Size: 6'8" X 21 1/4 X 3 1/8"I had heard some very good things about Geoff McCoys nuggets over the years. Coming from Australia they are difficult to come by in Europe and the U.S. The one thing that struck me was that nugget owners were absolute converts to the shape. When www.downthelinesurf.co.uk got a batch of nuggets in I was intrigued enough to fork out a substantial sum for one. At the time I was happy that my Bonzers gave me what I needed in walling and hollow conditions and my fish fitted the bill perfectly for fat but well shaped waves. However most of my surfing is done in onshore or less than perfect conditions and I felt that there was a substantial gap in my quiver. As you can see I have tried lots of boards to fill this gap.
I e-mailed Geoff for a recommendation on size and he suggested a 6’6” for my 78Kg.
Unfortunately the 6’6” sold out in a few days and the closest I could get was a 6’8”.
The board is 6’8” X 21 ¼ X 3 1/8. Downthelinesurf provided a good service and in a couple of days it was shipped over safe and sound. When I opened the box I was shocked. The tail on this board is MASSIVE like nothing I had ever seen before. I was truly shocked. The board is a lovely clean shape, perfect glass job and spray. The fins are white glassed on. The board is quite heavy, I don’t know the glass schedule, I imagine 6+6+6. I guess the foam is Australian, Bennett or Burford. It’s a heavier pour and incredibly ding resistant. Bottom contours are very different, there is significant roll through the entry rocker slackening off to a flat planning area under your front foot leading into the fins with significant roll through the fins and off the tail. This is the McCoy Loaded Dome. Totally neutral and forgiving performance.
The first night I took it down to the beach it was 1-2ft onshore crap and crowded. At first I couldn’t even sit on the board, there was so much float I kept falling off. I kept looking at the tail and think how can I turn this board with all that width. The first couple of crappy little waves it felt downright weird. I was in the midst of a bunch of groms who were paddling for everything. Eventually a half decent wave came through. I picked it up before the groms in a couple of strokes. It started to shape up a bit and I pumped down the line for more speed, the wave shaped up and developed a nice little pocket. Three big backhand snaps later I was halfway across the bay. When I paddled back out the groms were silenced jaws agape. Definitely the wave of the night. The board did everything I wanted to do with no resistance or tracking in any way.
Four months later I have ridden it at least 50 times from 1ft onshore beachies to head and a half reefs. It handles everything you can throw at it, even better it is totally forgiving in the way it surfs. You can pop up too far forward and still make the drop, when the waves get fat you can trim from the flat spot in the middle. It will do anything in terms of performance you want to do, I am certainly not capable of finding the limits of this board. Floaters, re-entries, off the lips, cutbacks it handles them all with absolute control. The first few re-entries were a little sketchy as I wasn’t keeping my back foot over the fins, But the nugget cured that bad habit very quickly.
I was initially sceptical about all the foam in these boards, but it actually helps you surf better and is no hinderance. It has taken 10 years off my surfing. Paddling is no longer ever an issue and the session is all about the manoeuvres. At my local I’m out paddling groms and longboarders! I was a little iffy about duck diving as I surf big onshore beach breaks all winter with wall after wall of white water. Well I needn’t have worried. The truth is, you get out the back faster because between the sets you can cover more ground. I do is what I call a bear dive! A duck dive followed by a bear hug. It works.
To sum it up, this board is magic I should really start a new rating because this board is completely off the scale. The best all around board I have ever ridden absolutely amazing. Open you mind and improve your surfing tenfold, buy a genuine Nugget if you can get one. I have a custom 6’2” stumpy model on the way shortly from Geoff.
Rating: 5/5 Outstanding far better than I could ever possibly explain in words.
