Mike McGoldrick and the Landyachtz 9 two 5

^{by Matt Livingston}

Landyachtz has just released the latest edition to their already established line of boards. The new deck which has been designed by Landyachtz pro rider Mike McGoldrick is called the 9 two 5. The name for the board was decided through an on line vote which was run by the Landyachtz blog.

Mike McGoldrick, 29, has been a member of the Landyachtz downhill skateboarding team for four years and is best known for his skills in free ride and his stand up style. McGoldrick was a force behind the design of the original Landyachtz Drop Speed which later became the basis for the 9 two 5.

^{Photo: Mike McGoldrick throws down a big toe side speed check on his pro model the 9 two 5.}

^{Photo by Geoff Shaw}

The 9 two 5 which may at first glance seem similar to the Landyachtz drop speed, actually differs in several ways. The 9 two 5 according to Mike McGoldrick features a new type of concave not yet seen on other boards.

“It’s a new feature that we’ve been working on,” said McGoldrick. “It’s these gas pedals or wedges that run down the outside of the board which add an extra half inch to the width. So when you rock your toe or heel over the edge there is still something to stand on as opposed to a traditional board.”

^{Photo: Here the gas pedals on the outside of the 9 two 5 are visible.}

The board which is symmetrical free ride deck will be 40.5 inches long, 10 inches wide, and will have a wheelbase of 31 inches. The 9 two 5 also has a half inch of rocker to help keep the rider locked in during stand up slides. Rocker, accompanied by a mild W concave makes the board functional without sacrificing comfort according to McGoldrick.

“We didn’t want to bump it up too much and have it be uncomfortable,” said McGoldrick. “The W cave is definitely there, but it won’t hurt your feet when you’re pushing.”

The 9 two 5, as with any well designed board has been a collaboration between the riders and the board builders according to McGoldrick. The crew at Landyachtz has gone through many prototypes in the quest for a purpose built free ride deck. According to McGoldrick the guys in the wood shop at Landyachtz have put in a lot of effort.

“The guys who build boards here are super on point, if you can dream it up they can build it for you,” said McGoldrick. “It’s been a long process of tweaking each of the prototypes until we finally reached something we were all happy with.”

The process, although long has been really rewarding according to McGoldrick.

“It’s pretty cool to get to work with a lot of really creative people and skilled board builders” said McGoldrick. “It’s been really fun just to hang out in the shop and bounce ideas off each other and create a skateboard that everyone is stoked on.”

McGoldrick is excited with the finished product and says that he hopes people will see all the hard work and effort which was put into the design.

“A lot of thought went into the design from a rider standpoint and a construction standpoint. We met in the middle and found something that everyone is happy with,” said McGoldrick.

The board which is to be available for purchase on Friday Mar. 5 will retail for US $150 dollars and will be available through www.Landyachtz.com.

According to McGoldrick the message for the 9 two 5 is simple.

“Ride it, enjoy it, and be hard on it,” said McGoldrick. “It’s a skateboard, and a simple thing, go thrash it and have fun with it.”

You can check out the new 9 to 5 in the Skate[Slate] Gear Directory!

^{Photo: Mike McGoldrick navigates a corner in Vancouver BC.}

^{Photo by Liam McKenzie}