SUP Design Contest - Code Name: Ground Swell

General Discussion
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So as this doesn't get marked as spam, I just wanted to let the community know that I ran this by Mike before posting anything, and here was his response, "Sounds like a cool contest. Post it to the forums and under announcements in the resources section.. Good luck, Mike"

Introducing the Stand Up Paddle Board Design Contest, code named Ground Swell. While it is being hosted on StandUpZone.com, a dedicated SUP community, it doesn't appear there are a lot of shapers on there so I'm inviting the Swaylock community to participate.

- Winning contestant gets bragging rights plus a FREE board of the selected design (~$950 retail value, which includes free continental US shipping) or $500 cash!

- All participants (even if you just vote) get a pre-buy offer of 35% off retail (~$500) on selected board

- Top 3 runner-up design submissions may be optionally be licensed by Tower for $300 cash

Stand-up Paddle Board design is in the midst of an evolutionary process. If you’re an avid SUP fan, here’s your chance to be a part of that process! Tower Paddle Boards, and upstart SUP company, is conducting a contest on StandUpZone where all members of StandUpZone are invited to design a new stand-up paddle board line from the ground up! Everyone will have plenty of voice in the design from the beginning. Several stages will take place with discussions, polls, and choices. All aspects of the stand-up paddle board line will be decided on, from the shape elements, to board features, to the overall design.

The contest will be run in Stages. Each stage will either be a discussion of an element, or a poll to decide the element, or both:

Stage 1: General Discussion: Get a general idea from members about what board shape elements and features they prefer, and why. First we’ll define the elements, and then we’ll host a separate discussion topic on each board element and feature.

Stage 2: “Shaper” Contest: Any StandUpZone member, regardless of affiliation or prior shaping experience, can participate as a contestant in the contest by submitting an SUP design. The design submission can be a complete 3D rendering, or merely just a descriptive spec sheet of their ideal board’s shape elements and features. Submissions should include the what and why of each design submission.

Stage 3: Contestant Feedback: The StandUpZone community will be welcomed to comment on any design submissions in an effort to give feedback to the contestants. The “shaper” contestants may modify their submission as they choose at any time up until the final design submission deadline.

Stages 4-6: Community Voting: The StandUpZone community will vote for their favorite design submission in face-off format. We will eventually narrow the contestants down to a final four, all of which Tower (with input from manufacturing experts) will consider for its current and future SUP lines. To determine the contest winner, we’ll vote these off. The contestant with the winning design submission will win a free board of the selected design.

Optional Stage 7: Graphic Design: Depending on the level of involvement and interest in the contest, we may add a second “graphic design” contest to determine the final look of the board. Alternatively, our in house artist will handle the graphic design.

For the “shaper” portion of the contest, we are requesting a fun, all-around board for the stand-up paddle board design submissions:

Quote:
“... not necessarily an absolute beginner board, but one that an average size male or female 125 lbs – 225 lbs would be very comfortable on after they have done SUP for 3-4 days. One that is fun and can be ridden easily like a long board in small to medium size waves. Ideally, it will be as small as possible, yet very stable and track well for general paddling around on flat water and have enough volume so you can throw a small child up on the board with an adult. Consider you’re designing a board that will be used 30% for surfing, 20% for sea and lake exploration, and 50% for just paddling around for fitness.”

Keep that target in mind, but other than that it is completely left up to the StandUpZone (and now Swaylocks) community!

Here is an overview:

The contest will run in stages where we will decide all board shape elements and features.

Every member of StandUpZone who participates in the contest (submitting a design or just simply voting and giving feedback to the contestants) has an option to pre-buy the winning board design for roughly 35% off expected retail (expected pre-buy price is roughly $500 – price may be moderately adjusted dependent on final feature set) for up to 30 days after the contest winner is announced. Limit one per member.

Tower gives the winning contestant a free board of the selected design.

The winner's name will appear on the board’s product description where the boards are sold on TowerPaddleBoards.com.

Complete Official Rules Are Found Here
http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=7585.0

You can check out the whole contest and join in the fun here:

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?board=32.0

 

-Stephan

 

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Fixed that for ya…

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“I don’t think it’s going away, no more than snowboarding did.”

 

I prefer to think of them as comparable to windsurfers…  which did go away.

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I would like to submit this for the sup revolution please:

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Funny RowJimmyTour ;)

We all know there's a large contingent of surfers who aren't fans of SUP (and especially newby SUP surfers) crowding the already crowded surfing spots. I don't think it's going away, no more than snowboarding did. I started snowboarding in '88 and many mountains wouldn't even allow you on the lifts. Those that did, you still had to deal with the wrath of skiers with a similar attitude.

 

Keep in mind that 90%+ use of SUPs will be on flat water, so no need to be too anti here. Bad surfers surfing in spots they shouldn't are no different than SUP surfers with bad surf ettiquite. I think we can all work it out!

 

-Stephan

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I think of it more on the line of in-Line Roller Skating

 

 

Totally Rad!

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harsh, Keith.  But I respect you too much to lecture you.

 

they are fun if you will PLEASE STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SURFING.  On the gulf, we have to get wet any way we can, at times.

 

Tower, I’m in.  Amaturs only?

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Yes and SUP will be out as soon as Men’s Extreme Outdoor Sports zine comes up w/ a more extreme way to spend $$$

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[quote="$1"]

Funny RowJimmyTour ;)

We all know there's a large contingent of surfers who aren't fans of SUP (and especially newby SUP surfers) crowding the already crowded surfing spots. I don't think it's going away, no more than snowboarding did. I started snowboarding in '88 and many mountains wouldn't even allow you on the lifts. Those that did, you still had to deal with the wrath of skiers with a similar attitude.

 

Keep in mind that 90%+ use of SUPs will be on flat water, so no need to be too anti here. Bad surfers surfing in spots they shouldn't are no different than SUP surfers with bad surf ettiquite. I think we can all work it out!

 

-Stephan

[/quote]

 

Nice Post tower, Mahalo, Larry

www.standupfinsbylarryallison.blogspot.com

 

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Contest Submissions Accepted now thru July 23rd

It’s become apparent that we grossly misread what the participation level and interest would be by the SUP community in an SUP board design contest. We were genuinely interested listening and learning what consumers wanted in an SUP product , but for whatever reason it just doesn’t seem the market or the community is ready for this type of thing just yet.

We’d love to push forward, but there’s been virtually no discussion on the elements of design such as size, rocker, etc at StandUpZone.  And it seems there are only maybe a couple people interested in submitting a design at all. So we’re going to try to close this contest out. We’ll take complete SUP design submissions thru Friday July 23rd, and if we get ANY we’ll vote for a winner and move on. If we don’t get any, perhaps we’ll just postpone the contest. Please submit your submission to us at info@TowerPaddleBoards.com.

This may be the easiest $500 the winner ever made ;) Might be worth 30 minutes of your time to just throw something together!

Stephan

Tower Paddle Boards

 

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i think SUP says it all

Shit Upon Peers

 

and i sell the soft ones...jeez what a hypocrite  ;-)

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I would like to submit these graphics for your next sup design:

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reefer madness!

 

nice fins larry...

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[quote="$1"]

 It’s become apparent that we grossly misread what the participation level and interest would be by the SUP community in an SUP board design contest. We were genuinely interested listening and learning what consumers wanted in an SUP product , but for whatever reason it just doesn’t seem the market or the community is ready for this type of thing just yet.

[/quote]

SUP consumers have no idea what they want, no idea about various designs, and nowhere near enough experience to know the difference.  They're looking for pretty colors and low-priced pop-outs. 

As for longevity, any of these people who actually figure out how to surf will want to progress to a surfboard.  Those who don't - well, we'll never see them again.

If they could surf, they wouldn't need paddles.

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I think you may have overestimated how many of the SUP devotees are closely involved with surfboards and how many surfboard shapers are involved with SUPs.  

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Our first comprehensive submission from a Swaylock's member name Eric from SoCal. I thought this was worthy of sharing with the community. Constructive commentary/feedback on the submission welcomed for the knowledgable Swaylock community, but let's not keep drinking the haterade (your point has been made sufficiently)...

(Note this is a great example of what we're looking for in terms of a thought out design. You don't necessarily have to be a hard-core shaper to give insight into the design process. Also note that anyone that would also like to submit a design must submit a "uniquely thought out design submission", not just a copy-cat "like Eric's, but with this change" - although commentary/feedback to Eric of that nature is surely welcomed)

 

____________
Beginning of Design Submission
______________

My Design

Shape: Longboard, with a broader nose and a squash tail. Flatter deck (not extremely convex like a Surftech softop board) for long-distance comfort and ease of balance.

Length: 10’ 0”


Width: Nose – 22” (at 1’ back from tip), Max – 29” (at 3 inches forward of the centerline), Tail – 17”.

Thickness: 4.75” maximum, foiled down to 2.5” at the nose and 3” at the tail. Max thickness is about 3 inches forward of the centerline.

Volume: 130-140 liters. This is buoyant enough to float approximately 280 lbs – equivalent to one dad and one child out for a lazy paddle together – but not so bulky as be useless in the surf.


Weight: 28 lbs or less

Rocker: Nose – 5”, Tail – 3.5”. Nothing too extreme here. Nose rocker should be relatively sharp in the first foot or so, then more gradual for the next 3.75 feet. The tail rocker should be gradual for a full 4.25 feet. The remaining 1-foot section of the board (close to the center) should be nearly flat for stability.


Rails: Harder rails (down rails, maybe 60/40) in the rear 2/3 of the board, softening to round or 50/50 rails in the front 1/3 of the board. All types of rails work in flat or open water, but harder rails near the tail offer the most benefits in surf conditions.

Board cross section: A flat bottom is most versatile for beginner to intermediate SUPpers. A flat bottom will be fast enough in the flat water and perform adequately – especially with weight – in the surf. If a SUPper is tackling larger waves that would benefit from different cross-sectional shapes, then he/she is too advanced for this board. Again, the board needs a flatter deck (not extremely convex like a Surftech softop board) for long-distance comfort and ease of balance.


Fin set-up: With the goal being a lower price point, a single fin box 5” from the tail will suffice. The board should come with a Future Fins 8.5” SUP Surf fin or equivalent. If the price point can be slightly higher, and for true flexibility in flat water and waves, a 2+1 fin setup would be better than a single fin. Rather than three fins of fairly equal size, I would add some 4” side fins to the existing 8.5” center fin. This is not a thruster surfboard, and will not be used like one, so the side fins should be parallel to the center fin (no toe-in). The 2+1 setup would allow this board to grow with a rider as his/her skills develop. The 2+1 setup also allows more casual SUPpers with limited space (i.e. apartment dwellers and those without the funds or dedication to acquire a multi-board quiver) to have a single board that can behave like two different boards.


Leash Plug: Basic leash plug 5” from tail. The plug must be firmly anchored – the leash should always break before the leash plug breaks or is pulled out! (The leash is supposed to be the consumable part of that equation.) See “Carrying Handle” section below for addition leash plug needs.

Carrying Handle:  Do NOT have a “hand slide” hole in the board. Toes can get caught in those hand holes. That is just one more injury waiting to happen, especially for a relative beginner learning to surf a SUP. Instead, add two extra leash plugs (in addition to the leash plug located near the tail and intended to actually hold a leash). These two extra leash plugs should be the smallest diameter possible and should be located 1/3 of the board’s length from the front and rear of the board. These plugs should come with heavy-duty hook-and-loop (aka Velcro ™) straps to be used to strap the paddle to the board, allowing the paddle to be used as the board-carrying handle. This setup is safer to use, as the plugs are too small to catch a toe. This setup is easier to carry, as it offers a full grab handle (not just a finger recess) and allows the user to shift the board weight forward or back by moving his/her hand along the length of the paddle handle. And, as a bonus, it eliminates the need to carry the paddle separately.


Front Cargo Net Set-up: None as a standard feature, but would offer a cargo net as an upgrade for rental boards or personal preference.


Deck Pad: Must have a dual-density deck pad with a kick tail. Preferably a 3- or 6-piece pad, so the center piece(s) – which wears and compresses fastest, especially if water booties or sandals are worn – can be replaced if needed. Pad should cover approximately the rear 2/3 of the board. No need to cover the front third as a standard feature, as SUPpers can always add additional traction if/when their skills allow them to ride the nose. Please avoid a grooved pad (grooved along the long axis of the board) – these are not as comfortable to stand on for extended sessions and are pretty hard on the knees if kneeling for any length of time.

Rail Protectors: Would be excellent as standard equipment, but must at least be offered as optional equipment.

Colors/Graphics: This board needs a sweet color scheme to differentiate it from the rest of the SUPs on the market. A resin swirl – very popular on surfboards but so far uncommon on SUPs – would be excellent. I’m thinking a white deck, a border of red resin swirl around the perimeter of the deck, and blue resin swirl flames on the nose (starting inside the red border and extending back approximately 2–3 feet from the nose). Yep, red, white and blue – an all-American board regardless of where it is actually produced! And since every hot rod needs pinstripes, we add yellow pinstripes around the red border and blue flames to complete the look. Add a small Tower logo inside the blue flames (no one will ever cover up that logo with a pad!) and a larger Tower logo, the board model name and board dimensions in the white expanse behind the flames. The bottom of the board is also primarily white, with the Tower logo (large and centered) and 3 red pinlines. The center pinline is just that – centered. On either side is a pinline angled to converge with the center pinline approximately 4 feet in front of the nose. Sort of a minimalist sunburst.

Future: Should this design prove profitable, I would recommend expanding the design into a lineup of 4 boards:

·         the original 10’ board

·         a shorter 9’ or 9’6” board

·         a longer 11’ board

·         an 11’ or 12’ board with a polycarbonate/Plexiglas viewing window (like the Naish Nalu). Families love the window – heck, I love the window - and a window board could be a great seller for rental fleets if the price could be kept reasonable.

 

____________

end of design submission

____________

 

-Stephan

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We Have A Winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Congrats, you have just won a 6-months suppy of Skil-saw blades from our friends over at Ryobi!!!!!  Feel free to get up and make a speech!!!!!

 

[quote="$1"]

I would like to submit this for the sup revolution please:

[/quote]

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