is gong now drops?

Is the new 2009 gong range now branded as drops boards?

As far as I know drops adapted boardshapes from patrice.
Meaning that Drops have the best shapes in expensive technology for a super price!!!!

Ours, correct me if I am wrong on this.

Yes, you are correct.

I have moved my shaping room here and I want to spend time on shapes and develop the activity. By the past, I spent lot of time trying to do everything by myself and it was not successful.

So now, I focus GONG on R&D, innovatives shapes, SUP community building, how to... and i signed with DROPS because they can make the volume. They are organized to do it.
It is a great opportunity for GONG to be more free, don't be under the numbers pressure. I want GONG to live the surf and SUP as it has to be lived. I don't want to overstress GONG.

So, I designed boards since years that are recognized as good shapes I think. I did my best to create for DROPS a great line to make happy as much guys as we can.
The technology is really really nice. Shapes are mature, it means all details are perfectely tuned. And I will shape new boards for them when they need.

Regarding GONG, I will focus the moulded line on key shapes. In the same time, I will offer to my friends and customers a small number of hand shaped board made by myself in my little factory here.
That organization let me a lot of time to shape, many more than in the past. And I see benefits every day because we make 10 times more prototypes and we have time to try them with JVB, Kanu, Antoine and all my friends.

I will show you some of the new hand shapes on line in a few. It is very very radical, reason why I spent time to make it right.

If you have any question, feel free.

Enjoy Wink

good luck Patrice and i hope it all goes well for you.

maybe see you on the water one day.

Hi everybody,
I've a couple of questions for l'Ours. I've observed the entire set of Drops SUP boards published on this site. The set is very complete. The only thing I find out there's a missing of the NFA (Gong name) model which is well known as the most versatile Sup Board ever shaped. A second question is which is the SPIRIT model volume?
many thanks

Hello,

With DROPS, we have splited the NFA program in two boards.
Actually, the NFA is very impressive in many kind of rides. It is also a really great all in one board for big guys like me for example.
But, I feel it sometime hard to manage in hollow waves for light weights because it is definitely too big. So we created the 10'11 Spirit.
In fact, light weights love the 911 GONG feeling, but that board is very technical in choppy conditions. The 10'11 Spirit takes all the feeling of the 911 combined to the glide of the NFA. The volume is close to the 10'8, 10 liters less (160).
A really fast board, easy to turn, great on the nose...

For the small surf and the long distance, we think that a bit more volume from the center to the nose third adds a lot of speed for paddling and permits some infinite noserides in small waves.
The DROPS 12' is just amazing. It is fast and also my best "tricky" board for 360sss.

keep in touch,

HI,
Thanks a lot for your answer. Now I have a better point of view for my choice. Last summer I began to SUP with an NFA and a Gravity model owned by the Sailing Centre down the beach. This year I decided to buy my own SUP board and searching for something in between those models I thought at the 10'11" Spirit model.

Ciao

Would the volt be a good first time surfing sup for my wife? She struggles with my 12' NFA as she finds it a bit big on the beach and getting out through the surf. Her balance is not great so dont want to go too narrow.Would the volt then be a good board for me (98KG) as a shorter board for waves?

Definitely.
For your wife, that board will be very nice on small to medium waves and quite glassy conditions. The board is wide, and very wide on the nose. So it doesn't feel hard. Some 9' and less are difficult to paddle because they stall or nose dive if you do just one little mistake. That one, the Volt, is very stable regarding its lenght.
For you, it is an easy board that you can enjoy in less the 2m high waves. One of the best SUP longboard I ever made.
Let me know if you have more questions.

what would be better for her 9'3 gong or 9'2 volt?
Or what board would you recommend out of the drops or gong range?
It must be good for first time wave board with good stability, easier to handle than the 12'nfa and good second board for 98kg male with a 12'nfa for smaller stuff.

I really think that the 9'2 Volt is a best choice. For your wife, it is quite the same feeling than the 9'3, an easy compact board.
But for you, it is absolutely different. The 9'2 is really high performances oriented. It doesn't mean it is a difficult board, of course it is not. But the 9'2 Volt is able to turn like anything, really fast and perfect for noserides. High performances.

Feel free to ask me anything you want to know.

Cheers,

hello,
my 10'11" Spirit Model is on the way to arrive in Italy!!!!. does it have any handle slot or similar to help in carry it?
for exmple the NFA model has a plug where put a rope.
thanks

hello,

no one, that board is really light and high perf.
Let us know when you have tryied it !!!

hello,
in the past two days I've paddled on both of the models which are arrived at the 'centro nautico' here in Rimini (http://www.velarimini.it/centro.htm) in the flat water / light wind condition. I like the Spirit shape very very much. It is so light and easy to turn even for me that I'm a bit more than a beginner. The Style is a bit hard to transport but I felt it super fast in the flat water. I've been out for a paddling with my 6 year old daughter Margherita havin a lot of fun.

hello,

very nice!!!
How do you feel the finish?