I am going to build a longboard for a big guy with weak paddling and I would appreciate any input on dimensions for his board.
Thanks
Chris
10’ x 24.5 x 3.75" thick…
I’d go with something over 10’ long. Probably 3 1/2" thick or more with little rocker for ease of paddling.
Kevin
You’re gonna need a bigger boat!
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
What kind of surf? I’d naturally assume San Onofre type of surf, but you never know. BTW, I’m not sure if I’d go 10’ as others have commented. I’d go shorter [~8’6"], wide, and thick. I’d use a 8’8"E Clark blank, skin it, put some rails on it, and glass it. YMMV, good luck, and have fun.
The 10’7"H blank with +3/4"N + 1/4"T both last 24" makes a good big guy longboard. You can easily get 10’6"x24-25"x~4" out of this blank. It is also a fast paddling rocker. Give it a little belly and guy that size will have no trouble turning from the back 1/3rd.
If the guy is tall you can go wider than 24". Mine is nearly 25" and my wife, 5’11" has no trouble paddling, but has trouble carrying it.
It won’t be a snappy board but it will glide nicely.
Thanks for the info everyone. I think I’m going to go with the 10’7 H as it has a greater thickness than any other I can find at that length. I think I will end up with a 10’x 24"x3-5/8" thick.
I would like to make the rocker as flat as possible for paddling, but he is older and has trouble getting to his feet quickly. Consequently, he has shown concern about “going over the falls.” It has been a problem for him in the past, so I don’t want a board that has so little rocker that it will pearl on him when he is catching a wave. Maybe it needs to be a board with very little tail rocker and an abrupt nose rocker about 12" down from the nose? Does anyone have some numbers for a rocker like this?
Thanks,
Chris
Sorry 4est but the 10’7"H blank will not got 4 inches. Most people can get no more then 3 5/8 out of it, but for some reason Rich can get 3 3/4.
The 11’3" Velzy Downning blank was made for just what you are after. For a person that is 250 lbs, and just starting out. I would skin it, and glass it. Go with a supper green blank, and glass it with 6 oz on the bottom and 6/4 oz on the deck. Tell the guy that the board is not going to last him much more then a year or, 2 years if he is lucky, but he is going to learn how to handle a lot of board, and should catch a lot of waves. When you are first starting out the hardest thing is to not have enough board to catch waves on and then once you do not have a platform to stand on. After he wares this one out he may know a little more about what he wants. Good luck.
Yeah, bigger blank for sure…
Increase tail rocker to lever the nose out of the water…
Flatten the nose rocker so it paddles really fast…
Make him practice popping up at home. From prone, I can usually get up 30 times in a minute, so he’s got a target to shoot for. Not realistic for him, I’m 5’10 and 145 lbs.
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Sorry 4est but the 10’7"H blank will not got 4 inches. Most people can get no more then 3 5/8 out of it, but for some reason Rich can get 3 3/4.
Bagman, looking at the clark catalog I would have thought that too, but my 10’7"H glassed is over 4" and the blank I’m working on right now took a number of passes to get under 4". None the less my point was go thick. It will give both paddling help and will be more stable when getting up.
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The 11’3" Velzy Downning blank was made for just what you are after.
Bagman is right the 11’3" will give you more thickness. The 10’6" Velzy I drew inspiration from for my 10’6" was shaped from the 11’3".
let us know what you decide. If you want to let him try a big board PM me and we can try to meet up some where.
he’s big, he’s older, he doesn’t move so fast.
the guys who are calling the 11’3 are right.
i’d order one in classic weight foam and glass it with volan deck and bottom, with a gloss coat. he should get several years out of it. i don’t mean go to a 40 + lb board, either. single layer of volan 8 on the deck/single 6 on the bottom with m a y b e a 4 oz flat weave e glass patch…a pro glasser should be able to get this to come out under …30 lbs.
11’ x 24.5 x 20n x 16.5 h x 3.75 thick
a little extra rocker in the nose might help avoid some pearling.
Use the Clark 10-3 with the 10-1Y rockers, +1"N last 24". 10’2" x 18" x 25" (or 24") x 15" x 4". It is a great all around big guy longboard, easy paddler with enough rocker to surf more aggressive waves as he get better. I surf Waikiki to Lani’s with these dimensions. Let me know if you want to see pictures.
D
I am going to go with the 10’1Y and get as much thickness as I can out of it. I would go with the larger blank, but the guy needs it and I can get the 10’1Y faster. I think the dimensions will be 10’x18x25x15 and as thick as possible. I am going to get the rocker pretty flat through most of the middle of the board with some flip to the nose and tail to avoid pearling and stay in the wave respectively. Any suggestions on drawing that outline onto the blank? I will post pics as they happen.
UncleD, some pics would be great.
Chris
Here we go with some of the pics. I wanted to show you my Mike Casey that is 10’2" x 18" x 25" x 15" but I did not get a chance to shoot pictures yet. The first board is from the 10-y blank and that is 10’ x 18" x 23" x 14.5" (shaped by Charlie Wong, Bubba Boards). The next picture is a 12’ and a 10’6" that is 19" x 25" x 15" pintail shaped by Vicente. The last picture is a 9’3" egg and a monster hybrid 10’2" x 17" x 24" x 14.5" x 4" and my favorite all around board. It’s again a Bubba Board by Charlie Wong. These are all great big guy boards. In Hawaii we need just a bit nose rocker for the North Shore that is why I like the 10-Y BC with +1"N last 24. It is a bit more forgiving at Chun’s and Haleiwa.
D
