FEEDBACK : inflatable 8'0 Couine Marie surf !!!

A little feedback on the first outing of my new 8’0 Couine Marie Inflatable.
The surroundings : Intermediate Supsurfer form the Med.Suffice to say that I don’t go out often on my NFA 9′.
1m68 and 67kg.
I wanted to try it out for surfing in conditions aren’t the best for SUP.
Last night, about waist high, not very hollow. I’ll pass giving details about inflated, which lasted 3 min.
She glides perfectly when paddling, and she’s very rigid! Super easy to move around and to get placed on the peak.
The Board is slightly large for my shoulders but then again I’m not used to paddling prone… The Board is super easy in the waves!! I pearled it on the first take off (a bit too far forward) but a small position adjustment and problem solved.
After I stuck all take offs!!!! 90% of takes offs for for a first time surfing!!! This Board is super re-assuring, for you and for others. No need to fear hurting others. Once you’re up it’s stable and it glides! ‘Zero’ difficulty to follow the wave. And it turns!! It’s surely not as precise as a rigid but it blows my mind on how easy it is , I’m already linking my first turns!!
I really like the smooth drive feeling I’m getting from it, it’s exactly what I was looking for surfing.
You can’t even imagine my smile!!!
Even if it moved a bit to fast (trying to find my placement on the Board, understanding how it reacts and adaption time) for a first timer (and with no paddle for support) I felt extremely confident and I was capable and dared to move around the Board so I could link the turns and also accelerate in those mushier sections.
Didn’t try to duck dive, considering the volume, and do think I could. In spite of that I gets over the bar easy enough and even the foam. Next time I’ll try to turtle it….. So I basically was taking off on every ‘takeable’ wave. A lot more than those with rigid Boards or Boards with less volume.
The look on other surfers faces is funny : ‘Look another gadget on the water’. They even asked me if was a SUP and is wasn’t to hard to turn….. if they only knew that it was my very first time surfing and this little unpretentious Board allowed me to profit form my session better than they did. Brief, a perfect Board for MY personal needs!! Pleasure and instant satisfaction! Practical : in the trunk all day long and for an after work session.
Just one thing to keep your eye on : The Plastic Fin that comes included had a bit of play in the box, and after the session I found it all the way towards the back. Most likely I didn’t tighten it down enough….. but with my level it doesn’t make that much of a difference. The Board deserves a new FCS II Fin, I tested the one off my NFA and it held really tight. There you go : An easy Board, affordable, indestructible, practical no hassles and it functions perfectly!! Surfeur : Djé et sa GONG Surf 8’0 Couine Marie gonflable. Source : GONG Surf, share that you enjoyed.
Tags : GONG Surfboards, surfboards, inflatable surfboards, planches de surf gonflables, surf, surfing, gongsurfshop.com.