{"database": "surfing", "table": "posts", "rows": [["262062", "13728", "Mind on Mandala and Mandala on My Mind", 57, "nineohtoo", "Oct 6, 2022", "2022-10-06T14:39:52-0400", "I need some advice and feedback from you ASQ fans. I recently picked one up that looks to be about 5'1.5\" x 20.5\" and probably around 2.375-2.5\" based on how it feels under my arm (unfortunately I'd have to borrow calipers to confirm). Initial impression from holding it, was that this thing was big and probably too wide or thick for me. I have boards that I can ride in small waves that have way less foam than this, so it was concerning, especially when Manny recommended 5'4\" x 20.5\" x 2.375\" (but carbon and concave deck).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nI took it out today at my local, kinda slabby 3-4ft waves. Waves I'd normally ride a 5'7\" shortboard in, but still would have been a blast on if I took out my Hess Box. I've seen videos of these being ridden in bigger conditions, and he says that the swallowtail is more responsive in hollower surf, so I decide to paddle out on the ASQ. I immediately realize that this thing is a pain to duck dive, and the period wasn't even that short, 13 and 14 seconds. Several wedges come my way, ones that I would have easily got into with a shortboard, but this thing just floats in the lip and won't get into the wave. I finally get a decent takeoff, but the big nose catches on the bottom turn. The rest of the session I play with positioning and timing, and it still won't get into steep waves, and it takes so long to get going in smaller waves.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAm I just that much of a kook? This is harder to ride than my old Death Machine, and that one I figured out by the third or fourth wave. When I borrow other people's boards for shits and giggles, I can usually get going quickly, from v-bottoms to gliders. This is the first unfamiliar board I've ridden that I couldn't figure out after an entire session. What am I doing wrong? Or was my expectations for this board way off?\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhotos compared to short and wide boards I like a lot:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImage processing. Refresh page to view\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImage processing. Refresh page to view\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImage processing. Refresh page to view\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImage processing. Refresh page to view\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImage processing. Refresh page to view"]], "columns": ["post_id", "thread_id", "thread_title", "post_number", "author_username", "post_date", "post_date_iso", "post_body"], "primary_keys": ["post_id"], "primary_key_values": ["262062"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6889299984322861, "license": "Public Domain"}