Would like some feedback on design idea/board choice. I am looking for a small wave board for El Porto, Topanga, Malibu, and Zuma when I don’t want to ride my LB- a ride that allows for high-lows, carves, fades, cutties, and cheater fives. My LB is not quite manueverable enough. I have not grooved with twinnies (i.e. Frye, Tyler, Lis style), especially on my backside, never seem to be able to find the sweet spot of the board. I’m thinking about a 7’3"-8’0" single fin, diamond tail or swallow, 2 3/4" beaked nose, 3" thick mid-section, 2 1/4" tail thickness, and somewhere around 20-21" width- hips toward the front of the board. Will this work the way I want it too? Are my dimensions off? What about two small side fins (3 boxes)? Any other board ideas? I am smaller- 5’6", 155lbs, but I like/want the glide of a bigger board. Muck thanks!!
According to Bob McTavish, in his article for Surfier’s Journal v.12#2, “Narrow-tailed single fins only work in power. Straight '70s remakes are likely to bore you to tears.” Thrusters are the way to go for average waves.
im with ron ,i went on a nostalgia trip a few years back and made a similar board to my first glass board in 78 a 6’-10" single fin rounded pin width forward…what a hideous pig. only good thing that came out of it is ,now i know where i got all that back foot power from …id say the length you want is fine but keep it wide like 21 to 22 closer to 22 no less than 14.5" nose and tail and thruster and youll be able to play on the waves…paddle power may be an issue if your coming off a longboard so a flater rocker might be appropriate …but a performance v paddle power tradeoff will happen then just work out what your happy with there regards BERT
70’s single fin would be great in bigger point surf, but that doesn’t sound like what you will be surfing. I would consider a single fin egg shape, somewhere around the 6’ - 6’6" mark. I have seen a few guys riding the Stu Kenson/Joel Tudor eggs, and they are doing everything you want – cheater 5’s, high lines, cutties, etc. I would explore this option. Or spend more time riding a twin fin – if you grew up riding thrusters, a twin may take some getting used to. Great fun, though, if you like to go fast. There is an archived thread here from January 2004 about twins… Have fun…
Yeah, just jumping on the bandwagon The boys are correct. Wide point forwards needs juice. What you are looking for is a basic funboard egg, made for smaller waves, with harder edges, reduced rocker, full width (21.5-22), widepoints close to center, and balanced nose/tail widths. All the other stuff you mentioned is fine…diamond tail, one main adjustable box, for sure two side biters (but I like them strong enough for 6.5" twinnies), thickness.
one whole clue:Thrusters are direct decendants of them pintails they were the broken off in front of the fin remnants thats how the adventurous were convinced to move the proportional width back…I.E. kid from nowhere on a rear width out ripping the stuck tailed pedrestrians every spring…El Simon and Three just increased th hold and accelerated drag around turn …clue # two retreads 70’s is good for research… the true singles will be made in the 21st century when the production rail to rail flat bottom easy shape is over thrown by by culpable capable and creative sculpters… fins cause drag…ambrose …wow the air up on this soap box is thin…clue #3the telepathic helgemite knows all
Appreciate the feedback- sounds like the concensus is heading more toward the martian egg, or maybe working out the kinks on the twinnie. Is what I’m hearing that a modernized 70s style single fin- 7’6"-8’0" swallow, thruster with a little wider, beaked nose will be a dog?
Jasons I agree with the other posts mostly Bert. My best shorter board now is a 7’11" egg 16-22-14.3 Has 4.9 nose rocker 2.7 tail rocker. 2+ 1 set up but I don’t use the side bites anymore. Paddles great but not like a full longboard but I am in quicker than any short boards. The reason I am writing here is to tell you the the right fin will make all the difference. I tried various single fins, combinations of 3 fins, side bites even curved fins. the board rode well with all of these but really came alive with when I put in a 9"Tru Ames Norm Flex. It is a swept back fin with flex in the tip. I holds well in bottom turns and flows smoothly. The board feels fast and maneuverable, very nimble with the right combination of speed and control. I weigh 185lbs. If I weighed as light as you I might go a few inches shorter.
Call my shop and get a hold of Jim Allen or Wayne Rich. J.A. has a passion for single fins, ala Diff. There is no need for retro, he’s still making them as he has been since the begining. 805-9653180. You might have to wade through the maze of the work force to get to him but it will be worth the search. “The underground lives”
I would bet your single fin beaked nose gun with 2 side fins (no longer a single) will be a dog, as guns are for bigger surf, and you stated that you are lookin’ for a small wave board. I vote for either a Lis-inspired twin or a single egg – egg if you want to cheat five, twin if you want to do figure eights and go real fast, real smooth, like the proverbial knife through butter… Or the bar of soap around the bathtub…
Or get both – 5’9" twin and 6’10" egg, and have fun!
Call Stu Kenson he has the goods…619 787 9325, check out his diamond egg…that do you fine at the locations you described. http://www.stukensonsurfboards.com
liddlesurfboards.com.check the in betweener model…