The original Malibu boards were too large and difficult to handle for lots of surfers so a smaller Mini Malibu board was designed. Over the years we have modernised this popular design a lot and it remains a favourite all-round, easy rider for a huge range of surfers.
The Minimal at a glance
SIZE RANGE: 7'.0'' to 8'.6''
TYPICAL DIMENSIONS: 7'.6''x 21 ½''x 3''
ROCKER: standard 3 part rocker
RAILS: mid
BOTTOM SHAPE: vee
IDEAL CONDITIONS: small to medium surf
BEST SUITED TO: BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE
The Design In Detail
The Minimal is surely best known for its stable and easy paddling and that is because it is not only wide in the middle but also it has a lovely wide nose template with soft forgiving rails.
Early entry into waves comes as standard then, although there is a slight payback, and that is that duckdiving is tougher but with good technique it is quite possible.
At the back it has a rounded squash tail with a 3 fin thruster set up, combined with hard rails. This means that when you surf from the tail you can enjoy shortboard style turns and manoeuvres.
The rockers are fairly low but there is a bit of tail kick to promote smoother turns and enough nose lift to prevent the board from pearling.
The vee bottom allows the board go rail to rail more easily and helps to flatten out choppy conditions.
Best Suited to…
Minimals firmly remain the best shape for beginner surfers because they are so stable and give you loads of room to develop your surfing. They are, however, a very practical solution for surfers of all abilities because they are such great, all-round, unfussy performers.
Minimal by Nicola Jemmet
Being a surfer of the 'fairer sex' meant it was important for me to find something lightweight, that would handle well, be forgiving as I started out, and allow me to continue developing as I improved my surfing. My Minimal from Gulf Stream allows me to do that to perfection. I couldn't quite believe the amount of waves I was able to catch on my new board, some how I had morphed into a good surfer over night! Popping up seemed to come naturally, the ride was smooth and my board easily controllable. I have no doubt that I have progressed faster on this board than I would have on any of the generic 'off the rack' boards.
The 'Gulf Stream experience' makes the board the whole package. I chose my own design and was kept informed at every stage. I got photos, updates and questions to make sure everything was exactly the way I wanted it. When I went to pick it up, it was. The guys at the factory were great, really friendly, and more importantly proud of what they created, which makes my board a pleasure to ride. The whole process is really inclusive, informed, and personalised, something much better than the 'norm'.
