Board Trachting
Shaped by Todd Proctor
Kookaburra Model
By Shawn Tracht
Intro:
Before I had kids, I was surfing 3-5 hours a day around my teaching schedule. My surfing life now, however. Today, my time is being split between work, hanging with the family, and sneaking in a surf session. I wanted an everyday rip stick that worked in any condition from blown out two foot to epic 12 ft bombs!
Todd Proctor’s mission statement states, “what we get stoked on here at Proctor Surfboards is building relationships…making the board that’s right for you. My number one goal is to work with surfers who are serious about getting the board that will take them to the next level…It’s your board, talk to the shaper.” It’s this attitude and commitment that makes it obvious why his label has been strong since 1992 and become known locally and worldwide as one of the best surfboard lines around.
Surfer’s Take:
Having a less time in the water means less rhythm with the ocean, and less rhythm means the need for making adjustments to my equipment. If you look closely at the template, you can notice a slight bump (a wing) near the fins. This wing narrows the pivot area of the board (the tail) from a wider front foot template. As I’ve said so many times, width and a little added thickness over the front foot is a great cheat mechanism to surfing faster without needing to be nimble. Added foam helps the board stay alive and keep planing high through slow sections. Surfing progressively usually calls for a narrower tail, however, so the wing in the tail of this board narrows the pivot area over the fins. This board also has a nice round tail. Remember round equals stick and hold in round or hollow waves. So laying down a hard turn or massive layback in the pocket with this board is what it’s all about because the tail design will allow you to push as hard as you can in the pocket without the board sliding out. I rode this board as a thruster, quad, and five fin set-up (quad plus the nubster).
My personal favorite was the quad set-up, as it combined the perfect amount of drive down the line, stick in the pocket, and release off the top for some nice fins free tail wafts.
If you’re a surfer who is still looking to really rip, but you work all day like me and basically just surf whatever is out your door each day to get wet, then this high performance working-man’s shortboard model is for you. A perfect combination of a shortboard that can help you cheat to go faster after a long day of work juxtaposed with a plethora of performance elements that’ll allow you to still rake some of the hardest turns of your life. This is the board that the workingman ripper surfs to continue holding it down on the peak for years to come! Cheers boys and girls!
Stats:
Shaper: Todd Proctor
Board Shape/Design: Kookaburra
Fins: 5 Fin Set-up; Ride with 3,4, or 5 fins
Board’s Specialty: Get into waves easy, extra hidden foam helps the board go faster, and high performance outline for some real heavy ripping.
This Board is Perfect for: Surfer’s who still want to rip, but need a little help from the board to surf faster and catch more waves than a little potato chip shortboard.
Surfboard Tester, Shawn Tracht’s Normal Shortboard: 5’10” x 18” x 2”
Tracht Ordered This Board: 5’8” x 19” x 2 3/16” Proxy epoxy Titanium II teamlite
Shaper’s Contact: 805-658-7659
Website: Proctorsurf.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @PROCTOR_SURFBOARDS
Available at: Proctor Surfboards (1920 Goodyear Ave. Suite A Ventura CA), Online @www.proctor-board-shop.com
