GEAR: SCORE THE SET WAVES AND SEND SOLID CARVES ON REPEAT WITH THE CAR

Easy to paddle and drop, fast and fluid on the wave, the Carter is the board for scoring in pretty much all types of waves!

The qualities of the Carter make it a board capable of giving you pleasure in a very wide range of conditions. Be it beach breaks, hollow reef breaks or fast point breaks. You have the paddling speed to get on the set waves, and an outline that combines retro lines and performance to engage in intense and stylish carves.

Surfer: David, GONG Team Rider, with the Carter EPS.

Effective in a maximum of conditions

The shape of the Carter, which has recently been revisited to make it even more dynamic and incisive in turns, is a model of versatility. This versatility is owed to a shape that is both simple and harmonious in its lines. A round pin tail to provide maximum precision in carves and critical sections. But still retaining surface area at the extremities to generate speed in less powerful sections. It’s partly for these reasons that the Carter can be surfed from knee-high to well overhead and packed.

So, we have a board that is both fast and maneuverable, which benefits from harmonious distribution of its volume under retro lines to make it very forgiving, both to the surfer’s approximations and to the quality of the conditions. Added to this is an advanced max width that gives it real paddling comfort, and you have a setup that will take up a lot of space in a quiver.

This new shape retains its accessible and highly versatile character, with glide and memorable sensations as the session’s goal, generating a “zero frustrations” result.

Surfer: Malo, GONG Team Rider, with the Carter EPS.

A board for different dimensions

The Carter stands out by the wide range of available lengths, from 5’6 to 9’8. It goes from ultra fun shortboards, to the versatility of mid-lengths to the board that will drop before everyone else:

Below 6’8 you favor turns. It’s still a “shortboard” but very soft as malo explains in this Tech Talk.
From 6’8 to 8’3 we are clearly talking about mid-lengths, halfway between the quality of glide of a longboard and the turns of a shortboard. The board to do everything easily!!!
From 9′ to 9’8 we switch to a cruiser style of board, a long board which drops before everyone else and which cruises down-the-line for beautiful cutbacks and re-entries.

It’s up to you to choose the size that suits you best!

Surfer: Moritz, GONG Team Rider, with a Carter EPS.

Different fin set-ups

Behind this shape also hides a wide range of fin settings. You can either refine its handling by slightly modifying the central fin for example. Or change completely, going from a single or a twin assembly, which will radically modify its character. It’s a board that accepts many different setups, so don’t deprive yourself of experimenting as much as possible.

The advantage of the 2+1 set-up of the Carter is that you can experiment with several fin set-ups:

The 2+1 fin set-up is the one that will bring the most versatility to the board. It offers excellent grip when engaging a turn on the rail. It will be faster than a single set-up because the side fins boost acceleration by pulling the rail towards the inside of the curve. The central fin is less massive than for a single fin set-up, therefore more playful. And this is a key factor: the distribution of surfaces between the three fins. The more surface we put in the central fin, the more stable and progressive the 2+1 set-up will be. The more surface we put in the side fins (and therefore less on the central one), the more playful and faster the 2+1 will be. A large central fin acts a bit like an autopilot which will smooth out your line.
The single fin set-up is often favored on noseriders, boards on which we will look for maximum glide before “planning” on the fins. A sufficiently deep fin also allows you to stabilize the tail of your board at the top of a wave without skidding, thus leaving maximum time to stay on the nose. We also see single setups on “glider” boards, mid-lengths designed to glide down the line and engage long turns. In this case we will choose a single fin with a lot of rake so as not to lock the carves.
On mid-length boards like the Carter, you can even consider switching to a twin set-up with two large side fins. This set-up is less stable but it offers a lot of natural glide and a lot of drive when you put the board on the rail to catch a section. This is in theory the fastest setup because it generates less drag than the 2+1 setup. You might wanna check with your GPS watches! 😉
The trifin set-up, made of three fins of the same depth and generally the same outline, offers maximum maneuverability. This is the ideal setup to cut the carves short and radicalize your surfing as much as possible. In this case, move the central fin way back so as not to have an uncontrollable board.

Surfer: Moritz, GONG Team Rider, with a Carter Origin 2.0.

EPS or Origin 2.0 construction

The new Carter is available in two types of constructions:

The EPS technology, modern and prized by the most technical surfers for its lightness and liveliness. Also very solid because implemented in our workshops in 66464 on a very dense foam plank. That is to say with 3 layers of fiberglass on the deck (two layers of 6oz fiber and one layer of 4oz) and 2 layers of fiberglass on the hull (one layer of 6oz and one layer of 4oz). Its three wooden stringers provide even more rigidity and solidity.

The Origin 2.0 technology combines solidity, performance and a polished glossy finish that will make your board an object of absolute desire! This modern composite sandwich that combines wood and carbon on an EPS foam blank is just sublime. The vacuum glued wood strengthens the board, making it very resistant to dents and breakage. The carbon belt creates an outer double batten that provides incredible responsiveness.

You now understand why the Carter is a best seller and an essential in any quiver. Find the Carter, its shape, its dimensions and its different constructions in our shop under the Surf Category.