Happy new year!! I hope everyone managed to get wet over the holidays, even though the waves have been pretty terrible there has been something to ride almost every day on the right tides and right facing beach.

I definitely planned on reviewing a few more boards than I have so far, however xmas trade and lack of surf have prevented it.

So 1st board up for review this year is the Vouch Vish shaped by Byron Bay master craftsman Paul Hutchinson. The board is 5'3 x 20 3/8 x 2 5/16.

Again i'm 66kgs and 5'7 in height, and would say I'm an Advanced Intermediate surfer.

Conditions were 2ft at best, beach break waves in Culburra on the south coast of NSW. Pretty typical of waves that we get at most places during the summer months, not much push with a bit of cross shore wind thrown in for good measure.

Firstly, I'm amazed at how much volume they can squeeze into such a short board.

Being 5'3, the board was probably a bit too big for me however for the conditions I was surfing it in, it worked a treat.

Remember, you want to be riding these things as short as you possibly can, as the original template was taken from a kneeboard, which is great as it means manoeuvring it in the power pocket is much easier due to its smaller size.

The vish's super flat entry means that it paddled great and catches waves with ease. Once up and riding it had plenty of flow. The slight double concave through the fins meant it transitions well rail to rail and will generate speed without you needing to work too hard. Keel fins provide plenty of drive without that feeling of being too stiff or having too much area that you can't fully drive though turns. The Rails on the Vish carry a bit of foam through them, which is great for places like Bondi and around the eastern suburbs where there is plenty of wobble and bump on the face which makes it less catchy and will allow you to plow through all the chop thats typical of summer surf.

These boards aren't just limited to summer waves though. I think this board would really come into its own on a point break or nice open faced wave thats running and you could really let rip on the face as it has plenty of down the line speed and manoeuvrability. A great addition to any quiver and for anyone looking to spice up their surfing experience.

Be warned, once you start riding one, you may never get off it!!

Check out our range of Vouch surfboards here

#Sunburntmess #VouchVish #Summersurfboard #Vouchsurfboardsbondi #Vouchsurfboardssydney