The Ghost Squash is the newest addition to the Pyzel Ghost Family. Photos: YouTube//Screenshots
Jon Pyzel has made a family of surfboards that John John Florence loves. It’s the Ghost family, and it includes the Gremlin, the Phantom, the Shadow, and the father of them all, the Ghost. Now, Pyzel has added another tweaked Ghost to the list: the Ghost Squash.
“The Ghost Family started when Jon took what people loved about the JJF inspired Ghost model and redesigned it to work in different types of wave shapes and sizes,” reads Pyzel’s description. “…all of these models draw similarities in their bottom contours, wide point/foam forward design to give you a similar at-home feel whether the waves die down or pick up in size.”
A few years ago, during a trip to Portugal, I surfed a 6’3″ Ghost at well overhead Coxos. Here’s an aside that I hesitate to tell you. I blew the take off on a set wave as Anthony Walsh and Cory Lopez, who were on the trip as well, paddled up the face hooting at me. Two surfers that I greatly admired watched as I ate shit on a perfect wave. I did manage to redeem myself, but it was a moment I will forever cringe at. Anyway, the Ghost felt amazing. It felt like a board made for someone who surfs with power. And that’s John John Florence.
The Ghost Squash came about after John John was doing what he usually does: experimenting. He likes to take his tried and tested shapes, then figure out what would make them better.
“John’s feedback from his first few sessions on it were simple,” Pyzel explained. “The board felt really good, familiar like his favorites, but the squash tail felt fresh, fast, a bit more snappy and still held the rail through all of his turns. He immediately suggested that we should make that version available for everyone to try and we loved the idea, so here it is.”
The tail has been changed from a round tail to a semi-pulled in squash. That, according to Pyzel, “straightens out the last 12 inches in the outline and adds extra lift and creates more of a pivot point than you get out of the classic version.”
That makes it a little better for waves that aren’t absolutely pumping, like the classic Ghost is built for. It’s worth noting that no surfboard will make you surf like John John, but some surfboards might make you feel as though you are.
