Description
The Wrecking Ball design comes from an experimental shortboard design Ben Aipa worked on in 1977. A full nose and broad outline in the front half of the board meet an unmistakable Aipa wing near the back third of the board, where the outline curves in a tight radius until it hits a multipronged experimental tail. Ben’s futuristic outline packs a ton of board into a short package. The resulting increase in volume gives The Wrecking Ball extra float for faster paddling and a feeling of “unsinkableness” even the meanest of flat spots can’t sink.
Updated with high-performance bottom contours by Ben’s son Duke the wrecking ball features a transitional bottom that fades from a rolled nose to a single concave in the middle of the board to a double concave under the fins and finishes with a vee out the tail. To make the most of the Wrecking Ball’s down-the-line drive and allow riders to harness control of the extra speed this board generates, we’ve opted for a quad fin setup.
The result is a high-performance super groveler that blends classic design, experimental innovation, and modern sensibilities into a surfboard that drives down the line with unparalleled speed and bashes through sections without remorse. Feel the power of The Wrecking Ball!
Construction – Fusion HD
Surftech’s version of a standard EPS and epoxy surfboard construction. A closed-cell EPS core containing a wood stringer is layered with E-glass and biax glass for a lightweight performance board with a lively feel. All Fusion HD boards are hand-finished.
- FUSED CELL EPS CORE // Closed-cell EPS core provides more response + flotation
- CLEAR HD-EPOXY RESIN // Epoxy resin system with high thermo-mechanical performances
- HIGH-QUALITY E-GLASS FIBERGLASS // E-glass has the highest strength-to-weight ratio available
- FULL BIAX DECK PATCH (45° / -45°) // The Biax fiberglass distributes power + protects from dings
- WOOD STRINGER // Distributes power + adds pop + adds break strength
- FCS II FIN BOXES // Takes just seconds to insert and remove the fins
- HAND-FINISHED // Machine-shaped, hand-laminated and hand-finished
Fins Included: None
A Legacy of Aloha
Ben Aipa has made a most significant mark in the world of surfing: making the board that fellow Hawaiian Fred Hemmings used to win the World Championship in 1968 and founded his own brand Aipa Surfboards in 1970. Ben invented the doubled-edged swallowtail design in 1972 and followed this with the split-tail design in 1974. Moreover, Ben has served as an informal coach and trainer to such top surfers as Michael Ho, Larry Bertleman, Mark Liddell, Sunny Garcia, Brad Gerlach, and Kalani Robb.
Ben Aipa continued to enter and compete in various surfing contests: He won the Grandmasters division of the 1989 United States Surfing Championship and the Legends division of the 2000 U.S. Championships. Inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame in 1992, Ben was named one of the Top Ten Shapers of All-Time by Surfing magazine in 2004. Now spearheaded by sons Duke and Akila, Ben’s legacy continues with fresh shapes and ideas from the minds of his talented children.
“I was never watching what other board builders were doing…I was watching the surfers and the natural world around me. Their movements showed me what was missing…I was always looking for the next wave, the next move.” – Ben Aipa
THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS TO SURFBOARD SELECTION THESE ARE THE POINTS TO CONSIDER
LENGTH
Typically surfboards are measured in inches. The length is measured from the nose to the tail. Choosing the length of the surfboard is dependant on your size (weight, height), board type and waves conditions you wish to use the board for.
WIDTH
The widest point of the surfboard is measured from rail to rail. Generally the wider the surfboard the more stable the board, while a board with smaller width maintains better speed and performance.
BOARD THICKNESS
Surfboard thickness is measured from the top deck to the bottom. The thickness again has a bearing on the board’s performance. Professional surfers will tend to go for the thinner boards as they are lighter and offer better performance.The thicker boards are stronger and because there is more foam under the surfer the boards are more stable.
ROCKER
The bottom curve of a surfboard. Generally the more rocker the surfboard has the more loose (manoeuvrable) the surfboard will be. Where the flatter rocker surfboards will be faster, although they will lack the looseness. The nose is the tip of the surfboard, the nose can vary in shapes and size. Basically the thinner the nose the more response the board will perform, while wider noses are better for stabilization.
STRINGER
Used to increase the strength of a surfboard, a stringer (normally made from wood) runs down the length of a surfboards (typically in the centre of the board from the tip of the nose to the tail).
Boards built with Epoxy, Carbon Fibre and soft boards generally don’t have stringers.
FINS
Generally heavier surfers require larger fins to hold the waves better. Although if you prefer to ride a looser (less hold in the waves), smaller fins would be a better option.
FIN CONSIDERATIONS
Fin configurations have an effect on the ways your surfboards perform.
The following are some of the more common fin configurations.
SINGLE FIN
The single fin was the original fin configuration for surfboards. Based on the idea of the sailboat keel. Single fins are added stabilization and control on the powerful, larger waves, although lack manoeuvrability
TWIN FIN
Are great for small waves, being fast and manoeuvrable, but when put into tight spots on larger waves, they become hard to control. Popular with Fish surfboards.
THRUSTER 3 FIN
Widely recognized as the standard fin configuration, the thruster answers the shortcomings of the single fin and the twin fins configurations.
The thrusters give you stabilization, control and manoeuvrability in all types of surfing conditions.
This concept was the brainchild of Australia’s Simon Anderson
QUADS 4 FINS
With four fins in the water, Quads boasts an extraordinary amount of holding power in larger surf.
You may think that having four fins would sacrifice speed by creating more drag, but this is not the case.
The both sets of fins are working together on the rail, which makers believe they creates less drag than a board with a centre fin.
The manoeuvrability isn’t sacrificed either, with fins directly under your back foot, the quads are very responsive.
KEEL
Similar setup to the Twin Fin, although smaller (low profile) fins are generally placed wider (closer to the rails) on the surfboard.
Popular with Fish and Egg / Retro surfboards.
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+3170 201 5153
info@noordzeeboardstore.nl
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