General "function" of basic board features...

General Discussion
1

Hi all - Sorry to sound like a total kook, but I have been thinking about the most basic functions of some of the most basic design elements of surf boards.

I’d like to read what others think about these things, say one at a time, all other things being the same, e.g. a 7’4" tri, round pin - single to double concave (nothing extreem), 2 1/2" thick, 12" nose and tail, or… But, then change one part - like move the wide point from 2" back of center to 2" ahead of center.

The parts I’m thinking about are:

Rocker: In general, nose/entry, tail.

Width: @ Center, nose, tail.

Thickness: @ Center, nose, tail.

Wide point:

These are my general thoughts/understandings:

Less rocker: “Faster” (down the line), but doesn’t turn as easy/well as more rocker. Also, low “entry” rocker – paddles easier/faster (?) catches waves easier (?) – My experience though suggests, doesn’t paddle as well in choppy conditions Vs. “flipped” nose.

Wide point – dictates “where” the board surfs from. Behind center, more from tail - ahead of center allows for more “front foot” surfing.

Width – paddle ability (with some consideration for thickness) Width in tail, wave catching and “drive” in small/mushy waves.

Thickness – Sort of like width.

Anyway -

My apologies if this seems lame, I did check the “Swaylopedia,” but it seemed to tell what the things were, not what they did. I didn’t check the archives, cuz’, well, I still don’t find them the easiest things to use, and perhaps some newbies will find this useful, and maybe we will even come up with something worth adding to the “Swaylopedia.”

Thanks for your time and patience -Taylor “I thought I use to know” O.

2

This is a guy that was shaping in san Diego (don’t know if he still is) but this is a pretty good overall view of your questions without too much tech jargin. Hope it helps:

http://www.eynonsurfboards.com/surf-board-index.html

3

Decent link. Looked a Harbour again too, pretty informative.

By the lack of response, am I to understand I am the only user here who has questions about his understanding, and the rest of the folks who frequent this site know all this stuff?

I was having a discussion about these things, and while I didn’t provide details about myself, body size, surf style, or waves being ridden, I am also sure there are simple basics about the function(s) of these features.

Mostly, I realize if I am unsure about these things, others may too have questions.

Well - onward and upward.

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Serious question- are you the same “TaylorO” who posts on another surf message board who says he’s 4’-3" tall?

5

Ha! No. I guess I should put my middle initial in too, but when I first came here there was another T.E… with a Fat Penguine to sell, and well, I thought I should drop it when they re tooled this site, so as not to be confused with the Fat Penguine as I thought people were avoiding my questions due to similar names… I was once 4’3", and in some ways of thinking I am 4’3" tall… and then around another foot and a half… Thanks for asking all the same.

Nothing… nobody… Just trying to increase my understanding/knowledge base, and share…

6

TaylorO, thanks for the question. Sorry, no answers here. But I am one of the newbies who might like a concise thread that handled this subject. i.e., With given dimensions, leaving all other elements the same, what does changing X (be it wide point, nose rocker, whatever) do to the perfomance. And then go back to the original, and what if you change Y?

I believe for many that would be a really useful thing to find on Swaylocks. It may even be here, but I haven’t found it yet.

Then again, I love just searching for stuff all over the place. Sometimes it’s frustrating, but I’m learning heaps of things I didn’t even know to ask about. I think I’ve spent more time on Sways than on work this week. In which case, my boss would definitely appreciate answers to the initial questions in this thread.

Cheers,

Schiffie

7

i think you pretty much answered your own questions taylor.i would add where wide point is will effect turning radius, eg, more forward long drawn out turns, but i think ya got the basics down.

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Quote:

what does changing X (be it wide point, nose rocker, whatever) do to the perfomance. And then go back to the original, and what if you change Y

The gazillion dollar question. Every shaper has developed their own set of solutions to the problem. There are so many possible combinations that such a simplistic approach is unlikely to give you the answers you need.

Digest http://www.naturalcurvesboards.com/html/design.html and look up gestalt ;>

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Hello TaylorO ,

I’m only here for the art. Really. I started glassing so that I could explore things like fade jobs and resin tints, Wild 80’s graphics and smiple pinlines…Well ,you can’t do art if you don’t have boards so I’m learning to shape. #10 is almost ready to glass. You ask a very good question but the answers are all so distorted.

I got a Clark catalog 2 months before they closed. Go through and read the shapers comments. Start with blanks that catch your eye. I feel that rocker is the key but I’m a novice shaper. There have been threads about what people think is the most important design element on a board. It’s complex but it’s also simple. It’s just a surfboard. Simple designs often work best. What’s with the jet bottom???

Still having fun!!!

Ray

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Condition Red, thanks for the great reference link!

Cheers,

Schiffie

11

Sorry, I couldn’t be more help Taylor-O. I think somebody mentioned it before but that questions is similar to asking the Global warning question, you’ll get a lot of differing opinions and I usually go with he one that seems to make the most sense (seeing as I am not a professional either.) I think the best thing to do is learn makes the boards you enjoy riding tick and go from there. I have had a lot of questions on materials here as well as tail design, but it all comes down to what you like in the end.

In addition, it is hard to give a concrete answer and the waves do make a major difference, and since they are ever changing I am not sure if there can ever be a “magic board” unless you surf in a vacuum. But this forum is amazing for learning what makes a particular shape work and I think knowing these things has made me a hell of a lot more appreciative in what goes on into making a board as well as making me a better surfer (though lord knows I could only go up.)