Hi everyone! No threads about the design M. Cole is promoting… Heavy concaves (…1 inch!!!) on the basic shortboard, directly from these tow-in boards. What do you think about it? Once a well known shaper told me that too much concave can slow the board a lot… So what?
There was a great thread about concaves for control… which finally got me to change my thoughts on the whole thing.
I haven’t made any boards the same - save for say, flat bottom, v. deep concave - so I couldn’t say if there is a profound difference myself…
It's a fascintating topic, which I can't really contribute to. Like TaylorO, I've changed my thinking about concaves because of Swaylocks. Especially because of comments by Mike Daniel--I mean, MikeDaniel!
Take a look in the archives and see what you think.
Personally, I find bottom contours mind-boggling. I continue to shape flat bottoms, happy with the results. As often I surf boards shaped by great shapers who've obviously put a lot of thought into their complex bottom contours. The difference I seem to feel is that concave boards plane higher (or at least feel like it). I don't know why this would be, and, to further cloud the issue, it really depends on the wave. I have a board with a deep concave that I ride in big powerful surf and it's the closest thing to flying--I love it!
The bottom line is that bottom contours, like everything else on a surfboard, do many things and each a compromise.
Peace, C