04 Belmont- directional? ..... looks asym.....

(nautiair) · (nautiair) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-06-2003, 8:11 AM

any of you guys check out the board that Shaun was riding in Irvine??? there's a pic that Dave posted of the top and bottom of the board. it looks like the molded in fins are not the same on both tips...... maybe it's just the way the pic was taken. Hey Dave, any input on this as you saw the board first hand???? Just curious

Alex

(blabel) · (blabel) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 08-06-2003, 8:42 AM

It is slightly directional. It is supposed to help with switch riding since for most, riding switch isn't as strong.

(columbiatch) · (columbiatch) **Join Date: Oct 2002** 08-06-2003, 8:49 AM

I think Shaun's dad said it was asymetrical. Or at least I think he said that about Shaun's board that was stolen. I wonder how that changes the ride.

(nautiair) · (nautiair) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-06-2003, 8:51 AM

I see the channels in the front..... I guess that when you are riding switch they give a little more hold..... looks like a sweet board. I've always ridden a belmont until mine got stolen this year and I made the switch to a premier.... from the looks of this board I may go back to the belmont in 04.......
one other question for Dave W.---- why did you delete photos of other HL boards that may be coming out in 04 but then post a pic of Murray's board??? I know you said that it may or may not be his production model for next year but it still makes me want to wait and see what they come up with. You stated that this practice could hurt retailers cause people see the new boards and want to wait for the new ones to come out. That's what you just did to me!!!! now I will wait to see what the 04 looks like.......

Alex

(lzyboy) · (lzyboy) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 08-06-2003, 8:52 AM

YES,

The 04' is slightly directional!

http://www.gowakin.com/2003/galleries/03_malibu_open/img00000090.html

(hyperlitenrd) · (hyperlitenrd) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 08-06-2003, 12:17 PM

I heard that it was so that he can try two diffrent models on 1 board? might just be junk info but it sort of makes sense

(scott_a) · (scott_a) **Join Date: Dec 2002** 08-06-2003, 4:41 PM

I talked to Murray at the Malibu Open, and it's definetly an asymetrical board. It has two molded fins and two removable on each side. On one side the molded fins are on the inside of the removable fins and the other side the fin pattern is reversed (molded on the outside of the detachable). He told me that he added molded fins so he could ride finless if he wanted to (his prior models didnt have molded fins).

He also added that people ride differently when they ride switch, so the board is designed to ride tighter on one side and looser on the other. I'm guessing that the looser side is regular and the tighter side is for when you ride switch so you can cut easier.

(wakeworld) · (wakeworld) **Join Date: Jan 1997** 08-08-2003, 3:40 PM

FYI. Shaun's new board is called the Temet, not the Belmont. He will no longer be riding the Belmont shape from 2003, but it will live on in the 2004 Hyperlite line. However, I believe the name will be changed as they've done in the past with Shaun's "old" models.

Scott answered the asymmetrical question pretty well. it's definitely a different approach, but it's not too different for Shaun. He's always ridden with his back foot at a different stance than the front, so he's really always ridden an asymmetrical setup.

Let's face it, if your stance isn't symmetrical, it doesn't matter if your board is. You're not riding a symmetrical setup. Therefore, moving this to the board shape itself isn't too crazy of a leap. Check the poll questions next week and I'll see how many people ride with a symmetrical stance and how many do not.

As far as the removal of the '04 Hyper stuff goes, that's a pretty dicey topic where I had to weigh the interests of shops that still had a lot of 2003 product in stock against the interests of our readers that want to see the latest and greatest stuff. I ultimately decided that if the shops get hurt and stuck with old inventory or lose money discounting old inventory, the readers get hurt as a result when the shops can't order the new stuff or have to charge more for the new stuff to cover the loss on the old stuff (did you see how long that sentence was?).

Although Hyperlite asked us to help out by removing the photos of boards that they did not intentionally release to the public, we don't feel that we have an obligation to "hide" photos of equipment that show up in public either at a shop or on the feet of riders at the tournaments. Obviously, if they do not want these to be shown, they have the option of not putting them out there.

It's really the manufacturer's responsibility to keep their new products a secret until they, and their dealers, are comfortable releasing them. A special circumstance arose this year in which we helped them out, but for the most part, if the manufacturer lets the product out in some way or another, I don't have a problem posting it on WakeWorld. If the retailers have a problem with it, it's up to them to work with the manufacturer to come up with a solution to the problem.

(nautiair) · (nautiair) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-09-2003, 9:22 AM

Dave-
thanks for the response...... i think we see it the same way... and yea that was a long sentence!!!! Keep up the awesome work on the website. I don't know if you remember me but i was riding on the new Xstar out @ rts after the first tour stop. I was in the boat with you when emily was riding....... shout at you later.

alex