Other OEM versus AM Hull ownership poll

[227]

I think if I lived on the surf I would have an AM hull sooner.

Dont you want the increased strength/width of an AM hull?

Well maybe if your plan was to move somewhere which typically has small surf, but if your thinking larger surf then what advantage are you thinking you will gain buy going AM? As far as strength every AM Hull I've seen are light and flimsy and still need reinforcing if ridden in larger surf, and those wide short hulls handle terrible in the surf. For rec riding, you can't really beat a reinforced OEM SJ with a set of Tubbies in decent size surf. I'm not hating on AM Hulls, they definitely have their place, It's just that when you weigh out their cost verses what they contribute your definitely in the red as far as diminishing returns

 

[96superjet]

2004 OEM Superjet
1996 OEM Superjet that is in the process of being shortened and rockered.

 

[mthomps]

My only ski is a 91 sj pretty much stock. It's very satisfying in waves, very limited when its flat.

 

[skinnyman]

2 xfr's

 

[Matt_E]

As far as strength every AM Hull I've seen are light and flimsy and still need reinforcing if ridden in larger surf,

Really? You've seen a couple LWDE hulls. Those were light & flimsy? They destroy Superjets in collisions and survive just about any lawndart.
Rickters (newer ones) light & flimsy? I've seen the Lawlor brothers lawndart theirs so many times from very far up, without not even a gel coat crack.
Krash hulls are light & flimsy?
If those are your idea of light & flimsy, I'd love to see what you think is decent weight & strong.

In my experience, a lot of a/m hulls are stronger than reinforced OEM jobs. That includes the 56 lbs carbon Freak I had.

I won't argue with you on handling. That's mostly personal preference and even I think you're somewhat right.
But hull strength is not opinion, it's very much empirical.


My last surf ride I spent over an hour on an almost stock 2013 Superjet. It was a blast. One of the best times I have had in surf in the past year.

 

[jason184]

2013 SJ. how I wish I would have just saved for the rickter instead. oh well, now I have a stock 701 that I can use when I finally do buy one

This! I bough a 2013 superjet back in april. I quickly out grew it after riding a few aftermarket hulls. I now have a Vision being built and am going to swap everything from the '13 into the vision. This superjet will be the last oem hull i ever own.

 

[Zeon]

Im still riding my 352lbs DRY, 2003 RN Superjet with a baby Jetmaniac 718 and stock pump.

 

[227]

Really? You've seen a couple LWDE hulls. Those were light & flimsy? They destroy Superjets in collisions and survive just about any lawndart.
Rickters (newer ones) light & flimsy? I've seen the Lawlor brothers lawndart theirs so many times from very far up, without not even a gel coat crack.
Krash hulls are light & flimsy?
If those are your idea of light & flimsy, I'd love to see what you think is decent weight & strong.

In my experience, a lot of a/m hulls are stronger than reinforced OEM jobs. That includes the 56 lbs carbon Freak I had.

I won't argue with you on handling. That's mostly personal preference and even I think you're somewhat right.
But hull strength is not opinion, it's very much empirical.


My last surf ride I spent over an hour on an almost stock 2013 Superjet. It was a blast. One of the best times I have had in surf in the past year.

OK Matt, your right, Maybe that was a stretch calling them light and flimsy, at least in regards to the newer surf specific AM hulls. I know Matt Smiths Rickter Evo and Zack and Jake Brights Krash hulls seem to be built very solid. So for the course of this discussion I'll give you that and I'll go a step further, lets agree that they are stronger and don't need any reinforcing. Still anyway you look at it, unless your planning on competing and needing the absolute edge, paying $6500 for a hull that only marginally handles better than an OEM hull with Tubbies doesn't seem like such a great deal to me. Especially since you can reinforce an SJ for around a $200 in materials. Like I already said, I'm not hating on AM Hulls, If you have the cash and it's what you want, then by all means go for it. It's just that it seems a lot of guys on here feel like their riding is being "held back" because they don't have an AM hull and that's not really true.

 

[subhard]

Oem hulls aren't necessarily wider either

 

[naticen]

Interesting poll. It's stayed at about 50% of people are on aftermarket hulls. I've gotta get my hull on the water mainly for its strength.

The thing that holds me back in the skills department are handle poles. I've broken 3 stockers in the past year. I guess its time to pony up for an aftermarket one of those. They were two 750sx poles and an FX-1, so not known for strength anyways.

 

[shaunsteezy]

SJ,SXR,RICKTER FR2

any day in the surf is a good day

john- you need to spend some more time on my fr2, you might like it more then you think! as far as bigger surf goes (6+) im sticking with my sj. it just handles so much better at higher speeds, stays planted, and you dont get all the dam spray in your face lol but last weeknd on the flat conditions we have been having the fr2 was money!!!

 

[chadman154]

freak, rok and b1 here

 

[SXIPro]

I am absolutely amazed at the ratio of AM to stock hulls. :splatt:

 

[Matt_E]

I am absolutely amazed at the ratio of AM to stock hulls. :splatt:

Why?
Don't mistake this website's clientele for standup owners in general. That's like going to a Ferrari forum and being amazed at the amount of pretentious dicks posting.

 

[yamanube]

I am amazed that the price of used OEM hulls seems to be climbing.

 

[DarkWater]

ROK-R, REV, 00 and 03 RNs.
And if the above is true. The OEM Hulls will be for sale

 

[SXIPro]

Why?
Don't mistake this website's clientele for standup owners in general. That's like going to a Ferrari forum and being amazed at the amount of pretentious dicks posting.

I don't mistake this site for standup owners in general, but based on the sheer number of members I would have put the % more at 10-15% as far as who bit the bullett and put out that much of a cash outlay for an AM hull when a whole bunch of fun can be had on a stocker. I'd consider it more along the lines of going to a car forum and taking a poll to see how many owned Ferraris. In all honesty, I do believe a decent portion of AM hull buyers may be subscribing to the 'bills before skills' mentality. Not trying to start a flame war at all. But I'd rather have my time and effort bring my riding to the next level and get me to the point where I've gotten as far as humanly possible with my current set up before dropping that kind of cash. Maybe everyone here is already at that point and I just totally suck, which is entirely possible as well.

 

[tshank123]

Im with you SXI. My SJ is not holding me back, Im holding me back. Once I feel like my skills warrant an AM hull, Ill consider it.

 

[sjetrider]

I think the sport had to move and we had a few peeps step up and move it. Xscream commisioning Tem was a start of a beautiful thing for this sport, not in the way everyone initially thought, but even better for US (the riders). WDK's occasional A.D.D. interest helped. Eric Malone stepping up with a Q8, Rick Roy from out of no where banging out some VERY detailed nice rides once the FR2 / fs2 and xfs came out and more recently whoever makes the Brawler hull, and Steve making the Backy Chan. All we had in the past were dayum near SJ hull knock offs from Wammer and XFT and hood kits from a bunch of peeps and they were not a big enough change to make it worth the $. Trinity composites was around for a minute to show some strength and design. The cost has actually declined on AM hulls due to the amount of peeps willing to do the dirty work to create something new and cool. An XFT was $10,000 with hood and turf if I remember correctly like 8 years ago or more. The Wammer wasnt worth discussing as it was a freakn SUPERJET KNOCK OFF so saving 20-30# was your only gain so whatever the cost was it wasnt really worth it IMO and the GIANT original Polaris based hull EME had was pricey and pointless as well. The hulls have come a long way and imo and aparently others as well, the design and weights are worth the $ where as they were not in the past.
Cost wise I still think it is more efficient with more reliable gaines to purchase a LIGHT short hull than to buy a 1200cc motor and shove it in a BARGE of an SJ. I would probably think different if I lived near LARGE surf, but I would rather have my light FREAK in small surf than any OEM hull ever made.

 

[MCrider]

I can only comment on the short amount of time I have spent on a aftermarket hull but normally I would agree with you guys saying my setup isn't holding me back, I am holding me back. After a short amount of time on an aftermarket hull I still believe that to be true but these new hulls really make up in what you lack in the skill department. I'm not sure if it was the placement of the nozzle or how wide the hull was but the ski (-4.3 freak) just turned so much quicker than my sj the pop off my setup wake and add the weight difference I was able to do things "nothing really cool" I didn't know I could do. Put me on the list of people wanting to stuff a stockish 701 into a AM hull!