What is the optimum nose rocker on a 10’ noserider w/19" wide nose for max tiptime? Does 4.5" sound average?
For a board to be an actual noserider, I reduce the nose rocker to the point that that the deck has only about 1" in the last 24". I increase the tail rocker in the last 16" to create a tail dragger effect. Now this is a true nose rider, for a more conventional every day board, more nose rocker will give a stalling effect on the nose, exactly what you want in a nose rider. The best nose rides always happen when you are going slow. High speed nose rides almost always result in the fin breaking free and turning into a side slip. I hope this makes sense and answers some of your questions.
For a board to be an actual noserider, I reduce the nose rocker to the > point that that the deck has only about 1" in the last 24". I > increase the tail rocker in the last 16" to create a tail dragger > effect. Now this is a true nose rider, for a more conventional every day > board, more nose rocker will give a stalling effect on the nose, exactly > what you want in a nose rider. The best nose rides always happen when you > are going slow. High speed nose rides almost always result in the fin > breaking free and turning into a side slip. I hope this makes sense and > answers some of your questions. So does that n/r equate to approx. 4.5" at nose tip? I don’t understand deck rocker just bottom curve(sorry)I’ve noticed the flipped up high performance noses hang five fine but forget ten(tail will slip). Oh by the way why did Joel Tudor pick Shrosbee for LB shaper? Thanks for sharing…
Joel, Papa Joe and the Shroz have all developed a working relationship for Joel’s Good Karma Longboards. One of the things that I have never done is measure bottom rocker. I feel that numbers alone are pretty useless. How and where the rockers peak and the tightness of the curves are what makes or breaks the way the board rides. A quiver of fins is neccessary if nose riding is something that is desired. A 10-11", more vertical, Takayama/Bing/Nuuhiwa type of fins holds the tail in and helps reduce tail slip out. The rest of the time an 8-9" will do fine.
What about rails and nose concave? I have a 9’8" Yater Spoon that I just can’t get near the nose on (granted I’m not Joel Tudor). For the entire length of the board the bottom is rolled (no nose concave) and the rails are 50/50. It’s got a big 10" single fin. Is it just me or is there something else that’s keeping this board from being a good noserider? Swaylock>>> Joel, Papa Joe and the Shroz have all developed a working relationship for > Joel’s Good Karma Longboards. One of the things that I have never done is > measure bottom rocker. I feel that numbers alone are pretty useless. How > and where the rockers peak and the tightness of the curves are what makes > or breaks the way the board rides. A quiver of fins is neccessary if nose > riding is something that is desired. A 10-11", more vertical, > Takayama/Bing/Nuuhiwa type of fins holds the tail in and helps reduce tail > slip out. The rest of the time an 8-9" will do fine. 
What about rails and nose concave?>>> I have a 9’8" Yater Spoon that I just can’t get near the nose on > (granted I’m not Joel Tudor). For the entire length of the board the > bottom is rolled (no nose concave) and the rails are 50/50. It’s got a big > 10" single fin. Is it just me or is there something else that’s > keeping this board from being a good noserider?>>> Swaylock I would think that a good portion of the problem is most likely technique. The large fin and the 50/50 rails are both good combos for a good nose rider. The non concave nose is a displacement hull rather than a planing hull. If you look at the old pics of Lance or Dora at the Bu’, their boards are often climbing up the wave rather than sliding down hill. This type of board moves through the water, rather than moving on top all of the time. It allows the board to seek its own pathway and move water out of the way. JIM
I would think that a good portion of the problem is most likely technique. > The large fin and the 50/50 rails are both good combos for a good nose > rider. The non concave nose is a displacement hull rather than a planing > hull. If you look at the old pics of Lance or Dora at the Bu’, their > boards are often climbing up the wave rather than sliding down hill. This > type of board moves through the water, rather than moving on top all of > the time. It allows the board to seek its own pathway and move water out > of the way. JIM SO HOW MUCH NOSE BOTTOM CONCAVE(DEPTH) BECOMES OVERKILL AND DOES LENGTH OF BOTTOM CONCAVE AFFECT NOSE LIFT FOR HANGING TEN OPTIMALLY? ARE YOU SAYING DORA AND CARSON DID OR DIDNT LIKE/WANT NOSE BOTTOM CONCAVE? THANK YOU. DOES DALE DOBSON LIKE CONCAVE UNDER NOSE?
Thanks for the wake up call Jim. Guess I better get out of the office and into some nice 2 ft rollers.>>> I would think that a good portion of the problem is most likely technique. > The large fin and the 50/50 rails are both good combos for a good nose > rider. The non concave nose is a displacement hull rather than a planing > hull. If you look at the old pics of Lance or Dora at the Bu’, their > boards are often climbing up the wave rather than sliding down hill. This > type of board moves through the water, rather than moving on top all of > the time. It allows the board to seek its own pathway and move water out > of the way. JIM
Concave on its own is no guarantee that a board will be a good noserider. As for Dora and the boys of the Bu’, concave had not been incorporated in board design at that time, therefore they made due with what they had. Skil was their only tool available. Overly long concaves reduce the rocker under the nose and actually increase the speed and reduce the tip time overall. Concave near the tip, a rounded rail and a flipped up tail are the best combos for a good noserider. The flipped tail makes for a poor performance board as the turns become to short for useful surfing, but makes the drag that slows the board down enough to keep control on the tip. This is exaxtly what Dale Dobson rode last year in the Oceanside pro noseriding event. This year he had me pirate a Joel template and rocker as he had overheard Joel say this was the best noserider he ever had. Dale promptly lost out, so rather than staying with a proven design he went for what he had heard. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
Jim, I’m a friend of Rick James and want to get in touch with the Shroz. Can you help? Bob Howard or Joel, Papa Joe and the Shroz have all developed a working relationship for > Joel’s Good Karma Longboards. One of the things that I have never done is > measure bottom rocker. I feel that numbers alone are pretty useless. How > and where the rockers peak and the tightness of the curves are what makes > or breaks the way the board rides. A quiver of fins is neccessary if nose > riding is something that is desired. A 10-11", more vertical, > Takayama/Bing/Nuuhiwa type of fins holds the tail in and helps reduce tail > slip out. The rest of the time an 8-9" will do fine.