Wow, the first board I made back in the late 70’s had 2 concaves running down the center because of an article I read about that board.
That was also a stripped down older board. I let a friend borrow a board and it ended up in the rocks. It was pretty bashed up, so I used it as my first full shape/glass. The original was a lightning bolt my brother’s classmate made for him around 73 or so. My brother’s classmate was one of the top dogs at Ala Mo back then, and did work with the bolt guys.
Around 1980 or 81, I let a coworker have 2 boards to try. He was supposed to keep one, but I never saw either again. Those were the first 2 boards I shaped and glassed myself, I didn’t make another board until 2005.
RDM, that board was about 7’ 4" before I re-shaped it. I had to work with the original rocker and what I remember was it felt like an ironing board, like it was very flat. I think the concaves flattened out the bottom shape. The original board was pretty stiff to start with, so it may have already had a flatter rocker.
I was about 20 and had very little understanding of hydrodynamics. In contrast to that board the other board I made was a very short, maybe just over 5’ long fish with a lot of rocker. I really liked the fish. I was more bummed that my friend kept the fish.
Funny, on that orange board I did my best to get the rails and deck really nice. Those days we had boxy rails and flatter decks. I think I made the deck slightly concave. I’ve always liked a flat deck or slight concave, but with the modern rails being thin, it’s harder to get the combination just right. I also thought the glassing came out really nice.
I’d been working full time since I was 18, so it was easier to buy a good board than to get good at making boards. These days making boards has kept me interested in surfing. I rotate through about a dozen boards I’ve made. I use a different board almost every time I surf, so it makes me work harder. When the surf is really good for several days, I might ride the same board more than once.
I’ve surfed the board a number of times now and am happy with the changes I’ve made, which I think are all an improvement over the original board.
The tri plane hull addition (short, narrow double concaves running between the front foot and the fins) and the full length “hardish edge” tucked rails seem to have livened the board up and made its response off the rail much “crisper”, with out sacrificing too much of the hull feeling that I loved in the original board.
The increased tail rocker on the heel side has also made it easier to surf off the backhand too. A successful reboot overall.
Glad your board came out good. Nice photo.
I think the tucked under rail with a hard edge is a very important part of a good short board. Greg Griffin taught my brother and I how he uses that on his boards. Almost all my boards have a tucked under rail with a hard edge and it runs from well above the mid point all the way through.
I just finished redoing another dog of a board I had. I hope it rides as expected. The original had a lot of concave in the front and a lot of vee out the tail. Tried to blend the concave into a double barrel, and did some things with the deck and rails for the first time based on Dan Mann’s boards. Unfortunately I may have breathed in dust sanding or fumes when spraying the clear finish. I was very sick with a “burned” throat since Saturday. Seemed to have turned the corner, and I’m hoping to be OK by tomorrow, and back in the water ASAP.
