…hello; today I discovered this product and let here the link for your consideration to debate.
I do not have an opinion yet.
Took a quick look at their website. My thinking is that if a board needs weight in a certain area, you’ll pretty much shift your weight there instinctually to make the board go.
BINGO ! Once more we see an example of a solution to a problem, that doesn’t exist.
Adding weights to a surfboard defeats the objective of making surfboards lighter.
It might be a way to adjust surfboard design, and individually customize, by finding areas that need reduced buoyancy…
The weight of the board is irrelevant compared to the surfer on the water. I’ve done a ton of repairs adding crap tons of weight to various areas of the board and the only time it makes a difference is during aerials a board way the hell out of balance can make theboard fall away strangely during a punt
Howzit Reverb? I would guess the average surfer has no use for these. I do see however it may of use to the top tier competitors with the advent of aerials and weighting for going only frontside or backside. There will be boards with weights at Pipe for that reason until they prove or disprove the theory.
Aloha Tim,
I have photo’s of me, at Pipeline, where my toes are on the midline of the board, and my heels are on the rail. Going backside left, all of my weight was on one side of the board only. I had no idea I was adjusting my weight that way, until Val Valentine gave me the photographic evidence.
I meant balance and it’s impact on performance and how the board rides
agreed overall weight is top factor in performance.
I have always thought there was something to the idea of putting denser/heavier materials in the rail. I’ve only done it a few times but I liked how it turned out.
Aloha Bill, Howzit? I never surfed Pipe at size for one, the reef scares the hell out of me and can’t deal with the crowd. And as you know, that crowd in a big swell is like no other. I would just hang my big, ol’ ass over and push with the heels like you said. Then I started working on a few jobs that Jocko worked. When he would paddle out, I figured it was a good bet to go too and score some good waves. From watching him, I started to teach myself to surf switch footed. Easy when the waves allow it but very difficult in demanding stuff. At least for me. I got all the weight I will ever need without adding things to my boards.
…hello Tblank, in their wpage they mention about to put weight to ride small boards in big swells; that s a good point but in that specific case, why not use a heavier density foam and heavy glass schedule?
When I was shaping for Hobie, Phil Edwards made a personal board that had 4 x 4 Redwood timbers shaped into each of the rails. The board was glassed for him by Bobby Patterson. That was in March/April 1965. That board later turned up in the personal collection of Joe Roper. I gave him the history on the board about five years ago. He was not aware that it had been a Phil Edwards personal board. Phil shares your opinion too.
Decent boards seem to be well balanced to me. Broke so many boards over the years. Always the shapers skill seems to shine through. The mix up with volume and buoyancy though… nice to be able to finally test and learn. I think it makes a difference: after having the very same board at different weights different buoyancy/weight ratio repairs (bad vs good) it seems to have something to it.
Overall weight to me seems to be nice in some ways but the inertia isn’t nice. In the end I didn’t like it. 4kg on a mini simmons was OK, 5 kg was not. In the end I still prefer 3kg or less with sub 6’ boards. Things get less clear moving into mid-length. As to whether the weight is on the rails or not, that’s interesting as that only effects things if the fulcrum isn’t centre… so that would be turning only AFAIK.
Still agree with others though. It’s not a big deal.
Useful to those of us who are rubbish at shaping. This can help us think about balancing the board after we’ve finished sanding.
…hello man; I think that you are a bit confused; in fact weight helps with inertia; like in the longboards. With small HP boards, the concept behind is NOT the inertia or down the line; is more about changing the AOA or pumping the board; so the interaction with the small area/rocker and volume (and weight) definitely is a no no for that inertia action that you pretty good perceive.
moveable ballast …it will definately have a noticeable effect …whether it’s desireable or not , is the question … I remember DVS explaining and experiment with fluid ballast on open ocean paddleboards some years back…when climbing a swell , the ballast would move aft , lifting the nose…and when dropping over and down a swell the wieght would shift fwd , giving more acceleration into , and through the trough…not sure if it was determined as beneficial , or basic un-needed wieght .
Hello Reverb, You make a good point in glassing scheds. That’s what they initially did with the early tow in boards to the point of adding weights to the narrow boards. Super narrow but, heavy to continue the inertia on a big bumpy face with all that water rushing upward. Cheers. hope things are going well for you.
I’ve thought about pipes in my big gun. lighter to carry, then fill 'em up with water for surfing. Dump 'em out to carry back to car… Ha!
Hey thanks!
Good shit reverb…
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Hypo stuff
SHACC has one of Mike Parsons’ early tow boards that has adhesive backed segmented lead sheet applied around the front foot strap on the deck.
If you want to experiment : https://www.amazon.com/Great-Planes-Segmented-Weights-6-Ounce/dp/B0015KLJE0
