Watch: Slater deconstructing his latest designs
"I confuse myself a lot," says Kelly Slater, "I ride a lot of different types of boards and fins."
For an old bloke, he wears his confusion well. At an age where many surfers are looking for exit clauses from the shortboard contract, Slater is still plumetting down the rabbit hole of design and seems as open to sharp as ever.
Here's a seven minute riff on his latest designs, plus lateral leaps into fin preferences and the like.
Comments
I could watch Kelly surfing and talking all day long.
I like swaping between thrusters and quads in different waves and boards, but the nubster thing just never worked for me, sounds good in theory but it just feels like it slows the speed of the quad down but without gaining the advantages of a thruster.(that solid directional turn thing)
I agree ID re listening to Kelly. Interesting what he was saying about the angle, wonder how long before we can adjust the angle of the fin manually before going for a surf, bit like what you do with snowboarding binding angles and postions depending on the snow conditions.
Ahhhh Slats...
“Ive been surfing (my personal wavepark) all day. Im tired. Its dark.”
But on another note. What is he doing this testing for? Is he testing boards for his curiousity? Is getting a model pinned down for retail purposes, which to me, is just the age old thing of just because fucking Slater can ride that board good, you may not.
If he is testing for retail purposes, i wonder what it costs to run his wave pool all day and however other many to be viable for a return.
I think he is just doing what we would all do. Surf your own wavepool
Not to be a negative Nancy, because I really enjoyed watching that but assuming that was shot recently.........surely Slaters pro career is now over.....no way with that footage he can legitimately claim any kind of injury wild card for next year.
What chance he will make the cut having missed the entire Aussie leg?
I would be surprised if he comes back full time,probably pick the eyes out of it this year and retire.......mad if he doesn't.
He needs to surf if pool event. I doubt he can win it though. If he did there would forever be a conspiracy about it being rigged, him having a unfair (access) advantage or the favoritism of the WSL who he part owns.
Yeah as all above he could have talked for another hour or 2 and I would still be glued to the screen. Both boards look like they had a fair bit of rocker and I am in agreement with him two big one smaller. I use the nubster on my twinnie and it works a treat.
Thanks Stu. That was really good. Got a Slater Cymatic 5'9 coming in a couple of days. Can't wait. I hope he does a clip on that board.
Listening to Kelly talk these days falls into clearly defined categories. His knowledge and detail to anything surfing related is second to none. For me he's either talking freely on topics he's passionate about or calculatingly promoting his business and products. Sadly outside of that he seems to me to also position himself into everyone else's business who's now surpassed him eg. JJ etc. It would be more appropriate to his standing as the greatest ever to just let it go.
crg, I agree completely with your observation. As others said, it's so good to hear Slater talk design; he goes back to being super excited and somehow lets down his guard a bit. Feels like we get to see the essence of him.
The other side of the coin is his cynical and calculating self.
His pond mostly doesn't interest me one bit, but heck as a test track for fine tuning boards...
100% agree. Like his bull dust about giving February a go at the super bank. No what he did was actually deny him a go in round one (Kelly and the commentators and WSL knew he wasn't going to have a go in round one).
Kelly career on the pro tour began to move backwards as soon as he became bald. Once he lost his hair, the industry knew it was too difficult to proffer a grown bald man to new aged up and coming culturally surf minded youngsters. That equation did not add up to commercially viable. The broken foot just added to the ending of KS. Good Luck with the surf pool, surf school and board designs.
A bit off topic, but why does he wear a leggy at the surf ranch ????
Because he sells leg ropes.
I'd say he is the best 45 (or is it 46) year old surfer going around but he has zero chance of winning another world tour.
Anyone else think the right at his wavepool looks easier to surf backhand than the left? All natural footers really seem to struggle to read the left and make sections.
Jetski drop offs at the pool - how friggin lazy is that !
Hahahaha, there it is, the wave in the pond IS different to the ocean. Listen when he talks about the difference between the LFT and Helium construction of the boards and what works better in the pond and when...
It has a CURRENT RUNNING WITH THE WAVE and gets a bump that effects "normal boards"... THAT'S why he is testing and designing. You'll need a different board in the ponds...
Also, listen carefully, he's talking fins in relation to the pond, not ocean. Again, more specific elements for the pond.
Exclusive access to the pond and a surfboard construction company, I'd say this is 100% commercial.
As for the jetski assist, I'll bet it's because the board don't float for the paddle in well. Designed for riding the wave, not paddling in... Lots of mixed footage to throw you of the scent, but watch carefully how the jetski assist board sits "in" the wave more rather than "on" the wave.
The pond is a whole new game for surfboard design and this is a twisted self promotion.
He's missed a key design change... Using concaves from ocean waves into the pool will hold back performance. Outline and rocker need to change too.
You know, maybe old Slats! has "forgotten" what "surfing" is all about and why people do it. It all starts to sound very wankey, over thought and promotional. Get a board, get some wax, get some boardies...GO! catch some waves and have a good time.