with that.

Onward...

G

PS Don't be confused by the numbering. I number mats in order that they are designed, not built!

Some Thoughts on Rocker

This way, that way, both ways, no way...  Rocker in mats is a tricky subject. 

Since first starting to build mats I've been really interested in bottom shapes. Curves across the bottom have a huge impact on the performance of mats, affecting hold, lift, rail to rail transition, etc. But what about end to end? 

In the past I have built a few mats with rocker built in to them by shaping the I-beams. This gives a curve for sure, but also leaves excess material when the mat at low inflation is flattened which causes form drag and cavitation so slows the mat down. No more of that then!  

Dale Solomonson Neumatic Advanced with an extreme elastic rocker 

Dale Solomonson experimented extensively with "elastic rockers." This is where one skin (usually the bottom) and the I-beams have an ability to stretch and the other skin doesn't. I have moved into using this technique for some time now too when putting rocker into mats. The advantage is that at rest at low inflation the mat is flat. As inflation is increased (ie by squeezing the rail) the rocker comes in to effect. 

Much better! 

So,  on to the types of rocker. 

FLAT ROCKER (ROCKERLESS)  

One option of course is no rocker at all.  

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Flat rocker

A mat with flat rocker basically has no elasticity in either the top or bottom skins. This means that the mat's default position is flat and flat means fast. Minimal drag. What this also means is that the mat has a wider turning circle so flat rocker is best suited to people who want to get down the line at speed. 

Of course, with mats being mats it is possible for the surfer to bend the mat into any shape they want (I am a builder. The rider is the shaper). That said, mats seem to "remember" their dimensions even at low inflation. It is important point to remember is that when bending a rockerless mat, the lack of elasticity in the skins means that there will be a small excess of material on the shorter side (ie on the deck on bottom turns and on the bottom when bending the mat the other way.)

Rockerless mats are best suited to surfers who want to get down the line and have complete control over what the mat does.  The lack of elasticity end to end makes the mat far more predictable in the way it behaves. As predictable as you can get with mats anyway! 

POSITIVE ROCKER 

Positive rocker (what people generally mean when they say rocker) gives increased maneuverability when turning off the rail by introducing a curve. 

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Positive rocker 

The elasticity of the bottom skin gives a smooth, progressive curve, rather than a bend so turns such as bottom turns and cutbacks can be tighter but still smooth, maintaining and even generating speed. 

The downside is that rocker slows the mat down. That's not to say that rocker results in a slow mat. Just slowER than a flat one. With an elastic rocker, you are able to flatten the mat so that the elastic bottom skin returns to a flatter plane, but that magical surfmat memory will still remember and act accordingly. Also keep in mind that, unless you are almost totally deflated, at least some of the mat will be at full inflation as the rider's weight pushes air into other parts of the mat. On a flat plane, this is the nose so the rocker still has an affect. 

Positive  rocker is great in steeper, peaky waves needing a more maneuverable mat. 

NEGATIVE ROCKER  

Negative rocker basically means that the mat is built to "bend the wrong way." A lot of people find it aesthetically displeasing to the eye but function should always win out over form. 

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Negative rocker 

The idea of negative rocker can seem counter intuitive and it is certainly a rare build but it gives a very quick mat by producing additional lift. What's more, the rocker profile helps when catching waves so mats with negative rocker can get going earlier. 

The potential problems with the design are clear of course. Mats with negative rocker are less inclined to naturally want to turn up on the rail and there is always the risk of catching a rail and unexpected instantaneous pearling is far from unheard of! Rounding front corners can help with that but they can become sticky, negating the point of having a negative rocker in the first place. The advantage of surfmats over other craft is their malleability of course and surfers can manage the outer front corners to deal with these issues.

It's certainly not a design for everyone, but is an interesting, fast option for those who are happy to put the work in.

FREE ROCKER     

Saving the best 'til last? Maybe...

I've coined the name "free rocker" after some reflection on the characteristics of mats that I've built over the years. Free rocker is essentially a flat rockered mat but with elastic top and bottom skins. The majority of mats that I have built have had elastic decks and bottoms because I have not always restricted the elasticity. I'll be honest, this was incidental initially, rather than a deliberate decision on my part.

As I have said, at rest a mat with a free elastic rocker will be flat, even at higher inflations. The difference between free and flat rocker though, is that free rocker can stretch either way to produce a smooth positive or negative rocker when needed. At times this will be because the surfer has chosen to put it in, eg on a bottom turn or pressing down on the nose to get into a wave or over a flat spot. At other times, the mat will develop a positive/negative rocker (or both) of it's own accord because it just needs to.  The wave and mat kinda get together and agree!  

The more I think about free rocker, the more I think it is probably more "surfmat" than any of the above three because it is the only one that is completely unrestricted. That is not to say that it's always the best bet but fans of surfmat magic just have to dig it, right?!

At the end of the day, the decision on what's best will be down to the surfer, the waves they ride and where the mat sits in a quiver.

Lots to think about though.  

G

Wiggleworm. The bungee that never was...

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G-Mat 64 (AKA "Wiggleworm")

I'm immensely proud to be able to say that I have just finished building a Ute for the genuinely heroic Scott Reeder. For more on why I say heroic, have a read of Scott's interview with UKMS.

 So then, on to the mat. Scott was pretty clear on what he wanted: a black decked, green bottomed 200/70 Ute. He also wanted a bungee at the nose.

All went well with the build and my new forest green 70 denier material is great, but I've recently re-stocked on stainless steel eyelets which are, inexplicably, razor sharp around the edges once fitted making them unusable for the leash fitting as they'll just push through the edge-lap and come out! Who the hell designed that!?

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The first mat built with the new 70d taffeta

Anyway, I'm sure Scott will enjoy his decorative eyelet whilst terrorizing the San Diegan lineups on his new leash-free ride.  (If anyone knows of a good European based stockist who can supply sensible stainless steel eyelets than I'd be very excited to hear from you).

So, back to the bits that work, Scott's new mat has a mellow elastic rocker to help to project the mat off the bottom. The clue to this feature is in the name, using the elasticity of the bottom skin to create rocker at high inflation. This means that a slight rocker comes in to play when squeezing the rails on hard turns, but then springs back to being flat again on lower inflation to maximise speed on a flat plane.

Anyhoo, Scott has named her "Wiggleworm" which he tells me is because he likes the way G-Mats "wiggle" and also in homage to his wonderful wife Pam who he affectionately calls "Worm". 

Have fun Scott!

Cheers

G

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Elastic rocker comes into effect at high inflation