New mat heads in St Ives

I was out in the small stuff on Porthmeor today really concentrating on controlling the mat as best I could given what I've been reading on here.

I noticed that gently squeezing the front of the mat when dropping in gave a bit more bite. Also played about with inflation. I am starting to get more waves with it now which I am quite stoked about. Turned a few heads today in the line up as always.

I will be in again tomorrow at Porthmeor if there are any sets to be had on the PM ebb tide.

Yet to see another mat out there.

Excellent stuff.



You read this?

http://ukmatsurfers.org/html/riding_mats.html

G

GRAYMAN wrote:
You read this?

G

Yeah, cheers for putting that guide up - very helpful.

I think I've got "mat burn" on my chin from duck diving and getting real low to the canvas at the nose.

I wanted to ask, are all the mats available through the shop "Blue Streak" variants with stippleback grip rather than the black canvas deck?

What is it like to ride the stippleback grip?

Yeah we only do Blue Streaks. More grip and a more pliable mat. They can feel a bit wobbly till you get used to them but are much more sensitive.

G

Rashwise, get a beard!



G

Discovered Paul's writing on the flange of the mat and it turns out that we've been riding a 4GF XL rather than a standard.

I've been out three days in a row in chest high mess and today was the first time I think I hit 4th gear. The mat caught this one wave absolutely spot-on and I was accelerating nicely until there was what I can only describe as a sudden, extra burst of energy and what felt like zero resistance between the mat and the water to the extent that I outran the wave well into the flat (or at least it seemed like that). The mat then stalled in the flat until the whitewater from that wave caught up with me.

I would not claim to have been in control of the mat during this. Pure beginners luck. I hate to say it but it felt like the mat had a mind of its own.

Incredible.

What have you ordered?

G

A Fatty and a vespa roundtail. Arrived today.

PG is the man

Top stuff mate.



G

Cheers buddy,
Really looking forward to getting back in the water but it could be a while as I'm landlocked in Sussex for a good few weeks . Still, will definately make the effort to head southwest if there is a good swell or a meet to be had. Can't let those mats sit idle in St Ives for too long.