How’s it! Looking for opinions as to dimensions for a noseriding board — length, width, thickness, shape of tail, etc. I’m 5’7" in height and 155 lbs. Mahalo!
question is waaaayyyyyy too broad. there are many different ways to go, and they all depend on your personal preferences, your experience, and the types of waves you intend to put the board in.
personally, i like anything between 9’6"-10’2" x 18"-19" x 23"-23.5" x 15.5"-16.5" x 3"-3.25". square tail. 9’6"-9’8" = flat bottom, 9’9"+ i prefer nose concave. belly roll through the midsection increasing out the back. flat entry rocker, kicked tail. low knifey rail at the nose, pinched 50/50 or 60/40 through the middle and a higher knifey rail at the tail. pivot fin 10"-10.75".
for sake of comparison, i’m 5’9" / 145 lbs.
yea what soulstice said
Mahalo for you informative reply. Although my noseriding skills are fairly solid, my knowledge on the nuances of a noseriding board is still evolving. My boards were bought because I trusted the knowledge of the salesperson!!! My best noseriding board is a Tudor Classic. 9’4" about 23" in width and 3-1/8" thick with 50/50 rails, pintail, and a Heritage single fin. I copied your message below so you can help to clarify a few points you shared. I usually surf at reef form breaks in Hawaii … super good for noseriding. I prefer a noseriding board which can handle 2 foot faces to 6 foot faces; a well balanced board throughout with some weight to it. I had a Hap Jacobs Mike Purpus Model which was a super good noserider, however, it was way to belly heavy for me and I had a heck of a time paddling it!
Regarding dimensions … is the 15.5" - 16.5" width generally measured about a foot above the end of the tail, or, is this the end of the tail width? Does ‘kicked tail’ mean a tail rocker? Why do you prefer a nose concave from 9’9" above and not shorter? I’m also understanding that a ‘knifey rail’ means a rail with more of an edge to it?
question is waaaayyyyyy too broad. there are many different ways to go, and they all depend on your personal preferences, your experience, and the types of waves you intend to put the board in.
personally, i like anything between 9’6"-10’2" x 18"-19" x 23"-23.5" x 15.5"-16.5" x 3"-3.25". square tail. 9’6"-9’8" = flat bottom, 9’9"+ i prefer nose concave. belly roll through the midsection increasing out the back. flat entry rocker, kicked tail. low knifey rail at the nose, pinched 50/50 or 60/40 through the middle and a higher knifey rail at the tail. pivot fin 10"-10.75".
for sake of comparison, i’m 5’9" / 145 lbs.
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Regarding dimensions … is the 15.5" - 16.5" width generally measured about a foot above the end of the tail, or, is this the end of the tail width?
Yes. Nose and tail measurements ar both taken from 1 foot back from the nose and up from the tail. As for the tail block measurement on a square tail, I like around 7" (give or take a little bit).
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Does ‘kicked tail’ mean a tail rocker?
Yes. It means that there’s a more noticeable increase in tail rocker over roughly the last 18" of board. The added tail rocker works in concert with the rail shape to lock the board in as water is drawn up over the deck. It also facilitates turning from the back.
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Why do you prefer a nose concave from 9’9" above and not shorter?
It’s just a reflection of the way I surf in the waves I would like a slightly shorter noseriding board as opposed to the way I surf in the waves I would like a larger noseriding board. My 9’6"-9’8" noseriders are flat bottomed, down-rail nosed boards. They really accelerate through sections as I walk the nose. The bigger boards in the 10’0" range are for the smaller, slower days. The deep concave helps slow me down and stall me out in the pocket for good noseriding in slower, weaker surf. The bigger board is great for the slow rollers in the rib-high and under range. Once it starts pushing up to the rib- to head-high range, I like something a little shorter and flatter. Keep in mind, though, that I’m surfing crappy Florida beachbreak. The great noseriding days are few and far between. Most days are knee- to waist-high windslop. Actually, most days are dead flat “Lake Atlantic”…truth be told, we’re quite thankful for the knee-high windslop! Anyhow, most days I’m riding more of an “all-around” longboard, that noserides well, but can also surf more aggressively off the tail when conditions call for it.
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I’m also understanding that a ‘knifey rail’ means a rail with more of an edge to it?
Check out this rail diagram…
Notice the difference between the 50/50 rail and the “pinched” rail (which is also 50/50). Consider what happens when that same pinched rail is drawn back toward a tail that is foiled very thin and has a heavily rolled bottom. The end result is a rail that is VERY thin and VERY pinched out at the tail.
What are the rails & bottom like on your 9’4" Tudor?
Thanks again for the excellent information. I am definitely using this info for my next board. I’m debating whether to get a custom made board or a board off the racks. I’m also debating on the length for my next board. I’ve been riding 9’4"s and I’m considering a 9’0" or 8’10". Any thoughts on these shorter lengths? You suggested a 9’6" and up (depending on wave preferance/availability). As for the rails on my Tudor, they appear to be 50/50 throughout … thinner at the nose and tail areas. The bottom is fairly flat … very, very slight concave and tail rocker.
I like to match my style of riding to the day’s conditions, and my board selection to the ride style. For mushy days, I want glide. For small, slow lines, I want to noseride. For chop, I want maneuverability with tight, in the pocket noserides and a quick transition back to the tail for off the lip floaters and whatnot.
If you want more maneuverability, go shorter. If you want more glide, go longer.
Something like my 9’0" WIR might be a good compromise for you if you’re looking to go shorter. It’s a great all-around board. It noserides well, paddles and catches waves easily, and I can throw it around from the back when the need presents itself. For awhile, it was my only board, and I rode it in EVERYTHING – 2 foot slop, head-high mush, double overhead reelin’ barrels. The board handled it all. It has the option for sidebites, but I always ride it strictly as a singlefin (maximize glide and paddling power).
Don’t mean to hi jack the thread, but I’m curious how your RA WIR is lasting? Are they well made? It sounds like a board that I might like.
Thanks
Justin
I think it’s holding up great. It’s been put through some serious abuse over the last 4+ years. Not that I don’t take care of my boards…I do (always in a board bag, don’t knock it around, etc.)…but I sure put it through the paces! I have had that board in some real “push the limits” surf…and it’s never let me down. I wish the deck was reinforced a little better. About 2 months ago I got a delam on the deck in the middle from knee-paddling. No biggie…I’ll repair it when I get the time…but that’s the only structural problem I’ve ever had. Also, for what it’s worth, I get compliments on the board all the time – more performance than cosmetic. It really is a great board, and it significantly stepped up my surfing ability since I first got it. It’s a very forgiving board.
p.s. – i don’t ride pop-outs. it’s a real RA…not a tuf-lite.
I’d never buy a pop out, I assume you have the traditional polyester
verison?
J
read the “p.s.” in my post above. i don’t do pop-out longboards. of course it’s a PU/PE RA.
Whats this RA WIR etc mean…I’m sorry for bein a bit thick!!! Its probably glaringly obvious, but I’m a bit slow in the abbreviations dpt…thx
Si
Robert August “What I Ride” (one of the boards referenced throughout this thread)
I thought so. Roberts boards are real nice, but give the epoxy boards credit too. I’ve seen some really nice veneer Augusts out there in Huntington. Last time I was in LA, I was lucky enough to have a few beers with Robert, Mike, Mark and Da Seahag in the RA shapers louge at the factory…Truly blessed
The PE boards are all real nice lookin, but as I’d just bought a custom PE off of Hap Jacobs, I was a little short of cash.
WIR = still got me guessin!!