Roundpins and Groundwins

When I left australia this summer I had to ditch my trustiest surfboard, Siddartha (my original yellow v.Bowls), due to a $350 board bag fee that I juuuust couldn't swallow.  I knew i'd have to replace it as I can't be without a v.Bowls, its just wrong; Yesterday I cashed in my chips and finished up the new 8'er i've been waiting for.  I went for the roundpin this time, though.  After shaping so many of them in NJ and France last month I couldn't resist; it's unquestionably the best tail template for Santa Barbara and the curves just look oh so right meshed with the widepoint-backness of the v.B.

I've been getting pelted with emails with orders for v.Bowls for the past few months and the reviews keep pouring in; I've heard many times now that people struggled the first handful of sessions until they stopped trying to ride it like a hull, and stepped back on the board; THATS the key to most of my shapes. Work them from the wide-point; I foil all of my boards in a very specific balance that puts all of the speed and control around the widepoint. 

So if you've got a v.Bowls and you're figuring it out, take a step back and hang on...

"...Then, about a month ago, while enjoying a family day at the beach, I

took a break from building sand castles and paddled out.  For whatever

reason, I found myself standing a little bit further back than I had

previously, and the thing just took off.  It set itself in effortless

trim and glided through and arround sections just like I'd wanted from

the beginning.  Turns and cutbacks are dreamlike.   I have since

ridden it almost exclusively (except one day when my arms were just

too tired from a previous V.bowls session, and I could only paddle the

11'er).  It works in so many different conditions-- I don't miss my

hull anymore."

-S.W.