Aipa Big Boy Sting - Fusion HD - Futures - 5 Fin

The Big Boy Sting is designed for the big boys and girls who want to maximize power without giving up manoeuvrability. Proven to perform by Ben Aipa on the south shore of Oahu, The Big Boy Sting was designed by Ben in the late ‘90s and underwent heavy testing through the ‘2000s.

After minor refinements and hundreds of boards built, the Big Boy Sting is now considered the most iconic Aipa design. Thickness where it counts and tapered rails combined with a pulled-in nose and tail allow the Big Boy Sting to turn tight and fast in the pocket. The Big Boy Sting is no puffed-up old guy board; instead, it is a high-performance power surfer’s precision weapon with extra bulk added only where it is needed.

We’ve added a swallow tail for extra control when stomping on the tail through powerful sections and decreased drag when driving off the bottom. To ensure the board works in multiple conditions, we’ve included a 4+1 fin setup. Riders can go with a quad fin setup when they need to skate across flat sections or a 2 + 1 when they need extra control in powerful waves.

For the first time, the Big Boy Sting is now available in Surftech’s Fusion HD construction. A lightweight, durable epoxy build that adds extra liveliness to an already energetic design.

Construction - Fusion HD

Surftech’s version of a standard EPS and epoxy surfboard construction. A closed-cell EPS core containing a wood stringer is layered with E-glass and biax glass for a lightweight performance board with a lively feel. All Fusion HD boards are hand-finished.

• FUSED CELL EPS CORE // Closed-cell EPS core provides more response + flotation
• CLEAR HD-EPOXY RESIN // Epoxy resin system with high thermo-mechanical performances
• HIGH-QUALITY E-GLASS FIBERGLASS // E-glass has the highest strength-to-weight ratio available
• FULL BIAX DECK PATCH (45° / -45°) // The Biax fiberglass distributes power + protects from dings
• WOOD STRINGER // Distributes power + adds pop + adds break strength
• FCS II FIN BOXES // Takes just seconds to insert and remove the fins
• HAND-FINISHED // Machine-shaped, hand-laminated and hand-finished

Fin(s) included: None
Fin box setup 6'0 - 6'4 - 6'8 -> 5 Fin Setup
Fin box setup 7'0 - 7'4 - 7'8 - 8'0 - 8'4 -> 4 + 1 Fin Setup

A Legacy of Aloha

Ben Aipa has made a most significant mark in the world of surfing: making the board that fellow Hawaiian Fred Hemmings used to win the World Championship in 1968 and founded his own brand Aipa Surfboards in 1970. Ben invented the doubled-edged swallowtail design in 1972 and followed this with the split-tail design in 1974. Moreover, Ben has served as an informal coach and trainer to such top surfers as Michael Ho, Larry Bertleman, Mark Liddell, Sunny Garcia, Brad Gerlach, and Kalani Robb.

Ben Aipa continued to enter and compete in various surfing contests: He won the Grandmasters division of the 1989 United States Surfing Championship and the Legends division of the 2000 U.S. Championships. Inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame in 1992, Ben was named one of the Top Ten Shapers of All-Time by Surfing magazine in 2004. Now spearheaded by sons Duke and Akila, Ben's legacy continues with fresh shapes and ideas from the minds of his talented children.

"I was never watching what other board builders were doing...I was watching the surfers and the natural world around me. Their movements showed me what was missing...I was always looking for the next wave, the next move." – Ben Aipa