I’m hoping to gain some knowledge on board design that will best suit my style and hopefully have a positive experience with my next custom order. I haven’t had much luck with boards lately (always custom) as 1/2 the time they don’t work for me or are a bad suprise. I’m looking to stick with one particular shaper and work though the issues with him. I’m hoping a little knowledge can prevent any more r&d/sell off boards from occuring as I’ve been slowly going broke over the last couple of years trying to get boards that work!!!
Below is my basic info listed as well as some preferences
Me: late 30’s, surfing for 20+yrs, doesn’t understand a damn thing about board design, 5’9" 175lbs
Style: surf off the rails/carving, fairly powerful, fairly fast, 45degree angle of attack (not true vert/top to bottom), drives and initiates turns w/ front foot, heavy weight transitions from front to back (seesaw), somewhat forward stance (back foot slightly behind side fins), trying to stay progressive. Major adjustments to my style are not an option…
Board: tri fin, daily driver for waist to overhead / primarily beach break from soft to square barrels
Dims 6’2" x 18 7/8" x 2 3/8"
tail: 14" round pin
nose: ???
outline: curvy w/ no hips
widepoint: 1-2" back
rails: fairly low with slight tuck
bottom: mild single to double
ROCKER: ???
FIN PLACEMENT: ???
I’ve read some posts in this forum and I’m amazed at the amount of knowledge/talent here. I’m hoping some of you can step up and help me out. All suggestions are appreciated!!!
Build you one. You’ll understand the things about 100% better from just thinking hard about it. It’ll work about 100% better because you made it with your style in mind, thought hard about it, sculpted it, and understand it. Even if you just buy a EPS plank, draw a template on APS3000 (www.APS3000.com–free) and cut and foil it, have someone else finish it out…
Thanks janklow. I’ve definitely thought about it… to the point where I started downloading that program (but aborted mission). I don’t know enough about rocker staging (and fin placement) to go forward with it. Possibly after collecting some knowledge here I will…
Rocker shots are all over the place–check some big name sites like CI etc, SUrfing mag’s site, Proctorsurf.com, rockers you can scope everywhere
Thruster standard placement is apparently trailing edge of rail fins 1.5" in from rail, and 10.5" up from tail–center fin’s trailing edge is at 3.5" from tail (true, guys? thx blakestah). Measure some things at the shop. Get APS, write down some widths, look at rockers, play w/ the program.
WOuld help you to have recorded info off boards that worked for you in the past
Yea Janklow… it’s killing me that I have let a couple of boards go in the past in anticipation of improving on them… I could have AT LEAST had an idea about fin placement. I now own boards that were built for HI (just moved back to CA) and as much as they work over there, they aren’t what I need here on a daily basis (too much nose rocker/ too drivey/or just too big). I’ve had two boards made for me in the past two months, both of them WAY off. So my quest for knowledge begins…
Is there a crude but effective way of measuring rocker? I’ve read that rocker is measured from center, but if a straight edge is sitting on something other than a flat spot, doesn’t the potential tilting have a negative effect on the measurement by distributing rocker from one end to the other? Can you just put it on stands (or saw horses) with each platform a foot off center in opposite directions, then center the straight edge to balance, then measure? Is there a somewhat standard increment of measurment - ie: every 6" off center? Is this a stupid question?
I’ve only seen shapers put up rocker templates to my boards in comparison…
Dumbdumb, here’s what you do: lay your board on racks (bottom up) and pencil mark halfway in length. Pick up a long straight ruler and pencil mark it in the middle. Lay the ruler on the bottom of your board and make the two marks coïncide. Use a bubble level and move the board untill the ruler is level. Then measure the rocker from bottom of board to bottom of ruler at nose, tail, and every other point you need.
Remember one thing, though: figures are one thing but you may have two boards with the same nose and tail rocker figures that will ride completely different from each other as the CURVE may not be the same.
Sounds like you should try to get Rooster to walk you through building one of his fish. He’s about your size & age & surfing history - superbly competent without being flashy or butt-wiggling. He’s made quite a few fish that I’d describe as ‘mostly traditional’. In other words, they’re not 100% Lis retros but they’re not even close to what is called a fish (in name only) by companies that adveritse in the mags for teenagers. With luck, he’ll pop up in this thread. Depends on how hard its raining at his part of the coast today…
Try riding a CI MX . . . or a Kboard if those boards work better for you.
I learned of longboards and so I trim w/ my front and turn off my back . . . i’m 50% -50% front / back foot. Normally most thrusters are designed for 20% front 80% back. I was using a CJ hobgood smalle wave swallow tail and for some reason I could catch waves but it just didn’t click. I used a Ksmall, and that board was next to magic … . The only differences is the Ksmall wide point is centered (CJ WP is 6 in back), foil is near center, and and flatter nose entry rocker . . .
Based off your description you are more of a front foot surfer. Usually those thrusters for front footed surfers have a flatter rocker . . . wide point at center or forward of center, the foil is centered / more balanced.
