Hi ice, I was just trying your pic on my version of AKUshaper when I found out that my version of AKUshaper isn't working anymore. Some Java problem after the last update. Anyway, I'll shoot the guys a mail and come back on this one.
This week I had a couple of sessions, after a long windless time, being able to ride the Ghetto Shark with and without straps in various conditions. I'm very happy with the results. First I got it out strapless on two 20kn days with little chop. It goes upwind very well, holds a nice edge, just right, and has a nice skatey feeling once you get off the edge. Carving about, it feels exactly like a snowboard in powder, you can slide the tail by shifting the stance just a bit to the rear, or carve solid using the edge in equal stance. The board reacts a lot to shifting the stance, it takes a while to get used to this, but after half an hour I had it dialled and really enjoyed having 3 boards in one: a skim-like feeling when driving it off the back foot, a loose surf board like feeling when riding it upright with a bit more back foot than front foot, and a solid fast board smoothing out the chop when you ride it with equal stance on the edge. I still have too much fin on it, I'll have to try it smaller fins. It ollies well and pops out of the water nicely, but I feel the fins are too big for trickery, they are ideal for carving.
I also took it out with straps on a 25-40kn day, helluva gusty wind and nasty chop. Would not have been able to ride it strapless that day, I don't have that skill. Strapped it's like a fast snowboard, and it holds an amazing edge. If you stay on the edge with equal stance, you will experience knee buckling G forces in long carves. The board goes around the corner without losing speed. Super easy to control, once you get used to it reacting on stance shifts.
I'm looking forward to give it more water time on smaller fins and in flat conditions. I feel there's a lot I have not seen yet. Very happy.
I will stick to riding the boards at my basic level. 