2009 4.6 Walker Bullet

So I took my 2009 walker bullet 4.6 out and I thought it was really really slow. I have a ja mako and a thresher and both were nice and fast. Could this be because the board is to small for me? I'm 170-175. I have 3 sets of dif fins and I really didn't have to much time to play with them. Has anyone had a similar experience?
Duffy

We just had Kit Howell out on our boat over the weekend. Both Kit and Judy are very petite woman, but Kit I'd guess towers over Judy by 5 inches - 4'11" and 5'4" Amazon women they aren't!

The two ladies were riding a 4'0" bullet. It's itty bitty. It was Kit's first time on the board and she was struggling with it. It's like a shortboard in the ocean - it's doesn't trim worth a darn, but when you RIDE IT HARD it performs well.

Lots of rocker so that turns in the pocket can be tighter, but I'd agree - trimming it's pretty slow.

I'm (ahem - clearing throat ) 190 with a PFD and my ABUNDANT HAIR wet and I ride a 4'5". So I don't think your weight is the issue.

I've seen some of the bullets with a trailer fin - and that is the slowest configuration I've ever felt on that board - not sure what the deal is there, but eliminating the trailer so it's a twin and riding it hard until you can't breath and it's fun little board. Definately not for everyone!

So are you saying that the board needs to be pumped to move forward? What fins are you personally riding? Surfdad you rock!

Not pumping the board up and down, but you need to be constantly in motion. Always turning, even just little turns. The huge nose rocker turns it into a plow until you turn. As Dennis was telling Kit - put that board on rail! Once it's on rail, it actually reduces the drag and engages the fins. Once the fins hit, you can feel the board "squirt" forward. It's a lot of work though.

I don't have a separate board of my own I just ride whatever James has out that day, unless we are testing. James currently is using the Futures 3/2/1 VFII's. He is using the small C-5's in the twinzer canard slots...although I think the Scimitar's work better for me.

Surfdad , you forgot to mention your height ,
Duff i would try the scimitar fins and a 3.25 rear fin. Slow as in forward speed or rail to rail , i feel the round tail boards are slow rail to rail but smooth and have to be ridden at as back foot board. i like the diamond tail boards.

I will have to go out and play around with it more. I have 3/2/1s and scimitars, I will have to try more setups.

Surfdad , you forgot to mention your height

No, actually I didn't.

Completely agree with surfdad.. The Bullet needs movement to be a fast board. I have never ridden one with a rear fin in it, but i use scimitars normally.

It's really weird compared to my other boards.

I haven't surfed the Walker Bullet but I rode a Triple X 4'6'' board for the first time on Sunday. It looks similar to the Walker boards. I loved the Triple X from the first second I rode it. I ride a Phase Five Prop and the Triple X is the same length, only it's a surf style. The Triple X felt fast and loose like my Prop only more of a floaty feeling. It would be a fun board to add to my quiver some day.

I have a walker Bullet 57". The board is great. I am 220 so don’t think weight is an issue at all. But like surfdad said, you have to work it. It took a lot to get used to at first. And first times out, I was having a heck of a time with it. And it was p’ing me off. Then I was out with Ken from Wakeoutlaws. And Ken yelled, "ride that dam thing" "ride it like your mad at it" Once I got it on the rails and rode it hard, all of a sudden. It was a completely different board. So the board needs to be ridden hard IMO, and is not a board that you can just sit back and ride. It does not come alive until you push it and then it really comes alive.

Tim
Wet Sounds

I'm 210 - 220. I rode a bullet at the TWC, I think it was Surf Diva's board; must have been about 4'6". I was on several other boards before riding the bullet. Mike Walker was on board when I rode the board. After one set I was absolutely raving about the board; probably a good thing for Mike to hear. It just loves to cut and slash.

Show - That was Wakechick's and it was just under 4'9.

Duffy - As everyone mentioned, that's the board's style, not your weight. That Bullet will be the fastest most responsive board on the boat after you learn how to turn it on. Take that center fin out of it and get out and ride, it's no cruiser, keep it moving.

Perhaps more importantly, as Dennis discovered, Duffy appears to be standing such that he is always turning away from the wake. The rocker combined with the nose of the board pointing out into the flats would make that board feel sluggish.

Move your front foot in closer to the wake - at the least you need to have the board going straight. From Duffy's avy thread:

My foot does look misplaced. I blame the cold water

Yes! Cold water does that! It's been clinically proven, time and again!

I also put an arch bar up front so my foot placement is also because of that. Notice my red face, thats because my drysuit is way to tight!

Yes! I remember reading a study published wow, bacj in 2002 from the Equalatarian Gathering of Oddfellows (EGO) that an archbar placed forward in combination with a TOO TIGHT drysuit, negatively impacted a riders ability to properly judge the centerline of a wakesurf board and FURTHER, affected peripheral vision and general accuity.

Obviously they were right! I'm certain your first ride when the conditions aren't so adverse to proper foot placement will change this situation.

Made myself laugh.

Dave will have some shots from today but my 4.6 is right for me and im a buck80 (not to be confused with a buckaoo) with out the PFD.

If you are using Scimitar's, they really only come alive when you are carving (turning). The Bullet likes to slash. When you get in trouble(risk falling out the back) carve up the wake and you will pick up speed. Might sound weird to face the nose up the wake(uphill) to pick up speed, but that is how this board likes to play. Pumping the board only works a little, slashing and carving is what wakes this board up. Also, to much weight forward either by foot placement or forward body lean will turn the front rocker into a plow. As stated earlier this board needs to be driven by your back foot kind of like a skateboard. Your front foot is just along for the ride,if your weight placement is correct and you don't lean to far forward. Most mass production boards you can lean forward to gain speed. The Bullet doesn't work as well this way. You have got to carve, even small quick back and forth toe to heel movements with the back foot will generate speed. Good luck.

naw i wouldent say your foot placement is off. thats what it looks like when im standing normal goin in a streight line. the only reason it looks that way is cuz of the arch bar. thats just a comfortable place for your foot because your not surfing off your heel as much its more of a toe thing balance wise. knee over toe means your center of gravity is right dead center where it should be.

notice my stance

We had this issue with Kit over the weekend, and when we moved her foot in towards the wake she rode 100% better. Not sure why the Bullet's shape does it, but with the jig-a-jog from back foot to front foot, it causes the board to head out into the flats. James set's his board up with the same archbar - use it as an arch bar and not to place the ball of your foot on and I'm willing to bet it helps, along with the working he board.

My toes are closer to the rail - arch of my foot over the archbar this board is setup identical to what you have and I'm a tad heavier than you.

My foot placement could have been off, but I was trying lots of foot placements to try to find my balance point and a place where I could gain and lose speed by weight transfer. And this isn't my first time surfing, but it was my first time this year and also the first time on my new to me boat. Maybe I just need to get used to it. It's just felt very dif from the boards I usually ride.

Weight transfer will only go so far on the Bullet. You have to actually carve the board. More of a toe to heel weight transfer rather than a back foot to front foot weight transfer. You have to learn to rip it up that is why it is more of an advanced rider board. Make sure your back foot is at least as far back as the center of the trailing fin. Further back the better. All control on the Bullet comes from your back foot, speed comes from rail to rail(side to side) motion not so much from tail to nose movement.

Thanks for everyone's posts. I need to go back out and try it again(hopefully soon but our weather got colder. I don't claim to be pro or anything but I can surf and I love carving, but sometimes I just want to relax and stay in the pocket. I don't want to bash a brand or anything. It was just a surprise. Thanks again and I will let everyone know how it goes.

Hey Johnny, I just got that Hazen board a little while ago. I used it for the first time a week back and had some trouble at times keeping speed. Is it like the bullet where you have to ride it differently to get it ripping? I didn't have enough time to really try too much out on it, and was left a bit disappointed. I was thinking the same thing as Duffy, that I may be too heavy for it... but then again I'm only 175 and it's a 4'8

Any tips?

Hey man I'm not sure I wouldeng say that you need to rip to get the comp 1 workin. I weigh 170 and I'm normally on my back foot tryin to slow down as to not go into the swim deck. What kinda boat you riding?

johnny how are the waves.

dude waves have been killer! we surfed cambria today and there was deffinitly some south sets pumping in. ill be headed up to santa cruz tomrrow with cody. were meetin chase and surfin up there he said there were like a few 15 wave sets rollin in just pumping today and tomorrow is goin to be even better. you should cruz down and just hang out if any thing man its been a long time. we need to get together and ride.

Johnny,
Totally jealous of your life man! I wish I could ocean surf, stupid Idaho is no were near the coast.

^ If the big one hits, maybe it will be.

Hey Johnny, riding behind an '06 Supra SSV. It's definitely not the best out there. Got it loaded down with about 3000 pounds and it still doesn't do much. Might be stepping into a Sanger V237 soon, which would solve that problem.

I figured the wave wasn't helping anything out, but do you need to ride that board differently than normal ones?

duff - haha thanks man, i deffinitly love doin what i do. santa cruz was sick. me and chase surfed the hook. got like a few 100 yard rides. but, at least you hae a boat!

andrew- naw man you shouldent have to surf it any different than any other decent board out there. i have found that for gaining speed it helps if you can rebound off the foam almost like a floater then you drop down real fast and it sets you up for snaps or airs really well.
a v237 would be nice!

For sale 2009 Custom Walker Bullet 4.6 $500

Only used twice, I never got the hang of it and I don’t have room for it in my boat. Here is your chance to get a basically new board for 150+ off retail! I paid over $650 just a few months ago. It comes with the stock fins and also a set of Scimitar's.

Here are the options

Construction PU/P
Graphics Custom Airbrush (Basic)
Fin Configuration Thruster
Full Traction by X-Trak
Board Size 4'6

duffymahoney@hotmail.com

$450 with free shipping!

Duffy i have a bulllet already, but i think you should give it a try again and again it does take some time. Once you get your sweet spot on the board it is the best board ever. If not that is a great board for the price.

Duffy have you talked to Mike Walker to see if he can help you out? Their pretty awesome about that. Maybe take it in on trade or something.

Yeah they are going to list it on their site for the same price. He won't do trade or return. There is nothing wrong with the board, so it's not walkers fault, it's mine. I am looking at getting a shred stixx comp 1. I think it will fit my style better.

(Message edited by duffymahoney on May 03, 2009)