Just some thoughts in regards to flex in surfboards. Surfing is very back footed in my experience so the majority of flex is probably going to be happening through the tail. My idea is to taper out the balsa rail so it fades to nothing about 6 inches in front of the front fins. That way there’s no balsa around this area. Just foam, fibreglass and the like. I think that this would help the board to hold it’s rocker in the part of the board six inches in front of the fins and let the tail flex a bit more. This is something I will be trying when I finally get around to building a compsand.
this is something ive been thinking about for a while now…im starting two projects with this concept in mind here next week…not balsa though 
Let me know how it surfs if you don’t mind.
When I made my second compsand I tapered the balsa from 3/4" at the midpoint down to about 1/4" or less at the nose and tail. I thought it was my innovation to contribute to the compsand community, but then while going through the archives I found that Silly had done it long before. Then I noticed Firewires have the same kind of taper, so Bert was probably doing it long, long ago. It must be a tried and true design feature of compsands. Never seen one that goes to zero 6" up though. That woul be interesting.
I’m hoping to use the rails in order to load up the whole board from one point, as to release it out of a turn…but we’re not talking about normal thrusters/shortboards in that regard; hopefully i get what im after…im trying a few different ways though
would you still have deck skins that at that point?
Flex between front and back foot is BAD! DESTROYS the ride.
Flex in front of front foot and behind rear foot is GOOD! Augments the ride.
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Flex in front of front foot
Interested in this comment
I’ imagine that flex forward might result in increased intake rocker, so board pushes water?
Care to elaborate on your experience?
I couldn’t find a clear picture of a firewire which is why I asked. Thought it might of already been done, but wasn’t sure.
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would you still have deck skins that at that point?
im not experimenting with compsands…just stringerless PU/PE and hopefully a few EPS ones soon if i get the time!
i doubt firewire do that
they just overlap the skins so it looks like that
greatwhite north is a go to guy on that one
i found it a bit fiddly
Yeah Deanbo sounds great and let us know how your doing. Im focusing on the flex thing also for a couple personal experiments but I’m working with foam and glass rails, patches and thin partial deck skins. Just trying to make myself a decent board.