I just finished shaping a 6’1.5" x 19.50" x 2" squash-tail thruster: low rocker, deep single to double concave with a bit of vee.
Yesterday I traded boards with a friend — his 6’2" Lost Driver 3.0 “pro dims” round tail (6’2" x 19.38" x 2.53"). I expected it to be good, but honestly it blew me away. It paddled better, felt more stable, was faster, and caught waves easier. It even fuck dived better. Honestly, It almost made me want to quit shaping.
What confused me is that, despite having more rocker and being noticeably thinner, the Driver caught waves with that same “suck you in” feeling I usually associate with the Ghost. By conventional wisdom (or at least my understanding), a wider, flatter-rockered squash tail with a deep single concave should paddle better and catch waves easier.
Obviously Biolos and the Lost crew have thousands of hours of R&D behind that board, but I still don’t get why it caught waves better. My friend’s theory is that my concave was too deep, while the Driver’s concave fills and unloads more efficiently, creating a low-pressure zone that actually pulls the board into the wave.
Yes, there’s probably a liter or two volume difference, but I still don’t understand how a narrower, rounder-tailed board with more rocker outperforms a flatter, wider squash in wave entry.
Any ideas — or better yet, science — to explain this? I’m honestly so impressed I’m considering buying a Driver 3.0. The board feels like a more balanced Ghost and it just goes insane.
just my opinion, not a pro shaper
how refined is the shape of the lost surfboard (consider hiden volume because of tuned rails, thin tails, domed decks etc…).
Also consider how far the edge goes.
kick tail, flip on the nose etc…
Also lost boards are known for puled back fin setups, arakawas also.
Some well made boards can look thin and hide volume.
lost retro gun or arakawa stun gun or pyzel ghost and many others.
i had two lost surfboards over the years.
A speed demon 2 (amazing board)
a Wiplash (Taj burrow pro model)
Lost still makes wiplash model board today so we are talking of a surfboard that is still actual and performance after 18 years or something.
One big variable, among a largenumber of variables, is nose rocker “slope angle,” especially the point of the curve’s greatest steepness. Creates lift as well as “plowing.”
Another important factor is the center of buoyancy/mass.
Tail rocker slope/steepness and length affect Coanda Effect.
Critical to SB center of buoyancy/mass is how that changes when loaded with an individual’s specific center of body mass placement on the board.
Too bad they don’t offer a calculator for determining static/form drag and the effect of load on acceleration also.
EDIT:
Also, critical take-off velocity changes with wave shoreward speed. Wave shoreward speed, and therefore critical take-velocity, increase with wave height. Required take-off velocity, and wave shoreward speed, also increase as wave-face slope decreases.
This is all pretty scientific. You don’t think that the bros at “T” Street and Lowers did their calculations before they bought one or Mayhem Matt gave them one? All those low Math and reading scores have no effect on what they ride?
Need to take into account wave shape. In hollow beachbreack, low volume lifted tails take wave better by reducing catapulte effect. In flat mellow waves it’s the opposit. An other factor that play a lot is rocker flow and rocker/concave combination. Most of time deep concave work well with curvy rocker, flat rocker with minimal concave, and how concave flow is realy important: concave flatten rocker curves at some angles, sometimes you want it, other not. Search Maurice Cole concave and Greg Griffin flat explainations. Extreme shapes can be magic in specifics conditions but most of time, simple conservative one’s are more reliable.
Let your (each) board float by itself on still, flat water — nobody on it.
That should give a good idea where its center of buoyancy/mass is. Place a weight (centered) at that spot to verify.
You want your center of body mass over that spot.
Center of buoyancy/mass will be different for each individual board.
Consider where that places you when paddling and taking off.
Adjust your body position accordingly.
(You can use different colors of duct tape to mark your chin positions for various body placements.)
Accept. Reject. It does not affect me.
