With the populatiry of bonzers, singles, hulls, logs, 80s volume thrusters, twins, fish, quads, traditional longboards, eggs and so on, it seems there isn’t any design of the last 45 years that doesn’t have its hardcore devotees. So much for “progress”, huh? I love all the variety…and wish I had one of everything.
It would seem to me that the real question to address is the definition of ‘‘Progress.’’ I still think that real progress would be the creation of one board that does it all. But then you need to be a very versital surfer that CAN do it all. The stuff of dreams, but a worthy persuit.
On the other hand, maybe progress is surfers being able to ride each of these boards with style. Not just competence, but excelling at riding whatever board they hop on. I personally would get bored with just one board. Having a bunch of different designs keeps things fresh and forces me to adapt my surfing, which overall makes me a better surfer on all the designs that I ride.
Brett,
What you describe is the development of a physical skill level. I think the topic refers to design ‘progress’. I don’t understand being bored as you describe it. It is the pursuit of the “one board does it all” design that is so fulfilling. The journey is far more important than the destination. Write down and save what you have posted above, and read it again in twenty years, quietly to yourself. You will be surprised at how you will have progressed in your thinking and perception.
Brett,
What you describe is the development of a physical skill level. I think the topic refers to design ‘progress’. I don’t understand being bored as you describe it. It is the pursuit of the “one board does it all” design that is so fulfilling. The journey is far more important than the destination. Write down and save what you have posted above, and read it again in twenty years, quietly to yourself. You will be surprised at how you will have progressed in your thinking and perception.
yes,
the fat penguin.
Dammit, DJK, you beat me to it!
i was gonna say the fat penguin but, there is probab;y some whacko out there on one and loving everysecond. Does Mr. Peanut have one, or those teardrop boards?
unfortunately, the one board that usually does it all, is a roundtail 7’6" fun board… and who wants to be seen with that? lol. i took one to maui a while back, and rode it out hana way at(forgive the spelling) ha’na manu(?sp) bay around to koki beach from 2’ to 2’ OH. never let me down.
one design that i haven’t seen much of are those truly double ended boards that came out a while back. anyone tried one?
Hee hee, I had one of those. It even had rail channels so I could get tubed. Tail delamed twice, after second time I sold it to soldier at Fort Ord who wanted to learn to surf. It was like a 6’1" thruster mated to an 8’0 hull. Needless to say, it worked great in everything up to overhead surf. It surfed from the tail, it surfed from the middle, it even surfed off the front…
Anyway, to the question: I think the fact that there are so many designs out there right now means either: a) for the average to above average surfer, there are some pretty wide tolerances as to what makes a board work, or b) the lack of empirical data on surfboards means that everyone is just floundering around.
Y’know, in nearly every other sport, you can measure your equipment, ie. stiffness in skis, flex in tennis racket strings, rebound in motocross shocks etc.
But no one’s ever quantified the characteristics of a good surfboard. That’s probably because water is a fluid medium, but it does give one pause. I mean, there are obviously things NOT to do, but there are very few things that you MUST do when shaping a board.
double ended board…hmm… skateboard?snowboard? iprefer my faithful truster it has a nice shaope
Th issue that I have is what is a ‘design’, every board is a point along a continium and changing one element morphs it into something either side. So while due to pure numbers some ‘designs’ seem discrete(Fish,Thrusters), really they are a point along a line. Leave out the board outline, which as WE all know is not as important as other aspects then its hard to find pure examples of one design.
For example the fish.Look at what Pavel and Manny and other are doing ? They have really evolved it. Their Fish don’t ride like ones say 10 years ago. Even Noseriders are constantly changing. So I think its hard to be a follower of one design when all designs are constantly changing. To be into a specific design which your are not into looking at developments in is truly Retro.
The one that really gets me is
“Its not a Fish if its not under 6’,it doesn’t have…”
Quote:
i was gonna say the fat penguin but, there is probab;y some whacko out there on one and loving everysecond. Does Mr. Peanut have one, or those teardrop boards?
hey , go easy , rider of keyboards …
one of my neighbours rides one .
And yes , he surfs well on it . He is definately not a “whacko” .
ben
Hey Slim,
Didn’t we have this thread just recently?
Hehe! Cheers!
Rio
FAT PENGUIN
Power Boards
power boards?
How about Bunker Boards? Any hardcore devotees out there? Any photos?
Quote:
Hey Slim,
Didn’t we have this thread just recently?
Hehe! Cheers!
Rio
Dang. I guess its just me & British Bigfoot there…
" Is there any design that doesn’t have followers? "
dunno how popular they are outside Australia [or even IN Australia ?!] , but …
…triple winged jet bottom single fins …
(“tail sinkers” , according to my brother’s experience[s] )
ben