i shaped this board here with the same thing in mind - GH Egg:
http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/first-board-0
The surf has been so inconsistent since I built it that it's hard to say whether it's me or the board that isn't catching as many waves as I remember on a couple other boards that I had dialed. It's probably a combo of both but for me, the best wave catching board I had was a lightweight 5'2" x 23" x 2 5/8" Mini Simmons. The weight, low rocker, width, super wide tail just plain worked for me. Takeoff was very different than on any other board - more boogie board-ish but it suited me in knee to overhead. I sacrificed some turning performance but realized overall, my surfing improved and was much more consistent on that board.
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After looking at the photos of your egg I would say the reason it is not easy to catch a wave is this; to much rocker. You would be pushing a lot of water. I think you nailed the template and if you plan to try shaping another egg give gary a shout at Moonlight Glassing. He is a pretty nice guy and I think he would give you a tip or two.
thanks jesus, if you don’t mind i’d like to use your PDF as reference for a HWS simmons quad i have in mind. i’m not sure how adding bonzer-type concaves will affect the design but i’m curious enough to save up for the project " )
I should clarify and say the board catches waves easily, just not as easy as the Mini Simmons - which does have a much flatter rocker. I’m sure GH does all kinds of eggs but I was attracted to his performance based eggs which look like they have even more rocker than my board and that Klaus referred to. I noticed on the Moonlight blog that he writes rocker numbers on his boards and they were in the area of 5" and 2". I couldn’t find a GH thruster egg but check out this singlefin’s rocker and description (from the Mollusk website):
“Gary Hanel approaches his egg surfboards from a performance design rather than a retro or beginner board angle. Basically your standard rounded shortboard tail, along with clean foiled rails and a nice tucked under edge, with a slightly longer length and fuller nose. In addition the board features a moderate rocker. This board is designed to rip!”
Anyways, I’m in agreement that positioning is key. Having a board that you are comfortable on - whether you “paddle glide” on a flatter, wider short or longboard or you “swim paddle” on an hp chippy bpard - ultimately it’s personal preference based on ability and fitness.
it’s definitely in the cards, i just need to finish my wood + plant fiber HWS hybrid before i can begin this next project. still looking for a new glassing shed to rent