The Long Lineage Behind The The Best (High-Pro) Surfboard In The World
How three generations of Merricks produced the “Stab in the Dark” winner.
Prior to Stab in the Dark, Mick Fanning described his experience with epoxies as “slim to none.” Then he reiterated, that he didn’t like epoxies. But similar to many turned off during the dawn of the epoxy surfboard because they floated too high on the water, in past years, his perception of the alternative to PU is shifting.
As Darren Handley, Mick Fanning’s shaper of over 20-years (and the man he disqualified from Stab in the Dark because, as he put it, the board was ‘cheating’) stated, with epoxy and the recent proprietary blends so popular today, the trick is to turn the rail down. That way instead of planing, they can dig into a wave and create a lively feeling while not skipping out.
“This is a good board,” he muttered in a garage on a rainy afternoon in Japan. “Definitely in the top two.”
Like generations of samurai sword makers, Number 29 was breathed to life through three generations of Merricks: Al, Britt, and Isaiah. Collectively, they put together what Mick deemed the winning ride.
From Tom Curren’s Black Beauty, to Kelly Slater’s glass slippers and Dane Reynold’s scruffy Neck Beard, Al and son Britt have been at the surfboard game together since Britt was born back in ’72. That tradition is continued with Britt’s son Isaiah, who came in to bring some 21st Century expertise.
For the epoxy-oriented incarnation of Stab In The Dark, father, son and grandson broke out a rocker design that Al’s been evolving for years.
That means it works – there’s good reason the world’s best choose CI.
Isaiah, came in to dial in the Spine Tek technology that gives the board its flex and strength, “solving” some of the issues commonly associated with epoxy. Channel Islands’ shaper Mike Andrews was also brought in to work on the project.
What they came up with was a version of Pat Gudauskas’s model, the Fever, built with EPS foam, epoxy resin, and Spine-Tek, it is Eco-Certified approved by Sustainable Surf.
The winning dimensions are 5’10 1/2” x 18 5/8″ x 2 5/16″ 26.4L.
Oh, and we’re giving away six replicas of the Stab in the Dark boards Mick rode.
Here’s how to enter:
Click the link at the bottom of this page. It will take you to a Survey that’ll ask four things (Awayco Members and those who’ve boughten Stab in the Dark, Electric Acid or Stab High Pay-Per-View will all be entered twice – if you’ve boughten all four: Awayco, SITD, EAST and Stab High; you’ll be entered five times).
1. Take a screenshot of your Stab in the Dark receipt and upload it.* (If you didn’t buy, no worries, just enter your email at the bottom)
2. Answer whether or not you’re a member of Awayco (Awayco members will be entered twice into the raffle). Sign up for Awayco here.
3. Enter the email that corresponds with your Awayco profile.
4. Tell us which local spot you think your Mick Fanning Stab in the Dark replica will fly best.
5. Not an Awayco Member, all good. Just slide your email into the number five slot.
We’re keeping this giveaway open for another week and a half, and you can watch Stab in the Dark starring Mick Fanning by tapping any of the links below.
Your Stab in the Dark Replica awaits, here.
*To qualify, you can also upload an Electric Acid Surfboard Test receipt (bought or rented!) or a Stab High Pay-Per-View receipt. If you’ve bought two or all three, upload them all.
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