I’m going to shape my girlfriend an 8’0" longboard. This will be my first work with EPS block foam, so I’ll have to shape the rocker all on my own, no help from a Clark blank. I’m thinking about 4 1/2" in the nose and 2 1/2" in the tail, does that sound about right for a small all-around longboard?
sounds workable. i really like the August Girls model for an 8’0" mini longboard…
…look about right??
Yeah, thats a nice looking board.
if you want her to be able to turn it (seem to remember thet being one of her complaints from your previous thread), you’re going to want more tail rocker than that…prolly more like 4"…talk to benny1…I’ve got more than 2.5" rocker on my 6’6" shortboards…
If I put in more tail rocker, like the 4" you suggested, should I reduce the nose rocker to about 4" as well? I only say this because looking at the natural rocker dimensions on clark foam blanks, it seems like if they have more nose rocker, they have less tail, and vice versa.
Satorisurf,
IMHO 4" of tail rocker on a 8’6" for a beginner is excessive. Yeah you want her to be able to turn the board fairly easily but outline, foil, bottom configuration and rail profile play
big parts in the picture. The rounded tail will, no doubt help facilitate turning. My intuition tells me that 2.75" to 3.25" of rocker in the tail will be fine. Adding rail fins and moderating center fin control will facilitate turning the board as well.
No Worries, Rich
How well does she surf?, Is she a beginner? Who much does she weigh? How tall is she? Big feet/ Small feet.
If shes already an acomplished surfer, you might want a little more nose rocker? If your surfing Public’s, Queens etc, than a flat nose would be ok. But if your doing a Kaisers, Threes, Ala Moana, etc. then more nose rocker for the drop. Possibily elf shoe the nose a bit and keep the mid rocker flat by doing a single concave through the mid section. Then kick the last 18 inches with a slight vee to add rocker?
I’d have to classify her as just past the beginner stage. She’s catching waves well, and can turn gradually to follow the wave, but no radical turning or cutbacks yet. I think this may possibly be due to the board she has now though. We surf Paradise and Pops a lot, she likes those breaks because the waves aren’t that steep, so additional nose rocker for late drops isn’t going to be necessary.
If she turns off the rail and/or doesn’t move her feet around much, if her sports are bicycling & swimming, not tennis, go with 3-3.5" tail & 4-4.5" nose.
If she moves her feet or shifts her weight (or is a good dancer or took ballet for years as a kid…) reverse those.
That’s all there is to it.