Freestyle hulls in the surf...who does it? Which hull?

McDog

McDog

Other Administrator
Staff member
Location
South Florida
I'm contemplating trying to set up a kdx as a surf ski with a 701 and maybe an extended rideplate. Of course I'm worried it may be a twitchy, hard to ride, arm strength sapping ride.....

But I know of a surf chan that rides just fine and a surf circus that wasn't so bad either.

I've never rode a kdx but I have been on a couple of freestyle monster dvx's.

Anyone with some EXPERIENCE BASED opinions on the matter care to chime in to help me out?
 
Jetfiend

Jetfiend

Location
PNW
What kind of surf rider are you? Mostly carving? Or do you go big off the backs and want to throw tricks, backies, etc? How far do you have to ride before you get to the surf? I ask because where we ride you have to travel about 1.5 miles through sometimes rough water to get to the waves.

I've ridden surf for years on many different hulls and currently ride a KDX on flat water. For me, the KDX would not even make my long list of surf hulls. IMO It's too narrow and the rear rocker/hull design would make for a difficult ride on a wave.
 
SmittySX

SmittySX

Location
Cleveland, Ohio
I ride in Lake Erie. We dont get "surf" but occasionally we will get big waves coming in sequence. My buddy rides an Xfr and i ride my chan. I love riding the chan in waves. It hooks and books on the face of a wave but will flip off of anything big or small. I almost wish it was a little "looser" like the Xfr. Both hulls feel pretty stable to me, although the Xfr is a little more nose high. Its still a super fun ski in the waves.
 
McDog

McDog

Other Administrator
Staff member
Location
South Florida
Considering I have rode in the surf less than 10 times over the years, I'm mostly a carver. But hope to be getting some experience and serious air now that I'm moving to south Florida. I will be riding out of Boynton and Jupiter which is a bit of a hike to get to the break.
 
Freakrider

Freakrider

X247
Location
Tampa Bay area
I've ridden my new build panty dropper, surf option equipped KDX approximately 15 hours now. I can tell you it planes out pretty quickly and if riding surf stance it will carve back and forth very nicely/ radical cuts. A Blowsion pole spring, 61x air boxes and a larger tank allow for up to medium surf. Do I want to hit head high waves prolly not, 4 to 5 foot max and not rough/ choppy conditions. I think a 701 and extended ride plate could make for a fun ski if surf conditions are good and of course we know Martin rides his 701 Kdx in the surf and hits boat wakes with it. Overall I think it could be fun for baby to medium height flips and some surf carving. 20150905_112523.jpg
 
DAG

DAG

Yes, my balls tickled from that landing
Location
Charlotte, NC
McDog said:
I'm contemplating trying to set up a kdx as a surf ski with a 701 and maybe an extended rideplate. Of course I'm worried it may be a twitchy, hard to ride, arm strength sapping ride.....

But I know of a surf chan that rides just fine and a surf circus that wasn't so bad either.

Anyone with some EXPERIENCE BASED opinions on the matter care to chime in to help me out?
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Hey dude if you’re coming to the Carolina Beach Freeride this weekend you can demo ride my KDX with a 964. I have a handful of surf session this season and I’m set up with a short D cut ride plate and OVP steering and it is a FN Blast in the small east coast surf. Grips just enough slides just enough. I haven’t had the opportunity this season to ride anything larger then 3-4ft. My only concern is the KDX hull are hollow tray and will probably sink very fast. When I ride aggressively its without saying I like to have a tow rope around my waist and a friend near by. I have also rode a 701 chan in the surf and it f'n sucks riding the critical section on the face of a wave. The chins on the Chan dig into the wave; as its whit capping it’s a fight from being pulled over. The KDX was a well-balanced in my opinion. If your used to the SF the KDX is not as balanced b/c the tray is much smaller but overall since I ride lake 80% of the time and surf %20 I have found it to be a good fit.
 
McDog

McDog

Other Administrator
Staff member
Location
South Florida
JetManiac said:
You already have a circus for flatwater already, why not get a more surf oriented hull for surf?
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You know me, Chris.....always looking to capitalize on a good deal.

And good idea DAG. I'll demo some hulls at sff and decide after. I didn't realize that the kdx hulls are open trays. That really sways my decision away from trying it. I'll see what else pops up.
 
Freakrider

Freakrider

X247
Location
Tampa Bay area
Yeah the hollow tray with dual scuppers concerns me to venture out into any rough or big conditions. Definitely a limited conditions surf ski and it needs a bilge pump to recover from being upside down a bit.

Don't think even these would help at all in the nose/ engine compartments. 20150826_121121.jpg
 
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McDog

McDog

Other Administrator
Staff member
Location
South Florida
Big Kahuna said:
Dont you wish you still have the Gomer SJ. That thing did not break through the waves, the waves broke around the hull!
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Because it was so heavy. It was a pain to lug around the beach and I wanted something with some nose rocker to it.

Right now I'm hoping for a good deal on a Rickter or Bot or glass badass/titan. (And let's just be honest here, my wife's approval) lol

It will have to be a deal cause I can't justify two expensive skis.
 
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