Feedback from John Hughes

I've had a couple of emails from John Hughes regarding his early experiences with his 70/70 Rubber Bucky, Sylvia.

John says:

EMAIL 1:
My first session was on tiny waves at the local pier. There is a break on the north side of the pier that happens only when the tide and swell direction are just right. When it breaks a wedgy peak forms right next to the end of the pier. That turns into a fast drop which usually breaks right away and puts you in the whitewater. That lasts for a few yards then it re-forms into a walled up ledge that reels right into the pilings. Just as you get to the pilings you can pull out then take the outgoing channel next to the pier and go right back to the take off zone.

The ride is short but exhilarating.

Although the swell that day was tiny, the conditions were right and a miniature version of the wave was working. The mat handled it easily, tracking down every little seam in the wave, turning a potential non-session into an hour of fun. No pics of this. I took a camera with me but no one was there to take pics. The inflation pic is from that morning.

EMAIL 2:
I got the mat out again this morning, this time in some waist high but lined up groundswell. This mat is blazing fast! I was easily blowing by sections and the mat was smooth and controlled. When the offshores held the wave back I could hang the mat at the top of the wave until it walled lined up then let it loose. I am definately clicking with this mat. It is another level above Phileas. I can't wait to get it in some big stuff.

I didn't get actual surfing pics. I just had the snapshot camera. I include one pic of the inflation level I am at. It works very well with low inflation. Also include the latest update on my car stickers. We may be getting some big onshore slop soon. If so, I will send a report.

aloha, John

Bring on the slop!

Cheers

G

Blue & Green Should Never be Seen...

.... or so the saying goes. 

Luckily, that saying is a bunch of ol' pap and I've just built my second 70/70 Rubber Bucky in a row with a blue deck and green bottom skin.

Meet G-Mat 78 (AKA "Sylvia") built for Floridian, John Hughes.  John is a connoisseur of lightweight surfmats and a strong advocate of drifting mat surfing. Oh and he lives in the land of raggedy short-fetch swells so a Rubber Bucky seems like the perfect chariot.

Sylvia Is a free-breather with rocker and a Hestered valve. John asked for lighter grip so we went with Sikaflex 11FC+. He also asked me to leave a good amount of clear fabric up the the middle pontoon to save his chin from rashes so I've compensated with a little extra grip on the inside of the outer pontoons to make up for it.

John has also ordered a charcoal grey tee with black print. Sexy monochrome... Cool guy. :-)

Just waiting on the Tee and then Sylvia is off to her new home.

G