playing with an idea in my head for a micro lenght board 4’10" to 5’0", and want to run it past you guys.
we all know that a straighter outline, goes faster, ie fish, guns etc, and that rocker dictates speed, and turning as well. so, what if you had a board that was basically straight from the mid-point back, but compensated with a natural rail rocker? also, bottom contours tend to flatten out the stringer rocker, right? so with a single concave running from under front foot, out the fins would flatten out the stringer rocker, making the board plane easier/ly. and, hopefully the rail rocker would allow the board to turn. of course micro boards don’t need a lot of rocker anyway, simply due to their lackof length.
i am sure the kneeboarders, or flexi-spoon guys have some say on this(at least i hope so.) i am planning to stand up, so moving my front foot to aid in gaining speed is part of my thinking.
Straight rails tend to focus the turning point into a short area, meaning you dig that area everytime you turn, trip over it, stuff it, and wobble your turns. Smooth curves are usually the best, unless you want to shorten turning on a longer board by moving the Wpoint back.
Waves are curls…curves. Anything straight just stick and stuffs itself into the face, making you slower, causing drag and possibly pitching you off…
Not knowing anything about minnies, I can only guess… but my gut instinct says:
Entry stringer rocker ahead of the front foot, flatter for the rest of the board, with some kick in the last couple of inches. Rail rocker more continuous so it fits into the wave better… keeps that flow going.
outline curvey and full in the nose, parallel in the middle, but curvey again in the tail, rather than straight from the midpoint back. Too straight in the back might make it hard to turn. Pulling the tail will keep it loose. Or, if you go fat in the back half, do a really deep single to double or super heavy vee…like a keel… to let it go rail-to-rail easily. 50/50 or maybe even down rails in the front, full and eggy in the middle, up in the back (40/60, if that makes any sense?)
Keeping the outline full in the front will let you use your front foot as the accelerator, while keeping the back end curvey/pulled will let you turn from the tail.
What a cool, crazy idea, man. Go for it. Feel free to criticize my thoughts…