INSIGHT INTO THE NEW NUGGET WITH
BRIAN FINCH
The Nugget is a sinker style wing board with a narrowed profile, early release tail, lowered volume design for high responsiveness and control in wave riding and aerial maneuvers.
My first rides on the Nugget went down during an FFB team trip, winging in La Ventana, Mexico, before the gold trim paint job and Nugget name were conceived. The prototype was a 4’7 and much narrower than my 4’7 Wingnut. My first session, in 22mph wind, I was immediately impressed with how quick the board gained plane speed, departed the water, and came up onto foil. I knew we had something good with this outline and bottom contour. Being a bit thinner and narrower, and center balanced, the board felt really controlled and maneuverable in the air. Everyone took a crack at the Nugget and compared notes.
One pumping afternoon I watched Kyle Maligro leave his wing on the beach and prone paddle the Nugget prototype into wind swell, pop right up, and carve a mile downwind into the bay. It was a clear testament to the wave riding finesse of the shape.
Kyle’s Feedback:
At 160lbs, the Nugget is super easy for me to get up and going. I love the shape of the board as it’s short and narrow, as far as wing boards are concerned, which equals maneuverability in waves which is my go-to. It is also very balanced when on foil. No weird swing weight and great for boosting!
The second round of testing the Nugget went down in Hood River, Oregon. With feedback gained from Mexico we made a few adjustments, Chris added some special sauce to the tail, a longer mounting track, some gold trim and FFB logos, and we were ready to ride again. The swells were so good on the Gorge, I got to do a lot of wave riding on the Nugget and just loved it. The board is super nimble, you can wrap full turns without catching a rail and it skips off the water well if you touch down.
The final test was riding the production board in the wild. I brought a 4’4 Nugget with me on vacation to Hawaii and scored some cranking days of solid wind and swell. In overhead swell, I really noticed how the narrow outline enhances responsiveness and lets you really lay the board over at a steep angle through carves which is especially handy on steeper waves. In the air it feels very light and balanced, the swing weight is very subtle so you can aim the board easily where you please. I could also feel the stiffness through the whole board with the new longer track and positioning. I would say the Nugget feels like riding a prone board that’s tailored for winging in good conditions. I’m really stoked how this board turned out and happy to have it in my quiver!
I hope you enjoy the Nugget as much as Kyle and I do!
