I was wondering where to start tail rocker? Is there different places to start like in front of the front fins or in back? Does the rocker break down into 1/3 rds. About how many inches from the tail would you start adding rocker? Is the there an important place to start your rocker if you have a pulled in tail and have a pernounced hip? The waves are always small where I’m living now so I’m very interested in how to design a good rocker for small and medium size waves. Thanks, DaCheetah
Sorry one more Question. Where would be the best place to start my entry rocker if I’m riding small waves and my board is a 6’0?
Rather than start purely from a theoriticle view, you should look at more surfboards, keep in mind the riding characteristics of YOUR surfboard, and expound from there.
Pure theory is useless, as everything starts from a base, the rider’s point of view. What seems excessive rocker to one person can easily be too flat for another.
Stick you board up where you can see both the profile and the rocker…look at it, think of how you want to change it’s riding characteristics, then add your straighter or curvier ideas. Bank the ideas, then go make your next board.
If you are still clueless, don’t shape styro, just buy Clark foam blanks, read the recommendations, and abide by the rocker dimensions.
What’s your opinion on constant rocker versus variable rocker?
I remember seeing some boards from a local shaper in the 80’s. He had put a flat section starting from about the midpoint going back about a foot and a half before the tail rocker started.
When I first saw it, I have to admit, I thought it was just a sloppy shaping job, so I asked him if he thought that transition from rocker to flat to rocker would cause turbulance. He told me, “What makes you think I don’t want it to cause turbulance?” I don’t know if he was just being defensive or not, but it made me think. By the way, his boards seemed to work pretty good.
Most shapers would agree a constant curve from nose thru the tail, with varying amounts for rider’s preferences, wave size, and speed is the best of all worlds.
You can dial in some flat spots, super curvy spots, whatever, …it depends on the rider’s needs.
As for theoritical “best” rocker…best rocker is one that works for that particular rider the board was shaped for. Almost everything works, including dead straight (no rocker at all) from tail up to 24". But would you want to surf that in steep, hollow surf?
Here are some examples of something other than constant curve rocker. Granted, it’s old stuff. Most of it has fallen along the wayside but Ben Aipa still does some step bottoms.