Getting ready to order my next single fin, square tail LB (9’6" to ten ‘o’) and would love some guidance and recommendations on rail and bottom design from your perspective and experience of what works.
RAILS: 50/50 rails all the way with turned up in the nose and tail or some down turn edge in the tail area and nose?
**BOTTOM FORWAR**D: Belly, flat or nose concave?
BOTTOM MIDDLE: Belly, flat or single concave?
BOTTOM TAIL: Vee, flat, single concave or double concave?
Would like a good paddler/wave catcher and enjoy glide and speed (rarely on crummy East Coast surf). Not much of a cross-stepper/noserider but that would be a goal. No floaters or lipbashing.
I hope you get lots of great recommendations, but I won't give any, because.....
You mentioned you are going to ORDER this board. Why not allow the shaper to decide what bottom and rail contours, as well as glassing schedule and fin placement/design? He would know your waves and your style the best.
This is what I did on my 9 footer, and I'm real happy with it - nose thin, rails 50/50 in the nose, about 60/40 through the middle, until the tail, where they go more like 70/30 out the very back, they never get any harder than that, the tail looks like a folded tortilla. The bottom is mostly flat, but in the middle of the board, the bottom "rolls up" to the rails, meaning the outside 4 inches or so have some foam shaped off the bottom, to thin the rails a bit from below. The tail has v going all the way out the back. Square tail, single fin, "relaxed" rocker.
I had an internet friend post pics and info on his favorite longboards, and I used that as my guideline. Only thing I didn't get quite right, according to him, was that I didn't add as much "roll" to the bottom as he likes, he thins out his rails more than I did.
I agree your shaper will have more valid imput, for you and your area. I'm not a pro, just a backyarder, and it was my first attempt at shaping a longboard. I don't noseride, just pretty much surf from a little behind the mid point. It catches waves easily, and is very easy to ride and turn. I surf a lot of backside rolling point break waves - Malibu, Rincon, C-Street Ventura. Only thing it doesn't like (or maybe its just me) is late steep takeoffs on pitching waves. Its a lot of fun for me, I don't get out that much lately, and at my age, a hpsb is out of the question. I ride a mid length a lot, when I can get out more, but lately this is my go-to board.
If I, as a former big wave rider and now 63 wanted a floater for small weak waves, I'd go specifically wider around 25", down egg tucked rails, single concave thin nose back to 4', then blending into a belly double concave thru the backfoot, to a panel V out the back with hard down rails only from tail to 2', blending into a down egg tucked rail. NO rail turnup for me, I can power the rails in anything under 6' on that width board (had a BlueHawaii 24.5" wide log). For nose riding, maybe to with a Con butt uglish 19" wide, flatter nose rocker, thick point back of center, template Wpoint around 8" forward of center, lots of tail kick accompanying the panel V out the tail, rounded squash like a modern shortboard.
I'd go with 3 full sized fin boxs, for options single, twin,or combi tris.
Blank as you need for durability vs performance, glassing double 8 volan deck and bottom with 3/4 deck patch of 6 oz. A shorter 9'6" model x 25 should weigh in right around 21 lbs, enough for glide, but light enough for centered performance moves.
Of course, being the multi aqua sport guy I am, I'd use it for SUP, lite wind kitesurfing, moderate wind windsurfing, and a carribean diving platform.
