Tom Morey megaONE board

scottnorby · Wed Mar 07, 07 4:43 pm **Tom Morey megaONE board**

Just rode a new concept board from Tom Morey, the inventor of the bodyboard. Tom sold his patent on the bodyboard a few years ago and decided to open up a prototype shop in his garage.
I wanted a board that grips with no fins, and is leash friendly so I can stop chasing my surfboard all over the ocean. A short surfboard with bodyboard rails and a slick soft skin seemed like a great solution.
I got my first copy of the board from Tom back in November. I ordered one for Broadbandito too but my guess is he hasn't got to ride it yet?
I rode mine in flat water, and surfed it, but did not get to kite in waves with it until yesterday.

I rode it for the first time in small head high surf and it was amazingly fun. Looks like a toy or a 'beginner foam board' but it is FAR from that.
Flat and super fast. The foam is more buoyant than regular surfboard/wakeboard foam so it is super stable and high in the water....yet only 5 foot 6 long.
It floats better than my 6'4" wide fish surfboard and requires a LOT less pull from the kite. Turns super tight. Only has one fin because the tail is has bodyboard rails that hold and edge with an unbelievable grip. Bodyboarders get super deep barrels with no fins so the edge is obviously effective. I went straight upwind with little effort.
The board is soft but has an I- beam stringer so it is super stiff. But you can wear a leash with it since it is not dangerous.
Fin is an Ofish'l fin box and is removable ...it rides great without the fin too!

Broadbandito you are going to love this board for riding waves!
No more harness dings, fiberglass faceplants, or fins cracking off in the shallows.

Here are a couple of photos of the next version....a swallow tail fish with the same rails.

blancoh2o · Since 15 Mar 2005 1154 Posts Oregon Phishy

Have you talked about the use of straps? How did you ride it? With wax, deckpads, straps?
Do you think it will go to production soon?
This is a very different spin.....

scottnorby · Wed Mar 07, 07 8:14 pm

I have NSI skimpads on it so that I can use straps if necessary.
I have been riding it strapless.
But riding it with straps will probably be better. Flatter rocker is great for powering down the face fast, but straps will help to lift the board back up the face. Carving will be the same. It carves very well because of the flat bottom and high speed.
And surprisingly my feet stayed in one place almost the entire ride....unlike my fish which I tend to walk all over.
Tom is producing some now.
If you are ever in Seaside and want to try it let me know.

barfly · Since 31 Mar 2005 1216 Posts Portland BRACKISH

scottnorby · Thu Mar 08, 07 8:30 am

Good points.....and yes it would be tricky to stay IN the barrel on this board because it is flat and fast. But adding the single fin does slow it down a bit more. And I think it will be possible to stomp the tail like a bodyboarder lifts the nose of his board for a fat stall.
Bottom and top turns are GREAT....it has a I - beam stringer so it is as stiff as a glass board.

I think this board will be so fun in head high or below wind blown waves...making sections and carrying little weight in the kite will be fun. I am actually looking forward to the smaller mushy days.
And that is basically what we ride July to Sept.

I was looking at Josh Mulcoy's Stretch boards and they are similar in shape....minus the four fins for drag.

KITEADDICT · Since 13 Apr 2006 117 Posts PDX west side Stoked

When will they be avalable and how much are they?

scottnorby · Fri Mar 09, 07 8:34 am

Tom is making them special order now. You can choose 5'0 or 5'6 and with a variety of colors.
The Fish or the Sqash tail.
$485 and about $50 for shipping.
The price will probably go up later but he just wants some guys out riding them and sending him photos for media promotion etc.

NSI skimpads are the answer for inserts. But I have asked Tom to see if he can develop a way to put inserts in the boards in the future.

Also......The foam Tom uses to make the board is the same foam used in Automobile bumpers. It reforms after a big dent --and is uncrushable-- that foam has been tested for 30 years by the big auto guys.

Anyways....enough selling.
Just let me know if you are interested and I can talk to Tom to make a custom for you.

DrLightWind · Since 10 Mar 2007 1 Posts New Member

scottnorby · Sat Mar 10, 07 2:55 pm

I actually wanted this board for a low tide spot too.
It is very flat so it will ride anywhere a skimboard will ride if you take the fin off.

It is very light....I can't tell you the exact weight but it is comparable to an epoxy surfboard about 6 feet in length.

PM me if you want a custom so I can figure out the colors. Tom is going to take a few orders next next week.

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

I really like the idea of a soft deck but agree with others
that a hard bottom is more efficient.

I'd like to build a surfboard with a molded lightweight
flex-tuned pan for a bottom and then add thick foam
and a durable skin to the top. Do you think Tom would
be willing to colaborate such a project?

I'm not in it for the money. Just like tinkering.

-Hein

scottnorby · Mon Mar 12, 07 8:16 am

I will talk to Tom about that.....
But.....not sure if you noticed but the bottom is hard ?
I know that Tom has some very strong opinions about the slick plastic he uses. He states it is more efficient than fiberglass or epoxy.

I will ask him today and let you know.

scottnorby · Mon Mar 12, 07 9:53 am

I am getting way too much email.
Thanks but I think I need to direct everyone to Mr. Tom Morey himself.

You can reach Tom by email at starwaves1@cox.net

and/or call them by phone at 949-842-1328

Just rode the board again last night and I am even more stoked.
Rides good without the fin too! Edges WAY better than a skimboard and doesn't hurt when it smacks your shin.

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1314 Posts Possessed

"hard bottom" was a poor description on my part. I have some
understanding of the material Tom could be using. (I was an
engineer in the automotive industry and materials like that were
also popular on the construction equipment I designed.)

It is hard, tough and slippery (hydrophobic). Any idea of the durometer?

My concept would be to buiild a thin composite shell for the bottom of
the board that wraps up the rails a bit but maybe not extending
to the nose to keep it soft. This composite "pan" would serve as a
means to shape the bottom (concaves,etc) and a mounting for
the fins and also a means to precisely tune the flex. Something that
is much harder to do with thicker surfboard cores. The inner foam
that Tom uses would supply the voume and deck contour. That
would then be covered with a textured top sheet similar to what
he is using. No need to add additional pads or wax that way.

Tom is undoubtably a great engineer who is willing to try new things
and break away from the norm. I admire that and would encourage
anyone to buy one of his boards.

-Hein

scottnorby · Tue Mar 13, 07 2:08 pm

Hey Hein,
Did you call Tom?
You should visit his shop sometime. You would dig it.

scottnorby · Thu Apr 05, 07 11:18 am

Hein,
Here is more info on the material. Thought you may want to tech out on it.
Board is getting more fun, the more I ride it. It's a champ. I am ordering another one.
Only drawback? A bit too fast sometimes. Gotta get used to it.
It's always fun to ride something different.

Letter from Chuck Herpick who works with Tom:
> The foam is beaded polypropylene 1.9lb density. One common use for the foam is for automobile bumpers. The foam is uncrushable, it has 100% memory............... no pressure dings.
>
> The skin is a tough polyethelyne material with a polypropylene liner. The skin is heatwelded to the foam core and become one upon completion.
Rail colors Blue, Black, Red or Yellow.
Skin color White - Grey soon.

I am guessing they are pretty limited on colors since the material doesn't get used much in any Cool guy/fashion/Image driven industry like surfing?

scottnorby · Fri Apr 13, 07 9:42 am

Here is a vid clip of the board.
Rider : 175 lbs
Board : 5 foot board without the fin in.

The board glides like a longboard, at only 5 foot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmPMr4csgyM