One of my brothers has a shoulder replacement and he can’t bring his elbow up high enough to paddle .
but I could build a mega tthick board that floats him higher.
I’m talking 6 or 8 inches thick, rounded fun board template to maximise the planing area.
Anyone else built a thick board and any tips for making it work ?
I’m no expert but the “Thick board, skinny rails” thread could be of interest:
https://www.swaylocks.com/forums/thick-board-skinny-rails
However, SUP is a beautiful thing :^)
I thought of that thread Jago, but I think it’s gonig to need a full thickness SUP style of board but keeping the width under 22 “wide. Wasn’t sure if the Thin Rails were required anymore as the SUPs do it quite well on fat rails.
Hi Brett,
On my thicker boards I cut in a top rail band that is indexed to the bottom in the style of Dave Daum.
He uses a router, I use a hot wire on EPS.
Seems like 8" thick x 22" wide x 8’ fun shape is going to look like a baby whale or small kayak…
What are the dim’s of the brother? How many liters do you need? Shoulder injuries are tough.
BoardCAD has a default ‘funboard’ shape you could use to study volume.
Likely you and he have already discussed this “other” option but there are ways to surf that don’t require arm paddling. Me, I love surfmats and have done many sessions kicking only or just paddling with one arm and kicking. Same on bodyboard and paipo
how about a surf mat-such as a 4th gear flyer?
The TaylorO “Sally Series” with raised deck might work:
Not too long a go I read something a bout someone that started knee paddling. Mid leant board due to bad shoulders. His limited arm movement made it impossible to prone Paddle a Short Board.
try knee paddling a Longboard see how that works for the shoulder then move down to something shorter maybe do a build with a built in Eva pad that would be easy on the knees.
…are you sure that he performed the right rehab routine for about 3 years?
I have the shoulder damaged `plus now I have the clavicle fractured in 3 parts, but before, the paddling was possible what is not possible with the shoulder damaged is to train power there so you cannot compete for waves or cannot duck dive anything.
However, after a good surgery and 3 years rehab you normally (I know more than one surfer) finish 100%; yes 100%. In my case this was several years ago so may be I do not have opportunity for a good surgery…
-Regarding boards; if you make a super big board, he would has trouble trying to grab the board if falls out; I mean, that force applied that I mentioned. That is when is hurt.
Also depends on the level of surfing and the biotype. If he only wants to go out there to be in the Ocean and surf 2ft, would be ok but if he is a good surfer and always had the right board, etc, could be frustrating to move such board.
May be try with that thickness and the shortest lenght as possible, then add a step rail and extremely pronounced diamond tail (the points at 6" from the tail). The S deck suggested, a pronounced V and a bevel under rail.
mount a scubajet in the tail on the deck side .
some good answers already. I build some thick boards, but not that thick. I think there is a point of diminishing returns, where thicker is not better for paddling, but begins to create other problems. Bethany Hamilton does well catching waves paddling with only one arm. I think thick like 3 1/4", with a rail channel for grabbing, the rails can thin down at the channel, low rocker, would be a plenty easy paddler, and stable for catching waves and pop up.
Shoulder “replacement” can significantly affect range of motion.
Its a year after his operation and doing rehab several times a day as prescribed.
he can bring his arm from his waist to above his head in front of his body but can’t bring his elbow behind his body, like in a swimming motion.
We’ve put him on a 8’6” 22”wide 3” thick but it’s still too low in the water for him to swing his arm forward.
He wants to surf standing up but not SUP.
He wants to paddle with both arms to increase the range of motion and muscle strength so he can swim to shore if he gets in trouble.
I’m not sure if the board needs to be SUP thick or something unique like a rescue board that’s about 8 inches thick. Vee hull and bugger all rocker. Something like that ?
Kneeboard! I kneeboarded almost exclusively for a decade becasue of a bad shoulder, now mostly fixed. I fell in love with kneeboarding and still do on those days that all for slotting into those fast running round tubes found after those NJ winter storms. As I get older, I’m finding geting to my feet quick enough to make those late hard drops problematic. Kneeboarding fixes that pretty quickly. Good luck to your brother.
They have those inflatable chest pads that raise your body off the board.
Could allow him to surf any board if it gets big enough.
I have built a few boards in the 7 - 9 foot range, 3 1/4" plus or minus, which is very thick by general standards. I’m guessing by your response to my previous post that you don’t feel they would work for your brother, but I gained a few insights I can share on the thread topic, take them for what they’re worth, or maybe they will just aid to keep the conversation going, at any rate.
First off, the obvious fact is that a more buoyant board is easier to paddle, in flat water. However, I have noticed that in catching a wave, as the water rushes up the face, you are fighting the board’s buoyancy to get down the face for the initial takeoff. At that critical point, I have found the increased buoyancy makes catching a wave more difficult. You can see this with SUPs situated in what appears to be the ideal spot for catching the wave, paddling hard, and getting passed up by the wave. Some people have found they couldn’t catch waves with my thicker boards.
What I do is use the flatwater paddling advantage to build speed before the oncoming wave gets to me, so I don’t just flip around and go like a shortboarder. When catching a wave, I actually feel like I have to paddle a little harder and faster than I would on a less buoyant board. Once I have the wave, I try to take one or two more strokes before popping up.
The rest of the time, like paddling back out, the volume makes it easier. I don’t attempt to paddle through breaking waves. I surf point breaks, and always paddle around and over to the lineup. If you have to paddle through breaking waves, once again you will find yourself fighting the volume.
I have also found that thicker boards are less sensitive to weight shifts, so minor adjustments on critical takeoffs are less effective. You kinda have to ride them a bit like a longboard, even if they are not a longboard, because they have the foam of a longboard. As a general rule, you can’t surf the rail like a thinner board.
I am 5’7" about 185 lbs., so if your brother is closer to 300 lbs., like big Jimbo Pellegrine, (2nd pic below) then you have to adjust up. Big Jimbo rode a “shortboard” (shown in the 1st pic below) that was about 7’ long, 24" wide, and 4" thick, IIRC (before the accident, don’t know if he is still surfing since losing his arm).
…hello Huck; I think the same regarding what you say in this last comment.
I am about your height or a bit less but you looks big in the photos.
Haha funny, that’s the famous Jimbo Pellegrine in the first 2 pics.
This is me, after my first (and only) session since my hip replacement surgery.
…yes, I know, I know; I was referring about the photos that you have been posting of you, like this one; you looks a lot bigger than 5 7 but may be is due to those 185 pounds.
Anyway, what about the hip replacement; I mean, is this true about to finish with one leg shorter than the other? The other day I asked to a guy that had a knee replacement, I mention that and he told me that depends on doing the rehab perfectly…
Well, my “fixed” leg is now a little longer, I adjust with an insert in my regular shoes, but otherwise I feel it when walking, my wife sez she can’t detect any limp. Its minor, about 3mm. I guess it’s no surprise, they tell me my whole body was beginning to deform from walking in constant pain for so long.
I am grateful every day for my new pain free joint, but the surgery brings a whole new set of pains and side effects, which I am struggling with.
Most unexpected is that I cannot sleep thru the night since the surgery (4 months ago now), and talking with others, this is not uncommon, tho I don’t understand why. It’s not drug related cuz I haven’t taken any of the drugs they gave me to bring home when I left the hospital.
I can still surf, I was a little shaky on my first wave, but was doing fine by end of session.
