Donald Takayama Scorpion 2: Who It Is For, Sizes and History
A short, easy mid-length with float under your chest, a wider tail for control and enough nose to step forward on.
Shop the Scorpion 2
Quick answer: The Donald Takayama Scorpion 2 is a short, easy mid-length, 6'4" to 7'0", that paddles well, turns quickly and still lets you step toward the nose. Donald gave it a narrower nose and a wider tail than the original Scorpion, so you can ride a shorter board without losing float.
Experienced surfers ride it for easy waves in a small package. Surfers moving up from a soft top who do not need to nose ride get a board that catches waves and turns, and weekend surfers still ride to the inside with little effort. It has 4+1 fin boxes and comes in Thunderbolt Red or Thunderbolt Black construction.
In This Guide
What Is the Scorpion 2?
The Scorpion 2 is a short mid-length built to turn and still give you time near the front. Much of its float sits under your chest, which helps you paddle, and the V in the tail helps it roll from one edge to the other in a turn.
V means the bottom near the tail has two faces that slope away from a center ridge. You feel it as a board that tips onto its edge easily.
Think of it as a small noserider, a board you can walk forward on, in a length that fits in a car and swings around fast.
Grab your Scorpion 2
Who Is the Scorpion 2 For?
The Scorpion 2 is for surfers who want easy paddling and easy riding in a shorter board. It suits intermediate surfers especially well.
Experienced surfers who want an easy board. You want more waves for less work without riding a longboard. It paddles in early and turns quickly. Easy does not mean basic.
Soft top surfers ready for the next board. If you are moving up from a foam board and do not need to nose ride, the Scorpion 2 keeps easy wave catching in a board that turns. The room up front is there when you want it.
Weekend surfers. If you get out once or twice a month, the float under your chest does a lot of the work. You can still catch waves and ride them to the inside when you are not in surf shape.
Surfers coming back from an injury, and surfers short on space. Easier paddling helps when you are easing back in. At 6'4" to 7'0" it fits a smaller older unit in Kaimuki, a shared house or a small car far more easily than a longboard.
Beginners moving toward intermediate. The 7'0" has the most float and is the easiest of the three to learn on. Tell us what you ride now and we will help you decide if it is the right next step.
How Does the Scorpion 2 Surf?
It catches waves easily, turns quickly and gives you room to move forward. The float under your chest gets you in early, and the wider tail gives you something to push against in a turn.
Stepping forward helps it keep its speed through slow sections. Then you step back and turn when the wave stands up.
The wider tail is also why it works short. It carries enough float in the back to let you ride a shorter overall length than you might expect.
What Waves Does the Scorpion 2 Handle?
It is at its best in small to medium surf with an open face. Donald reshaped the Scorpion with a narrower nose and wider tail for his friends surfing Oahu's South Shore, so it suits the reef waves near our shop.
On bigger, steeper days, the wider tail and 2+1 or quad setup give it more hold. Tell us what your usual waves look like and we will help you set it up.
What Sizes Does the Scorpion 2 Come In?
The Scorpion 2 comes in 6'4", 6'8" and 7'0", each in Thunderbolt Red or Thunderbolt Black construction.
| Length | Width | Thickness | Volume | Fins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6'4" | 21 5/8" | 2 3/4" | 43 L | 4+1 |
| 6'8" | 21 7/8" | 2 7/8" | 49 L | 4+1 |
| 7'0" | 22 1/8" | 2 7/8" | 54.7 L | 4+1 |
Volume, measured in liters, is how much float the board has. More volume means easier paddling and earlier wave catching. Each step up in length adds about 6 liters.
The 7'0" paddles easiest and suits surfers moving up or coming back. The 6'4" is the quickest to turn and suits surfers who already paddle a smaller board well.
We do not pick a size by weight alone. Send us your height, weight, current board and the waves you ride most, and we will tell you which length we would ride in your shoes.
How Does the Fin Setup Work?
The Scorpion 2 has 4+1 fin boxes, so it takes a single fin, a 2+1 or a quad.
A single fin gives the smoothest, most relaxed ride and is the best setup for walking forward. A 2+1 adds drive, meaning push and speed out of a turn. A quad, four fins with no center fin, is the loosest and quickest down the line.
The Takayama DT Flex Fin works well as the single fin. Fins are sold separately, and we can help you set it up.
Where Did the Scorpion Come From?
Donald Takayama made the first Scorpion for himself in the 1960s, as a shorter option to a full longboard. It was a single fin with a rounded nose and a pintail, and most of its float sat under the chest for paddling.
A smaller version followed, with V through the tail to help it turn. Later, for his friends on Oahu's South Shore, Donald narrowed the nose and widened the tail. That revision is the Scorpion 2.
Donald (1943 to 2012) grew up surfing in Waikiki, moved to California as a teenager to work for the shaper Dale Velzy, and founded Hawaiian Pro Designs. Read more in Who Was Donald Takayama?.
How Is the Scorpion 2 Built?
Thunderbolt construction builds a tuned flex into the board. It bends and twists as you lean into a turn and springs back as you come out of it. That spring back is called rebound.
Each board starts with an EPS foam core, a light foam, laminated by hand in epoxy resin. There is no wooden stringer, the strip of wood down the middle of most boards. Flex parts inside the board control how it bends, twists and springs back.
Thunderbolt Red and Thunderbolt Black are two constructions, not two colors.
| Thunderbolt Red construction | Thunderbolt Black construction | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside | Carbon fiber flex parts | Flex parts set up for a quicker spring back |
| Carbon fiber outer skin | No | Yes |
| Rebound | Medium and predictable | The quickest of the Thunderbolt builds |
| Weight and feel | A little heavier, so it feels settled in wind chop | The lightest Thunderbolt build |
| Finish | Gloss | Gloss deck, matte bottom |
| Our starting point | Most surfers and changing conditions | Heavier riders, strong turns, powerful surf |
Pick Thunderbolt Red construction for a balanced, predictable feel in a wide range of waves. Pick Thunderbolt Black construction if you are a heavier rider, push hard through your turns and want the quickest spring back.
See every model built this way in our Donald Takayama Thunderbolt collection.
How Do I Care for It and Fix a Ding?
Use epoxy repair materials only, never polyester resin. Polyester resin can damage the EPS foam core.
If it dings and water can get in, get out of the water. Moisture adds weight and can make the outer layers separate from the foam. Bring it to us or send us a clear photo and we will help you decide what it needs.
Keep it shaded and out of a hot car, and take old wax off with a plastic comb, not a metal scraper or harsh solvents.
Ready to Ride One?
If you want an easy board that turns quickly and still gives you room up front, the Scorpion 2 is built for that. Send us your height, weight, current board and usual waves, and we will help you pick the length, build and fins. Come by the shop to see both builds in person.
Shop the Donald Takayama Scorpion 2
Hawaiian South Shore
320 Ward Ave, Suite #111, Honolulu, HI 96814
Call or text (808) 597-9055
sales@hawaiiansouthshore.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Scorpion 2 a noserider?
It is a small noserider: a short mid-length with enough room up front to step forward on. It is not a full longboard, so it suits surfers who want a few steps forward and quick turns in one shorter board.
Is the Scorpion 2 good for beginners?
It is a good step for a beginner moving toward intermediate, and the 7'0" has the most float. If you are still learning to catch waves on your own, tell us what you ride now and we will help you decide.
What size Scorpion 2 should I ride?
It comes in 6'4", 6'8" and 7'0". The 7'0" paddles easiest and the 6'4" turns quickest. Send us your height, weight, current board and usual waves and we will help you pick.
What fins does the Scorpion 2 take?
It has 4+1 fin boxes, so you can ride it as a single fin, a 2+1 or a quad. Fins are sold separately.
What is the difference between the Scorpion and the Scorpion 2?
The original Scorpion was a 1960s single fin pintail. The Scorpion 2 has a narrower nose and a wider tail, which Donald shaped for friends surfing Oahu's South Shore, so you can ride a shorter length without losing float.
Is Thunderbolt Red a color?
No, Thunderbolt Red and Thunderbolt Black are two constructions, not colors. Red has carbon fiber flex parts inside and a medium, predictable rebound. Black has a carbon fiber outer skin and is the lightest build with the quickest rebound.