Are they really necessary performance wise? I wonder if we can do with one or two inches less to rounded it up to make them safer, as well as shortening the board without taking away volume. Or is it just aesthetics.
Are they really necessary performance wise? I wonder if we can do with one > or two inches less to rounded it up to make them safer, as well as > shortening the board without taking away volume. Or is it just aesthetics. I’ve been walking around with this question too… On sailboards it’s all rounded or even “squash” noses. They don’t injure as much as sharp noses, it allso doesn’t tear up your sail [smile] But then again, saillboards are different every year loaded with gadgets and eyecatching features. All for commercial benefits… I think the surfboard “industry” is much more conservative on shapes. I can’t imagine a rounded nose will perform less than a sharp one… Martijn PS: I killed three sails on an old board with a sharp nose, than I rounded the sharp nose of the sailboard I was building at that time (I’ll post the board when the boardarchive is back [smile] ) The board kick @$$ "J
I posed the same question in this and other forums, and asked a couple of shapers, and I never really got the feeling anybody knew for sure . . . a couple of definites, pointy noses are more dangerous, put-your-eye-out wise (-); pointy noses on a longer board offer less wind resistance on howling offshore days (+) but would be hell on noseriding!(-). An answer from both camps was that their shape of choice resulted in more drawn out turns; never mind the disagreement, that never made much sense to me anyway because the nose isn’t engaged in a turn. At least any turn you expect to complete! And although I can’t do any spinny landing maneuvers myself, it strikes me that a sharp nose would be more catchy. It is my understanding that more volume, toward the front is an aid in paddling and wave entry, so from that perspective the egg nose would get the nod. My not-super-experienced opinion is that the pointy nose is perceived by marketing types to project a more hard core image, and the round nose, more fun. So all sorts of guys trying to progress end up riding a 6’6 with 3" of non-functional length when they could be on a more maneuverable 6’3 with the same amount functional volume and rail.
I’ve been walking around with this question too… On sailboards it’s all > rounded or even “squash” noses. They don’t injure as much as > sharp noses, it allso doesn’t tear up your sail [smile]>>> But then again, saillboards are different every year loaded with gadgets > and eyecatching features. All for commercial benefits…>>> I think the surfboard “industry” is much more conservative on > shapes. I can’t imagine a rounded nose will perform less than a sharp > one…>>> Martijn>>> PS: I killed three sails on an old board with a sharp nose, than I rounded > the sharp nose of the sailboard I was building at that time (I’ll post the > board when the boardarchive is back [smile] ) The board kick @$$ "J Sailboards, that’s what got me thinking about this. I pretty much agree with you. Thanks!
Crowded line ups and body boarders, thats what I heard. Peter Rijk.
Are they really necessary performance wise? I wonder if we can do with one > or two inches less to rounded it up to make them safer, as well as > shortening the board without taking away volume. Or is it just aesthetics. With a more pointed nose, would the surfer be less likely to stick the nose into the bottom of the wave on a steep drop as well have less resistance on turns because there is less nose to catch water.
I build some boards for a very, very well known surfer. Because of a incident where the nose of his board nearly disemboweled him, he tries to stay away from sharp stuff. After shaping the board to final dimensions, we cut off 1 inch of the nose, and smooth it out. Shape it as a 6’1" (the desired size) but it actually is a 6’0". This guy has won three world titles, and is well known for his ability to turn a board. He is also well known for riding strange boards, so…
Are they really necessary performance wise? I wonder if we can do with one > or two inches less to rounded it up to make them safer, as well as > shortening the board without taking away volume. Or is it just aesthetics. I think a pointy nose makes turns look more extreme. I was watching a guy riding a real short round nose fish on a small day. He was whiping it of the top and doing big cutbacks. The groms on their pointy nosed short boards looked more radical even though they doing the same stuff (the round nose fish however was beating sections no one else could make) As far as risk of injury I’ve gotten the most damage from swallow tails and stingers.
Are they really necessary performance wise? I wonder if we can do with one > or two inches less to rounded it up to make them safer, as well as > shortening the board without taking away volume. Or is it just aesthetics. Jim Banks in Australia shapes and rides these little parobolic boards with total oval noses about 12 1/2" - 13" wide and is one of the most underrated surfers you can imagine. I don’t think the lack of a pointed nose is holding him back.
With a more pointed nose, would the surfer be less likely to stick the > nose into the bottom of the wave on a steep drop as well have less > resistance on turns because there is less nose to catch water. (Anybody remember that skit on SNL? Jane Curtin constructs this awesome logic and Dan? Chevy? simply replies, “Jane, you’re an ignorant slut!”) Anyhoo that’s a good point regarding the drop, it seems like when you are in danger of pearling, a pointy nose rockered way up kind of induces the rest of the board to follow it out of the water and toward a planing position. As far as the turns, you have a good point if you compare (eg) a 6’6 pointy to a 6’6 egg, obviously less resistance on the nose. But my question was more like, why not just take that same 6’6" hi performance shortboard in our example and lop off 3" and now wouldn’t you have an even more maneuverable board that just happens to have a more blunt nose?