The single
most popular Beach Beat Surfboards model ever made.
Proven performance in sizes from 6'6" to 7'8" with paddle power and performance to boot. Paddles like a mini mal yet it provides the progressive performance aspects of a thruster/shortboard.
The Shape...
The overall volume of this Fatboy flyer shape of surfboard is great for various abilities, wide-ish and thick-ish so buoyant. The width in the nose and under the chest brings your centre of gravity up the surfboard which is good for wave catching, stability under you front foot and paddle speed and good width is held through into the tail (generally more width in the tail than a Mini Mal surfboard of comparative size). This gives the surfboard extra stability on the back foot when popping up to your feet but then the tail plan also gives great manoeuvrability when your back foot is planted over the fins.
The mellow rocker makes the Fatboy Flyer surfboard plain/paddle really well, which aids catching waves, paddling out quickly and keeps the surfboard fast cruising through flat sections. The concave under the chest reduces the central area of entry rocker under the chest which, as above, aids wave catching greatly, helps the surfboard to plain earlier, for earlier entry into waves and keeps it plaining super well through flat sections ie MUSH!
The pointed nose rather than the fuller, round, Mini-Mal nose makes it far more easy to duck dive the surfboard, so when you get into duck diving you won't have to deal with all that extra (and in many ways unnecessary) volume. It also just makes the surfboard more manageable in the water when turning for waves/manoeuvrability/less weight etc.
The tail shape makes the Fatboy Flyer shape far more progressive than the general Mini-Mal shape. The surfboard gains drive and speed from the fairly parallel rails behind the centre wide point, this helps the surfboard give the surfer speed for beating sections on waves. The hips on the rails, on the front fins, 12" up from the tail, draw the width in quickly to a swallow tail. The hips give ace points to pivot on when getting into turning the surfboard more, acting as leverage points. The swallow tail loosens the board up so you will progress into turning the surfboard harder, also the principle of the swallow means tighter turns are more possible which is great for smaller waves. The channels create an 'air/water mix pocket' under the tail of the surfboard which also helps to keep the tail up, less bogging down in the water on flat sections and when developing getting to feet. It also loosens the surfboard up in the turns and also makes the board more forgiving. A super highly recommended shape for people beginning, fairly new to surfing and progressing/wanting to catch loasa waves/wanting loadsa fun/wanting to progress/etc. And also for the older/unfit surfer that maybe resigning himself or herself to hang up the tooth pick and go for more volume that will still perform. The Fatboy Flyer is basically a great all round bigger surfboard and proven the world over.
