Sliver 135 - The Surfboard the Size of a Twintip

Have you ever looked at the top half of your surfboard and thought to yourself, "that bit never touches the water, why do I have it?"

No? Well I have. And Mark_Oz took on the challenge of making a genuinely short shortboard, which was probably as nerve-wracking a commitment for him as it was for me.

Because there must be a reason no-one is doing it . but if I ride a 90cm skimboard with no volume, I can go upwind, ride in light conditions and have a good time. If I ride my 110cm twintip, I can rock along. So why are surfboards so long? And why the hell are they so often pointy? You're not duckdiving under a wave, and you don't need the length to paddle in, so. why not go small to go big?

Enter - The Sliver. At around 4 ft 5", the Sliver is Short. Twintip length short. In fact it lives in a twintip boardbag. And fits in the back of the car without putting the seat down (and fits in a large roll-on luggage bag, as if you were travelling anywhere).

I won't bore you with technical details (mainly because I didn't pay attention, but its around 21L and you know how long it is ), but with a solid channel, some width at the back and managing to pack in a bit of volume into its small frame, this little baby ROCKS. Intended for downwinding in Perth mush, it has become my go-to board for anything, from lightwind days to winter frontal sessions on overhead bombs.

Its fast. Its loose. Its like riding a large slab of butter with fins attached. It jumps. It does tricks. Snap out the tail and ride it backwards. Drop it sideways down a face. Grab it and spin. It even goes upwind surprisingly well, and I use it for local sessions. In fact, this board does so much so well I have sold my Duotone fish and this is my all-rounder (holding on to my 4ft 11 Appletree for biiig glassy waves, but everything else is this).

Construction wise, it is pretty much bombproof. I break everything - aforementioned duotone Fish had a heel dent in it within a month, so this board exceeds production-level strength for my riding (which is, for want of a better word, rough). I went with the exposed wood and it looks amazing.

In short (gettit?)- this board is fuuunn. If your local is big glassy faces and 10kt days, then maybe a classical board will serve you, but for everything else, there is literally no downsides to this board. I've ordered up another one and am going to go smaller again, to knock another couple of inches off. I firmly believe the 4ft board is possible. Look at the arc of board sizes over time for kiting, and if you ever had a stonker compare that with the current range of production boards - Duotone has gone down to 4 ft 9 in their whip sizing this year.

This board is it for me - but there may be some people it won't work for (and as a disclaimer my board sizes are foilboard - 94cm, skimboard - 90cm, twintip - 110cm, other surfboard 4f t 11, so this isn't a grand leap but more of an evolution). If you're a fatass, or you are beginning your journey of surf kiting (or both), then this may not be what you are after. But if you are at the point where you notice your board bouncing on chop, or you can't quite smash the tail as much as you like, or your board is peeling off when you jump - maybe its not you, but the extra 2 feet of wasted surface area you are dragging around.

I (/Mark) have done the hard work for you - this works. Go Small.

Riding Style - Int/Advanced Strapless Freestyle/Wave
Weight - 72kg
Conditions - Aaanything. Does well in chop, nice and flexy. Turns any downwind session into fun. As it gets windier, stomp the back foot and enjoy. Take it out on flatwater and get your duotone academy on. Take it out in big surf and it makes the wave size feel 1.5x bigger.

I don't have any affiliations with Mark (or anyone). Support local shapers where ya can!
Still photo credit - Gordon, True Spirit Photos
Video credit - Paul, @paularity with his Super Cool Drone

Looks sick and Mark really knows his ****.

However as a centurion (100kg +) Im going to have to supersize it.

Im keen to see the same thinking just sized up more. There is something nice about a longer rail line dropping into a face too but Im sure he has some tweaks in that regard. Look at Slater on that tiny Cymatic....

(Disclosure - Im no Slater)

Out of interest, how tall are you Chemtrails?

Thats a lot of float for a skim board eh?

Looks nice though!

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weebitbreezy said..
Thats a lot of float for a skim board eh?

Looks nice though!

I've actually had a few people on the beach go "oh that's a surfboard? I thought you were on a skimboard."

Looks great Have noticed Mark's work on Seabreeze Good to see Aus made and not production board Have very similar outline as this board and also 21 lt I love it as well But for me I am on 5'2" 80 kg Have tried smaller sizes When it comes down to bigger clean waves I have kited back to back and 5'6" x 17.5 " wave board shape is the winner out of the two Ripping As usual Jack

I must be a "Fatass", my Tona Pop twin tip inspired strapless freestyle / small wave / strapped jumping board came out at 5'6"

Thanks Mark for trying something else different (I reckon he thinks of hiding when he sees me coming up his driveway), the rail / rocker combo works even better than intended.

Same bomb proof construction as always.

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SugarQube said..

I have built most of my new boards around my weight, which is about 92Kgs and found that they will only work to the full extent for riders of the same weight class and this is a fact of physics you cant get around, I guess that's why all the major manufacturers will have a full range of sizes available of any of their shapes.

This is the absolute glory thing about custom boards hey? Manufacturers are going to design to the middle of the market to capture the most sales, not the best board for you as an individual. With a custom you get the board that works for your weight, shape, skill level and preferred riding style, and unlike almost any other custom purchase (car/clothes/jet etc), a brand new custom board made locally is usually cheaper than a new production board.

I am very much sold on getting a board made to suit you, the only time I have ridden production boards is if i have found myself between boards and i need a board now. Otherwise, if you are going to buy new, mad not to seek out a local shaper who can provide you with the very best board for you and you'll generally still have change at the end.

There is also something really satisfying about riding a board that has been shaped not manufactured - its a labour of love and hats off to those of you who are doing it, it is a piece of functional art and is head and shoulders above something punched out of a factory. Some of the boards I see from you guys (smook/stoney/sugarqube) I would put on my wall - they look amazing. Can't say there are many production boards that bring out that vibe.

actually 50/50 was a misnomer. Its still 50/50 as far as apex goes, but slightly harder, and with a much sharper edge where rail meets bottom. My opinion is kiteboards are still clinging to some surfboard things and the rail can be made a lot sharper at the bottom (and further forward) still retain the turning characteristics - but edge better.

I'll dig up some pics but V2 at 4'4" in almost done too

Here is the parent 5'1" x 18.75 - so its just shorter and a little fatter but Jack did get some tweaks

Slingshot tried this a while back. The Alien Twister:

www.kingofwatersports.com/product/slingshot-alien-twister-fx-kite-surfboard-2015/slingshot-15-ailen-twister-surf

I had one for a while but can't say I loved it. Maybe this short design suits the Perth wind wave/chop better than what we get here in NSW?

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shbrown said..
Slingshot tried this a while back. The Alien Twister:

www.kingofwatersports.com/product/slingshot-alien-twister-fx-kite-surfboard-2015/slingshot-15-ailen-twister-surf

I had one for a while but can't say I loved it. Maybe this short design suits the Perth wind wave/chop better than what we get here in NSW?

that shape looks like a dog... 22.5" wide...

He's had it long enough so now I'll post the pics hahaha

Sliver130 - 4'4"

It looks fat but it's actually not - it's 19.5" and it just appears wide as it's so short.