Hi folks… I’m looking for a template file (.brd) for a minimal type board for a friend to learn on.
She’s 5’6" and about 10.5stone (150lbs).
She wants something fairly stable, good for catching waves, and good to progress for a while on. Usual surf is around the 3 foot mark but sometimes a bit bigger.
Length around 7’ or above would be ideal.
Width roughly 22".
Ideally I’d like to get started as soon as possible - I’ve got some more free time this evening - I’m just gluing in a stringer to start a board I’m making myself and would love to be able to cut a stringer for hers once I’ve got the glue setting on mine.
If you can attach the file to a reply in this thread it would be appreciated - otherwise just let me know and I’ll post an email address for you to send it to.
I’ve nothing to refer to. I’ve never made a board before (working on #1 for myself) so really wouldn’t know what I’d need to do. Making it isn’t a problem - it’s the design side that I’m lost on.
Rob “Royal” sent me a template for the board I’m making at the moment, once I’ve got these two out of the way I’ll be getting on with design and making myself new boards as and when I feel the urge - until then I’m just trying to make a couple I can be fairly sure will work before I start messing with design.
find a board that you like, and start with those basic measurements – length, nose, widepoint, tail. plot those on APS, and then find a curve that looks right.
i’ve got a 7’ egg that i designed on APS. it’s very Bing “Good Karma” model. if you want to do something like that, take your best crack at it on your own. then i’ll send you the file, and you can line up the two and see how close they are. i doubt if the differences would be all that great. have faith in yourself…once you get the hang of APS, it’s all very intuitive.
Doug - thanks for the link - I’d forgotten about the samples on there.
How are United doing? No idea, the season hasn’t started yet. I don’t exactly pay much attention even when it is underway though. I used to work at the stadium when I was a young’un but these days it doesn’t really do it for me.
Soulstice - I’ve been playing with Aku for some time now; compared to AutoCAD (which I work on) it’s pretty simple, though took a bit of getting used to the different interface.
I don’t really have any issues with making points, specifying the length and so on, the problem is that since I don’t have any shaping experience, and am still only learning to surf myself, I really don’t know what does and doesn’t work. The last thing I want to do is shape my friend a board that will slow down her learning due to something I did wrong with the design.
I can get a board on screen that looks like a surfboard - but I have no way of knowing if what I have on screen (and so what I print out and then shape) will be any good at all.
Once I have a couple of working boards under our feet so we can keep on surfing, I’ll be experimenting for myself to get a better understanding of what does what.
Any more responses, boards, templates and the likes would be appreciated from anyone following this thread.
The last thing I want to do is shape my friend a board that will slow down her learning due to something I did wrong with the design.
I can get a board on screen that looks like a surfboard - but I have no way of knowing if what I have on screen (and so what I print out and then shape) will be any good at all.
Once I have a couple of working boards under our feet so we can keep on surfing, I’ll be experimenting for myself to get a better understanding of what does what.
Honestly, and this is coming from experience, anything that’ll float will work for a someone starting out. I stick everyone I teach on a 11’ softop and a 14’ paddleboard. Doesnt matter what they learn on, they’ll be over it in a second once they’re surfing. I will say this nugget of info… every surfer needs a longboard! If not to enjoy the groveling days, to teach friends on…
ACheateaux - The girl I’m making this for has had her first stand up rides and is looking for something that she’ll be on for a while, so though I see what you mean about the softie and paddleboard, I was hoping to come up with something she won’t outgrow real quick.
As for “every surfer needs a longboard”, you just hit on my plans for board #3 or #4 (depends how much I like #1 which will be my first board) - I rode a longboard a while back and absolutely loved it - perfect for those ankle-high days too.
OK - so I’ve been playing with Aku Shaper while waiting for my stringer to set properly (gonna have had about 18 hours to set by the time I get shaping) and have figured out the one or two things I didn’t know how to do before…
Can anyone suggest good starting points for dimensions for this board?
As said earlier I’ll be going for about 7’ in length, also somewhere around 20" to 22" width (so she can carry it).
As for nose width, tail width, and most importantly, rocker - I’m sorta stumped.
Thanks for that - I noticed you said single fin earlier too, pretty much everyone I’ve spoken to about a first board has suggested it was better to start with a thruster (or, I suppose a 2+1)
Why a single fin?
I’m thinking of making mine a 2+1 with a singlefin box in the centre, and (probably) lokbox side fins so I can use it as a single and a 2+1/thruster, so I’m not opposed to a single - just wondering what the reason for suggesting it was.
I suppose I could also ask “why not a 2+1/thruster?”
when you’re just starting out, you aren’t going to be doing any hard rail-to-rail surfing and sharp cutbacks that make side fins come alive. the name of the game is relaxed, cruising-type surfing. pivot turns off a single fin will keep everything under control, without having all that excess drag created by those side fins that you’re not using. honestly, i can’t even count the number of times i’ve been out at my home spot on some thigh-high windchop, and i’m catching everything comin’ thru and the guy next to me falls out the back on every wave. before long, they always ask what it is they’re doing wrong. i tell 'em to flip their board over, and sure enough, there are ALWAYS too many fins stuck on the back. a quick trip to the beach, we pull out the sidebites, and then they’ve got that single fin glide that puts 'em right into whatever wave comes their way.
btw, i sent you a PM with a template on it. did you get it??
Chances are she’ll be using this board for quite some time (neither of us are exactly made of money) so was thinking of making a board that can be ridden as a single or a 3 fin.
Would you suggest setting it up with 3 LokBox (pretty sure I’ll be using them) boxes or going for 2 LokBoxes with a longboard box in the middle so it has more adjustability.
I just checked my PM inbox now and have got your template.
A few other people have sent them too but I only just saw the messages now.
Thanks to everyone for sending them.
I’ll reply individually once I’ve had a chance to look over the files and advice people have sent.
Chances are she’ll be using this board for quite some time (neither of us are exactly made of money) so was thinking of making a board that can be ridden as a single or a 3 fin.
Would you suggest setting it up with 3 LokBox (pretty sure I’ll be using them) boxes or going for 2 LokBoxes with a longboard box in the middle so it has more adjustability.
definitely do the longboard center box. when riding as a single fin, you’ll probably want an 8"-9" fin. that calls for a 10.5" center box. if you’re comfortable with lokbox, do that on the sides. it’s a great system. though, i’m more a fan of ProBox. the install is stupid-easy, and the jigs are dirt cheap (whereas the lokbox install kit costs something like $300!). i also like the added adjustability of the system, and the fact that they take FCS fins with no modification needed means a wide range of fins is always readily available (and for not a lot of money, too…lots of FCS fins on eBay!). additionally, when those side boxes aren’t in use, ProBox has a little plug you can put in the slot to seal things up. the purpose is to reduce drag, but i like it more for reduced ripping skin off your fingers. i have a longboard with futures sidebites, and i hate wearing a leash. oftentimes, when i grab that board by the rail to keep it from getting swept away, my finger gets caught in the open futures side box, and it can tear ya up pretty good. no worries with the plugged up ProBoxes, though! (and even without the plugs, they just don’t catch the way the futures do…smoother, i guess).
also…on the template i sent you…if you’re going to do it as a 2+1 fin setup, i’d scratch the rounded pin tail and do a diamond tail instead. no big thang…just my preference.
How far in from the tail would you recommend I put the longboard centre box? I’ve been told to go for about 4.5" from the tail - sound right to you too?
If I do get a 10.5" centre box, will it only work with actual longboard fins in it, or will there be a way (with a 10.5" or something else) to let it run effectively as a single and a 2+1 and also something more like a thruster?
Basically, is it a choice between a 10.5" box and a longboard fin versus a LokBox in the centre with normal fins? Or is there some way of being able to use both a longboard centre fin and normal fin too? (not at the same time of course)
I’m aware the ProBox template is much much cheaper, but unfortunately they aren’t readily available in the UK. I’ve got a choice between FCS, LokBox and Futures, Thinking I might go for LokBox unless I’m given a good reason not to (other than the expense of the template - I’d be cutting it freehand with a lot of care)
The skin ripping doesn’t sound too hot though.
Other than preference, what difference would a diamond tail make? I hadn’t really thought about a diamond until you mentioned it y’see.
Actually, while I’m still online, what difference in ride characteristics (for a beginner) would you see comparing this same kind of board with a squash, rounded or diamond tail? They are the three options on the table right now and I’m wondering what each would do to the ride so i can go for the one that would best suit her.
How far in from the tail would you recommend I put the longboard centre box? I’ve been told to go for about 4.5" from the tail - sound right to you too?
i usually set my center longboard fin boxes at 5" from the tail. doesn’t really matter much, as it gives you plenty of room to play with fin placement. just make sure there’s enough foam in the tail to set the box without drilling clean thru to the deck.
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If I do get a 10.5" centre box, will it only work with actual longboard fins in it, or will there be a way (with a 10.5" or something else) to let it run effectively as a single and a 2+1 and also something more like a thruster?
Basically, is it a choice between a 10.5" box and a longboard fin versus a LokBox in the centre with normal fins? Or is there some way of being able to use both a longboard centre fin and normal fin too? (not at the same time of course)
you can get a small fin that’s tabbed to fit a longboard center box for a more “thruster” feel. though i didn’t know longboard fins were abnormal. regardless, FCS makes an adapter to fit a longboard center box. worst case scenario, if you can’t find any small fin templates you like that are tabbed for a 10.5 center box, you can always get an FCS trailer fin and use it with the adapter.
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The skin ripping doesn’t sound too hot though.
that’s a problem i had with Futures. from the looks of Lokbox, i don’t think it’d be an issue.
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Other than preference, what difference would a diamond tail make? I hadn’t really thought about a diamond until you mentioned it y’see.
just preference. the way i ride a rounded pin, i get nice flowing, drawn out turns. i ride 'em usually with single fins only, and something that has a good flex in it (like a Farberow Flex or a Greenough 4A). when i add sidebites, the change in tail area offered by a diamond tail with hard edge on it tends to better complement my approach to the wave. like i said…just my preference. find what works best for you.
i usually set my center longboard fin boxes at 5" from the tail. doesn’t really matter much, as it gives you plenty of room to play with fin placement. just make sure there’s enough foam in the tail to set the box without drilling clean thru to the deck.
Cheers - I actually thought about depth of the board and box today - would be a bit of a bother to drill through and have to repair before the board had even been wet.
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you can get a small fin that’s tabbed to fit a longboard center box for a more “thruster” feel. though i didn’t know longboard fins were abnormal. regardless, FCS makes an adapter to fit a longboard center box. worst case scenario, if you can’t find any small fin templates you like that are tabbed for a 10.5 center box, you can always get an FCS trailer fin and use it with the adapter.
That’s good to know. Today I ordered 10.5" boxes along with the glass and resin for the two boards I’m making at the moment - so definitely going for a single with boxes in place for a 2+1 setup.
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just preference. the way i ride a rounded pin, i get nice flowing, drawn out turns. i ride 'em usually with single fins only, and something that has a good flex in it (like a Farberow Flex or a Greenough 4A).
Which fins to get is a bit of an issue right now - I think I’ll need to order some tomorrow so I can use them to ensure my centre box is set right in the board, but really don’t know what to go for.
To be honest I don’t know my, erm, backside from my elbow when it comes to fins. I would know a fin meant for a longboard centre box if I saw one, but that is it. As to what shapes, flex types, materials and so on would be best for the kind of boards I’m making (7’ minimal type and 7’ egg/disc/carpet type) I’m absolutely lost.
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find what works best for you.
I intend to - that’s going to take a while to actually get to the point where I can tell the difference, and then buy or borrow a few different fins to try - then probably make a few different boards (haha - planning #3 already!) to see what works for me there.
Looking forwards to it.
Thanks a million for your help so far - I really do love this site - so much information it could make your head spin.
