Persimmon

San Diego summers hand you a lot of average days; knee-high, wind-chopped, closed out by ten. Most shortboards want nothing to do with that kind of surf, and mine sat at home while I paddled out on something else. I built the Persimmon to fix that. The name is doing two jobs: it's a nod to first, the classic Mini Simmons this board is inspired by, and second, to the fruit; small, easy to overlook, but a lot sweeter than it looks. Small wave, small board, more fun than it has any right to produce.

It's my modernized take on a Mini Simmons: short, wide, and stubby, built to plane and turn in surf that most boards ignore. The rocker runs low and flat through the entry to get it planing fast with minimal paddling, with just enough kick worked into the tail to keep it from washing out once a wave stands up. A single concave runs under the chest for lift and drive, blending into a healthy dose of vee through the tail that lets the board tip rail to rail easily. Rails are slight down-rails, kept boxy and forgiving; enough edge to hold a line, enough volume to stay easy underfoot. It comes standard as a quad.

The width and volume mean beginners and intermediates can paddle it early, catch things other boards won't, and feel steady standing up. But it's certainly not relegated to novices. The flat rocker and concave keep it fast in marginal surf, so intermediate and advanced surfers can squeak everything out of their surfing when the waves are barely offering anything to work with. It's tuned for knee-high to shoulder-high days: the width and flat entry rocker get it planing early with minimal paddling, the concave keeps speed up through the dead spots, and the vee in the tail lets you break the rail loose and pivot without stalling. It is also a great tool for sharpening your rail game and you will likely find yourself starting to surf your other boards better after spending time with this one.