Longboard Nose Concave....Function or Fantasy?

Originally before there were  “Noseriders”;  Guys would occasionally pull off a nose ride.  Pictures in magazines propagated this maneuver.  If you were a good surfer you could get somewhere up on the front third of your board.  As it became more popular Noseriders came into being.  I remember guys taking stock 60’s boards, cutting the glass out at the nose to form a sweet spot concave and re glassing .  Instant Noserider.  One of the best Noseriders of all time had no concave at the nose…  The Peck Penetrator.  Ten footers weren’t unusual in those days they just weren’t the norm.  I’ve yet to ever see a pic of Dora hanging ten.  Extreme nose rides became the norm as boards evolved.

Many moons ago there was a shot in one of the mags of a Windansea guy named Tom Ortner I believe. One of the best surfing photos I’ve ever seen. He is screaming down the face of an overhead wave on the front of his board. Beautiful style. Not standing tall but in a full speed crouch starting the turn on an angle. Been looking for it ever since. It’s a move I love to re-create whenever possible. The feeling is pure speed and fun as hell!

Aloha Tim,

I surfed at WindanSea, contemporary with Tom Ortner.      He  had a very fluid, flowing style of surfing, not unlike Fitz’.        I think I know where that article is.        I’ll check my ‘‘library’’ and let you know.

Howzit Bill, ​I was hoping you would chime in. That’s a heck of a wave Windansea. Lots of shove for the mainland. That shot for me was a memorable one. Is Ortner still around?

Yes, he is still around.      I saw him about two years ago.       The article, with the Ortner photo, was called ‘‘Welcome to WindanSea’’ as I recall.       It was either in Surfers Journal, or Surfing (magazine).       I just don’t remember which.      I’m still looking for it.

hey Bill you have the knowledge! You helped me out with my conquest of one of your transitional Hansen Masters that I found- thanks! can you take a look at my NEW post  VALUE HANSEN COMPETITOR and give us your 2 cents?

 

Thanks for looking Bill. That smooth style is what caught me and lit the fire. It still is a pleasure to watch. The jerky snap turns leave me wondering why. I hope T. Ortner is still surfing.

​I noticed Roger Hall uses nose concave on his finless Hot Curl board, which he describes as a board that is ridden way up toward the nose.  So I think the claims of the concave adding lift are legitimate.

Well, I found it !         SURFERS JOURNAL, Vol. Nine, Number Three,  at the bottom of page 91.     Published in the year 2000.         The photo of Tom Ortner, that you referred to.      The article is   WELCOME TO WINDANSEA.   

So Bill and T commented on Tom quite awhile back.  I won’t say he is gone but thought I heard he was.  Hynson once said " he was gonna do Tom’s boards like sheets of paper off a roll of TP."  In other words one right after another.

Last week, I bumped into a fellow, at BIRD’S SURF SHED, that had been surfing with Tom Ortner that day, at La Jolla Shores.

Thanks Heaps Mr Thrailkill, hope the search wasn’t a pain. I’ll get it off the Journals’ site. I’m also hoping it is as good as I remembered. Howzit Lowel? Can’t shut the lid on the old boy yet. Good news. Wouldn’t mind having one of Hynson’s “sheets of T.P.”