To Dawn or V Dawn
With over 200 boards made in the Bywater Surf workshop, over several years - a large percentage of those boards are either the Dawn or V Dawn, undisputedly our most popular boards (with the Gould also up there!)
Why are the Dawns so popular? Well, they are tried and tested to be a fantastic all-rounder, appealing to a wide range of surfers from beginner to advanced.
When it comes to the differences between the V Dawn and the Dawn, simply put the V Dawn (sized at 6’10” - 7’10”) is a shorter version of the original Dawn (8’6” to 10’3”).
The V Dawn acts as a high performance ride, featuring an easy entry rocker, fast flat bottom and chined rails running to a rolled V in the tail. The V creates easy turning from rail to rail. Offering stability and versatility, a mini mal bridges the gap between longboards and shortboards, without sacrificing manoeurability. This board works well with a stub nose, round nose or rounded point nose and typically features a 3 fin/thruster set up. It is a board that fits in well to any family as it offers versatility for any rider. It is easy to handle for novice surfers, making any small wave a fun one or the perfect nose-rider for the old time surfer. A forgiving and user-friendly board that is a great stepping stone towards tacking a shorter high performance board. 7’6” is the classic and most popular mini mal length. A longer length will allow for more wave catching success in smaller waves.
The Dawn is the longboard to add to your quiver. It can be surfed on anything from one foot slope to overhead barrels, where the standard design features a deep concave in the nose into a flat middle through to a rolled v in the tail. With the Dawn you can become more at home on the nose, hanging 5 or 10 and cross stepping with elegance. This crowd favourite is a laidback log with promises to make you love surfing again. The beauty of wood grain is shown off well in a Dawn, with thanks to it’s length. A timber longboard pays homage to the first surfboards ever created. The tail shape of Dawns are customised, with pintails and round tails being popular choices. The Dawn is typically set up as a single fin, to ensure a smooth, stable ride with less drag. Add a custom timber fin and your Dawn will be the talk of the beach parking lot.
Choosing the board style and size comes down to personal preference, surfing experience and ability. With so many options and variations on offer, there really is a board for everyone.
If you’re unsure what board would be best suited to your needs, please contact us and we can guide you on your way to the perfect match, whether you're joining us for a class or making a kit at home.