Smorgasboarder_11_May-2012

Manu Bay is said to be
the longest, most accessible
and consistent left-hand
break in the world.
TRAVEL
SURF TRIP
Raglan is without doubt one of
the most famous breaks in the
world. And yes, it is probably best
when it is 8ft+ breaking on Outside
Indicators with barrels that propel
you along at Mach speed...
The day we got there it wasn’t. It
was probably around 2ft shore slop
breaking close to Wainui Beach
but that didn’t stop us from having
a hell of a fun surf. We were just
happy to be there.
The sun was out, the vibe in the
water was friendly and we were
just stoked to have experienced
Raglan in some shape or form. In a
surfing sense, it is hallowed ground
and we had just crossed another
surf spot off our bucket list.
Raglan longboards...
Mickey T’s creations
The HP Longboard (shown left) may be
Mickey’s signature model, but it was his
latest creation, the Mini LB (right), that
shone in the conditions we surfed, as
well as worked its way into our hearts
and Christmas wishlist.
Basically, a 6’6” shrunken version of
the HP, it’s loose as a goose and fast as
a rocket. With plenty of paddle power,
the Mini LB is a lot more than just a
shrunken-down longboard. It’s easy to
ride, so its essentially a great board for
people of all levels. Beginners will have
fun and pros will make it work. And the
resin work and quality finish doesn’t hurt
the appeal of the board one little bit!
TOP: Master glasser at Raglan
Longboards and local Raglan ripper,
Dave Elly. Photo: Jwan Milek,
www.mileksurfimages.com
LEFT: Nowhere near as impressive,
master slop groveller, Dave Swan.
may/jun 2012
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