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The original Dominator was considered a groveler, and was one of the first quads Dan shaped and rode. The Dominator II is the sequel to the Dominator, which was released in 2008. In terms of performance, the nuances of the vee out the tail and where the fins are located has been conducive to groveling in bad waves, but it’s still good in punchy waves. Shapers are always trying to find a way to make high-performance boards work in junk waves, and to make grovelers still hold in good waves-and the Dominator II is the happy medium between the two.
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One of the advantages that Dan Mann sees in his Dominator II is the wide range of surfers and waves that it works for. The trick for Firewire’s shapers has been to learn to shape the materials that Firewire uses, and discover new possibilities that are created by this unique building process.
#Quad airshot on an ubered thing skin
With normal PU boards, the blank provides some of the structural integrity, whereas sandwich construction allows you to building layers of strength with different skin layers, balsa rails, etc. In short, sandwich construction lets Firewire use a super light weight, less dense, one-pound EPS blank without sacrificing strength. This provides a wide array of construction options that can be refined to create both strength and performance. The construction process allows you to use less resin and also tweak the different layers of the board, so you can add harder layers on the outside, create flex in the middle, use resin as a bonding agent rather than a structural agent, etc. The other benefit of sandwich construction is that you can make a really strong board really light. You can tweak flexibility, strength, the feel of the board, how it responds, etc. Shapers have refined their designs to the nth degree, but now that you can open up materials with sandwich construction, you can tweak layers and weight and other things that might normally be difficult to account for. It turns boards into something like a set of Legos, in that you can build the board how you want. Sandwich construction is at the core of Firewire boards. In 2006, when he went to Australia, a bunch of guys were doing sandwich construction boards there, and that was an eye-opener for him-especially once they were able to use balsa rails. He is especially excited about the sandwich construction, which is something Dan Mann first heard about in 2003, in the context of windsurfing boards. Kevin tried one of Kelly Slater’s Dominator II's awhile back, and is now genuinely stoked on the board. Kevin Schultz has been ripping on the Dominator II, which has been a pleasant surprise for shaper Dan Mann.
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Feel free to check out the podcast, or read on for a summary of the highlights from his conversation. Shaper Dan Mann recently sat down with The Wire podcast to talk about Firewire sandwich construction and his new Dominator II shape. The Dominator II with Dan Mann “The Wire” Podcast Summary I hope that you all had a great Christmas with your families, and that the gifts you exchanged are memorable ones that you can cherish for years to remember good times with those you love! I thought that was a really cool gift, as it not only shared part of the Ryukyu artwork and culture with me, but also served as a reminder of my time growing up in Okinawa. It has my name and the word “Okinawa” etched into the front, along with a traditional design. This year, my cousin sent me an engraved cup made of Ryukyu glass-a beautiful blue mug with a clear handle. Ryukyu glass is now registered as one of the traditional crafts of Japan. Today, Ryukyu glass is renowned around the world, and comes in a number of different, striking colors, including deep blue, vibrant pink, and an entire rainbow of other options. The Ryukyu area is also known for its exemplary glasswork, created by local artisans who developed their world-class talent by working with discarded Coca-Cola bottles. Okinawa is part of the Ryukyu Archipelago, a chain of islands in southern Japan that include Yanaguni, the home of a mysterious underwater monument. There was actually a Coca-Cola bottling company there, as many US companies were taking advantage of the tax breaks that were available from basing business in occupied areas. When I was growing up in Okinawa, it was a US-occupied area with a heavy military and US presence. Christmas Gifts and the Tradition of Ryukyu Glass