Cover photo: Johannes Bock - Note submitted by Milano Surfboards

One of the heaviest waves in the world, like El Gringo, cannot be surfed on just any board, and much less mastered. In reality, no one masters this beast, quite the opposite, but there are those who manage to get more out of it than others, and to do so, a specific board is key.

In the following paragraphs, Darío Milano's shaper provides details of a model that has worked for him, Flopos, and which he created after Tomás Tudela's victory at the 2017 event.

This is how he describes the main features:

General format

A board for El Gringo needs to have a very good entry into the wave when paddling, that is why we work on the foil part, the thickness of the board. From the middle forward, it needs to have volume so that it can go down and enter easily.

And from the middle back, make sure it is thin so that it has a good grip on the wave, so that it sticks well to the tube.

Tails

The important thing is that it is a round pin or a swallow, in many cases a small swallow or pin tail so that it grips well.

Rocker

The rocker of the board has to be more pronounced from the middle forward, so that the board does not dig into the bottoms or the bowl of the wave. From the middle back there should be little rocker so that the board is pushed when exiting the tube with a lot of speed and stability.

If there was too much rocker in the back, the board would move a lot and generate instability.

Very concave

Lots of concave, full concave so that it is grippy and allows you to go super fast.

Edges

The edges are medium boxy, soft and well rounded, so that from the middle of the board onwards it doesn't stick and lets you pump to get out. With the concave, the tail and the little rocker at the back, it will stick to the wave, so the boxy edge will allow you to pivot inside the tube.