GLYDRA came to life as an idea from one of our partner retailers in New Jersey.
While visiting and chasing hurricanes, in summer 2020, we spent an afternoon surfing with the crew from Heritage Surfboards. They mentioned the popularity of our recently released HYDRA. A small wave sea monster/miniscule-wave weapon that was catching on in their typically tiny surf. They talked about
the growing interest and acceptance of the Mid-Length genre’ sweeping the nation.
“Hey Matt, you know what would be sick? A HYDRA stretched out to a mid-Length…Across between your SMOOTH OPERATOR and HYDRA. Kind of a Mid-Length fish type of thing. That wide HYDRA tail on a Mid-Length would be great around here.”- Kev Mo (Heritage).
Seemed like a fine idea to me. Returning home, I started developing the design, knowing I wanted it free and loose on the face and not too linear or horizontal. A significantly longer board that would get up n go, could be moved up and down the wave, change directions quickly and feel “loose” in sub-par surf.
A board that paddles and trims like an elongated glider, remains free and turns easily on the face and can even do full rail cutbacks in lifeless surf….
A mid-length Glider version of HYDRA…both functional and beautiful…and exude style.
To be ridden about 12” longer than you would HYDRA or other Fish, or even 12” taller than your own height, depending on skill level and preference.
Sure, it paddles great and catches any wave with ease. Sure, you can trim along till the last bit of whitewater crumbles away onto the shore. But it still must perform.
To do this, we maintained many of HYDRA’S multiple magic making design elements, making both minor and major adjustments. We didn’t simply stretch it out and call it a day.
- Outline: We retained, but reduced the intensity, of the snowboard influenced “Pelagic” side- cut outline. The side-cut locks in during carves and shortens the radius of turns, while both gaining speed and maintaining control.
- Bottom contours: GLYDRA still feature the double concave inside a single concave hull, with noticeable chined releases along the rail. The triple concave allows the use of more overall rocker, which encourages proper turning and more vertical surfing. The concave cut through this rocker, adding lift and speed. The heavily chined rails add release and frees up the board to roll from rail to rail. The chines make 3D rail surfing more possible on a concave bottom, high volume board…allowing much more than simply skating fast on the surface.
- Rocker: As pre-mentioned, the main thing we did is really make sure we increased the overall rocker enough as the boards grew in length. Especially under the feet, through the mid-section of the board, allowing the longer rail line to fit in the curve of smaller waves and keep the board feeling free. When riding longer boards, the main thing most surfers experience is the board feels “stiff”, or sticky.
The GLYDRA is an extremely fun and easy to ride, stretched out small wave machine. Call it a Long fish. Call it a mini-glider. Call it mid length-Mayhem or call it whatever you want. If you want to have fun, it gets the job done.
- Dual Diamond tail: A defining feature. It melds the characteristics of both swallow and diamond tails. A notched-out stringer shortens the centerline rocker and reduces surface area behind the rear foot. The double diamonds shorten the rail line, making quick and powerful, controlled turns, much more manageable. For GLYDRA, we have noticeably pulled the tail in the last 18”, adding more curve in the outline, so less rail is engaged in the wave face at one time, allowing the board to be turned and ridden freely, even when standing forward without the rear foot planted on the tail.
- Deck-line and foil: Updated to better suit a longer board, rather than a short, stubby one. GLYDRA retains a thicker center line, that grows with length, but the deck roll has been increased, using far more taper and thinner rails than the HYDRA. This allows the deck line to more closely follow the curveoftherailrocker. Whenputonarail,thewaterrollingacrossthedeckhelpsthelonger board cut back and carve tighter turns. The tapered rails permeate the water more easily and retainapreferredsensitivity. Thetailisthin,somewhatboxyandfeaturesanoticeable“kick”or bend upward, through the fins, further freeing up GLYDRA as a trim and turn machine.
- Fins: We’ve retained HYDRA’S 5-fin set up. No need for a single fin box on this wide tail, but most other fin set ups can be dialed in to offer a myriad of methods to ride, glide and even rip GLYDRA.
- A small set of Thrusters- to jam turns and hit the lip…no worries!
- A Split Keel Quad- for down the line speed and carves…absolutely!
- A large set of Twins + small trailer- especially in small surf…for sure!
- And my personal favorite, large Twins with a smaller set of rear mini quads- making for a Twin/Quad combo that blends the best of both Two+1 and Quad set ups.