Just a general type question from a novice here. I know a bit about shaping/design, and my impression is that, overall, the design of a particular board is an artisian, rather than scientific process. Is this correct? Has anyone attempted to apply space-age materials to surfboard design? Or does the current foam/wood/glass combo create the absolute optimum configuration of strength, weight, boyancy, etc. Similarly, has anyone used CAD/modified CAD software to hydrologically model how a board handles given a specific rider mass and various ocean parameters? It seems to me that one could utilize CAD software with computerized machine tools.
There are so many different level and background of shapers. From the guy who just copies boards to the guy who tries out the wierdest of designs at trial and error medoths. Then there are engineer types who do use CAD. I would really like to see scientific modeling done to see how a tucked under edge affects a board, how fin area and aspect ration affects drive etc. Here is an idea. You get on a board/wave simulator(I wouldn’t even care if it was on one type of wave) then have someone start tweaking the numbers beginning with length and thickness, then rocker, then fine tune length and width and thickness. After the basics of thickness, rocker, outline…start tweaking rails both the deck and tucked under edge…you get the picture. In a few years. Scientist are spnding most of their time on how to wire a person up and wear a rubber suit with sensors and enabling them to have sex with a wired up chick somewhere in Brazil.
would really like to see scientific modeling done to see how a tucked > under edge affects a board, how fin area and aspect ration affects drive > etc.>>> Here is an idea. You get on a board/wave simulator(I wouldn’t even care if > it was on one type of wave) then have someone start tweaking the numbers > beginning with length and thickness, then rocker, then fine tune length > and width and thickness. After the basics of thickness, rocker, > outline…start tweaking rails both the deck and tucked under edge…you Sounds like I have a new hobby to keep me busy in grad school (besides the piles and piles of real work…). I would bet that ship-design software could be adapted to this purpose. The only hitch would be acquiring the rights to look at and modify the source code. Oh yeah, and, figuring out how to code a wave in C++. Sounds like fun.
Go to Anthony’s links, CAD section: http://www.viser.net/~anthwind/Software___CAD/software___cad.html There are a few comercially available CAD programs for designing boards. There may be only a couple of automated shaping machines available. You’re right. How to design boards correctly is an art, perfected by trial and error. Water flows under surfboards in different ways, depending on what the surfer is doing, gliding, trimming, turning, or just trying to escape some white water. Surfboard design has to compromise all these flow patterns, keeping in mind that water hates to move. The faster the designer tries to move water in a particular move, the more drag he adds to the board.>>> Just a general type question from a novice here.>>> I know a bit about shaping/design, and my impression is that, overall, the > design of a particular board is an artisian, rather than scientific > process. Is this correct?>>> Has anyone attempted to apply space-age materials to surfboard design? Or > does the current foam/wood/glass combo create the absolute optimum > configuration of strength, weight, boyancy, etc.>>> Similarly, has anyone used CAD/modified CAD software to hydrologically > model how a board handles given a specific rider mass and various ocean > parameters? It seems to me that one could utilize CAD software with > computerized machine tools.