Leave the belly in? Slight V ? What? Help!

General Discussion
1

I am right in the middle of doing the bottom on a SUP…

I put together two stringerless 9’8" by 4.5 blanks, got the stringer in and its all good.

But there is a slight V or belly in the bottom for the length, could me my glue up.

The final dims are looking like 9’6" by up to 35 wide…(not really but I do have some width to play with)

My problem is, instead of losing more thickness, should I just leave that slight belly/V an go with it or plane off another 1/4 inch down the bottom to completely flatten it out? I need the float with me being 175 and at 200 in a 6/5/4 suit up here.

The board will be used for under 2’ slop and other adventures but I do want it to surf.

My longboards have a touch of belly to them after the concave but I know belly costs speed in paddling.

Will leaving the belly cost me more in terms of surfing it or will taking it out cost me more in terms of float and stability?

I love these kinds of issues but I cant get my head around what to do, thanks guys!

2

I suspect belly is there to help you roll into your turns, if you stand forwards enough to push it into the water.

Dat’s how hulls were ridden.

On logs, mostly for the same and also to give stiffness with 3D effect.

On SUP’s, if you really meant to only ride 2’ surf, you don’t need it because you’re not going all that fast to have problems rolling it onto a rail.

For paddling, the displacement bottom is more directional than flat or panels, and glide/plow straight thru chop.

But you gotta think out the nose somehow, and keeping some stiffness and centerline strength is not the worst of all worlds.

3

I had forgotten about it helping with the chop, for thickness then, I will leave it be, its less than a 1/4 inch and the rear third is very flat so…

Thanks LeeDD, appreciate it!

Hey you up North too?

4

Prolly not nearly as N as you, I’m in Berkeley.

Yeah, almost all the pure SUP’s have a full belly from WPoint up to the nose.

Some of the SUP/sailboards have multi panels instead of the belly, making them quicker responding when the nose slaps down.

Best thing of thick stringer and thinner rails is the increased stiffness of the entire hull, so it won’t stress fracture thru time and pushing thru the waves.