** UPDATE ON THE POST BELOW **
We’ve updated our board guide below for surfing Macaronis and Greenbush, with further insight given by Surf Coach and founder of Manly Surf School, Matt Grainger. Matt has been visiting and surfing Macaronis for more than 25 years.
These are the boards that Matt uses in a variety of conditions at Macaronis and Greenbush:
Profile: Matt Grainger
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 76 kg
Stance: Goofy
Macaronis 1 – 4 feet:
Board: 5’9 x 19 x 2 3/8 Round Square Tail
Macaronis 4 – 6 feet:
Board: 6 x 18 3/4 x 2 3/8 Round Tail
Macaronis 6 – 8 feet and all Greenbush Sessions:
Board: 6’4 x 18 3/4 x 2 3/8 Rounded Pin Tail. Heavy glass job. PU Construction.
** ORIGINAL POST **
We’re often asked,
> What boards are best for Macaronis?
> What is the optimal quiver to pack?
The opportunity to share waves with surfers from around the world has allowed useful insight into what designs work most consistently for travelling surfers to Macaronis.
While board design preferences are subjective and highly personal, we can’t help but notice that there are 3 designs that consistently perform across a range of ability levels.
Below are the stand-out favorites for the
Optimal 3 Board Travel Quiver
The categories are:
1. Small Wave: Firewire GREAT WHITE TWIN
2. Standard Short Board: Firewire FRK
3. Step-Up Board: Firewire HOUDINI
All of these boards are available in our Firewire rack of boards available for hire, see the range here
1. Small Wave: Firewire Great White Twin
The Great White Twin makes a great small/medium Macaronis board and conveniently squeezes into board bags with its almost flat rocker.
It’s worth having a shorter/wider shape at Macaronis because it allows you to get the most from the smaller days in between swells.
Easily picking up waves and allowing plenty of time to set your pace with the wave, the Great White Twin is great for when Macas is small.
Inspired by the outline of a Great White Shark, this is Kelly Slater’s newest performance twin model.
Other Small Wave Favorites:
FishBeard by Channel Island
Hypto Krypto by Hayden Shapes
Sunday Round Pin & Go Fish (both available for hire at the resort)
2. Standard Short Board: Firewire FRK
Just about any standard high-performance short board works great at Macaronis. While a flat rocker board can also work very well, some find that designs with a touch more rocker and curve, especially in the back half of the board, compliments the shape and speed of the wave.
The shape of the wave at Macaronis is quite different from a typical Australian or Californian point break with an abundance of open-faced and flatter sections. In contrast, Macas peels down the reef uniformly making it so mechanical with an evenly paced pocket travelling at the perfect speed for cracking turn after turn or simply pulling into the barrel to grab some shade! This translates to a pocket style of surfing whether on your backhand or forehand, as opposed to a more drawn out or down-the-line approach to surfing.
“Rocker for Kelly,” or RFK, was Dan Mann’s first-ever shape for Kelly Slater.
Other Standard Short Board Favorites
Monsta 10 by JS
CI 2.Pro by Channel Islands
SKX (available for hire at the resort)
3. Step-Up Board: Firewire Houdini
When it is big, hollow, and sometimes doubling up, Macaronis does not suit a surfboard with excessive length. This is because the wave’s curved shape is much like a skate bowl with a steeper take off that a longer traditional step-up (6’6″+) does not fit into easily. In other words, too much extra length can work against you at solid Macas.
The newer, post-modern step-up designs overcome the need for excessive length by concentrating the volume of the board under the chest and combining this with a forgiving, wide-point forward outline for maximum paddle power to get into the wave from the take off.
The result is a board with an extra couple of liters you need to match the speed of the wave and get you in earlier as it draws up off the reef. In addition to fitting into the wave and making the drop a bit easier, these designs assist in maneuvering and stalling into the barrel, where the extra length of a traditional step-up can feel awkward and more difficult to stall or pull into the barrel section.
When the waves get serious and you need control with the ability to pull into a tight barrel section, the Houdini is a good choice.
Other Step-Up Favorites
Forget Me Not 3 by JS
Sweet Spot 4.0 by DHD
Ghost by Pyzel
Happy Traveler by Channel Island
Again, while board design preferences are subjective and highly personal, we hope this review will help you pick the perfect quiver for your next trip to Macaronis!
See you in the water!
