WHAT'S ANDO ON

'Elusive and exclusive' - a definition that best sums up Ando. And who are we to judge a guy who consistently maintains a low profile, only to stun audiences globally releasing a barrage of visual delights and clips into the media landscape, all at a moments notice!?!

Craig is a connoisseur of craft in all forms of moving-water landscapes, so its no surprise hes recently been voted as the readers top 5 favourite riders in Stabs 2020 Reader Survey. 

Since his inclination for riding an assortment of apparatus is forever-changing and adapting; shaping boards for Ando is never arduous or languid - but moreso a highly-satisfying process from start to finish. Conception to completion. From the workshop to the ocean.

After a solid stint in South Australia chasing slabs this past winter, we know Craig has a strong affinity towards our new COHORT I; a high performance shortboard with upcycled FutureFlex heel and toe tail patches made from production waste. But testing out an experimental midlength last summer - concepted between both Hayden and Craig after a January flat spell - has led to some of his funnest sessions thus far...

video: @jack_firestoner

video: @nathan__henshaw

photo: Ando (left to right: Cannon, Glider, Cohort I, White Noiz, Raven)

So, without further ado - we present what boards Craig is currently riding, with a breakdown from Hayden on the dimensions of each:

1. Cohort I: 5’7 x 18 ⅝ x 2 3/16 - 24.2L

The Cohort I carries more centerline volume than any other shortboard in our lineup. To balance this, the deck has more roll which Craig really feels familiar with because the Hypto has a similar thing. Riding it a little shorter it feels more skatey and lively under foot for those average conditions we all get to ride. View Cohort I

2. Raven: 5’7.5 x 18 ⅝ x 2 3/16 - 24.4L

Being Dion’s model, this board is very different to what Craig would normally like. To customise it to suit, I have added more vee out the tail to mimic what I do with his White Noiz. Being a swallow tail this shape is more designed to carve aggressively on the open face and hold that speed and line once set. When it releases it really lets loose. View The Raven

3. Mid Length Glider: 8’1 x 21 ½ x 3 - 61.7L

This style of shape was a request from Craig earlier in 2020 to surf in average waves at home, as well as on some bigger days. It is a really great paddler and will catch almost anything. It has a flatter rocker. Glider Coming Soon

4. Hypto Krypto: 5’4” x 19 ½ x 2 ⅜ - 27.4L

The key to sizing up the best combination of specs for the Hypto Krypto is to ride the board 4-5” shorter than your height and getting the right thickness to ride it about 10% more in volume than your performance shortboard. Craig’s favourite thickness in the Hypto is 2 ⅜” which lands him in at 27.4L. View Hypto Krypto

5. Psychedelic Germ: 5’6 x 18 ¾ x 2 3/16 - 23.8L

Being Craig’s all time favorite shorty (although it looks very different to a trad. shortboard), I have best success with Craig on this model where the rail volume in the center is a little more full than his White Noiz. I would normally add an extra 0.5mm or 1/32” in the center volume to adjust that thickness under foot. With the side cut being in between the stance, you feel it early on in a bottom turn so having a little extra volume under your front foot really helps. View Psychedelic Germ

6. Cannon Diamond: 5’10 x 19 ¾ x 2 3/4 - 33.56L

Craig 5'10 is his all round single fin. It has a large amount of forward volume at 2 3/4 thick but to help hang on to that volume we run the double concave deckline to lower the rail from the midpoint to the tail, keeping it pinched and super refined. View Cannon

7. White Noiz V2: 5’7 1/2 x 18 9/16 x 2 3/16 - 24.32L

When shaping Craig’s White Noiz models, I refine in on the curvature of the rocker out the tail. Ever since he was a young grom, Ando has always enjoyed riding boards with a continuous flip of rocker out the tail. The design of the White Noiz rocker is to have a continuous but transitioning rocker and ensuring that the flip out the tail is quite aggressive. This softens the feeling of the board making it feel flowing and easy. View White Noiz V2

image: @nathan__henshaw