After many years of just thinking about this and discussing it with others and throwing around this idea to no end I finally decided WTF and just did it today. I’m talking about purposely shaping a Asymmetrical Board. I went thru the search in here and didn’t find a lot about it and other than PT on that pink board years ago, I’M CERTAIN others have taken this concept and flogged it to death…
I like round pins when turning off my toes and I like squash tails when turning off my heels. Certain boards I’ve surfed work better on my backside then my frontside… Maybe I’m just a freaking weirdo but its reality for me… I just got done shaping a 7’4" Hybrid 1/2 squash, 1/2 round pin with slightly different rail outlines and tail contour/exit rocker but kept my dimensions the same at the center and nose. I have a certain surf spot in mind to ride this board so I really made it for this secret spot. I understand after shaping it and visualizing water flow that a true pintail or true squash will not be the same as this but I’m sooo curious and I can’t wait to glass it… Pictures will come when my internet provider gets some problems fixed…
Anybody else really explore the world of INTENTIONAL ASYMMETRIC shaping? I’m game to get into this and because board building is only for myself, I don’t give a crap what people will think when they see it… All that matters to me is it surfs good… Aloha
Updated 10/3
HYBRID FUN BOARD 7’-4" x 3" x 21-3/4" x 14"T x 12-3/4 N
Top Tail View.
Bottom Tail View
Top view
Tail double barrel. The 2 sides sides are slightly different
Problem is, when you start to surf better, you learn to appreciate the differences of your frontside and backside surfing, and actually learn to use it to your advanatage.
Surfing the same both ways would be boring, at least to me.
Problem is, when you start to surf better, you learn to appreciate the differences of your frontside and backside surfing, and actually learn to use it to your advanatage.
Surfing the same both ways would be boring, at least to me.
Actually, my frontside and backside surfing are totally different which is why I’m so curious about exploring this further.
I love to do really tight, powerful backside snaps under the lip with a pintail. I love the feeling of coming off the bottom frontside with a pintail and of course I like the subtle toe control of the round pin in hollow frontside barrels. Backside is a whole different story for me. When I grab rail I have zero subtle control in the barrel. I feel almost no difference tube riding backside in tail design. I just aim and steer in the pig dog stance. But backside off the bottom I like the feel of a squash tail. Also on my frontside cutbacks and snaps… I honestly believe its not a fronside thing or a backside thing but a HEEL and TOE side thing…
My goals are to surf to the highest degree my 41 year old carcass will allow me. I feel Asymmetrical designs will allow you to surf to your full potential on your toe turns and your heels turns regardless if its backside or frontside. Time will tell… But then again, WTF do I know? Buwahahahaha!!!
Aloha! The reason being, that you have more control through your toes on a frontside turn. You put more weight on your heels on a backside turn. A more drawn-out outline on the frontside rail would be more controllable, more width and curve on the backside rail would offer more punch, and better vert-ability. These concepts were pretty much formulated in the single fin days, where you needed that special enhancement. Personally, I think that the thruster design more or less cancels the need in most cases for assymetrical designs. Although, they might have their uses in certain situations. Aloha…RH
Aloha! The reason being, that you have more control through your toes on a frontside turn. You put more weight on your heels on a backside turn. A more drawn-out outline on the frontside rail would be more controllable, more width and curve on the backside rail would offer more punch, and better vert-ability. These concepts were pretty much formulated in the single fin days, where you needed that special enhancement. Personally, I think that the thruster design more or less cancels the need in most cases for assymetrical designs. Although, they might have their uses in certain situations. Aloha…RH
I agree with you 100% on the toe/heel thing. This is exactly why I’m thinking with different rail outlines AND tail designs you can maximize heel side turns and toe side turns…
I first started really thinking about this while riding my Carve Board. They are really fun and you can lay into your turns as you are visualizing yourself carving up a wave. Sometimes I’m visualizing carving up a right and sometimes a left. The mechanics of a backside bottom turn and a frontside cutback are almost identical. Same goes for a fronside snap and a backside bottom turn. The only difference is how tight the arc is and of course the angle you’re at while turning. The HEEL and TOE parts of a turn are pretty much the same frontside and backside. This is only my opinion but I’ve been surfing my brains out lately and I can’t let this darn thing rest!!! Hahahaha!!!
Thanks for all your input guys… This is gonna be fun and I’ll tell you how things progress…
A single fin seems to make sense to me , having read Mr. J’s posts , it would take one or two variables out of the equation . It would be ‘interesting’ to ride that board , or a thinner , more modern “equivalent” of it , perhaps …
Sailboards went through an assymetrical phase in the mid eighties(as chipfish said). A drawn out rail for reaching and bottom turns with a shorter, fuller rail for snapier cutbacks and off the lips. Usually single fins(but some had a small fin on the short side), they were nicknamed ‘can-openers’ …they worked pretty well, especially in choppy conditions. Craig Masonville(High Tech) used to ride them alot as well as many others here on Maui and the Mainland.
You’ve got me thinking of a subtle asymetrical rail design now.
And, of course, the assymetricity of fins and foils.
We stand asymetrically, so there’s no reason the board can’t be fully asymetric, and work like a charm.
Go For It!!! Buwahahaha!!!
Darn, my internet provider is all screwed up right now so I can’t load pics. I went with a 1/2 round pin and 1/2 squash. The round pin side is ever so slightly more drawn out with a slightly different fullness to the rail. Bottom is a single into a double barrel concave which has been working very well for me but on the squash side I finished the exit rocker a hair flatter than the round pin side. These differences are all VERY SUBTLE.
I figure I’ll see how this goes and go from there. The 3rd board I shaped was supposed to be a 8’-2" Hybrid but I screwed up the nose so I had to cut it down to 7’-11". I was bummed and kinda gave up on putting my whole heart into the thing. One rail is a little fuller, the nose is slightly askew, but the bottom and the outline for the most part is clean albeit slightly asymmetrical. After getting it glassed I threw it in the corner of my shed as a, what I thought, a failed attempt at making what I wanted.
It sat there for 2 months till the other week. I finally took it out on a overhead day on the North Shore and that board is by far the best board in my current quiver. I told my friend, it makes me feel 20 years old again! Haha! I been surfing that board since and have been able to surf the way I want to. It opened my eyes further to the whole symmetry thing and the constant quest for it. I understand the marketable side of symmertry and the all around best balanced things about symmetry but I am not in this for business. I’ve been surfing symmetrical boards for over 25 years…
