Trip Forman: Welcome to the REAL Board Loft. I’m Trip Forman. We have Devon Howard with us. Devon, welcome.

Devon Howard: Hey, thank you Trip.

Trip Forman: You’re looking fresh this morning. Clean out of the penthouse at Waterman’s Retreat.

Devon Howard: Yeah, we got here at 1:00 last night, feeling great.

Trip Forman: Awesome, man. We’re here to talk about the Channel Islands M23. This is an updated version of the M13, which was hugely popular around the world. With the whole midlength explosion and people experimenting with single fins, two plus one, and twin setups, you guys wanted to revisit the M13 and create something that fits into the midlength category but with a different type of performance. Why don’t you share your thoughts?

Devon Howard: The M13 has always had a core following. A lot of guys at Rincon and up at the Ranch still ride it. But we wanted to update it to apply to more people. The M13 came from a personal favorite board of Al Merrick, and it had a more pulled-in hybrid-style outline. We don’t really call this a midlength—we call it a hybrid. If you look at the rocker and outline, it sits right between our CI Mid and a lot of our shortboards. It’s not really an age thing, but it does tend to suit surfers who want more performance without going full shortboard.

Devon Howard: It’s kind of like a big guy shortboard—you’ve got more width up front, which helps with paddling. Ninety percent of what we do is paddling and waiting. If you’re not in your best shape, this board puts a lot of smiles on people’s faces who might otherwise give up surfing because they don’t want to go full midlength or longboard.

Trip Forman: That’s huge.

Devon Howard: Yeah, and the board has done surprisingly well without much marketing. It really sells itself. When people get it in the water, they immediately feel the difference.

Trip Forman: From my perspective coming from longboards and midlengths, I really enjoyed it. I’m not a strong shortboarder, and a lot of that comes down to adjusting to rocker. What’s nice about the M23 is it’s not a huge jump—it gives you more performance without feeling like a totally different world.

Devon Howard: Exactly. And if the waves are more hollow, like you guys get on the East Coast, this board really shines. The added entry rocker helps with later takeoffs—you’re not going to poke the nose as easily.

Devon Howard: The biggest difference from the M13 is we added more area to the tail. That gives the board more range. The M13 was really pulled in and worked great as a step-up at places like Rincon, but this added width makes it more versatile and more familiar underfoot when turning.

Devon Howard: Brit worked on this board with a local surfer named Heather at Rincon. She’s a seasoned surfer who didn’t want to move to a midlength or longboard. That’s really who this board is for—good surfers who want something easier without giving up performance.

Devon Howard: It has all the typical CI design elements—double barrel spiral V, flatter tail, and it’s designed around the AM fin setup. Honestly, if you’re riding a CI and struggling, check your fins. Eight times out of ten, switching to AM fins makes a big difference.

Trip Forman: What about the choice to go thruster instead of a five-fin setup?

Devon Howard: That mostly comes from our local surf culture—people coming off thruster shortboards. You could custom it as a five-fin, but this is meant to feel familiar and turnkey. There’s no big learning curve.

Devon Howard: It’s actually become one of our top five boards, and again, it really sells itself.

Trip Forman: For reference, you’re 6’1”, 195—what size were you riding?

Devon Howard: I was on a 6’10”. It’s 21 1/2 by 2 3/4—pretty generous, but CI rails are nicely foiled so it still feels refined. We don’t do flat deck boards because they’re weaker; we prefer a bit of crown for strength.

Trip Forman: The big question people will have is how to choose between the M23 and the Big Happy.

Devon Howard: The Big Happy is more for someone firmly in the shortboard camp. It has a single concave entry, which requires more active surfing—you’ve got to work the board. If you’re coming from longboards or midlengths, it’s going to feel like a struggle.

Devon Howard: The M23, on the other hand, has a flatter entry into V, so you can trim and cruise if you want, or still push it harder. It’s the easier transition board.

Devon Howard: The Big Happy is for experienced shortboarders who want more paddle power without losing that shortboard feel. The M23 is for someone stepping down from that intensity or stepping up from midlengths.

Trip Forman: That’s a great way to explain where it fits.

Trip Forman: Devon, thank you so much. The M23 from Channel Islands—if you have any questions or want to order one, give us a call at the shop or check us out online at REAL Watersports.