What aspect of design do you boys think will be most focused upon or tinkered with (in the near future) to bring it up a notch???!
wow, i was just about to ask the same question. i think the next level of board design will be in fins. there is still so much we dont know, and just a slight change in fin position, length, etc. can make a HUGE difference. -steve>>> What aspect of design do you boys think will be most focused upon or > tinkered with (in the near future) to bring it up a notch???!
i think at least one aspect will be dual direction boards, like skateboards snowboards etc. also flex factor, i’d love to try one of those surflite’s. the new surfer also has a pretty interesting piece on hydrofoil boards…these are all pretty far out though. i’m not sure how much the modern conventional shortboard can be tweaked w/out something totally different. fins maybe, but it seems like most of the new trends are just old ones coming back around. i like doc lausch’s y2rsq idea. ultra thin board, flat deck, boxy rails, getting a smaller more responsive board into bigger surf. great topic.
definately finless…got one going off,too!Herb.
i think at least one aspect will be dual direction boards, like > skateboards snowboards etc. also flex factor, i’d love to try one of those > surflite’s. the new surfer also has a pretty interesting piece on > hydrofoil boards…these are all pretty far out though. i’m not sure how > much the modern conventional shortboard can be tweaked w/out something > totally different. fins maybe, but it seems like most of the new trends > are just old ones coming back around. i like doc lausch’s y2rsq idea. > ultra thin board, flat deck, boxy rails, getting a smaller more responsive > board into bigger surf. great topic. Consider these ideas: Shaped blanks that can be tempered/hardened to an ultra smooth finish from the surface cells inward, by briefly being exposed to a special type of lighting. Stringerless foam so bouyant and strong that at 1" thick it will carry the same stresses and weight that a typical 3" thick shaped blank might support. A sturdy, ultralight surf/paddleboard w/fin(s) that can be removed and unrolled from its small sports bag and quickly inflated to performance level rigidity. Specialized thermal drugs that safely allow human beings to enjoy being virtually unprotected in very cold water & air temps for a few hours at a time. Finless, multidirectional surfboards that will function progressively better as the size and power of its ridden waves increases. Discreet personal electronic devices that successfully repel all large predators 100% of the time, even with the prescence of your own blood in the water. By reservation only, artificially generated, full-size, freshwater wave resorts modeled after massively over-crowded and polluted, famous point breaks.
Consider these ideas:>>> Shaped blanks that can be tempered/hardened to an ultra smooth finish from > the surface cells inward, by briefly being exposed to a special type of > lighting.>>> Stringerless foam so bouyant and strong that at 1" thick it will > carry the same stresses and weight that a typical 3" thick shaped > blank might support.>>> A sturdy, ultralight surf/paddleboard w/fin(s) that can be removed and > unrolled from its small sports bag and quickly inflated to performance > level rigidity.>>> Specialized thermal drugs that safely allow human beings to enjoy being > virtually unprotected in very cold water & air temps for a few hours > at a time.>>> Finless, multidirectional surfboards that will function progressively > better as the size and power of its ridden waves increases.>>> Discreet personal electronic devices that successfully repel all large > predators 100% of the time, even with the prescence of your own blood in > the water.>>> By reservation only, artificially generated, full-size, freshwater wave > resorts modeled after massively over-crowded and polluted, famous point > breaks. Dale I think you need to get out more Rabbit
Consider these ideas:>>> Shaped blanks that can be tempered/hardened to an ultra smooth finish from > the surface cells inward, by briefly being exposed to a special type of > lighting.>>> Stringerless foam so bouyant and strong that at 1" thick it will > carry the same stresses and weight that a typical 3" thick shaped > blank might support.>>> A sturdy, ultralight surf/paddleboard w/fin(s) that can be removed and > unrolled from its small sports bag and quickly inflated to performance > level rigidity.>>> Specialized thermal drugs that safely allow human beings to enjoy being > virtually unprotected in very cold water & air temps for a few hours > at a time.>>> Finless, multidirectional surfboards that will function progressively > better as the size and power of its ridden waves increases.>>> Discreet personal electronic devices that successfully repel all large > predators 100% of the time, even with the prescence of your own blood in > the water.>>> By reservation only, artificially generated, full-size, freshwater wave > resorts modeled after massively over-crowded and polluted, famous point > breaks. I think that the statement about finless, mulitdirectional boards is probably the closest to my idea of the next stage of board development. While wakeboarding I have often thought of how a surfboard might revolutionize more to a wake board design. What about this new fangeled(well kinda)hydrofoil? Can we find a way to generate enough speed to make it work? What about the new tow in board? The one with the built in engine? Could we all be motoring in to our waves soon? Will we all soon lose our vision of building our own boards due to shaping machines? Heh, This is a great topic!!
I hope to never have a motor on a surfboard. You might as well buy a jetski. Could you imagine the thought of going to your local break and seeing a bunch of guys motoring around on boards. Think of the smell, think of the noise, I think I am going to puke.
Great responses, bros!..really appreciate the feedback. It’s amazing how the down rail really revolutionized…lately, I’ve been wondering a lot about innovative new construction materials which might come along in the near future. Fin research will definitely (also) add excitement,…but how do you guys feel about the actual volume, “shape”, and how a board’s SURFACE contacts water??? (kind of dumb to ask, 'cause we address this all the time. I guess I mean with respect to those individual elemental changes)…I’m trying to see what you folks might think. Thanks, …Tom. (lately, I’ve been thinking about a form of shock absorbing tail[s]{from take-off to entry/landing})!!(“construction” of the tail itself{material changes/additions}and “impact” upon landing areas)…P.P.S …YES, I HAVE heard of tail pads, so don’t bust my chops! aloha…T.
wow, i was just about to ask the same question. i think the next level of > board design will be in fins. there is still so much we dont know, and > just a slight change in fin position, length, etc. can make a HUGE > difference. -steve We are currently working with a number of innovative fin combinations to determine where the next leap might come from. Our most recent addition to the line is a Guy Takyama side bite. It has a conventional leading edge with a squared off trailing edge tip. We have also been working with Clyde Beatty. We make some huge laminated fins for Clydes twin fins. The Red X boxes are the only anchoring system that would support that much surface area. Casey McCrystal has been doing some very interesting modifications to our production fins for the Curran brothers. And he just made me a Bonzer bottom to test out some new 6-1/2" center fins that True Aimes is making for us as well as some G10 fins for tow & surf boards. Fibreglas Fin Co. has also been making Aercore fins for the system. We have been modifying and working with new template concepts from Dev. Taylor Knox’s favorite fin template is an X-3 with the tip shaved down os the fin ends up more verticle. I even popped a set of Herb’s superchargers into one of my test boards. Currently, Luke Eagan and Margo are working on experimenting with templates. And all these are only a few of all the different areas of development that are going on with the Red X Fin System. The most noticable advance I have experienced so far is the ability to move the position of the fins in a rock solid base and interchangability.
Fin research will definitely (also) add excitement,… This seems like a given, at least in this group, but developments in the last couple of years make me wonder IF, not WHEN… All the recent removeable fin set ups look to my admittedly uneducated eye like hydrodynamic sore thumbs…no real blend at the fin base to board/box connection like you get with glass on fins. If that area, underwater and rider weight pressure, really doesn’t matter, then next I would challenge the subtle channels and concaves in tail areas. The notions of flex and drive from fins I would not question as they can be readily felt. But do you not need some length to develop them? And if so, wouldn’t this be driving us back to single fins or the basic longboard 2 plus 1? I can’t see 5 fins at all - they look like drag producers. Nels
Dale I think you need to get out more>>> Rabbit Yes, Rabbit, you
re right... unfortunately, heavy financial burdens coupled with some serious personal injuries have temporarily detoured me physically, but never mentally. Ive always been criticized for thinking too much. Dale
Consider these ideas:>>> Shaped blanks that can be tempered/hardened to an ultra smooth finish from > the surface cells inward, by briefly being exposed to a special type of > lighting.>>> Stringerless foam so bouyant and strong that at 1" thick it will > carry the same stresses and weight that a typical 3" thick shaped > blank might support.>>> A sturdy, ultralight surf/paddleboard w/fin(s) that can be removed and > unrolled from its small sports bag and quickly inflated to performance > level rigidity.>>> Specialized thermal drugs that safely allow human beings to enjoy being > virtually unprotected in very cold water & air temps for a few hours > at a time.>>> Finless, multidirectional surfboards that will function progressively > better as the size and power of its ridden waves increases.>>> Discreet personal electronic devices that successfully repel all large > predators 100% of the time, even with the prescence of your own blood in > the water.>>> By reservation only, artificially generated, full-size, freshwater wave > resorts modeled after massively over-crowded and polluted, famous point > breaks. Dale: well my friend, i think you got all the bases covered.(AGAIN!)gREAT IDEAS!!!
I`ve always been criticized for thinking > too much.>>> Dale That could only happen in the wide world of SURFING…
Personally, I spent my Injured Reserve obsessing on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Does this mean I have to order up a 6’3" squashtail thruster? Can I get the computer to rough out the deck delaminations so I won’t look like I missed any swells? Nels
Dale:>>> well my friend, i think you got all the bases covered.(AGAIN!)gREAT > IDEAS!!! Dale NEVER stop thinking about new idea’s. The brain is the most powerfull tool on this earth, but we never use all of it. Had a look at a couple of boards today, One for Joel Parkerson (parko) Had a 1/4 deep concave in front of the fins, Flat between the fins and went with in 18" of the nose. The other board had a two step rail. The standard type mid rail then stepped up a 1/2 more foam about 2" in from the rail on the deck. Rabbit
Yes, Rabbit, you
re right... unfortunately, heavy financial burdens > coupled with some serious personal injuries have temporarily detoured me > physically, but never mentally. Ive always been criticized for thinking > too much.>>> Dale Dale, I’ve had people accuse me of thinking too much also. I alway’s take it as a compliment. Come to think of it, usually the people that are critical, are usually the people that can never get out of 1st gear, while the rest of the world is in 5th. R.I. surfer
Dale NEVER stop thinking about new idea’s. The brain is the most powerfull > tool on this earth, but we never use all of it. Had a look at a couple of > boards today, One for Joel Parkerson (parko) Had a 1/4 deep concave in > front of the fins, Flat between the fins and went with in 18" of the > nose. The other board had a two step rail. The standard type mid rail then > stepped up a 1/2 more foam about 2" in from the rail on the deck.>>> Rabbit Hi, Rabbit, I
m curious... are Mals an equally popular item in Australia to the shortys? How about mid-length, hybrid designs? Ive heard in the last year or two that in the U.S. alone, longboard blank sales approach or exceed that of all others! Whats your opinion on how the comparisons add up? Many thanks. Dale
Hi, Rabbit,>>> I
m curious... are Mals an equally popular item in Australia to the > shortys? How about mid-length, hybrid designs? Ive heard in the last > year or two that in the U.S. alone, longboard blank sales approach or > exceed that of all others! Whats your opinion on how the comparisons add > up? Many thanks.>>> Dale Dale long boards are about 50/50 with shorts boards. I am selling heaps of 8’3" blanks at the moment,over 100 each week,It seem that all the old style boards are coming back, even did a blank for a guy to build a spoon knee board.Hobie agent is selling egg shapes and old twin fins Rabbit