I’m new here, and I have mulled over these pages for days on every shaping topic imaginable. I’m planning on shaping my first board. Right now, I own a 9’0 longboard that I love and ride pretty well. I also own a new 7’2 funboard that I’m still getting used to. So here is my question, what size board do you think is a good inbetween for me to shape my first board? I know alot of people will say that it is personal preference, but what size board do you think will be a noticeable difference between the 7’2 and the 9’0? I don’t want to go shorter than 7’2, just cause I’m still getting used to it and I know I’m not ready for a true shortboard. Any suggestions and/or dimensions would be greatly appreciated.
PS…Right now I’m thinking 7’8 x 15.5 x 21 x 14.5 x 2.75 (does that sound any good)
I was in your exact position in 1967. Rode a 10’er for 7 months, got a 7’7" I liked for a week, then decided to shape myself a 6’ x 22.5 squash tail.
Takes most people about 3 weeks to finish their first ever board, so your skill evolves and improves, and something about making boards makes you aware of the subtle nuances and tricks of surfing in the water.
The size board you shape should be a shortie, since it’s the easiest for you to make accurately. Exact size depends on YOUR size.
The one I made was too floaty, by the time I rode it 2 weeks after starting construction. So I knew about how much floatation was right on my next boards. Unfortunately, #2 was a 8’7" x 19 for bigger waves, but #3 was back to reality, a 7’ x 17" x 2.25"er, which would have been just right if it wasn’t the beginning of summer.
Well I’m a pretty small girl, 5’3", 120lbs. My longboard is great because it’s shaped for someone my size (not as wide as your average longboard, 21" I believe, and thinned out towards the rails with more bulk in the center for floatation.) My new 7’2" (I’ve been out on it about 5 times and have gotten progressively better each outing) is a custom that was shaped professionally by my measurements (it’s almost like a smaller version of my longboard). So, I want something that is different from the 2 of those, but will still be pretty rideable at my ability level, which is about beginner/intermediate.
You can get loads of ideas by clicking “Resources” at the top of page, then “Photo Archive”, then the size range you want. There are 117 boards in the 7’ - 7’11" lengths.
Sounds like you might be after a minimal or fun shape?
Blanks to consider might be these. I just linked to that website because it was easy. Depending on where you live, there may be others available. You might even consider custom ordering one of the wide blanks with a couple of inches sliced out of the center so the rails are already tapered down closer to the outer edge in the width you want.
daisy, congratulations on having a go. The dimensions you are describing will work . go for a blank that is close to your thickness so you don’t get bogged down and lose momentum while shaping. Keep your tools sharp and take your time(that was the advice I was given). visuallise the end product and when you get close stop. overshaping is the enemy. The only other advice I can offer is make a board you want ride not what you"ve got to ride.
I like to encourage , the world is full of knockers, Tall poppy syndrome . It is just good to see some one have a dig . we all know what it is like I would still be watching if i didn’t get encourage ment and from that came confedance. grasshopper
go to your local surf shop and browse around…find the board that makes you say “wow, if i only had the money i’d buy this board…it’s so perfect…i need it”…then, go make one.
Get a Clark foam Becker 7’3’’ blank and a template for a performance longboard. Draw out the basic peformance longboard shape into a 7’2’’ with about 17.5 in the nose, 22.5 in the middle and about 15 7/8 in the Tail. Make it just under three inches in thickness and thin out the tail. Wide point center to very slightly behind. Put three Old Austrlian FCS G5’s (if you can find them) and you will have close to the best of both worlds.
One of the most magic boards Steve Forstall ever shaped me was like this and I have seen many girls ride them. They are much easier to get to the beach than a 9’0’'.
Thank you for all your suggestions. I think the M13 Merrick or the performance 7’2 longboard. Maybe the M13, so it will be something different and challenging. I don’t know, I’m still deciding. But EZFoam is right down the street from me here in Huntington, so blanks are very close if I change my mind. I’m thinking that the 7’2 mini longboard would be great for my friend, who will also be shaping with me. She’s only ridden my longboard a few times but wants to learn to surf. I think that might be a perfect board for her. Not too big but stable.
I still have my first board 6 years after I started surfing (glassed super heavy). It’s a 7’8" mini longboard by HIC. This has been the sweetest board for me because on super crowded weekends around here I can take it out and battle the crowds. Rides pretty longboard-like and really sets an edge. The shorter length than a trad. longboard really helps me move through and around the crowd. I’ve also found the shorter length lets me drop in later and set a rail much faster than a longboard. Basically, I can sit outside the shortboard crowd but still be more nimble than the longboarders.
Mine has a fair amount of nose rocker which really helps on the drops. It’s a single fin but if you build, you may as well do a 2+1 setup (just too lazy to put in some side-bites on mine).
I think it’s a sweet board to have and should be forgiving to shape.
OK, I think I’ve found the board I want to make. I was at Harbour yesterday and came across a board that looked alot of fun and just the size for me. It was a 6’10" egg shape. What I’ve donw now is sort of taken those dimensions along with the dimensions of the 7’0 Robert August Girl model and came up with something in between. I drew up a template on Abode Illustrator last night, and I think this is the one.
Thank you for all your help. Now I have one more question. Where can I have someone route a template for me out of masonite or ply? Or what is the best material to use. LIke I said, I have the file saved on adobe illustrator, but how can I make a more durable template? And where can someone do it for me, cause I have no tools or idea?!
Ok, I attached a gif file of the template. My measurements are
6’10" x 16.5" x 21.5" x 14" x 2.75". I like my boards around 21-21.5 wide particularly so I can carry and paddle with no problem, so that’s one of the most important things to me. Does this look like a good plan? Also, how much rocker would you recommend? I’m thinking 4.5 - 5 in the nose and 2.5 in the tail. I don’t know alot about shapes and dimensions and how they ride, especially on a shorter board.
your curve doesn’t seem to flow very smoothly behind the wide point. consider broadening the width 1-2’ behind center…the board will trim better. you appear to be very comfortable with adobe illustrator, but if you’ve never played around with APS3000, i’d definitely recommend giving it a try.
It does look pretty good, but I’m with Benny1. Thy APS3000, its free.
b.t.w. your dimensions look prety good to me.
Here is my quick tips on using the tool:
file->new
select 7’6" generic for round tail, or the 9’0" generic for a square tail
in the teal section at the bottom of the page there is an icon that looks like a pad of paper and pen. click there to change the rough dimensions of the board. (6’10"x21.5" in your case)
Then play with pulling and pushing the color dots on the end of the bars to change the shape. Pull a little and let go to see how your nose/tail widths change.
I did a quick square tail with your numbers and got the following.
b.t.w. I did not play with the rocker or foil, just the outline.
Yep 4est, I agree… that looks more flowing in the tail the the original.
Daisy, also with APS3000, you can use an image board for your design - that means that the application will allow you to have your original outline in the background while you design your template by pulling and pushing on the dots… it doesn’t take too long to work out the tool once you work out how the arcs and different colored dots work. There is a tutorial with APS3000 that helps you out with that.
Some people may bash me but I think a old school fish is a good idea. It has been said that fish are for more advanced surfers, but I find them to be similar to an egg, in the respect that they glide (don’t have to pump) and paddle well. I am 6’0" and 200lb and I ride a 5’7" fish and have only been surfing for 4 years (i don’t rip). Just a thought, I like a wide variety of boards, you may too.
Yeah, I noticed my lines on the adobe illustrator board were a little off and it’s hard to even them out. So I downloaded the APS3000 software, and came up with the attached. I tried to mess around with the rocker a little, but I definitely need to read the tutorial. Take a look and see if I did it right.
