Basically, it’s a curve that follows the path of a point on a circle when it’s rolled along a straight line. The clip shows that two ball bearings, when dropped from random points on either side of the centre of the curve, will always meet at that centre point, regardless of where on the curve they’re released - e.g. you could release one from an inch away from centre, and the other at the extreme end on the other side, and they’ll still meet at centre because of the nature of their acceleration over the curve. Pretty interesting stuff, I thought.
I’ve watched it a couple of times now and can’t shake the feeling that this has to have some sort of an implication for board design. Perhaps how it would influence flow and release when applied as a bottom contour, or how it might be applied as a plan shape, tail or rail curve? I’m no physicist, nor do I have the technical skills or access to multiple blanks to put this to the test, but I’d be very interested to hear the thoughts of those in the Swaylock’s community with a better grasp of these kinds of scientific principles.
Could this potentially have an application in board design? Does anyone know if it’s already been done?
Please shut down this thread. I am the owner of ICB (IsoChronous Curve Boards). We design all our boards based on alien crop circles and use the damaged crop to make our blanks.
We always recommend PERFECT waves and the most skilled surfers to maximize the performance of our boards. No animals are ever harmed whilst manufacturing our productrs.
Is an isochronous curve the ideal shape for a skating half-pipe? I suppose so, but I don’t like pain enough to be a skateboarder…
I think the tautochrome / isochronous curve explains A LOT about taking off on a wave, or re-entering it. Basically, if you do not go all the way to the top of the wave (or take off at the top), you will arrive in the trough at the same time as if you had taken off at the top, but you will be a lot slower. It just gave me a much deeper understanding of why it is important to take off in the critical part of the wave.
There’s at least one long thread on Sways about using mathematical curves for board design. One of the methods is to slice cylinders or cones at angles. Many (half) board outlines will fit an ellipse (a curve with two points of generation), in the same class of curves as isochronous (but generated by a circle following a curved, rather than flat, surface). Gardener’s method to generate an ellipse: Whack a couple of pegs in the ground, tie string ends to each, marker guided by taut string. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipse#Pins-and-string_method.
Exactly on all counts. Have at it tho fellas. Most of the usual suspects aren’t even here yet. Give it a little time tho. It wouldn’t be Sways without this type of boring stuff. What’s boring to me tho is desert with whipped topping for the heavy thinkers around here. Carry on gents.
[Quote]I think the tautochrome / isochronous curve explains A LOT about taking off on a wave, or re-entering it. Basically, if you do not go all the way to the top of the wave (or take off at the top), you will arrive in the trough at the same time as if you had taken off at the top, but you will be a lot slower. It just gave me a much deeper understanding of why it is important to take off in the critical part of the wave.
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You may be on to something there, watching those pros paddle into heaving bombs with just a gentle stroke or two makes you think…
