Function vs. "form"(aesthics) - Your thoughts.

General Discussion
1

All - I would love to read thoughts on this. I read lots of posts here about how to keep things looking good, and at some point I think, “Why care?” I have had boards, ridden others, boards, and seen many, that looked good but didn’t ride good, and, on the other hand, I have, and have ridden boards that look(ed) like… (fill in your own favorite pejorative), but ride great.

Part of my position come from my past; as a young learner I wanted to keep my boards shapes true, so I fixed dings as close to original as possible, then I gave up on color, then I gave up on matching the rail - I used to seal them, and then fill back to form - but, when I was surfing to much to keep all my boards in top shape - I started riding the board once it was sealed, and I couldn’t notice any difference in performance.

Now - point: I am not a great surfer, but I can surf respectably, and when I ran this by the local world class surf designer (can’t say how blessed I am to have made a life long friend in this person) he said a boards performance has little to do with the uniformity/smoothness of the rail, perfect flat bottom etc.

Over the years my discussions with my “guru,” and my studies of hydrodynamics continued, and, to me, it became apparent there are a few key aspects of a board that dictate how it will ride - waves, rider being equal.

So, to re-state the question: What are your guys thoughts on how the board “looks” vs. just performance. Another way I’d like to pose the question: Where do you draw the line?

Great morning, Taylor.

2

You pose an interesting question… and similar to one that I’ve been considering: what is it with those who don’t seem to want to know much about hydrodynamics or construction but are all over how to get their ( fill in your favorite term here) graphics on the thing - that’s their priority. Kinda putting the cart before the horse, in my far from humble opinion.

But, leaving that one aside…

Why make a board look good on a repair? My first and most important answer is, I’m getting paid for it!! And if it looks like hell, I may have a little trouble getting the money. If I’m doing it on my own board, I could maybe get away with a less cosmetically good job and just go for function, if I wa spressed for time…but if somebody is considering that repair on my board and considering having me do theirs, if mine looks like hell then they are gonna find somebody else to give the money to. Not good.

Another thing - some of how well a board performs is psychological. On a given day, effectively identical waves, give somebody a board with, say, a color job they hate and then a fuctionally identical board that is colored…or not…the way they like, and they will say they those two boards perform better. 'Cos the readout isn’t digital, it isn’t analog, it isn’t even binary…it’s all in the mind.

Is there a difference between a board repaired with the repair flush with and contoured to the original and something that I am gonna refer to as a hack job?? I think so, though I can’t prove it empirically. You have a thing that’s operating with a fixed amount of power: the wave, and anything that might cause extra drag is gonna make that thing less fast. Turns, probably different both due to different flow patterns and due to the extra parasitic drag of the hack job. Granted, that’s not a lot of difference, but it’s there. Then there’s strength - if there’s a real disruption in the glass, a place where the structure changes abruptly, you have a trigger point for where a stress can and will break it.

As an aside, if somebody tells me that an imperfectly shaped board with lumpy rails and bottom to it doesn’t matter, I’m going to either be waiting for the punchline or immediately write this joker off. He’s talking out of the wrong end of his gastric system. He may think he knows something, but so do the Flat Earth Society members, in spite of proof to the contrary. And if said ‘authority’ is attempting to peddle boards to me that are lumpy, unintentionally assymmetrical and such and telling me that that doesn’t matter, I’m gonna tell him that he hasn’t got a clue in very unkind terms and heave his ignorant…carcass…out of my shop permanently. That’s not a valid theory, that’s an excuse for a lack of basic skills and nothing more. .

Now… why do a good job of repairs? Ok, unless it’s going to be literally five times the work, my answer to that is why not do a good job? A good job is not going to leak, 'cos that’s part of the job and part of the system of doing it right. It’ll look good, 'cos the original glass has been saved as much as reasonably possible and the necessary filler is behind it - beware of anybody who suggests that the right way to fix a board is by cutting, chopping and sawing away any damage, it only makes more work and a bad job in the end. It’ll be strong, 'cos that original glass is tied in with the new work and it’s got structural continuity restored as much as possible.

I mean, yeah, you can just slap a patch of cloth over something, slap on the resin messy and call it good enough, but what are you saving? Five minutes working time and maybe 45 minutes to an hour of waiting for the additional resin to set up? And that’s without power sanding. If that’s the only concern, put on an appropriate temporary patch and do it right when you have the time. It’s easy enough, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.

doc…

3

Good thoughts doc. The whole $ - work for others aspect, is completely valid, and is why I stopped doing that kind of work. You do make a good point about a person’s psychology vis-à-vis how they feel about their board, which is why I make my own boards, and do my own crappy, half-ass ding repairs – But, they are structurally sound, water tight, and functional. As for the person who told me perfect symmetry and smoothness are low on the importance scale – I have to tell you, they do know where of they speak. I am sure you can think of a lame, but “perfect” board that would suck compared to a beat up, lumpy, heavy old board that performs well due to its design. Question re. uniformity of the craft: Ever seen one of those guys ride an air mat? Now there is a lump twist piece of … And people rip on them. Go figure. Peace doc – thanks for working with me, the quest for flex continues. Taylor

4

I agree. Perfectly smooth, symmetrical boards with a subjectively attractive appearance are arguably the ideal… and I`m 100% commited to fine-tuned surfcraft.

But I dont know how many times Ive been standing around in the evening after a surf, with somebody discussing their “magic board” (as in “rapidly-peeling-gnarly-waves-proven design”): featuring a pressure-dented top and bottom, dinged, maybe a bit water-logged and faded, stress cracks from flex, tips of fin(s) abraded flat, maybe a few too many stickers partially peeled off the bottom, possibly a re-built home-made effort, dubiously asymmetrical. All that and a leash cord continually dragging and flopping along behind on every ride. High levels of surfing can`t be attributed to rider talent alone.

So go figure… maybe its the rough equivalent of a faded and worn-out, favorite pair of Levis. And theyre sold for a “new” price in that condition, too! Ha ha!

As for the performance of modern surf mats… for a start, ask George Greenough. Or David “Rasta” Rastovich, co-star of Billabongs latest film, "Blue Horizon". In fact, Im looking at a letter I received from David earlier this morning, in which he describes my surf mats as being “supreme vehicles of pleasure.”

The world of surfers and surfcraft design still have many surprises and enigmas yet to unfold.

Dale

5

Actually, the reason air mats work so well is at least in part how they bend and conform exactly to the surface of the wave - not lumpy at all, in fact they take ‘smooth’ to a whole different level.

Speaking for myself, I look at the lines of a board, not the graphics. While I’ll admit that I picked my first board over another 'cos it had color and the other one didn’t, that’s the first and last time. The shape and only the shape is what defines a ‘pretty’ board to me.

A pretty board that doesn’t work - wayull… that, to me is more a matter of non-functional ‘style’ versus functional design. A beat up, badly fixed board that originally worked well will usually still work well, in spite of ( emphasis intended) how it’s beat up and badly fixed. Kinda like how a rusty Ferrari will outperform the most pristine Yugo. But it’d function better if it’s been maintained right.

And, of course, if you have that board that works well fixed well, it’ll last longer.

6

Good again doc. gotta run - a swell is comming, the wind is turning, and I got the “flex” board to get to. Much thanks, Taylor.

Ps. Dale - did you have something to add? ??? I missed it, I’ll call ya.

7

I am guessing that aesthetics are all important. If it looks good it is good. If you don’t mind the look of your dents, dings, bends, bumps and divots, then they probably don’t hurt surfboard performance. I’d say trust intuition. The water surface is lumpy and everchanging. Underneith currents and countercurrents swirl. Invisable to the eye, but obvious to your gut.

8

I think you have to also consider the audience your posing this question to… most of us here at Swaylocks are here because we enjoy doing something for ourselves, and we enjoy doing it well. I can’t count the number of times I’ve pointed my roomates in the right direction when it comes to fixing their boards, before sending them on their way… only to pick up their “finished product” an hour later and finish the job. Not my board, not my repair… shouldn’t affect me in the least, but something compels me to pull out some sandpaper and turn that mangled wound into a subtle scar.

…just how crazed are we?? Well… not only do we take the time to try to perfect every little nuiance with our surfboards, but we also spend our time writing about it. Damn it’s good to see this place back.

-rook

9

I have always worked along the lines of if the board looks good it will ride good, and so far it has proven true for me. Clean outlines, nice colours ect. There are definitely certain outlines that I do not like at all, not saying that they wont work but I just would not want to spend money on a board that I thought was a bit on the ugly side. I have about 5 boards at the moment longboards and short and they all work well. The boards ive got rid of have all had outlines and foils that didnt appeal to me.

10

men, the nature designs are not perfecttly simmetric…

if you are a good surfer in good form and you are trained, if your food are balanced and you eat about 3.500 cal (carbohydrates, proteins, glucids, lipids, minerals),if you are not deppressed or streesed,- with a good and perfect wave, the rigth board size, and the water is warm you will ride in the “mood” and all the imperfections and other stuff disappear…

also, look a body board, man are totally imperfects…

11

Maybe we have decided what we consider aesthically appealing are boards that we first found to be functional. I remember the first time I saw a no nose single fin back in the late seventies, I thought it was rather odd. Now the no nose wider tail design is the measure of the modern pointed nose shortboard. What many kids in the late seventies twin fin era thought ugly (any longboard) todays kids find beautiful. Maybe aesthics are more based on function and fun than we like to think. I think fine tuned surfboards got that way because someone through years of experience figured out how to make a board shape work and then surfers began to find a functional design appealing to look at.

12

Everytime I praise Cooperfish, someone inevitable tells me that they look great, but they would rather have a DT or something. To which I say, “have you ridden a Cooperfish?” They always say no.

They are great boards, and incredibly beautiful. They wrap the glass so far around the rails, and the rails are like nothing I have ever seen.

Great boards, in both departments: looks and function

13

I have never ridden a cooperfish, but those things look really nice.

14

I’ll have to agree with your “guru” on this one. I don’t think slightly lumpy rails, decks, bottoms, or outlines are noticeable. If you are a craftsman, go for it. But if you are striving for your own personal magic board, spend your time more wisely…continually trying out new ideas.