Classic! What’s in a name? I don’t worry too much about the names but I fully understand anyone who has a problem with board model names, especially these days it seems to have gotten out of control. Even back in the day they tended to be gimmicky and goofy. Firewire guys (the management crew there) come up with the names for the most part. The naming of models whether you like it or not, is a part of the game in that part of the surfboard world and seems here to stay for quick and simple reference and identification both inside the company and the marketplace. The ‘system’ depends on it, really. I always struggle when I make boards for myself and people ask me if its this or that model. It is almost never REALLY this or that so I don’t know how to answer. The series of Potatos got started with the first of them, the Sweet Potato, simply because of its outline being what it is.
Your eye is right on. For example, the 5’5" Baked Potato has a 18 1/2" wide tail @ 12". That is the standard for the model, it doesn’t change for East or West Coast or even Australia. The tale width became manageable for a wide range of surf and surfers when the rocker and bottom got dialed but really what set the concept free was going to a quad fin set up vs. a 2 fin.
Like I said on an earlier post the future has to include (very soon) first, a board that lasts WAY longer, especially for the pros who blast through 100+ boards a year. Then for the sake of board builders they have to be made out of less toxic material. This in turn will be better for the life of the board for the world it comes into contact with once made. The best way to achieve this is to include a change in process especially for the mass produced boards. With a much more refined process (like vac bagging) builders are able to use much stronger materials, more efficiently and that are less toxic and yield a better performing, lighter and longer lasting board. The hand lay up process wastes a lot of material and limits the range of usable material (fabrics and resins) to those that work well for the laminator (which is a super hard skill to do even with the ‘easiest’ material to use).
My boards and vac bagging is very doable. The trick is for mass production* to be able to know how to do it in a cost effective way with minimal waste. There are many tricks for this if there’s a will to dig into it.
*The reason I keep bringing up the mass produced board and pro boards is simply because of the sheer number of boards out there that come from this part of the industry. Back yard guys or small production crews are inherently more efficient.
So, besides new processes like vac bagging and others more advanced, I think carbon, Kevlar, other fabrics both synthetic and plant based will be in boards. I love the idea of wood but the process needed to produce a high performing board (which is what most people want) is extensive and costly. The Timber Tech Firewire does is really insane and what made it achievable for them is that it fit into the process they already had in place. I hope someone comes along with something super outside the box and unique that checks all the boxes. What may be the best answer probably lies outside the industry and if that can be joined with the right person or group within the industry then it could be made to work. The two need to go together, otherwise something like shapes or function in some other way will inevitably be compromised.
Not sure if you mean to ask what the future of design is but we are limited only by what we already think. If we can get outside of our habitual thoughts we’ll come up with an infinite number of new designs… there’s really no end to it.
Have been into your designs for a while, my first shape was a 5’1 inspired by the sweet potato when it first came out!
Without ever having put a tape over your boards, your shorter boards fins seem to be set way back. How far back are they? granted they provide some hold for such wide tails, but do you ever find that they make the board feel too tracky then pivoty on the tail and not drive through turns?
I have encountered this on a couple of boards i set the fins back on, do you have any tips to counter this pivoty/tracky feeling?
Also I have notcied a lot of your boards with curvier outlines and fairly wide tails have a pin tail. is there any reason for the pin, and not a thumb style tail other that asthetics. Normally pin tails are associated with narrower, pulled in outlines for solid waves.
After watching that Video it occurred to me that The soft wear used in designing those wind turbine blades would be good for doing design and analyz Fins and Fin systems. Dan Do you have any thoughts on This?
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Dan, I’m heading to the left hand points of Peru. Which of your boards (your designs MannKine, or your FireWire designs) would suit for that type of wave. I am assuming speed will be needed. I’m a goofy footer if that matters. Many thanks
~~That video someone has shared below is what got me fired up to make a “version” of the cornice. One thing I have noted with the cornice is the way the tail has evolved. From the ones in that video to the production ones that guys are doing reviews one. The new production ones have a round almost circular tail. The carbon one you’re riding has a different tail and I have based my version on it. I don’t really know how to describe it. So I will attach a pic. I’m hoping that the less round tail will help with a more instant speed. Do you still ride the one from the video with the “not so rounded” tail? How would you compare them? Why do you ride the one you ride? I included the current pic of a firewire with the rounder tail.
Also you were saying earlier that a double concave is better through the tail, but when i use the freeze frame on the “shredshow” review of the cornice the last inch or so seems to be almost flat…
BTW I’m just waiting for a mate of mine to finish setting up his shape 3d compatible machine to get it cut from some block M grade foam… I can’t wait, but he’s in hawaii for another two weeks ;( I know M grade is not ideal but it’s all good for me to play with.
I’m actually onto a new version from the designs you speak of. Its best if I keep going onto more new ideas as the come, whether they work or not. After the ideas are refined (which takes a lot of time) then FW decides if they want to release them. The board in the video had a little more top end speed but a little bit less control than the one we released. I made a lot of different versions during that trial period.
The concave goes out the tail. The only thing I can think of with what you saw there is lighting or maybe its just subtle enough that its not really showing up?
