Thanks for all the help guys and an excellent conversation with Simon from Deep and we have a new minion on its way!
i will post my review along with a video comparing a naish x32 8.3 when it arrives
Hey Mick,
Should pop down to Stonker in Baines crescent. He's just in the process of shaping a couple of these bad boys (obviously not minion, but of similar idea to these minion/vanguard shapes). I'm going to put an order in shortly for one around 7'10. Pretty pumped
Just 40 posts to go!!
We can take this bad boy to 500 for
Sure!!!
Could this be the greatest board review thread ever???
This post has helped a lot of people and deserves it's status..boom 49 to go. Love the minion..charging on East Coast on NZ
Select to expand quoteJacobMatan said..
Just 40 posts to go!!
We can take this bad boy to 500 for
Sure!!!
Could this be the greatest board review thread ever???
In fact how many Minions' have been bought from punters reading this thread?…I wasn't even in the market for a new board and was enjoying my 8'5 Fanatic ProWave but the more I learnt about the Minion and the design concept the more it made sense to me and then I had the opportunity to buy one 7'4 of only two available in NZ - so went for it! (My fiancé has seen it in the garage but she didn't say anything which was lucky because she'd freak if she knew I had purchased 'another board'! - luckily my garage is chock full of windsurfing, surfing and SUP boards so she doesn't notice any new additions!)
Exactly right Stevo..I wasn't even thinking "new sup" until I read this thread..then thought. .what's the chances of these coming to nz..one call to SUPcentre and it was all over..thanks to Casso too..stoked
Select to expand quoteazzalanche said..
Hey Mick,
Should pop down to Stonker in Baines crescent. He's just in the process of shaping a couple of these bad boys (obviously not minion, but of similar idea to these minion/vanguard shapes). I'm going to put an order in shortly for one around 7'10. Pretty pumped
Hey Azza, thanks for the heads up. I will definitely go in and have a chat with Alex. I'm keen to get one as well. Didn't realize he was making them.
New arrival in Vic. Looks like we are going to get some waves this weekend.
I let you know my thoughts after I get it wet.
Is there a reason for the shape of the nose?I guess it is conditioning ,but my preference is a more rounded style.Must say not a big fan of the ultra pointy (and dangerous) shortboard nose either.So maybe it is just about being old and cranky
Select to expand quotewaxer said..
So maybe it is just about being old and cranky
Yup. Just forget everything you thought you knew about SUP shapes and open your mind.
Select to expand quoteRosscoe said..
New arrival in Vic. Looks like we are going to get some waves this weekend.
I let you know my thoughts after I get it wet.
That looks unreal Rosscoe - even got the Casso racing stripes!
Yep Casso, I took the idea from your design. Do I pay you some royalties? Lol.
Had two short paddles this morning - in the Bay, as I usually like to get the feel for the balance points etc in a new board which is v different to what I have been surfing. First was in dead flat conditions, the second in a fair bit of chop and lump.
I am surprised at how stable the board feels. I felt a little side-to-side rocking on the first paddle, probably because of the pronounced V through the back third of the board, but this very quickly disappeared. Not much yaw and quite a bit of glide, at least in the flat water. Absolutely no harder to paddle than my 8'6". Depending on how much the swell builds tomorrow, I may well be surfing where there is a 500 m paddle, so will be interested to see how it handles a longer paddle.
Select to expand quoteRosscoe said..
Yep Casso, I took the idea from your design. Do I pay you some royalties? Lol.
Yep, every set wave when I'm next surfing with you!
Select to expand quoteStev0 said..waxer said..
So maybe it is just about being old and cranky
Yup. Just forget everything you thought you knew about SUP shapes and open your mind.
So you don't know why the nose is shaped like that either
Its based on the principles of the 'Vanguard' Modern Planning Hull design, originally by Daniel Thomson, that is appearing in surfboards , SUPs and kite boards nowadays. Theres a lot of information in the earlier posts of this thread or try googling Vanguard Surfboard
Select to expand quotewaxer said..Stev0 said..waxer said..
So maybe it is just about being old and cranky
Yup. Just forget everything you thought you knew about SUP shapes and open your mind.
So you don't know why the nose is shaped like that either
Dude, I'm not a noseist and I take every nose at face value. One day we will surf beaches where not the nose of your board will matter but the performance of your ride…or words to that affect.
Select to expand quoteStev0 said..waxer said..Stev0 said..waxer said..
So maybe it is just about being old and cranky
Yup. Just forget everything you thought you knew about SUP shapes and open your mind.
So you don't know why the nose is shaped like that either
Dude, I'm not a noseist and I take every nose at face value. One day we will surf beaches where not the nose of your board will matter but the performance of your ride…or words to that affect.
A little unnerving the first time you see it, but quickly see past that
To be more specific the shape of the nose is but one element of a much bigger picture that is borne from a design that capitalises on the parallel rails which means it is a necessary consequence of it. Ergo, one leads to the other.
Sadly don't have as good english to explain my thoughts about square nose but here i go .
If you struggle with i will talk to you next with my paddle
So here i go:
Don't focus on the square nose, just imagine your board as you step on a skateboard , feet on both truck : one on back the other on front one as you stand in surfing stance on your surfboard ( YES, these minions are surfboard, IMO)
This way you feel the board gliding from both foot not as pointed nose do, which are gliding from the back foot on the tail for the most of it.
Parallel rails avoid row effect so make a fast entry to take off early for it's size .
Square proportion of the outline magnified stability, might shorten size more and more getting use of it 
And a lot more to say about.
Demo, i hope no hacking MINION DEEP OCEAN topic :
Select to expand quotestehar said..
How do they paddle over distances of up to a kilometre - nice long beaches here with headland parking mainly and then need to paddle to breaks along the beach
Parallel rails boards paddle much easier than rounded outline ones, because they dont tend to veer right or left when the board rolls. Plus you can maximize the water line (and the speed) as you do not need to keep the nose above water, as a pointed nose will engage on one side when hitting water.
So yes, it is slow, but not so hard. My advice is to pull long, slow stroke: Short boards have a low max speed, so you do not want to struggle needlessly bumping into the "speed wall", no need to try to go fast. But as they do not have glide and stop when you cease to apply thrust, you want to maximize push time and minimize paddle-in-the-air time. So: long steady pulls, and quick travel back of the blade to the front.
Some training helps, of course. I do 5km sessions in summer on my 6'10" with my daughters on their 8'+ as a handicap
Select to expand quoteTang said..
Kami, how long is that board? It looks about 6'2"!!
This is 6'5" 27,75" 85 liters and i weight 77 kg.
What did specially please me on that left wave i caught with this new board is the trim that parallel rail provide. I still have my front foot on the outside rail on the deck sadly releasing strength i would apply on the rail while trimming the parallel outline.
I shrink this Minion typeof board dimensions to prove myself that is makable for my 60years old. So it will be makable for younger surfers for sure.
About STEHAR question , i reply if you want to go for long distance, just paddle proned these boards paddle so fast and effortless in that position. And please remind that these boards are made for surfing not paddling
Hey guys love the posts and the info being supplied for these boards. I know a few of you guys have touch on this before. But i was wondering what are some of the weights of your boards. Do you find them Light? Heavier or about the same as a normal production board of the same volume? cheers in advance
First surf on my Minion yesterday in light/moderate cross to onshore head high waves - all backhand.
First impressions - very positive indeed. Had a 3 1/2 session and am now keen for more as I don't believe you can really start to dial-in a board until at least 3 or 4 decent sessions.
Went to a slightly out of the way spot, so limited numbers out but the board does get noticed. One SUP rider asked me whether I was riding my kid's boogie board.
If I can get this thing out in some quality Gunamatta or Woolamai beachies I think it will shred (within the limitations of the rider, that is). I'll write more after I have had another surf or two, but had a huge day at work today, so brain is fried atm and time for a glass of wine!
Very pleased with how the board has turned out. Thanks Simon.
Some great reports about this board.
Hey Colas your detailed reviews about boards and SUP in general are top class
I dream of the day they come to Chile.Itll probably need a local shaper to make me one but ive no idea of the dimensions.
I luv this board
