Christenson, Machado, Webber. Mid-Length comparison. Twins and Quads.

I’m currently trying to build this channel so I can offer a lot more surf videos with plenty of new information on boards, fins, surf-spots…even wax!!! So if you enjoy the content please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. Cheers
(Note: the Nautilus that's reviewed is 7'0 NOT 7'4 as it says in the video. Sorry)
Over the last couple of years I've ridden a lot of mid-lengths and been asked a lot of questions about how different models go so I decided to do a video that compares all.
I'm not sponsored by any brand, no free boards, and all my opinions are based on first-hand experience of actually surfing each of the boards. Hopefully the information helps to steer you in the right direction for your next board purchase. Dimensions for each board are in the video. Cheers.
(Thanks to Adam Smith for filming and Henry Bevan for the board loan)
The boards reviewed and the times are here:
0:00 Intro
01:52 Will Webber Dugong 7'2 Quad
04:32 Christenson Long Phish 6'10 Twin
07:51 Christenson Twin Tracker 7'6 Twin
10:42 Christenson Long Phish 7'4 Twin
14:19 Machado Seaside & Beyond 7'4 Quad
17:07 Christenson Nautilus 7'0 Quad
20:42 Summation/Outro
www.willwebbersurfboards.com/dugong
Further videos on all models discussed:
Christenson Long Phish 6'10 Twin
• Christenson 6'10 Long ...
• ULUWATU - Photo collag...
Christenson Long Phish 7'4 Twin
• Christenson Long Phish...
Machado Seaside & Beyond 7'4 Quad
• Machado Seaside & Beyo...
Christenson Nautilus 7'0 Quad
• Christenson Nautilus 7...
Christenson Nautilus 6'0 and 6'6 Twin
• Christenson Twin Fins ...

[@maynardlim9438]

Thanks Simon for the rundown on the boards. Great resource!

[@simongibson1223]

No worries. I have a few new ones and sold some others...I'll make a new video soon with some more. Cheers

[@maynardlim9438]

Looking forward to it! Enjoy watching you shred those lefts on the long fishies! 🍻

[@jeffgc5886]

Cheers man, this vid helped me... Just got a CC L-Phish stoked

[@simongibson1223]

Great to hear. They really are great boards...I still ride one of mine pretty much every day. Cheers

[@ryanmpacheco]

Loved this overview! Back injury has got me in a similar spot and looking to get off my longboard on bigger days. Definitely considering the long phish.

[@marvinsmall5002]

Thank you. You just helped me with my research. 😀👍

[@JBOsurf]

Rode my 6'6 nautilus twice this week. Excellent board. It's a quad version but I have been running christenson twin keels in it. Nice and loose! Intrigued by the Long Phish. I suspect the twin tracker would be better around 6'6 or 6'8 and I have feedback from a mate that this is the case. Thanks very much for the video. Excellent work!

[@79pejeperro]

I have a 6'6 20 3/4 2 5/8 Nautilus quad a a 6'6 20 1/2 2 9/16 thruster. I was very pleased and amazed by the thruster

[@r4mone]

Thanks mate, trying to find a mid length right now and have been leaning towards the long phish

[@simongibson1223]

Good stuff. I've been riding my old 6'10 everyday this week, always makes me happy. Cheers

[@runningoffinstinct]

Very helpful thanks a lot for putting this together

[@jeffthomas3670]

Great review thanks. I have a 7.0 seaside and beyond. I recently swapped the machado keel quads for a standard type of quad fin set and the board goes way better. Lost a wee bit of drive but way less catchy and turns better. Have a go. Cheers

[@simongibson1223]

Great stuff Jeff. Yes, I'll try that fin idea. I'd love the 7'0. I'll get one someday soon I reckon. Cheers.

[@tonywatermann4281]

Rippa review mate. I have the Twin Tracker 7'6, originally had the 7'2 but the 7'6 is way better. Tell your mate to stick a set of Torryn Martyn Need Essentials keels in her. The boxes on the Twin Tracker are set quite forward compared to the fish boards, and having the thumb tail which does not give as much drive means that the fins and the rail need to do the work. The TM fins have the second biggest surface area in a keel that I could find, they also have a longer base and are taller and hence bite better than others. The only bigger fin I could find was the Vouch glide keel, but that looked too big. Long story short, the longer keel puts more fin towards the tail and really gives way more drive, but is still a great pivot for tight turns when you want it. For $100 they will transform the board from ok to amazing. I also had a 7'0 SSB, loved the look, loved the volume and construction in LFT. But it didn't work for me in steeper waves, his rails at the front kept catching and are not as refined as Christenson designs. Found myself weighting on the back foot to compensate and not bog the rail only to have it stall and loose drive. Didn't really have a very big or forgiving sweet spot in her. Very fast and responsive but fickle for me. My mate got the 7'4 in Timbertek and that is a completely different board that does not seem to suffer the same issues my 7'0 was giving me. Anyway keep the reviews coming and the videos man. Good stuff.

[@simongibson1223]

Really interesting stuff there. I'll mention this to my mate. It really improved his surfing quite quickly as it is. I've had a couple of people mention the same thing about the Ssb rails at the front grabbing and went back and watched my vid on it and could see it almost happening. Interesting. I'm guessing it's a combination of shape and extra float from the epoxy. Cheers

[@tonywatermann4281]

@@simongibson1223 yeah the widest point on the SSB is way forward which is what I think was the issue. It's also got a skinny and thin tail when compared to the Christenson fish, which is why when you weight too heavily on the back foot it sinks quickly and bogs. But the guy I sold mine to loves it even though he has similar rail catching issues.

[@Mrgiveupufail]

Quality content > fancy camera's

[@warmachine1770]

I have a 7’10” Bing Collector,so much fun.

[@tideride4183]

“Lost in the option forest “ Never to be seen again

[@terenceingram7786]

That was very helpful. Want a mod to replace a Longboard. Bought the Longboard for small days and when I am too tired or back is too sore. But it's not for me. I still want to turn the board easily and hit the lip. Sounds like Seaside and Beyond or the Long Phish around 6'8/6'10 would be the go. Would be interested if you ever get to ride the Machado Sunday and the Chilli Mid Strength for a comparison.

[@simongibson1223]

I think you'd love the seaside & beyond. All round fun with very few negatives, if any. Just a bit hard to find in some places.

[@paintingsofwaves_mikewoning]

Great, honest vid! Thanks for sharing. I feel my next board will be a mid-length for grovelling and for our N Europe winterdays when too much paddle power is lost due to too thick neoprene everywhere (at least for my 50 yo carcass). Those winter days can be pretty punchy and choppy beach breaks though, so not sure about a big fish (I think you mentinoed that they are affected by chop easily?). BTW, I would be soooo interested to see how you like the Mother of the Earth Massive. That board is a looker!

[@simongibson1223]

Thanks. I think the long phish is fine in chop you just need to get the feel of it. Plenty of paddle power. I had a Morning of the Earth on order and then Covid hit. It was in Australia and I wasn't and all shipping stopped. It got made but had to be sold in Aus :( It was a 6'10 Fiji. a shame. Cheers.

[@maynardlim9438]

Great review!

[@simongibson1223]

Cheers. Thanks for the positive feedback.

[@simongibson1223]

Favourite all-rounder is probably the 6 10 long phish. Liked the Nautilus a lot too. Recently got a 6'6 long phish, really liking at moment. They are all great boards, just need to adapt to what each does well. Cheers.

[@doralivesmatters3450]

Thanks for the great reviews Gibbo. I’ve been riding mids a few years now and have pretty much the same board background as you although im not as good a surfer. Couple of things; mate I wouldn’t be as quick to dismiss the CI Mid. I know it’s the Hypto of mids with it’s popularity but I must say IMHO it deserves the hype. After some experimenting I landed on a 6”6 which is the smallest stock dims and I love it as a daily driver. Especially in the fatter stuff it’s fast, loose and a great wave catcher. As w the Machado which I also like, its eggier and catches a rail when it gets stickier. Felt like a rocket though when coming from a Vouch mid-vish at 6’6 which looks way better than it rides for mine. Also love the McTavish Rincon which I have as a 7”6. Def not a performance mid but a solid glider that’s great in most conditions. Like a longboard sans Zimmer frame. Keep up the great reviews. Ol’ mate Thommo

[@simongibson1223]

Cheers mate. Yes, I think I need to give the CI Mid another go. I'm not really that knowledgeable on 2 + 1 set ups and have a feeling the middle fin I used was too big. I will investigate further.

[@doralivesmatters3450]

@@simongibson1223 yep the CI fins work well

[@latheghost]

thanks for posting this! It was super useful. I'm old and broken and out of shape. I typically ride short classic fishes, and I'm looking to get something... I dunno, to cheat basically. Something to just get me in the water and catching waves. It's no fun splashing around on a board that's too small and not catching anything. And I refuse to ride a longboard, and just aren't interested in singles. I'd love to try any of these boards, but finding any of them locally (Northern CA usa) is nearly impossible...

[@simongibson1223]

Hey there, cheers for that. I reckon if you talk to a local shaper about what you want and use the dimensions listed in the video as a starting point, you should be able to come up with something cool. The fact you already ride fishes means you would probably love something like the 6'10. Just gotta be careful to keep the rails refined, definitely don't want boxy. Better to hide the volume through the middle. I reckon you'll be out there loving life again in no time. I call my 6'10 the fountain of youth! ha Cheers

[@BangTaoBeach]

Great video. I owned a Christenson Flat Tracker when I lived in Cardiff by the Sea. Christenson surfboards have the best glassing and are glassed by Moonlight Glassing. Moonlight is a North County San Diego company and have been around since the early 70's. How old are you? I'm 67 and the hips and knees keep getting worse. As a result I have to ride 9.0 and up. My pop up sux because I need a hip replacement and knee surgery.

[@simongibson1223]

Cheers. I'm 54. Had plenty of lower back issues when younger but feel pretty good at the moment.

[@craigsteven5343]

Long fish looks great in these waves.. how does it go it average to good nsw beach breaks? Also what’s your height and weight?

[@dcxxx6850]

Very helpful .. thank you!

[@skeres01]

Thanks for so clearly articulating the differences. I've been looking at the Machado and saw we are basically the same height and weight (179cm 81kg) so I'm definitely going for the 7'0 after seeing this. This is my first mid length board so I'm looking forward to trying a different style of riding. Would you ever try the Machado with big twins like the Mark Richards FCS2 twin fins? or stick with the Machado quads?

[@simongibson1223]

Hey there, thanks. I'm not a massive fan of riding quads as twinnys only because it feels to me like the front boxes are a touch too far forward for a twin. But..it might work, I just don't have the fins to try. Also, I really liked how it felt as a quad, and using the fins designed for the board seems right to me. They are really nicely designed fins. Hope that all helps. Cheers

[@skeres01]

@@simongibson1223 Thanks mate. I'll try it with my Stretch Quads until I get my hands on some Machado quads then. Thanks for getting back to me and thanks again for the review.

[@martinbarrett7863]

Great video. I ride a 6'11" long phish, 5'8" chris fish, and plenty of others, but these are my favourites. Any chance of an update on how you find the 6'6" long phish? Thanks.

[@simongibson1223]

Hey Martin, I'm actually away (longer than expected due to Covid) and don't have the 6'6 with me (wish I did but only brought the 6'10). I'll give you an update in a few weeks as I only rode it once. it felt great but need I more time to know it properly. Cheers.

[@martinbarrett7863]

@@simongibson1223 thanks, it might save me a few failed board experiments!

[@simongibson1223]

@@martinbarrett7863 hey there, quick update, the 6'6 is going unreal. I love it. Fast and loose but still has drive. It's a fair bit more user-friendly than the 6'10. Paddles really well and easy to duck-dive. I'm really impressed. Cheers.

[@martinbarrett7863]

@@simongibson1223 much appreciated! Looks like it's an easy choice for my next board!

[@georgemichalakis6673]

Nice review! I need your advice, i ride only thrusters and i want to get a mid lentgh that turns easy like a shortboard. From waist high beachbreaks until overhead point breaks. I am between the long phish and the nautilus. Which one do you think is closer to what i need? Thanks a lot mate!!!

[@simongibson1223]

The nautilus quad I think. It's much closer to a thruster feel but more drive. The long phish is my favourite but it takes a while to get used to. And surfs pretty old school. The nautilus is not huge volume so go a 6'10 or 7'0. They're pretty easy to surf. More rocker than the long phish so can handle most conditions. Hope that helps. Cheers.

[@georgemichalakis6673]

@@simongibson1223 thanks a lot for the response! In general that’s the one I wanted, just looks better in my eye. I am 85 kilos 180cm. Do you think the 6.10 is gonna be enough for the smaller days?

[@simongibson1223]

@@georgemichalakis6673 tbh it's a better board in good waves. I have the 6'10 but kinda preferred my mate's 7'0. They don't surf "long" if that makes sense. There's a video somewhere I made on the 7'0 on KZbin. It's a dark blue board. Have a look and see if it looks like the vibe.

[@simongibson1223]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKileHhpl6idic0

[@georgemichalakis6673]

@@simongibson1223 Thanks a lot!

[@russellsmith3483]

Love my 6,10 long phish and 6,8 nautilus Cant decide which one l like best As you said , ride the nautilus when it’s 3 to 4 foot plus

[@simongibson1223]

They are both very good boards and I think they have actually improved my surfing significantly. Your quiver is the perfect combo.

[@vanislandsurf]

@@simongibson1223 This video is perfect as I am getting up there in age and weight and am planning on making some longer board based off the twin pfish and the nautilus. On the Twin Phish can you estimate the toe-in they use on the twin fins? are they set straighter like a twin fin for drive or toed in more like the front fins on a thruster for pivot? And on the nautilus it looked like a vee in the back half or two thirds of the board with maybe a double concave set inside the two vee panels on either side of the stringer. and I heard that maybe the front is like a rolled vee bottom. Would this be accurate?

[@simongibson1223]

@@vanislandsurf Hey there. I'm not an expert on the shaping stuff but re: the fins on phish, they seem to be straighter like a normal twin for drive. Re: the Nautilus, my mate has taken that away so I can't check but am pretty sure it was a double concave but not massive. The rolled front sounds about right. Worth noting is all the bottom curves on that board were subtle. It surfed really well and easily. Cheers.

[@Kyntai]

Thanks for the video. Here on the east coast of Jax Bch, Florida most of our bigger days (4-6 ft east coast--shoulder / to head) are quite choppy / short period, 8-9 sec swell. I ride a 7"6" local shaped "Mini-Mal" board w/ a single fin that is excellent on clean days. However it's frustrating to ride on the choppy days I've described. Any suggestions on boards / setups for the choppy surf? Thanks.

[@simongibson1223]

Hey Kevin, I've not surfed east coast in US but from what you've described I'm guessing the single fin 7'6 feels a bit slow and lifeless on the choppy days. Personally I like twin fins more than singles as I feel less drag, but of course there are are other factors (rocker, volume etc) and it's a personal choice. I'm thinking something along the lines of the 7'6 Twin Tracker in the video might be worth investigating. I surf a lot of windy days here and it worked quite well (sorry there is no vid of that particular board). Other option might be a Long Phish around 6'10 or 7 foot mark. Takes some getting used to but very fast and a very fun board to ride. Hope that helps. Cheers

[@Kyntai]

@@simongibson1223 Hey Simon thanks for the reply. I will look into alternate fin setups / and the 7'6" Twin Tracker. The problem w/ our choppy / short period days is that it forces you into very steep takeoffs on the larger sets on the outside (my typical position) and often a loss of control. Controlling the speed on the takeoff is the problem. I'm on a quest to find the best mid-length to handle these days. Cheers in return!

[@simongibson1223]

@@Kyntai Ah OK, gotcha. Well maybe the Machado SS&B with quads, around 7'4 or 7'0. It has a bit more rocker through the nose. I've ridden mine in some pretty steep, quick take-off surf, it handled pretty well. They are an easy board to surf. Cheers.

[@gregoryrussell9235]

Curved fins were called torbo fins many moons ago in Torquay ok

[@cosmoganic]

Hi Simon, have you ever tried your seaside & beyond as a twin? I have heard that they work great as a twinny..

[@simongibson1223]

Haven't tried as yet but just got a bigger set of keels so will give it a test run shortly. TBH been really windy lately so haven't been riding any epoxys recently. Thanks for suggestion. Cheers.

[@cosmoganic]

​@@simongibson1223 Yeah do let me know how you find it, I have a 6'10 timbertek that I should receive in a couple of weeks & will definitely try it with the machado (go fish) keels, I see the fin boxes are quite far forward compared to the CC Phish so I wonder how it will feel. Apparently the CI Keel is a good choice too.

[@underwoodmods5507]

Thanks for taking the time, very helpful info. I am also in the above 50 age bracket and considering adding a mid length to the quiver with my eye on the 6' 10" Long Phish.. my main question is how do you go with duck diving the 6' 10 when the waves are head high and larger? or do you use a different technique to get out the back? Cheers

[@simongibson1223]

Thanks. The 6 10 is pretty easy to duck dive. I just use my knee like I always have. I've ridden it on some solid days and it was fine. The benefits of the board far outweigh the slightly more effort needed to dd. Cheers

[@underwoodmods5507]

@@simongibson1223 Glad to hear it, thanks!

[@mitchpearce8540]

Great review. Just a random question. What are the diagonal bit on you board racks for? Cheers from Sanur!

[@simongibson1223]

Hey there Mitch, the diagonal bit is just an extra board rack so I can store two on there not just one on top. They are easy to get made. Cost about 900 000 IRP

[@santiagorides]

Great video! Thanks

[@vantvu]

Super useful! Which one is the best for turns? Sounds like the machado? While the long phish is fun for the pure speed?

[@simongibson1223]

Yes, what you said is spot on. The Nautilus is somewhere in between the two.

[@goncalogoncalves7526]

Hi Simon I'm between the long phish 7'0 and the Machado in 7'0. I'm a beginner looking for a board that lets me get in the wave soon, and initiate in some turns. Do you think the Long Phish would be to unstable because of it being a twin fin? What would you recommend? I'm about your size Thanks

[@hirschmo2]

as a beginner it all doesn't matter really, except the size which will be good at 7 ft. I would go for a thruster cause twins are really not for beginners imo. You can pick up any old board at a second hand store and you'll have fun...

[@arrzfr]

I see you're barely ever shuffling your feet on these boards despite them being quite long. Ever tried a thick, stubby board that reacts better to your weight distribution changes without needing to move your feet around? The 6' Seaside comes in at almost 45L, that seems to be your ballpark?

[@simongibson1223]

Hey, thanks for the idea. Yep I'll definitely try one when I get the chance, they look really good. I used to ride short boards similar to that but the main reason I went longer was a lot of lower back issues. I also do enjoy the extra rail length. I'm going to start riding a 6'6 long phish and see how the back feels as a first step. The Machado boards are very nice, I'm definitely a fan. Cheers.

[@ajacks8894]

Is there a video of your buddy riding that nautilus at Ulu's?

[@simongibson1223]

Hey there. Yep, it's here but I don't think there are any waves on the longer one (6'6) most good ones are Charlie (the natural foot) on the yellow 6'0 Nautilus twin. I've ridden my 6'10 Nautilus quad at Ulus and it goes unreal. Cheers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4m4koWoqdemb68

[@johnnymartin3846]

I struggled to turn the long fish just got a js big baron like night and day

[@simongibson1223]

Yes, understand, the Long Phish is an acquired taste and some people definitely don't like them. My brother has the Big Baron and says it's great. I haven't had a chance to try one yet. Stoked you enjoy it. Cheers.

[@dudeleboski2692]

Were some of these lefts filmed in Balian?

[@simongibson1223]

Hey there, not Balian although I've surfed the long phish and the SS&B there, both went really well. These clips are all around Canggu.

[@hikaruphillips3856]

Thanks so much for an excellent comparo! Apples - apples, what's the biggest difference you notice in quads vs twinnies? I've just picked up my first short twin (loving the speed, looseness and flow) and contemplating something like the 6' 6" Long Phish. Have a 6" quad Nautilus and trying to avoid too much overlap in the quiver. Thanks again!

[@simongibson1223]

Cheers Hikaru. In general for fish-type twinnys with keels I find them to be faster than most quads, with more drive but not quite as loose. My 6'6 long phish is very fast and loose, feels like a short board. If you're going a long phish and already have the 6' Nautilus I'd think about the 6'10 Long Phish, just for something very different. They take a few surfs to get the hang of but they are very good in even sub-standard waves. Good luck!

[@JordanSubido]

I have 7’6 Seaside and Beyond. i use for 0.5 to 1 ft to 2-3ft.. i tried it on a big 4-5ft day, it’s okay but no 😂

[@simongibson1223]

Yep, I generally use mine on smaller days, a lot of fun. But have ridden on a couple of bigger days. Still enjoyable but yes, not my first choice. Cheers

[@boltup5566]

Maybe I missed it. How much do you weigh?

[@simongibson1223]

Hey, about 80 kg. 179 cm

[@calesvideos]

Great review! How’s the new 6’6 going for you? Comparison to the 6’10?

[@simongibson1223]

Thanks. The 6'6 is much more like a short board. Looser but still has the long rail and with the keels still has the drive. Better than the 6'10 for punchy beach/reef breaks. My brother surfs his at Bondi and reckons it's great. If you want a mid-length, something for full long point breaks etc. I'd go 6'10, if you want some extra paddle power/speed/drive but still want a short-board feel, the 6'6. I hope that helps. Cheers.

[@rcgrosa]

Excellent review. You are talking about Long Phish 6.6 vs 6.10? Thank's

[@simongibson1223]

@@rcgrosa yes, in reply to question above. Cheers

[@onshore1ft]

5:49 😆

[@travisbower3856]

What is your height? weight?

[@simongibson1223]

Hey Travis, about 178 cm. Approx 80 kg. Cheers

[@brantrichardson1949]

Kris-ten-son, not christian-son