http://hydrodynamica.blogspot.com/2009/12/possum-tracks.html
What if everything you knew about surfboards was wrong?
Thousands of design tweaks over the last half century, suddenly rendered… superfluous.
heh heh
and what if "everything you know" is not?
I see plenty spongers standing up on their boogie boards. What's special about this? Um I wish my local looked like that right now but it's a bit windy, and likely warmer.
(chucking) Ahm a-thankin' them possums is mebbe onta somethin'.
Rather than thinking of those as somebody standing on a de-facto boogie board, thinking of 'em as 'no more planing area than you need' might just make a lot of sense. The tow-in guys have been reducing planing area for some time. Granted, these wouldn't work on a small, mushy wave, but then again, where's the fun in those?
doc...
yes what if. I am not seeing anything there that is rendering it irrelevant. Correct me if I am wrong there is nothing in that video that would be considered good surfing if they weren’t on cooler lids.
looks like they were having a BLAST!!!
fun. that's what it's all about right?
[quote="$1"]
looks like they were having a BLAST!!!
fun. that's what it's all about right?
[/quote]
that's what I got out of too - the essence of the fun surfing experience: homemade boards put together without much fuss but with a little research from the local library, paddling out into good surf and catching good waves, standup surfing and some cool moves, no leash, lotsa fun. I wish everyone could see the virtue in that! More power to 'em!
[quote="$1"] What if everything you knew about surfboards was wrong? Thousands of design tweaks over the last half century, suddenly rendered.................... superfluous. [/quote]
funny you should say that - that was similar to what I thought when I first saw an alaia being surfed in decent waves: this violates everything I thought I knew about surfboard design! No fins, no float, no rocker, and look at that bugger go!
Huzzah!!! Good atheletes in good waves can surf anything.
What I take away from this video (and all the other finless vids) is that fins are good. They don’t slow you down appreciably, they let you turn anywhere on the wave, they let you hold a confident line anywhere on the wave.
Notice how much more versatile the board is once they tack a couple of tabs on the back corners?
Thank goodness there are still kids that are willing to try anything, especially something without a logo…
"Thank goodness there are still kids that are willing to try anything, especially something without a logo..."
i second that...
I would like to clarify my previous post. It is about having fun, but this doesn’t disprove anything other than you need a super well designed board to have a good time, but most people, on here at least, I think already know that.
Norm - You so crazy…
I’m w/Lee on this one though…
I was just pontificating to a buddy about my latest quad love affair, the lack of drag - stalling induced by the opposition in the angles between the rail and center fins on tris, and my latest quest to learn to manage the speed as desired. A huge step in the right direction was putting side bites on the rear… Ha! (I laugh at myself - Don’t count me out Robin…)
The video reminds me of he Derek Hynd one - speed to spare… but how to slow it down to get “inside”/high/tight and not slide out…
Doc makes a good point, but I still have to paddle… Ha!
How grand is the Irony?
the undoing of 50 years of
I know shititus to be undone
by kids ripping the hydrosphere
with abandon.AAANNNDDDDD
NO SPONSORS,…?
will the realities of mere exixtence
of multiple reproductions of the same
design err-ode their credibility …??
Go Kid whomever YA ARE
the spirit of surfr i d i n g
is indeed alive and well
and these kids are indeed
HOT, 4 minute shapes!
!
!
HHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
…ambrose…
is that blacks?
“4 minute shapes!”
I wanted to know if they did anything to the ends of the board, or if they just went with the open foam fore and aft?
There’s another video up over there too, looks like fun. What density would it be to resist breaking/sucking up water, or am I missing something?
No better than the youtube vid of Val Ching in '63.
But it only re-proves than in meatier waves with more energy, theres less need for length, width or bouyancy outside of the Essentials.
The Essentials might be...
4 foot long,
random planshape,
1/4 in rails,
zero rocker,
zero bouyancy.
So many shapers have already proven that a functional surfboard can consist if almost nothing that sits on the racks in any surfshop.
Just mimimal planing area and thats all.
I was out at Queens this weekend and there was a kid riding a weird looking thing without a fin. Turned out to be something like a cross between a boogie board and a kneeboard with removable fins. He called it a beater board. I asked if he saw the video on the net and he said yes he was copying that. He was having a blast and getting air.
[quote="$1"]
...something like a cross between a boogie board and a kneeboard with removable fins. He called it a beater board. I asked if he saw the video on the net and he said yes he was copying that. He was having a blast and getting air.
[/quote]
Love it. Kids having fun in the surf, without having to buy the latest "pro" shape - who'da thunk it?
Now that is my level of shaping. What sort of foam are they cutting up?.Video reminded me of John Kelly and Co in the 1930’s sawing into their Hot Curls . Fantastic
cheers
Mpcutback
EPS, often known as styrofoam. Packing foam.
Howzit surffoils, EPS, that means it won't suck water and they can have many fun times with them.Aloha,Kokua