yeah yeah size doesnt matter…
I was having a chat with Gill, (who I have come to believe is Gill) today about how small can you make a board before it is loses all function?
Now I know it all comes down to height and weight sooooo… Im around 175cm above land level, and a staunch 68kg.
Is a 5’5 of even a 5’ spoon style set up out of the question?
size matters
one of my boards is 5’ x 21 x 4". classic fish shape, but with a single fin. made it myself from an old longboard.
i,m about the same height/ weight as you. best in smaller waves. hope that gives you an idea.
Hi Renton,
Interesting Question
What do you mean by smalll?
Lenght,
Width,
Or Surface area
I think its about surface area
But when you make a disc
It could become very instable, directionally
Look at tow-in boards
Do you still want to paddle in to the wave?
Yes, I like small boards, my little big 5’5"
I tryed a 5’ board from a 10 y old
And I got in the (baby) barrel with it
I’m only 85 kg, 192cm
Very late takeoff
I could only say:
Try it and let us know
Greetinz from soul
Rasta rides the microdot, a tiny blue Van Straalen fish which is about 5’4", and goes nuts on it in headhigh waves. Obviously we’re not all Dave Rastovich, but it can be done. Check Hydrodynamica.com for the footage- it’s pretty awesome.
Da boys at Hanalei and Kaleiheiwai used to ride 5’ boards all the time, up to well what you’d consider DOH, and did fine. Mostly smaller surfers, up to 175 lbs.
Ain’t what you ride, it’s how you ride it.
And some folks insist on 9’10" x 24" logsboards too…
My first shorty was a twin keel rounded square…4’-9"…rode it for about a year.
Once upon a time…15-20 years ago? 6’3" Pat Caldwell (of the bodyboarding world) used to stand upon and ride his standard bodyboard…finless 42" long. That would probably be the shortest regularly ridden standing surfcraft.
In the early 1960s George Greenough dramatically increased speed, performance and control by going “smaller”: shorter, thinner, lower center of gravity, lighter, flexible, including his high aspect ratio fins.
He recognized standing on a board as one of the problems.
so othe guy shows at the arage door at stanley and livingston/
he looked familiar.
white hair angular face kinda old…
intros
he’s tor swenson…(sp)
oh that guy
he says he’s got a movie he’s shoing at san mateo that night …
the revolution is on
its spring 1968
OH YEAAAAAAAAH
its evolution the movie
by whitzig
he says he needs some body to intro the movie…
and bring some boards to show
he says that skip frye introed the flik in sandiego
in the talk frye said that some day
people will be riding boards a foot square
it has been fun watching people
pursue this criteria
smaller samller hit the performance wall
back up … dream
take another run at it
hit the wall
back up ,dream and have another run at it
how small is too small?
when I read it I thought the point of departure was gonna be
small waves my passion…
as a mental excercise contrary
to the HOW BIG passion
popular
with a aelect group of wave riders.
dream and adapt
the hand board guys abviously
demonstrate the wave riding
of the smallest
surfing while standing?
it comes to the transition to standing
our waterski entusiast cousins
have been barefootin’ for decades
the foilboards adapted to the stand up
are in the house.
what are the dynamics
to the transition
fixed gaze on the how small is small
more power to ya.
for every dicipline there are cut offs
below six foot volume x boards
elements of style and grace sacrificed are numerous
new styles and graces must be assembled ad hoc
what adaptive style elements must be adapted to ride a 24’’ board ?
do it today with a power assist take off
petrochemical world provides the jet ski
thre are no lower limits of how small in general.
other criteria elements like standing straight up
will begin to set perimeters of design
how small is too small
is a challenge to some…
say it out loud for example…
4’3’’ is too small
for fifteen foot surf.
some contrary arpsoul will stand up and say
OH YEAH?
and proceed to brainstorm a 4’2 to
ride’ em
…ambrose…
only small focus concepts are too small
he says that skip frye introed the flik in sandiego
in the talk frye said that some day
people will be riding boards a foot square
I don’t know why but I read those words and then this flashed…
(In a conspiritorial whisper)
“Let’s get…small!”
-Steve Martin
Late 1970’s
A twisted period back then, to be sure. If nothing else it taught a bunch of us how to laugh, which appears to be more valuable than all the MBA gibberish spouted in the current era. There were cautionary tales back then to be sure, unlike this slippery era when the children are taught that they can fly off canyon walls and walk on water if they want it bad enough. If it doesn’t work out, everybody gets to wear black and light a candle and get on television. Everybody else, that is…
That’s a nice little nugget to dredge up, Ambrose; proving once again there are parameters as yet untouched, perhaps even untried.
well, i don’t know if this fits in this thread, but in the ‘ultimate addiction’ issue of transworld, rusty is showing all sorts of boards for the bigger guy. some finless, too.
4’3’’ is too small
for fifteen foot surf.
some contrary arpsoul will stand up and say
OH YEAH?
and proceed to brainstorm a 4’2 to
ride’ em
Surely the speed generated of rushing down a 15ft wave would rival, and shatter that of a ski?..now to find that power in my arms 
I shall delve a little deeper and see how feasible a 4’2 is 
small waves be the game cause I know of some pockets that need harassing
I was having a chat with Gill, (who I have come to believe is Gill) today about how small can you make a board before it is loses all function?
Hi renton du live in Newcastle as in Newcastle UK? and do you mean Gill as in ‘The Gill’ and his mate ‘Guts’. Just wondering how he’s doing and if his sold his place yet.
small waves be the game cause I know of some pockets that need harassing
Nicely put…
Board size small beyond reason would seem to require internal or external propulsion, which really only makes sense to me today for larger waves, where the tech already exists. Hence the smaller wave arena has the potential and is the place to be.
I tried to dream it up…swim fins with planing area? Handboards for swim power and planing to make the hop up? I fly in my deepest dreams with arms outstretched; my internal equilibrium seems both disturbed and disgusted by the notion of “walking on water”, perhaps the result of decades of western learning…it has no relation to standing on a board…in one memorable dream long ago the board itself lengthened as the wave speed picked up…if it gets long enough does it cease to exist? Hard wiring may need updating or more capacity to grasp…
woody waverider - what a rad name. Im not talking about the UK, or about The Gill and Guts. Im talking about downtown Newy in Oz and Gill as in Gill
Nels - Would the board exist? Well…umm…Infinite smallness is partnered by infinite largeness. From what I understand nothing can cease to exist it just disappears…now Im not even making sense to myself hahaha. good question however.
Back to the matter is I aim to ride a 5’3. functionally by the end of the year. Now getting my hands on or constructing such a thing will be the challenge. I have and still do occasionally surf a lid. But it lacks any function unless you make it abit bigger and add fins. Then I find it would still surf like a lid.
ahh the pondering
I ain’t got no mate called guts 
But Renton, do you really want to cut down that old kneelo that you ride so well? You could buy one of the Southcoast blanks that I just got to do a board for Luke (Andy Denz’s mate) from FMS for $75. They’re like an old kneelo blank, about 6’5" and nearly 4" thick! Lots of foam to play around with.
I’ll lend you some templates and other stuff if you like.
Let me know.
Craig.
I have read interviews with p. anderson and c.amphlett where they both categorically stated at 8 upwards , the fun begins .
…no pleasing some women.
yep, but that’s BODYsurfing that they’re talking about.
ben
bringing it back ,
I had trouble with my 5’5 spooned fish .
but then , I never used it with flippers , kneeling . And I never used it in good hollow surf .
However , the 2 1/2" thick 4’11 fish I made , I caught two waves on , before giving it to a then 6 year old son of a mate. It was a bit tricky to paddle without breaking my then 41yo back , but once on a wave , it felt GREAT , sooo loose ! That was on a shoulder heigh wave. I’m 5’10 [175.5cms] and 11 stone [154lbs / 70kgs]. Back then , I was 10 stone [140lbs]
I guess the push in the wave , the paddling power in your shoulders and core [and ?age ? and injuries related , too , maybe?] can all play a part .
I say go for it , Rent , and take photos and report back …we need a bit of creativity going on here at the moment , I reckon !
cheers mate
ben, from Perth [no woody - NOT the scottish one… OR the english Scarborough , either !]