The Prop is a no nonsense, solid shape that has helped to build a legacy. One of the go-to shred sticks for our riders when Phase 5 was just coming onto the scene, the legend Drew Danielo actually took home his first World title at the World Wakesurf Championships in Merced, CA all the way back in 2003 riding the Prop. So if you’re convinced this is just some basic board, think again! It’s one of those boards that any rider can hop on and get comfortable rather quickly which makes it a great addition to your board quiver. With more than 20 years of water time under its belt, the Prop will definitely not disappoint your crew.
But don’t just take our word for it. We went straight to the source and asked the man himself, Drew Danielo, to tell us what attracted him to the Prop in the first place, how it helped shape his riding, and how its design played into his pro model board – the Diamond & Hammerhead.
P5: What’s up, Drew? The Prop was the board you won your first World title on back in 2003, correct? Was there something special about the board that helped you lock in your run?
Drew: Yes! The Prop has a traditional skimboard style shape to it. And for me, coming from my background as a beach skim boarder, it seemed like the perfect fit. The round pin tail allows it to turn and respond very quickly. The Prop was just the right blend of beach skimboard but built for the boat wake. I actually won two World titles on that board!
P5: Two World titles?! Even better! Do you remember any highlights from your run?
Drew: So at the 2003 World Championships, I had only wakesurfed one other time ever. I snuck into the finals in the last spot. When I started my finals run, I remember looking down while doing a 360 and the view of the board and wave clicked in my mind and I thought to myself, “this is just skimboarding behind a boat”. I then went on to land a couple shuv its and two 3 shuvs to win my first World Title.
P5: What are some of your favorite features about the Prop? How much has the design changed over time?
Drew: Like I mentioned, the round pin tail is really what makes this board so much fun to ride. It is just wide enough to help the board be fast but still turns rail to rail quickly. We made a small change about 12 years ago where the original Prop had a tapered nose and tail which is something you see more with ocean skimboards. It was not a necessary step needed with wakesurfng. The outline of the Prop has not been changed in 20 years and ironically the shape is better suited for the bigger wakes of today than it was 20 years ago!
P5: What kind of riders could benefit from the Prop?
Drew: This is truly a board that any level of rider can get on and enjoy. With the stock 2” fin that comes with it, the board is very stable and works great for first time riders. Intermediate and advanced riders can make a quick fin swap to the standard 1” fin or one of the other skim style P5 fins, which will free the board up and give you a performance machine ready for anything you want to throw on it.
P5: Did riding the Prop influence your Diamond or Hammerhead board shapes at all?
Drew: It did influence my first pro models. The original Danielo Pro was a similar shape with a slightly wider tail. From there, the Diamond came with a much wider tail to really speed the board up on the smaller wakes. The wider tail lets the board ride higher in the water and ride much faster.
P5: The Prop is labeled as “Performance Skim” rather than “Premium Skim”. What are some of the main differences between those categories?
Drew: The biggest difference is the build material. The performance line up is built using our signature Composilite construction which is a very durable molded construction process created by the team at Phase 5. Where the premium boards are built with materials such as our Black Carbon, Gatorskin or E-Glass.
P5: So for the surfer looking to pick up a new, fun, easy to ride board, what else could you tell them about the Prop?
Drew: Don’t let the name performance versus premium steer you away from this board. Just like the prop on a boat keeps it moving, the Phase 5 Prop will keep you moving in the right direction also. This board is the full package ready to help you progress your riding. With every Prop individually hand painted at our factory, there will never be someone with the exact same board as you. Find the paint job you like the most and be ready to take your riding to new levels with Prop!
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