This was a good thread a read a while back. I’m having similar minor issues. Loving my most recent homemade general allround round tail shortboard. Once up and riding I love everything about it, really gets up and boogies and holds super nice lines. When I shaped the concave I wasn’t totally happy with how early I began the concave, the rocker caught me out, all blended in well thou.
Taking off on those real late drops that are throwing out it just seems to get stuck up there compared to other similar boards I’ve rode. Whilst this thread kinda drew out some conclusions I can’t really grasp why? keen to hear any theories or ideas
My slight step-up being 3 inches longer with rounded pin tail doesn’t have the same issue even thou the rocker is a lot more dramatic in the entry. I shaped this with very subtle displacement in nose fading to flat and subtle concave starting a bit further back. I know I shouldn’t comapre apples w oranges, but concave seems to be the sore point for getting into the heaving hollow ones. Is it that it needs a better planninng surface in the entry? I’m losing weight fast in the healthy environment of the capricorn, so am thinking a new replica board touch less volume and lesser later entry concave
lots of tail rocker at the very end and a flip at the tip of the nose
lots of rocker in the nose isn’t going to make a big difference as whats going on in the tail where in most case that’s the only part of the board thats holding you in place
also for me, thrusters seem to work better that quads for super late take offs. quads and deep channels don;t like all that turbulence on the foam ball
other than free falling down the face in an air drop, going over in the lip is the worse possible kind of take off you can do…
My brother seems to have mastered that kind of take off just not on purpose though.
You should try it, its better than the worlds best rollercoaster ride, same feeling of weightless terror.
I agree with Oneula. Tail rocker more important than nose. Check out the specs on the Lost Rock Up, for an example of the type of step up I think you’re going for.
Cheers. That is interesting. The board in question does have a pretty standard rocker; no real kick out the back. Is that what you are saying? Not necessarily more dramatic tail rocker from centre but more kick out the back? In the hopes of shaping an allrounder I think I’ve missed some minor tweaks needed for around here. Next = same same, but different. Later entry concave, touch less depth of concave, touch less volume, touch more dome in deck to less volume in rails and maybe more rocket in the last foot.
Conclusion, allrounder boards can work well for all round conditions but are probably going to come up short for heaving deathly shallow warm water slabs.
Ooops, posted that and it went green with a sort of explanation, that’s clever, not been here for long time. Like the upgrades. Would still like a bit more info please.
I’ve struggled with the concave in the nose issue and now I have no doubt that no concave for the first 12" of the nose allows me to slide into waves faster. Concave = lift. I don’t want lift in the nose when I’m trying to drop in.
I usually have concave under the nose on boards 7’ or longer, not on short boards. Taking the drop on really steep waves is hard. I’ll try to angle in and take the drop with the inside rail grabbing as soon as possible.
You have to be able to get to your feet quickly or you won’t make it. I think thinner short boards (less volume) will help you get into the steeper waves.
You need to post some photos of the board. What Oneula said is generally true
But concave can mean many things. It depends on how the concave is shaped. It can be a stalling devise as in a nose rider. It can be used to give a board a different rocker profile the on the rails. It can also be used to speed water along from one point to another and direction. Most will have a few of these things intended by the shaper. Some Photos might solve the the question on concave. Then again it might be something else that is hanging your board up on steep waves.
Im not saying im right but I have a theory on why boards with nose concave dont paddle in well.
If you imagine the concave in the board gives a slight catamaran effect at the rails. If you apply this to the nose area the rails are pointing inwards and so causing resistance at the nose of the board (imagine a catamaran with hulls unparalleled - it would be pushing water. You wouldn’t feel this problem much while surfing as the board would be on rail most of the time but paddling for a wave while planing flat could be a contributing factor of why they dont paddle in so well.
Having said all this I made a board for myself a couple ofyyears ago with concave up front and it paddled in great although it did have a really flat rocker in the nose area and more volume than I was used to.
This is a great thread, addresses something I’m struggling to understand. What’s evident is that wider boards will get up and plane quicker than narrower boards and narrower boards will paddle faster. I’ve done a comparo between a 6’4" Hypto Krypto that is very floaty, flat, and has a wide fish type nose and a 6’4" Mini Driver that has a narrow pointy nose, 4L less volume, and much more rocker throughout. It makes no sense to me, but in weak (very weak) waves currently on tap, the Mini Driver lets me catch waves too weak for the HK. The MD is poly and noticeably heavier, has less volume, so I’m thinking it carries some inertia forward while paddling while the HK will just stop dead in the water when you stop paddling. Very counter-intuitive after all the hype about wider boards in weak waves. Once up, they work fine, but the issue in this thread is paddling into a wave and narrow seems to be an advantage, even with much more nose rocker and lower volume.