VESSEL

RIDE THIS BOARD IF…

You’re after a performance PU shortboard that’s tailored for small-to-medium size surf with a wider profile and ample volume under the chest for added paddle power.

UNDER THE HOOD…

On the bottom features a flat nose entry into a massive double bonza concave through the back half of the board. The wide twin fin nose lends itself to great paddle power, stability and flotation. This design has blistering speed no matter what the conditions and can be ridden as a twin, thruster or quad fin depending on your preference. The swallow tail gives you greater take off speed and momentum through your turns on weaker waves due to its noticeable width, while the flyer adds the ability to shorten your arcs to react to different wave sections spontaneously. The FX–4.0 Swallow is the ultimate summer small wave go-to.

MITCH’S CONCLUSION…

The Vessel was, as its name suggests, a bit of a ‘Dark Horse’. In all honesty I didn’t have very high expectations for the board. It was heaps wider and shorter than what I typically ride and looked more suitable for an intermediate surfer than for me. With that said, when I gave the board a go in some wedgy lefts, I was blown away by how well it performed. For what looked to be a shape limited in its turning capacity, the board manoeuvred great. It was drivey when it needed to be but also had the right amount of release, giving it a consistent, user friendly feeling. It was also quick off the mark and held its speed well through turns. What’s more, the price point of this board was significantly less than the bulk of the market. Generally, cheaper boards lack in performance which is what made the brilliance of this board even more impressive. If you’re after an all-round performance board that isn’t going to break the bank, then the Vessel ‘Dark Horse’ is for you.