While we are in an era of flex discussion and construction, is it better to have a rigid front portion and a flexible tail section, like a fish. Possibly Tinklertail /split tail/ flextail / Greenough boards ?
Or is it better to have a more manouverable front section and a rigid tail section <span style="font-weight:bold">for drive</span> ?
Maybe a bit of each like a bodyboard or not much of either like old school pu-pe boards?
Does it matter at all or is it just a modern scam to invent an "essential - must - have" design component ?
I think it would push water when you paddle, and you can imagine what would happen when you try to punch it through the lip.
I’m not sold on the idea…
If anything, I’m intuitively inclined to say stiffest in the nose and gradually, progressively flexier as you go through the middle and out the tail, where you would want the most flex, if anything.
Other than that, consistency in flex throughout the board is most important, with no abrupt changes in flex pattern that would give you a hinging effect.
Wrt short boards, I think that flex offers more ride dampening qualities. Flex smooths out the ride and prevents harshness. Too much flex, which is normally hard to do, is not that beneficial. There is a certain measureable amount that rides best. With my measurements, the diffference between a very flexible board and a very stiff one is only 1/4". But that 1/4" makes a big diff. I prefer flex behind the front foot to the fins; fins are stiffening structural elements so I shape flex curves around them. Longboards are another matter which I know very little.
Craftee and MikeDaniel, thanks for passing on your knowledge. Im looking at making a small run of EPS/epoxy/carbon/EVA bodyboards and I can build in the flex through carbon rails, stringers, etc so Im looking to make them as good as possible.
I wonder if flex actually helps by reacting to the forces on a board or makes it unresponsive because flex can make a board slow to react to the riders input, its a fine line to first of all decide what to do and then second, to actually make it.
I just got out of the water- some fun beachbreak- riding a flextail fish. In fact my hair’s still wet…so fresh impressions… if I want to go more aggressively, the board will let me, with maybe a touch of dampening. If I want to cruise, it will do its thing like it has an automatic transmission (finding a really optimal line through the bowls). The real bonus is in hitting an end section- that’s where the slight dampening pays off: the tail doesn’t feel too wide or skatey- it’ll really hook around smoothly.
ps- I watched a guy on a bodyboard trimming high and going fast, and he was pushing the front of the board down, so it had a pronounced reverse-camber rocker. Conclusion: front flex is good for bodyboards, maybe not so good for stand-up boards.
I wonder if flex actually helps by reacting to the forces on a board or makes it unresponsive because flex can make a board slow to react to the riders input, its a fine line to first of all decide what to do and then second, to actually make it.
Wrt standup shorties, to get the most from it would require tuning flex to the inputs: rider & wave. I have a majic flexomatic board that freaked me out first time I rode it; steep fast drops…then felt pretty average in normal conditions.
Another thing about flex that Alan reminded me of is feel. Flexible boards with twang are not the fastest boards on the water but when done propoerly they simply feel great under the feet…and we surf primarily because it feels good…anything that makes the feeling better is a major plus. This feeling of flex twang generally cannot be observed by onlookers…only felt by the rider. Expert golfers do similar things with feel of the clubhead during the swing…an average rec golfer cannot see this…or feel it and often wonder in amazement how expert golfers can put the clubhead to the ball so sweetly everytime. Once the golfer graduates to the clubhead feel level, they understand. So the bottom line is feel (flex) can improve performance.
I just got out of the water- some fun beachbreak- riding a flextail fish. In fact my hair’s still wet…so fresh impressions… if I want to go more aggressively, the board will let me, with maybe a touch of dampening. If I want to cruise, it will do its thing like it has an automatic transmission (finding a really optimal line through the bowls). The real bonus is in hitting an end section- that’s where the slight dampening pays off: the tail doesn’t feel too wide or skatey- it’ll really hook around smoothly.
ps- I watched a guy on a bodyboard trimming high and going fast, and he was pushing the front of the board down, so it had a pronounced reverse-camber rocker. Conclusion: front flex is good for bodyboards, maybe not so good for stand-up boards.
Good to hear reports on flex tails im amped to try one out.
With bodyboards most semi serious riders prefer flat rocker with a little nose lift in the first 15-20cm.
while as they flex you can crack into waves easier by flexing the board into reverse rocker.
Also I have found that a bodyboard built with slight reverse (mid to tail)rocker gets into waves earlier, stays on fatter sections with more speed aswell as looser (or that could be my reverse rocker board had no channels??).
I found bodyboards with reverse tail rocker were looser in steep waves (the odd slide after dropping) while excelling in pop, ie getting airborn easily.
A slight reverse also increased takeoff speed while giving projection as it flexes or pops off sections.
perhaps if a flex tail fish or maybe sunova etc fish had tail rockerI would think a surfboard with a slight reverse tail rocker would fly.
Nose flex?
A shortboard with nose flex may just be good for those pitching takeoffs under the lip,(that i have not mastered landing on the rail but nose almost digging…Perhaps the flex in the nose pulls you out and into freedom more easily??
landing on the rail but nose almost digging…Perhaps the flex in the nose pulls you out and into freedom more easily??