I’m in the process of designing and building a couple longboards, one for myself the other for my wife. Both are 8’10" long (have to meet local airline restrictions so I had to keep them under 9’) but other then that I hope they turn out to be vastly different boards.
The first one is for my wife, she is 5’3" 125lbs, beginner as best. Looking for something stable and easy to ride in waist and smaller waves.
Here are the specs: 67 Litres, 5’10" long, N:17"x22"xT:14", Front rocker: 5" Rear rocker: 2 1/2" (lower rocker in the back in hopes it will push her a little better - might lower it a little still)
Will have standard thruster setup, flat stable bottom.
I’m really looking for suggestions on the rocker on this one, should it come further center from the front as to be equal with the widest portion of the board?
The second board is going to be a semi-nose rider… for myself.
I’m 5’10", 150lbs. Noice rider. Would like something that turns and potentially noseride in waist high waves and smaller.
I really don't have the design chops to speak intelligently on your drawings, other than just to give my gut reaction. The wife's board looks good to me, although a bit thin in the nose. The rocker on your board looks suspect. I can't give you an explanation, other than to say it doesn't look like the rocker I would expect on a noserider. I don't think a noserider for smaller waves needs all that rocker in the tail.
In regards to the noserider I think the shape really depends on how much noseridding you plan on doing with it, well that's what I'd be asking myself first off.
If it is going to be a noserider (not just a long board that you noseride on) I'd be making your nose rocker more gradual and maybe nocking an inch off, the 4 1/2 nose rocker will help prevent perling but could start to take away from being a good noseridding board.
Here are the specs for a Hollow Core noserider I'm working on at the moment -
10'2" X N 20 1/2" X W 23" X T 14 1/2" X 3" with 2 1/2" of nose rocker and 4" of tail rocker, the rocker of the board is very gradual with the tail swoop starting about 17" from the tail.
"The Physics of Noseriding" video maybe of help, and is a good example of what noseriding rails should look like - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLTvunwBmCg
Thanks for the responeses and links - i’ll check them out.
Elliot, I think I would like the board to be a nice cross over between a longboard I can have fun on and make turns with the ability to make the odd noseride. I’m not sure if that board really exists, but I’m open to design suggestions to get it there.
If it were me I would make one board a speed egg shape. Round pin nose pulled in major and make it a five fin system rather then a thruster or a two, one system. This way you have two boards that will be very different while still be easy on paddling and wave entry.
Then again that's just me. My favorite board in the last 15 years was an 8'8" pig style egg wish I still had that ride. A new one is in the works
Elliot: watched the video link you provided, thanks so much it was very helpfull.
Artz: I like you’re suggestion, I’m going to pin tail the on my board so we end up with two different boards. I’ll post a revised drawing in a bit. I’ll also consider the 5 fin system you talked about.
If I add V to the back of my board, what is the process when dealing with the fins. I assume this will give the fins a lot of cant? Should I be countering the cant to the center of the board or just use zero inserts and take advantage of the V in the board?
Here is my take on the bottom a very slight concave forward of mid point running into a double concave just forward of fins into a v behind fins. If you have the opportunity look at some of Duncan Campbell's Longboards. Keep The rail soft also pull the nose in just a tad.
