I’ll just put the Pics in for now an put up a bit of an explanation later.
You should be able to see whats going on so far.
Edit. It’s 11.39 and I have a few surfboard making things inn the go in and around jobs and I can’t sleep so the quick explanation First shot is obviously the mega rough of the blank after stripping. I used the section from just in front of the water damaged stringer.
The next couple show the blank before and after cleaned the bulk of the discolored foam with the planer and worked out the twist with a 23 inch piece of timber with 40 grit glued to it combined with a builders spirit level. Then after final outline squaring and the beginnings of rocker enhancement.
Been a while since I have spent any time in the shed, or had a shed for that matter, that and building the taj mahal of veggie gardens down the back has had me busy. Of course, rather than get into the 4 half shaped blanks I have around the place I started a project from scratch.
That second picture had my brain hurting. At least until I realized there was a pole behind the blank and not that it had a funky bend to it. Looks like it is going to be a fun project. I always enjoy your builds even if I don’t comment that often.
I got a nice rocker and the bottom flat then I flipped it and started foiling it down and smoothing it out. The realised the the twist was even more prominent in the deck so back into it with the surform checking thicknesses one each side with the calipers and eying it up. Making me more keen to try a slight asym tail now. Hahaha. Was good to get in there for an hour and a half or so.
Nearly there in the shaping side. Need some neatening up on the bottom concave. Fairly happy with the chined edge. Going to go quad each side. Same reference to the tail tip. If that makes sense.
Huck used to often make statements about “anyone out there?” Kinda deal and I often wonder the same thing. Seems to be be action on threads but not build threads.
Hope someone is getting something outa these, stay stoked.
Just went out and measured it for you buddy. I went from the beginning of the diagonal on the short rail and square across from there and it’s 11 inches.
The theory that I’m working with is that I have had a few of this type of straight rail boards before a 5’0" by 21 and a 54 by 19. I’m going for 5 7 by 20 on this one. But as I added the rocker the length along the stronger is now at 5’ 7 7/8" which makes sense. I cut out the template from the blank before it has the bottom curve shaped. I’m going to go a quad again as they have worked great in these types of boards.
But the quad measurements will be based on the tip of the tail on each side. Off set by about an inch and a half or so.
I want to reduce the amount I move my back foot around. Keep the heal right in the back fin and the toe in the middle of the fins.
The tail is a bit boxier on the heal side.
I have tried for bit of a chine edge on the bottom to allow for the low rocker and to deal with little chops a bit better.
Single concave through out the main length with a little double out the tail. I was planning to v it a little but it turned out turn the v is only really on the toe side. Dunno about that, but we will see.
Foil
I went a bit off normal here with the thickest part of the foil kinda between your feet or just behind your front foot. Just with working the foil down from the mal it just worked out that way.
I’ll post the finished shape pics with a foil shot.
The board looks good, and you cleaned it up nicely.
I’m not very smart about asym’s, but I have noticed that I always want a shorter board frontside than backside. But then I seldom ride frontside. Someday I plan to explore that.
Your comment about the lack of comments is interesting. I come here for conversation, more than, say, Instagram or Facebook. I can get more response on IG or FB, but its usually just a “like” or a one word comment, like “cool”, or an emoji. I also find that those sites can produce some really ignorant comments, whereas the audience here seems a lot more educated and sophisticated on the subject of surfboard building and design. But an actual conversation is becoming somewhat of a rarity.
I used to notice a lot of “can’t wait to see it finished” type comments in build threads, whereas I always think, can’t wait for more process pics, be kinda sad to see it finished, haha. Thats me I’m weird that way. I also think every build thread should continue for the life of the board - as long as you have it and are riding it, you should keep the thread updated. Then it becomes more valuable over time, and you get more comments over time too.
This project has gotten me thinking as to how short I may be able to go. I need to start something the same… but different.
And whilst we’re on the subject of asymmetry, all who dabble in it have their reasons/opinions/experiences, which sometimes run counter to one another. It’s not an easy subject to draw a sensible conclusion on. At the risk of indulging myself on someone else’s thread, and putting aside some of the “standard” theories behind most asymmetric designs and starting from scratch, my reasoning would be as follows.
Backhand turns seems to present a few challenges for many surfers. Poor technique and/or the less natural feeling body mechanics required (compared to the forehand turn) make it harder to master consistently (at least for me anyway). My backhand feels stronger, but stiffer and with less finesse. This maybe not the same for everyone though, as back foot versus front foot surfers may feel things differently. However the common consensus seems to be that the heel has more power, but less control. I feel like the ankle to toe leverage ends up being a more “fine motor control” movement which absorbs the applied weight shift of the legs and upper body rather than applying much extra force itself. Helping you compress into the turn and spring out again with more finesse and control than you can on your heel side. The heel side on the other hand however seems to me to rely on your legs alone to handle the compression into and spring out of the turns. You are missing one extra articulated joint to control the whole operation. The load path down through your body to the point of applied force on the board is more direct and efficient. Hence my feeling of more power but less control on the heel side. Heel side being more “digital” and toe side being more “analog” in terms of control.
In light of this it would seem reasonable to me to make to the following tailored changes to the heel side design of a board to cope with the less sensitive, stiffer, stronger, and more “on/off” nature of the heel. Those with more experience than me with regards to these particular aspects of board design might feel differently about what the differing turning mechanics require. I would be interested to hear any and all counter opinions.
Plan shape – Wider and wide point moved back
Tail shape – A definite break in the outline (bumped squash for example)
Rail shape - More volume
Bottom contour/rocker – More rocker in the rear (aft of the front fin)
Side fin location – moved forward and outboard with the increased tail width
For me, and I believe most, front side is easier and more natural.
IMO there are two main factors. Both are related to human anatomy. Riding my street-rigged, mountainboard carvers down the same runs, session after session, gave me the most insight.
First, the human foot motion is governed by the ankle joint. The leverage is greater on the toe side because the length of the foot is significantly greater. Small movements have significantly greater impact. Toe responsiveness is more sensitive and critical to balance (proprioception and kinesthetic receptors). The gastrocnemius is a very powerful muscle for extending the toes downward. It flexes the knee as well. Much more power and control for frontside riding.
Conversely, there is a limited range of heel movement and weak downward heel extension. Backside power and control is heavily dependent on leaning and weight shifts.
Second, our eyes only see what’s in front of us, giving significant visual input for coordinating frontside movements. Like the trust building exercise of falling backwards, leaning backward without visual input to turn requires an act of faith as well as inner ear input for balance. The heel does not provide much corrective control when we are off-balance and leaning backward. We instinctively feel off balance for/in backside turns.
Well im calling it done or at least ready for glass, or at least as good as its gunna get.
If you look close you will see the asymetrical quad fin set up did my head in. But I found the mistake before I routed it. Lets hope I don’t stuff that up.
But as I look at the underside of the tail I need to fix up the stringer in the curve.
I have also been working on a stringerless 5’8" by 20" but it’s a twin plus 1. so i will be glassing both at the same time. I might just put the pics from that build into this one and not a seperate thread.
