Board: 5’6, 19 1/4, 2 1/4
Neck Beard= Interesting sessions…

My first session on the Neck Beard was a bit of a shocker. I think sometimes you can have shockers just because, and that it was! Don’t think too much while surfing…

On a side note, after that spectacular session I accidentally pushed my spair hide a key into a black hole in the frame of my car. It took 30 min and a miracle to get it out, thanks to an old neighbor who came to the rescue with a hail Mary, hay maker. Thanks Ernie!

My second session, I got tricked by the Great Northern Pacific to paddle out at a 6.0 high tide. It was one of those days were you look at it and wonder why there ain’t no one out. Hmmm… So I ran to my car and suited up as fast as I could. Once I got back down to the waters edge I saw that it was breaking 6 feet from shore and to my surprise there was a lot of back wash? Weird… I was gung-ho though, you know, and paddled out. The waves were horrible, and a sweet southern gale came a blowing to top off my 20 min session. You’d think that after being a surf addict for 20 years I’d be a better judge of conditions. Maybe it’s the addict part that’s the problem… Especially when filming, it’ll get me every time.

The next session the waves were really fun, especially for that board. It was waist to chest high and fun little peaks. One thing I liked about this board was that it paddled really good for it’s height. That is always a plus for me, a board that’s weird to paddle is doomed from the get go.

It was fast and a bit loose off the tail for sure. The board felt like it would be amazing if I was regular foot and got to surf C-street front side. I bet it would be a blast, and wonder if that’s what Dane was thinking when he designed it. I am baffled at how well Dane shreds this board, in all conditions and sizes. That dude has a lot of power and is able to tame it like a fine racing horse. I guess that is what makes Dane the best free surfer in the world. He is one of those non chalant dudes who can air 360 a door. Good for him…

After that session I decided to put my old faithful 3’2 Vector fins in to see if they would give it a little more hold. Well sure enough, they did. They waves were head high+ and the board was feeling fast and free. After 3 sessions I was due for a fun surf on this board, and was thinking this is it. This is going to be a 3 hour session of total stoke. I caught about 10 waves and was frothing, due to timing it right and getting a window of really fun waves and hardly anyone out. Well, it all ended… ended for about a month or so. I went for a backside air 360 on a waist high little right and hyper extended my knee and sprained my ankle. It’s been almost 3 years since I have had a injury and the timing is no bueno. It is almost Santa Anna wind time and you know what that means… could of been worse though, and I don’t need surgery so it’s all good. Wish I could of had a few more sessions on the Neckbeard, but was glad to get a few waves where the board felt really good under my feet. I would recommend this board for mushy, fun, ripable surf, but gets a little loosy goosy which can always put you in interesting places on the wave. Gonna go sticker up my next board The Rubble and stare at it for about a month while I am hitting the gym like Kimbo Slice.

For some radical surfing visit marinelayeproductions.com to see Dane riding this board like no other.
Neckberd=http://cisurfboards.com/surfboards/neck-beard-by-dane-reynolds/
Fins=http://www.futuresfins.com/