For someone 5’11" and 220 lbs, would a 7’2" x 20 1/2" x 3" funboard/hybrid be a good first board? I’m currently shaping one like that and have someone who is interested in their first board. They’ve been borrowing boards for a while and are a somewhat competent surfer. Somehow I don’t think a longboard would be what they’re looking for since they want an “all-around” board.
Any thoughts?
ugh…anti-longboard people…i just don’t get it?!
if he’s been borrowing boards and learning to surf competently, than he should know what size works for him. make what he likes.
It would be good for beachbreaks where the paddling isn’t too far, duckdiving is important, and the waves pop up nice & fast to help get you in. For long paddles or long sessions, its a little narrow. For a true funboard / minimal shape, 22 wide or so would be better, as would 3.25" thick for 220 lb (which is about what I weigh).
With the size you’re working on, I’d pull in the nose, add nose rocker, flatten tail rocker, put a hard edge on the tail rails, tighten up the fin cluster and make him a true big-guy tri. If he’s competent already, he would probably appreciate the performance aspects of it. If the rocker is set, see if you can thin the nose from the bottom & thin the tail from the top, before you start your skinning - that will help by 1/2" or so on each end.
soulstice, I don’t get it either. As soon as I get done with this I’m shaping a longboard for myself. All the more reason to get this off the racks quickly.
Benny, I thought about the big-guy-tri, but the breaks aroung here are mostly beachbreak that rarely gets above head high. He’s a seasoned bobyboarder, so I think paddling long distances won’t be much of a problem. I wish I could get more out of these 7’3" blanks, but 21" might have been the max.
At the moment the board is around 3 3/8" thick, with a fair amount of nose rocker and not too much tail rocker.
Rachel, just true up that curve before going any farther…
Balsa, thanks. It’s pretty true at the moment, the picture kind of warps it for some reason. The deck of the blank was not entirely perfect, but the bottom looks pretty good.
soulstice, I don’t get it either. As soon as I get done with this I’m shaping a longboard for myself. All the more reason to get this off the racks quickly.
…good girl!!!
Is that your own future longboard lying down there on the left, Rachel?
Yes it is balsa. Except now it’s on the racks since I got a little fed up with the previous board and switched before I punched a hole in the wall or the foam. I’m thinking that other board will end up a 5’10" fish and if that guy actually wants a board I’ll try again with the other 7’3" blank I have.
Don’t do too much radical things. Just let it down for a day or two, then come back to it with a new eye. Everyone has those “doubt times”. Just let them pass by.
Sometimes, a board will pop out of the blank in no time, sometimes it may take days, months, years (why not?). Let the blank rest on a rack somewhere and check it from time to time…
That’s what I’m afraid of. I only have a couple days to doubt myself before I have to head back to school. I’ve been wanting to make another fish though, so this is kind of the perfect opportunity. Once I finish the longboard of course. Too many blanks and not enough time.
Would I be intruding if I suggested a slight chine on the rail if you are going that wide?