Surfers are passionate about sharing their love of surfing. It was important to me that I could surf with the boys at the factory. This was the first time that I surfed on a stubby hull. This was my first surf in three months because of covid.
We planned to meet on a quiet winter/spring beach early in the morning. The forecast was not good, but the Nortada would stop blowing, at least for the morning, allowing us to experience a few blissful firsts. The winter work of shaping, glassing, and tweaking the boards would finally be over. The anxiety was palpable. I would have little sleep and a very early morning alarm in the darkness. I put my head down on the pillow and waited until morning. How did we arrive here?
It all started with a joke. A jibe. About old surfboards. Some designs have faded, and the best shapes of today are not being used. We all felt nostalgic after a long, thoughtful conversation. We had a rough idea in theory that we could make boards to pay homage to the past and show their wonders to surfers today. It sparked six months of statements, preparation, shaping, glazing, arguments, redesign, and fine-tuning. These five surfboards were a total effort. They look great with their resin tints, polishes, and handmade fins.
How was it going? How could we make it more than a surfboard rental service?
You can choose between two different packages.
The Bare Bones Package: Rent one, two, or three boards for as many days as possible, select your fins, and have fun.
The Full Monty Package: Book a surf day with Joaquim, who will show you the best spots to surf for the boards that day. Take a variety of fins to try. Quim will show you how all the fins and panels work. Enjoy a Fatum Golden ale and a debriefing at Fatum HQ before taking your favorite board and having a blast for the remainder of the day.
These are the options that we have come up with. The boards are ready to go; they’re waxed. How did they surf, though?
It takes time to get to know each board, so I’ve been focusing on just two. I can provide feedback about the 6’6 Displacement Hull burnt orange and the 5’5″ Pink Mini Simmons.
The sleepless night. My alarm woke me up with a strange sound, and I was filled with anticipation. Today is the day. Or was it? Quickly looking out the window, I saw a puffing of wind. It was offshore. We were on.
I raced into my car, which had been packed with nervous hands the night before. The sun was yellow and bright.
The others were already on the beach and jumping up to stay warm. I placed my two favorite boards in the back – the Hull and the Simmons. I was determined to get the Hull first for a surf. We laughed and joked as we realized we hadn’t waxed the boards. Four older men were panting, out of breath, and we still hadn’t even gotten in the water. It is difficult to wax a board in a wetsuit of 5mm rush at 7.30 in the morning on a cold and icy winter day.
It was comforting to paddle in the rip. It was like meeting an old friend. The Hull seemed to enjoy being stroked and waited patiently for release from the leash. The volume was higher than I’m used to, but that was good after three months of not surfing. It was smooth and slick. As I looked to my right, Gero, Quim, and Saqua seemed lost, silently gliding up the mountain. Now there was no more joking.
After what seemed an eternity, the first set finally arrived. The first two waves were dominated by Gero and Quim, and then I took over. It’s time to go.
The next few moments were the most bizarre I’ve ever experienced. It was a familiar feeling but very different. It was smoother, cleaner, and more polished. The Hull responded to my movements and, as it should have, displaced the water from the rail in a beautiful, arc-shaped pattern, giving that smooth, honey feeling. It was unlike any other surf I’ve ever experienced.
We swapped boards after more waves that were similar in bliss. Gero got the Hull; I took the Floyd and Quim the Simmons. Gero was off again on his first wave. As he paddled out again, all I saw was a big smile. “That changes everything,” he replied. Quim chose to ride the Simmons, and he took off. He picked a great wave, and the board seemed to go faster than a slippery eel. It turned just within the limits of control. It was so fast.
We all agreed on the beach that the boards were great fun. We saw some room for them in the Fatum Quiver, and we still had some potential to discover. I’d love to tell you more about these boards and their surfing, but you must try them yourself.
It’s safe to say that I immediately asked my wife to order a hull of my size. As I type this, I hold it, and it is atop my quiver as the teacher’s favorite.
