Stab Magazine | Meet The Electric Acid Surfboard Test's Sunshine Makers

Live Now — Episode 2 Of S.U.R.F. California Presented By Sun Bum & Kona Big Wave

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Meet The Electric Acid Surfboard Test’s Sunshine Makers

A look at the ten (or eleven) boards submitted for Dane’s critical consideration.

style // Oct 16, 2018
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 7 minutes

It took ages to decide our first roster of board builders for The Electric Acid Surfboard Testthe White Board in our LA offices a mess of names, shapes, categories, etc. 

In 2018, surfboard design is as wide-open and free as any time in history, lineups the world over littered with a variety of equipment more diverse than any time in history. 

After spending the ‘90s sinking to our tits on sub-18”-wide elf slippers, the last decade-and-a-half has seen a seismic shift in surfing’s collective consciousness, design-wise, as the post-Sprout cocktail took the edge off the Momentum Generation hangover, and sent surfers down the alternative design rabbit hole.

Wary of hipster hyperbole, Stab wanted to know what these designs look like ridden by the world’s best surfers, and of these unorthodox dogs, which ones are all bark and which ones have bite.

So, meet the boards and builders behind the first annual Electric Acid Surfboard Test, Stab‘s Sunshine Makers. We’ll be rolling out profiles on each of these gents every week ’til Christmas (though you can of course always take the plunge and check out the full length, here), 

 

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Think a Santa Monica Surf Case is overkill? We weren’t taking any chances with glass-ons.

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Your 2018 Electric Acid Surfboard Test lineup.

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Michael Arenal / Trimcraft 

Ventura, California

5’4″ Rich Pavel / Steve Lis Fish

Fin Set-Up: Ryan Lovelace Twin Keels c/o True Ames

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Trimcraft/Michael Arenal Lis/Pavel Fish

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Trimcraft/Michael Arenal Lis/Pavel Fish

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Trimcraft/Michael Arenal Lis/Pavel Fish

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Trimcraft/Michael Arenal Lis/Pavel Fish

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Sam Moody.

Tyler Warren

Dana Point, California

5’7″ Bullet Twin Keel

Fin Set-Up: Glass-On 11″-Base Marine Ply Twin Keels

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Tyler Warren Bullet Twin Keel.

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Tyler Warren Bullet Twin Keel.

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Tyler Warren Bullet Twin Keel.

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Ryan Lovelace

Santa Barbara, California

7’4″ Thick Lizzy Mid-Length Glider

Fin Set-Up: 2+1 Single Center w/ Bonzer Side-bites

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Ryan Lovelace Thick Lizzy Mid-Length Glider.

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Ryan Lovelace Thick Lizzy Mid-Length Glider.

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Ryan Lovelace Thick Lizzy Mid-Length Glider.

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Ryan Lovelace Thick Lizzy Mid-Length Glider.

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Ryan Burch

San Diego, California

5’9 Pickle Fork Double-Double Asymmetrical 

Fin Set-Up: Twin (Shawn Stussy S-Doubles from True Ames)

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Ryan Burch Pickle Fork Double Double Asymmetrical.

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Scott Anderson/Greg Liddle 

Los Angeles, California

6’10 Liddle Designs Death Machine 

Fin Set-Up: 8″ Single Fin—Liddle Designs Flex Fin from True Ames Fins.

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Scott Anderson / Greg Liddle Designs Death Machine.

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Scott Anderson / Greg Liddle Designs Death Machine.

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Scott Anderson / Greg Liddle Designs Death Machine.

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Scott Anderson / Greg Liddle Designs Death Machine.

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Scott Anderson / Greg Liddle Designs Death Machine.

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Scott Anderson / Greg Liddle Designs Death Machine.

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…Lost Surfboards/Matt “Mayhem” Biolos

San Clemente, California

5’7″ Round Nose Fish Retro. 

Fin Set-up: Quad

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…Lost / Matt “Mayhem” Biolos Round Nose Fish Retro.

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…Lost / Matt “Mayhem” Biolos Round Nose Fish Retro.

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…Lost / Matt “Mayhem” Biolos Round Nose Fish Retro.

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…Lost / Matt “Mayhem” Biolos Round Nose Fish Retro.

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…Lost / Matt “Mayhem” Biolos Round Nose Fish Retro.

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…Lost / Matt “Mayhem” Biolos Round Nose Fish Retro.

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Gary McNeill 

Byron Bay, Australia

5’7″ Taurus Twin

Fin Set-Up: Twin

 

 

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Gary McNeill Taurus Twin.

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Gary McNeill Taurus Twin.

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Gary McNeill Taurus Twin.

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Gary McNeill Taurus Twin (or, what was left of it).

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The Corona x Parley Promo Board: A Gary McNeill Taurus Twin.

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Corona x Parley Gary McNeill Taurus Twin.

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Josh Hall 

San Diego, California

6’9 Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish

Fin Set-Up: Bamboo Twin Fins

 

 

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Josh Hall Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish.

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Josh Hall Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish.

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Josh Hall Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish.

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Josh Hall Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish.

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Josh Hall Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish.

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Josh Hall Pisces Twin Keel Long Fish.

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Britt Merrick / Channel Islands

Carpinteria, California

5’7″ Neckbeard 2

Fin Set-Up: Glass-On Thruster

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Channel Islands/Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2.

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Channel Islands/Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2

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Channel Islands / Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2.

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Channel Islands/Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2

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Channel Islands/Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2

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Channel Islands/Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2

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Channel Islands / Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2.

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Channel Islands/Britt Merrick Neckbeard 2

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Matt Parker, Album Surfboards

San Clemente, California

Board: 5’8 Dissasym

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Not a thruster, but kind of.

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“This looks pretty cool.”

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Sam Moody.

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5’7″ Matt Parker/Album “Dysasym.”

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“In a weird way, it doesn’t work like a quad/twin, instead it almost feels a little more like a thruster.”

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Album/Matt Parker.

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Needless to say, Dane didn’t seem limited in any way by the board.

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On location in Mexico filming The Electric Acid Surfboard Test.

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You can watch The Electric Acid Surfboard Test on iTunes, here. 

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