Hi All,
My 10' Lopez Glider Twin arrived last week - I was so very close to having it for Xmas.
The board looks great in person, I'll try and take some pics over the next couple of days. The 'NFT'/Flax finish is very nice. If nothing else, it's not the standard Surftech/pop-out 'solid colour' finish. Looks like a 'real' board in person.
I put a set of XL upright twin fins in it (5.5" base, 6.5" tall) - their supposedly 'flex' fins, but seem to have a whole lot of flex.

I haven't had much luck with the board just yet. First surf was last Wednesday, where I'm gonna argue the swell was bigger than forecast, to a point where I wasn't overly comfortable on a new board, let alone a 10 footer. That said, the single wave I caught, the board screamed.
The following sessions have been ankle-high mush. There's been a few moments of brilliance, albeit fleeting, but mostly feels it's like not the right board for those conditions... that said, no board is the right board for those conditions!
My gut feeling is that this board is going to be very similar to the Munoz gliders, in that they need a bit of momentum to rock and/or roll, not the small, slow rolling waves one typically associates with gliders.
With the outline and the way the foam seems to be distributed (even ignoring the twin fins), I've been messing around with paddle position and foot placement. There's definitely some magic in that board, I just haven't yet figured out how to tap into it consistently.
I need a couple of sessions in the right waves - hopefully at Noosa this weekend!

Cheers!

Thanks SurfAnimal!
I've got the XL Modii flex twins in mine (cheap, as a reasonable starting point), so a bit more fin area than yours.
But, it doesn't 'feel' over finned.
That said, I still haven't had mine out in anything to give it a decent run - had a few surfs at Noosa recently, but mostly onshore slop.
As noted earlier, there's moments of brilliance, in between a whole lot of getting ready to give up surfing!
I think I need a couple of decent sessions on workable waves to figure this board out.

unclethirsty said..
Hey Dammed, have you had the glider out again ?

I have indeed! Today even!
Took it for a run up to Noosa again today - hoping for a lovely 1-2 ft bunch of waves.
Didn't get there until about 7.30, and while unloading from the car, I couldn't understand why so many surfers were coming back to the car park - It was a Sunday, so unlikely that they were off to work... then I got to beach. Twas not 1-2 ft. Solidly head high when I hit the beach, and breaking quite straight. People were getting their asses handed to them. That said, it did calm down significantly after about 45 min and a tide change.
As with my very first surf on this board in solid head high (+) waves, the board performed exceptionally well, and I caught many more waves today than the first session (which was essentially one to the beach).
I'm still struggling with my paddling position on the board. I don't know if this one has more nose rocker than I'm used to? So positioning myself forward, but I keep finding myself paddling for waves, and then burying the nose on the take off - or damn close to it. If I shuffle further back on the board, I feel like I'm too far back and pushing water and dragging the tail. I'm still trying to find that sweet spot.
That said, I really loved how the board performed today, it's agility was really highlighted- was a lot of fun! And walked up the beach, at the end of the session, thankful that I bought this board. That said, I really want to have it out in some nice 1-2 ft peelers, to see how it goes under my feet in those conditions. They're the conditions that I really enjoy.

unclethirsty said..
Thanks D, sounds like some interesting sessions coming up for you.

I hope so - until the past weekends trip to Noosa, I was getting really close to 'benching' the board. I just couldn't really find the mojo. As noted earlier, brief moments of magic amongst a whole bunch of 'this is crap'. The Noosa session on the weekend was more 'magic', less 'crap'. I really just need some more of the typical waves I surf..... or, at this point, any of the typical waves I surf!

damned67 said..

unclethirsty said..
Thanks D, sounds like some interesting sessions coming up for you.

I hope so - until the past weekends trip to Noosa, I was getting really close to 'benching' the board. I just couldn't really find the mojo. As noted earlier, brief moments of magic amongst a whole bunch of 'this is crap'. The Noosa session on the weekend was more 'magic', less 'crap'. I really just need some more of the typical waves I surf..... or, at this point, any of the typical waves I surf!

And possibly a set of keels(?).

The reason I say this is the fins you have in a "twin fin glider" are designed for a heavier surfer who rides smallish twin fin boards.Somebody who wants to wack around a small twinny will use those Modi fins.

Are you trying to ride the board as a glider or a twin? A set of fins with less reaction suit gliding better.

Hi there, I'm looking for some feedback on the 9'6 Gerry Lopez glider in Flax from surftec. I have that board in 10'6 and with an 8' Christenson fin it's one of my favourite boards. I also have an 9'9 CJ Nelson Parralax that I ride with a 10' Liddle Volane flex fin. My go to surf spot has a 100+ meter long inside point break that is perfect for long boarding and holds good shape up to a bit over head high. A little further up the reef is another long outside reef break about 300m off shore that is a bit steeper and more powerful and holds its shape until almost double over head. Now I normally will surf the Parralax on that outside reef for a couple of hours, then come in, have a cup of tea and the grab the 10'6 Lopez and surf the inside break for another hour or two. I have a love hate relationship with the Parralax. It paddles really well and I love the way it turns and rolls up and down waves, but sometimes that wide nose makes steeper drops hard and I catch the nose when it gets too steep. So, should I sell it and get the 9'6 Lopez to ride with an 7.5 Christenson fin or the 10' Lopez twin? Anyone ridden one and know how it paddles compared to the Parralax and if it likes larger steeper waves?

Cheers
PS: I have other gliders that I cross country surf both spots on when it's waist to head high (12'1 Thomas, 11' Chis Craft & 11' Prince Kuhio) but the 10'6 Lopez & 9'9 parallax combo work well when I'm not sure what the swell & crowd will be like, as you can fit both boards inside my 2013 Forester! So if it's too small I can cross country surf the Lopez, and if it's too big for the glider I can surf the Parralax all day with the 10'6 locked in the car, not on the roof waiting to get stolen.