Channel Islands Spine-Tek Fever Surfboard

Channel Islands shaper Mike Andrews has created this perfomance shortboard with input and feedback from Patrick Gudauskas. The goal was to create a board that can deliver Pat's favourite elements:- speed, drive and flair. The result is an easily accessible board that can be surfed in a wide variety of conditions from 2-3ft weak beachies right up to 6ft+ punchy waves, the likes of Snapper, J-Bay and Bell's. The Fever will fill the gap between your groveller right up to your step-up.

Here's what Pat says about the Fever:-

"The Fever stands for speed and drive.  For me, as a Channel Islands team rider of 16 years, I have ridden almost all the models that Al Merrick and CI Surfboards have designed and loved them all in their own individual ways.  Most recently, I had been searching for a board that could encompass all my favorite boards into one surfboard.  I wanted it to be easily accessible to find the sweet spot, and to keep me inspired to surf creatively in all conditions be it small onshore beach break, or perfect reeling point break 6 – 8 foot.  In the years leading up to the FEVER, I spent a lot of time on the world tour surfing really good waves.  I spent a lot of time surfing boards like the Rookie, The Proton, the T-low, and the MBM.  The thing that I realized, was that each board in it’s own way served a style or purpose to the waves I was riding.  The Proton felt amazing in hollow or powerful waves where the curve of the board suited the curve of the wave face, but when the wave went flat suddenly it felt like I was pushing water or loosing speed.  The Rookie/Rook15 felt great in Bells Beach style waves where there was open face for big arcs and turns, but for me struggled in punchy quick beach break style waves.  I was finding that in my quiver I had either a board that was one thing, or another, but not both. This is where the Fever was born, from a desire for an all-around performance board based on elements I love, speed, drive, and flair.  My goal in designing this board with Mike Andrews and Channel Islands was to create a board that you could surf in almost all conditions and have a hell of a good time on it.  I wanted a more accessible Tour Performance board that anyone who jumped onto it would instantly feel the speed and zest for creativity.  For the Design we lowered the rockers of my existing boards, added the hip on the tail to give it maximum speed, and maximum drive/control.  With the single concave, and simple outline, the Fever has become my favourite surfboard.  In my mind the Fever is a board of Speed, Flair, and Drive with a dependable sweet spot for paramount fun.  Enjoy!"

• Ideal Wave Type: Point breaks, reefs and beachbreaks - Weak/Mushy to Medium/Steep
• Wave Size: Best suited in waist high to head high and a half
• Approach: Vertical/Pocket to Powerful/Carving
• Skill Level: Suited for the Intermediate to Expert
• Foil/Rails: Medium
• Entry Rocker: Medium
• Exit Rocker: Medium
• Outline: Straight
• Fin Set Up: Thruster

Spine-Tek. A collaboration between Channel Islands Surfboards and Shapers Australia. Essentially it is a completely new, and world first of it's kind, stringer system. Based on the principles of elastic energy, Spine-Tek flexes under pressure, (loading up through turns) and returns back to it's normal rocker, providing surfboards with additional drive, speed, power and flow.

Weighing at just 1/4lb, and made from a fibreglass and resin composite, the virtually unbreakable Spine-Tek stringer is installed into the deck of the EPS foam core, and then layered over with E-Glass and Entropy Super Sap Epoxy, (Ecoboard Certified).

The main focus of the Spine-Tek is flex, with the ability to return to it's original shape. This really is a method of converting stored/potential energy into kinetic energy. When you put more weight onto your foot into a turn, the spine will flex.. ie. load up more than a traditional stringer.. When your force decreases through the turn, the potential energy is then converted to kinetic energy as the spine springs back to it's original shape (rocker), thus increasing power, speed drive and flow.

Fins not included, but you can buy a thruster set for just £25 here