Size: 6'6 X ? X 2 5/8
This unusual board was a 5 fin Bonzer copy made in France. I'm told the company is quite large by European standards I'm told. I came with Lokbox removable side runners and a 7" Tru ames bonzer fin. It was quite unusual with a black spray bottom red deck and white pinlines.
It looked like it would be quite a bit of fun with it's forward plan shape and wide tail. Ooh how looks can be deceiving! Paddling for the first time, it felt like it was pushing water and it took real effort getting anywhere.
The defining feature of a bonzer is its projection out of that first bottom turn. This board just faded at the bottom of the wave. Consequently after that it was usually just down the line.
Examining the fin set-up with my ruler pin pointed the problem, the centerfin was not the required distance from the runners. With my ruler in hand, I realised that the fin box was in the wrong position too far forward from the tail. There was no way this board was going to work unless some modification was done. I cut back the base of the centre fin so that it overhung the deck at the back by 1.5". This improve teh performance marginally, but it was no Bonzer.
The board looked pretty cool but the deck started to dent far more quickly than normal. It was obvious that this blank was shaped by a machine which took too much foam off the deck. Heel dents appeared after every session.
For a bit of fun I took out the 5 bonzer fins and put in 2 lokbox keel fins. It actually was quite a fun board then! But if I wanted a fish I would have bought one.
Avoid this board at all costs!!!!
Rating: 1/5
4 comments:
Oooh I don't know. I've taken this board out a few times and although I don't ride it half as much as my other boards I've always had great fun on it.
At head high Garylucas one day when my fish was being repaired I got some fantastic waves on it. I must say I really did feel that projection out of the bottom turns that you're talking about, not only that but the speed at which it rode up to the lip was amazing.
Another time at head high sandbar I got some of the best left-handers I've had in ages on it (granted I haven't been riding many lefts lately :))
I'm not the biggest fan of this board either but I'd give it at least 2.5/5 or even 3/5 based on the handful of times I've taken it out.
It's definitely not a complete maggot of a board. Put it this way, I wouldn't mind one bit if that was the only board I could ride for the rest of the year.
Glad you enjoyed it Pete, the rating was based in part on the fact that the fin box was in the wrong position from new. Only for me having the knowlege to correct it, it would be a complete dog.
Zooruz are a kiteboard company.
what the fuck? the finbox placement is retarded, just as you said. Lame.
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