A…lost classic. The Sub Scorcher is a relaxed rocker, conservatively outlined, higher volumed, easy riding spin on the modern performance shortboard.
A central concave to spiral-vee in the tail, small wave specific design. Under the feet of young teen phenom, Kolohe Andino, the OG Sub Scorcher was a break out hit, during its initial run. It has remained a custom order mainstay, ever since. With its mellow rocker, wide, stable outline, shallow single to double, to vee in the tail, the Sub Scorcher is as easy paddling, easy planing and easy riding as a modern, pointed nose shortboard gets.
We started with our OG Sub Scorcher swallow and introduced the STING. We added a bit of width through the center, some extra rail rocker and injected the radical, area reducing STING at about 18” (1/4 of the way up) from the tail. The STING is followed by a gradual tail curve, into a 6” wide, shallow swallow.
The extra width in center assures easy entry and quick planing out of the gate. The STING makes a sharp reduction in width and creates an acute angle for jamming quick, radical, controlled turns into tight sections, or out on the waves open face. Generously dimensioned, with plenty of volume,
the SUB SCORCHER-STING, is an every mans, playful, performance shortboard, with the STING design element allowing easy initiation of radical turns and maneuvers.
Invented and developed for surfboards by legendary Surfer/Shaper, Ben Aipa, in the early 1970’s. The STING is a surfboard design attribute, inspired by speed boat hydroplane hulls.
The design is focused on surface area reduction by utilizing a unique wing placement that allows a wider forward surface area for “planing” and carrying speed, with an abruptly reduced tail curve, behind the STING, to initiate early release, intuitive pivot and radical maneuverability reaction, when engaged in turns. It is often used to make larger, wider, grovel type boards, more maneuverable …or to maximize the performance of HP short boards. The STING was the first winged surfboard of its kind and was the blueprint for what would become the winged twin, winged swallow, and later on, influence the bump wing thruster of the 1980’s. It is one of very few board designs that when you see it, even from afar, you know who created it.
Collaboration with …Lost:
To launch the STING collaboration between …Lost and Duke Aipa, we chose two longstanding popular models to inject the STING. Working side by side with Duke Aipa, we built these two unique spins on a pair of well known faves…The Sub Scorcher and The Puddle Jumper. We approached every detail, from the obvious outline adjustments and introduction of the STING, to the rocker, foil, fin placement and of course, graphic presentation, with painstaking detail, creating radical new possibilities by incorporating the iconic STING into a pair of proven performers.
Video by Drew Toons
Historically speaking…
Aipas STING was a pivotal design advancement that made boards wildly more maneuverable. Test piloted by revolutionary Hawaiin surfers, Larry Bertlemann and Buttons Kaluhiokalani, who used the STING, to pull off maneuvers never before dreamed of.
A key ingredient in the explosion of high performance surfing during that era, the STING rapidly went thru a multitude of refinements. During this process, these freewheeling Hawaiian hotshots were igniting the waves with intense carving 360’s, “Larry” Laybacks and other never before seen, hybrids of power surfing and skate style antics.
It soon caught the attention of young World Tour Surfer/Shaper, Mark Richards, who rode quivers of Aipa STINGS and used them as a direct influence for his forthcoming 4 World SurfingTitles on self shaped, winged swallow, twin fins.
Ben Aipa is accredited as one of the most influential shapers of modern surfing. His work and design philosophies impacted many of the worlds best surfers and shapers. His contributions are many…but most popularly known for inventing the swallow tail and following up with the iconic STING.
Continually updating the STING, though the decades, to align with performance levels of the times, Ben educated many young shapers through the years, including his two sons. Eventually handing over the AIPA Surfboards label, to his youngest son, Duke, who now continues pushing Aipa designs into the next era.
Says Duke: Dad always said, “In order for surfing to change, surfboards need to change.” Duke takes pride in evolving the AIPA shapes for tomorrow’s surfer with an emphasis on applying the AIPA STING as an element that enhances a boards design.
Duke continues: “The collaboration with …lost and Mayhem is a perfect example of this….taking Matts proven models and including the STING design element, to create radical new sensations of a familiar model and introduce new surfers to the one and only STING.”
