Kolohe's Mentawai quiver from 2011Let's face it, if you're on the ASP tour you are an elite athlete and you order your surfboards like a BOSS. Considering these guys probably clock more barrel time, hang time and rail time in a single session than most of us do all year, the boys need equipment quality and quantity to suit what they’re doing in the water. What follows is a copy of correspondence from master boardbuilder Matt Biolis to his team in preparation for 2012 ASP Dream Tour rookie Kolohe Andino’s start to 2012.
"The last post (which you can read HERE) was an example of how to order boards if your an “average” Joe , who’s serious about your surfing. I thought this might be a good time to show everyone how an 17 year old superstar, World Tour rookie, orders his boards….25 at a time!
Obviously this also really motivates me. After making boards for Kolohe since before he was born, and being intrinsically involved in the transformation over last three years from NSSA king pin to qualification on the WT at just 17, it seems like we just made the fist big goal happen a full year ahead of what we had hoped for. The thing is, it only took a week or two before its time to go back to work and get ready for the next step.
JERRY,
PLEASE WRITE UP THE FOLLOWING ORDERS FOR KA.
1. 8 Boards for surfing around Ca in Janurary (make asap)
– 4 x 6’0″ Driver 18.56″ 2.25″ UL Yellow ARC (measure blanks) – 3 glass ons + 1 Powerbase
(2 of them with touch more more foil and a bit more Rocker)
– 3 x 5’11″ SubDriver 18.88″ 2.25″ UL Yellow (measure blanks) -2 glass on +1 Powerbase
– 1 x 5’11.5″ SubDriver “MF” 18.75 2.25″ UL Yellow Powerbase.
(touch more rocker and foil)
– 8 total
2. 8 Boards to be shipped to Australia by FEB-10 (Snapper boards) Dino will add 2 existing boards to the boxes that we ship to Oz, DONT PACK UNTIL DINO KNOWS EXACTLY WHATS GOING IN THE BOX.
– 2 x 5’11″ Sub Drivers (hold for details)
– 1 x 5’11.5″ SubDriver “MF” 18.75 2.25″
– 5 x 6’0″ 18.56 2.25″ Drivers
(3 of the 5 with added rocker and a bit more foiled)
– ALL GLASS ONS.
3. Brazil boards. Ready by Feb 1st. (all FCS/Powerbase)
– 2 x 6’0 Driver Ultra Light
– 1 x 6’0 Driver with carbon strip/ extra strength (tubes)
– 1 x 6’1 Rpin UltraLight
– 1 x 6’1 Rpin Carbon strip/ extra strong (tubes)
– 5 total- all FCS/Powerbase
4. Hydroflex PU – Need some boards that are light and stronger, but still will PU Blanks.
– 1 x 6’1 Rpin
– 1 x 6’0 Driver
– 1 x 5’11.5 SubDriver MF
– 1 x 5’11″ SubDriver
– All FCS
Another shot of Kolohe's Mentawai quiver from 2011
Matt's BLOG is awesome, you can actually communicate with the guy for real. Ask him all kinds of questions and he'll talk you through ordering your next board right through comments you leave back and forth. The first comment on this post of Matt's was from someone named Marcus and his question was similar to both Steve and my question.
"Too much pressure for a 17 year old "superstar" don't you think Matt ?
25 boards ? Is this necessary? (what Steve and I were thinking)
I'm wondering what he will do with the board's he doesn't like...
send it for me! hahahahaha"
Matt's response;
"Unfortunately 95% of highly skilled surfers still prefer the feel of a traditionally built board
(PU/PE) I am actually one of them ( not highly skilled, but prefer PU/PE nonetheless). Unfortunately these boards can break pretty easily.
We are making a lot of adjustments knowing WT events have long waiting periods and usually run in good waves..
As opposed to NSSA and WQS events which can run in sloppy junk most the time. We need to adjust boards for the new playing field.
1st round for testing here this month, second round for sending straight to Oz and the Brazil boards are to make sure that if Fernando Norinha is grinding board breaking tubes ( like it often is) and he breaks a bunch of boards ( which it often does) he doesn't end up with a good selection of boards for Oz ... Which , by the way is 3 contests ( 2WT AND 1Prime) back to back to back.
As far as pressure goes, I don't think it's anything compared to Shuan White, Dorothy Hamil, Mary Lou Retton or any one of Hundreds of teenage athletes who have performed in Olympics over the years. In fact , closer to home. It is not much different that the ride we have been fortunate to be a part of with Carissa Moore the last couple years.
Like the Who said " The Kids are All right"
Matt Biolos
We are making a lot of adjustments knowing WT events have long waiting periods and usually run in good waves..
As opposed to NSSA and WQS events which can run in sloppy junk most the time. We need to adjust boards for the new playing field.
1st round for testing here this month, second round for sending straight to Oz and the Brazil boards are to make sure that if Fernando Norinha is grinding board breaking tubes ( like it often is) and he breaks a bunch of boards ( which it often does) he doesn't end up with a good selection of boards for Oz ... Which , by the way is 3 contests ( 2WT AND 1Prime) back to back to back.
As far as pressure goes, I don't think it's anything compared to Shuan White, Dorothy Hamil, Mary Lou Retton or any one of Hundreds of teenage athletes who have performed in Olympics over the years. In fact , closer to home. It is not much different that the ride we have been fortunate to be a part of with Carissa Moore the last couple years.
Like the Who said " The Kids are All right"
Matt Biolos
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