When a shaper claims that a particular board he shapes “draws a longer line” versus his other shapes, what exactly does he mean? Why would you want that ability and when would you not? SteveA
I believe what you are referring to is the turning radius. For example a board with parallel rails or with a pin or swallow tail will draw out or extend you turning radius. The reason being it changes the way the water travels around the board and releases at the tail which changes the pivoting or turning characteristics of the board. This can be beneficial in bigger surf, when you want to hold the wall or can just be a matter of personal preference. Some like a long drawn out bottom turn or cutback.
The easiest way to think of it: Long line = turns like a log… long, drawn-out carves. To my knowledge, no one ever uses the term, “Short Line” to describe the opposite effect, but anyway, if ever used, that would describe the thrashing-style turning characteristic of a shorter, lighter more manueverable board. Think Cadillac without power steering v/s a Tiny sports coupe.
And here is the version I always thought of: A board that draws a longer line has a rail and tail configuration that allows it to remain on its edge for a long time, while maintaining momentum or as I like to think of it…thrust through a very straigtened arc of a bottom turn. Typically when you drop in behind a sectioning break or come down off a long lip and need to make up distance during the bottom turn. In my mind a tail that draws down but transitions slowly from a not quite parallel rail allows for extended thrust. And a rail line that’s not the type that’s so hard that it causes to eventually pull in and grabs a rail…but a rail that is neutral even at the point it is turned down…so that during a long extended bottom turn the rail can be pushed down and released in small encrements rather than jammed. I’m not a shaper…this is just the way it feels when I ride different boards. My 9’0" OLE is one of the demo boards on the www.surfboardsinteractive sight and it’s an example of how I think about a board that draws a long line but still keeps an edge in steep hollow sections.>>> When a shaper claims that a particular board he shapes “draws a > longer line” versus his other shapes, what exactly does he mean? Why > would you want that ability and when would you not? SteveA http://www.surfboardsinteractive.com