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This Is Still How We Do It: Surf Expo 2006 Part 2Date: 01-08-2007
Author: Wakeskating.com Staff
Continuing on from part one...
The Omen booth had one of the nicest looking displays at the show. It smelled of rich mahogany and the stale fragrance of the finest cigars in all the world. Sheer elegance was displayed through the use of can coozies surrounding the floor of the booth (my favorite touch), and ambiance came from a calming light emitted from the T.V, which continuously looped a trailer for their upcoming team video Unjust.
As far as the goods are concerned, Omen's line for 2007 holds great promise through an improved concave and the addition of a "not your average" flat deck. The concave, re-named the Effigy, is still 40.5 inches in length with a five stage rocker pattern, much like the Revolt from 2006. However, the 07 model will have a new sidewall material while still allowing for the rail to be re-shapped, a new internal lay-up to create a better flex pattern and a thicker top sheet.
This photo does not do the graphic's detail justice.
Effigy top view
Effigy concave
Effigy side view
The flat deck will be the same shape and size as the Effigy, but the rocker's profile will be slightly different. Staying with the characteristics that made the Omen line stand out in 06, the board will still have a wood core with a glass top, PBT base and re-shapable rails.
Omen's flat wakeskate from the top
Flat deck, side view
Fins and propaganda
Another cool booth with solid products came from the group at Distortion. Their sneak peek at 07 included one 42 inch concave shape and two Grinch winches (one of which was a snow model).
The concave design for 07 will have a wood core with a half capped concave top. From there, the board will have a PBT top sheet and a flat finish PBT base. The rails will be re-shapable as well. One little twist with this board is that there are four different graphic options for 07 (the Tunnel Vision, Grace, Grizzly and P.E.A.R.L.). It's also worth while to mention that Distortion is working on a flat deck for the upcoming season, but it's not quite ready for your prying eyes to see.
Distortion wakeskate top view
Concave shot
Kick tail
As for the winches, I'm going to let the people at Distortion tell you what's up with those (ahem):
"Distortion has made this towing device very user friendly. The Grinch has an adjustable hand throttle allowing you to vary the towing speed, a hydraulic brake for quick and easy stops, and a rope friendly roller system allowing you to tow from almost any forward angle. The Grinch is designed to fit a 2” receiver hitch on any vehicle and also comes ready for bottom side wheel mounts. The Grinch towing device has been designed with a 7 hp gasoline engine and a drive clutch that exceeds the usual 1:1 ratio of a standard operating system, allowing for a 90:1 overdrive. This makes it ideal for deepwater starts."
A company that made its first appearance at the expo is New wakeskates. They're filling a new niche in the industry, which is customized boards. Taking personal taste a step further, they've developed a few different board shapes that allow for various sizes, different weights, rocker types and channels to be incorporated in the board's design, allowing for one of the most personalized wakeskates on the water.
Right now, there are four standard models you can start with: a flat deck with no concave or kicktails, a flat with kicktails, a standard rail with concave and kicktails (this model will look like your standard wakeskate), and the step rail, which also has concave and kicktails. (The step rail is designed to help the board react quicker and bite harder when on edge.) From there, you can pick your length, rocker and width, and whether or not you'd like fins and/or channels. But if you're not really feeling the need for a customized stick, each model is also available "as is."
Base view of a New wakeskate
Kicktail and concave close up
Step rail close up
Last but certainly not least is the line of wakeskates from GB. For 07, Drew McGuckin has a returning pro model that will be available in a 41 and a 43. The most noticeable design changes included a re-designed concave, and the addition of more fin holes to accommodate the noseslide/tailslide fin configurations.
McGuckin Concave
After that, all of the models in the GB line are all returning from 06. This includes their take on the bi-level called the deuce pop, which is 42 inches long and includes a wood top deck and a compression molded bottom deck. Tim Kovacich, wakeskating's original grom turned industry vet will have a returning pro model as well. Like last year, it's a 42 inch wood concaved, grip tapped top wake-slayishing machine. Ryan Doyle will also have a returning pro model bearing his likeness for 07. It's compression molded, is 40.5 inches in length and it comes with foam traction. The 41 inch compression molded, foam topped Impala is back, as is the Urban series. The Urban models are available in a 41 and a 43, and they're GB's original slick bottomed, wood concaved wakeskates.
Deuce pop top
Deuce pop side view
View of the Deuce pop's top and bottom deck...up close!
The Kovacich top
Doyle top view
Impala top
Impala kicktail
Finally, one model that's a bit of a question mark is the board formally known as the George Daniels pro model. This was the shape George was seen riding for the majority of the 06 season, and it resembled the "hook" shape from the now defunct 484 wakeskate company. Things have since changed and George is no longer on the team. Will this shape ever see the light of day? Until we find out, here's a look at what was supposed to be, but never was...
Its graphic...
Its top view...
Its channels...
Its concave...
So there you have it, the hottest of the hot that made an appearance at Surf Expo in 06. If you get the chance and have the opportunity to get a golden ticket, try to find your way down to Florida in September to see the gear for yourself. Go on, tell them we sent you...
To view the entire Surf Expo photo gallery, click here.
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