Wainman Hawaii Gambler
TESTED: 5’10”
AVAILABLE SIZES: 5’7”, 5’10”
TESTED IN: Central California, 16-26 knots, small-medium waves
FROM THE MANUFACTURER:
The Gambler is a progression of our Wide model from last year, but it is significantly improved. The Gambler was made for everyday fun in all conditions. Ridden 4-5 inches shorter than your average board and with less area in the outline, it is made for a more progressive riding style than the Magnum. These insane surf features and totally new rocker line allow for radical performance even in light winds. The bottom shape goes from a double concave under your front foot to single off the tail. Strong construction makes this board stable and provides the rider exceptional control and response.
THE KITEBOARDER REPORT:
Out of the Box: Like all Wainman Hawaii boards, the Gambler comes with everything you need to get it ready for the water, including a screwdriver to put it all together. The Gambler features a very wide outline (20” wide for the 5’10”, 19.5” for the 5’7”), double to single concave bottom with molded channels, and a single bump swallow tail. For a wide 5’10”, it’s a lightweight board. The tail has five Future fin boxes which allow you to ride this board as either a thruster or a quad. All Wainman boards come with a board bag to help keep your board in top shape.
On the Water: Even though it’s a really wide board, the Gambler rides very smooth through the chop. It also rides like a larger board. We tried both the thruster and quad setups and our testers were unanimous in liking the quad set up better as it seems to get upwind better and tail slides felt more controllable with four fins when compared to three. In the waves, The Gambler holds speed really well and has a really tight turning radius. This board does surf similar to a fish-style board and we found that a wide stance and more upright posture get the most performance out of this board.
THE VERDICT:
The Gambler is a great board for people who want a larger board in a shorter package. It rides smooth and performs great in the waves. Because it rides as a larger board, the 5’7” is probably too big of a board for small riders on most days. We highly suggest using this board without straps especially in clean surf smaller than head-high.
TIPS:
- Ride this board strapless. It’s really forgiving and we found this board to be a blast without straps.
- Consider a smaller size than you would normally ride. Wainman HI says you should ride this board 4-5” shorter than normal and we agree.
TESTER COMMENT:
“The wide outline of the Gambler makes it ride like a larger board. It takes very little power to get going and is a really forgiving board to ride.” ”“Paul Lang, 200 lbs., Surf Kiter