I’m completing an experimental board that began months ago, (stupid day job!) and am curious how it’s weight will compare to others in it’s size category. This board is a 7’ semi-gun with retro, forward shape and 3" thickness. I know it will be a heavy board, but what is the typical ballpark weight for this size? Thanks in advance.
Bonus question: This board is outfitted with thrusters, as opposed to the traditional single. I’ve heard mixed reviews about thrusters on gun-shapes. Any insight on the subject? The rocker is set farther back than traditional guns on this board.
Thrusters would work just fin however, the quads might be a better bet if you are looking to be heavy on the rails… Check out Tyler smith at ghost trees he has your setup with quads and he pulls off huge turns.
Super-duper lightweight 6’0" thruster = 4-1/2 to 6 lbs.
Typical 7’0" semi-gun = around 8 to 12 lbs
Typical longboard = 15 to 20 lbs
Super lightweight longboard = 10 to 14 lbs
Old school gloss and polish 7’0" = around 10 to 15 lbs
Heavy tankers can weigh up to 50 lbs. Wood boards can weigh more.
6’1" Mavericks tow-board = 17 to 25 lbs
The above are all ballpark guesses. There are many variables in the final weight of surfboards. Some guys like them light and whippy… others like the momentum of a heavy board. I don’t mind a little weight in my guns. Anything over 20 lbs though… forget it.
That one is an extremely wild guess, and waaay off the mark. A typical longboard in the early 60s weighed between 25 and 30 lbs. I have a 6’5" Crestwood that weighs 28 lbs, and a 10’ Hobie noserider that’s thick as hell and weighs 31 lbs. Both boards were built between 64 and 66. Double 10 oz glass, big old barn door fin. Even crappy popouts rarely topped 30 lbs.
Yes it is an extremely wild guess, since I don’t now, or have ever ridden tankers. I started surfing in 1964, at six, on a 6’0" my dad re-shaped from a 10’0" Greg Noll. I just remember that in the days of logs, I couldn’t pick them up. Take a stroll through Surfing Heritage. Some of those logs have to weigh 50 lbs.
Not to beat a dead horse but… I will not profess to be an expert on tankers, since they’ve never floated my boat… I consider any super heavy board from the 60’s or earlier that’s over 9’ to be a tanker… How much did the pre-foam logs from the 50’s weigh? Chambered? Un-chambered?
I know Tom Pohaku Stone is ripping a super old school solid wood board that weighs over 100 lbs. Let me get out of the way.
In the 1956 -1959 end of the balsa era, a 9' 0'' x 21'' solid wood board of that period weighed about 25 pounds. Some were lighter, some were heavier, depending on the skill exercised in selecting the wood. I would drive from San Diego to General Veneer in Southgate, to select my wood at that time. Lots of wide, light wood was available then. I never heard of anyone chambering a balsa board during that period.
I've got an early Dave Sweet 9'4" from around 1958 or so, very early foam board...very heavy. 46.8 lbs.
It sounds like your board is going to be exactly that....an experiment? What kind of foam, EPS? what weight cloth? Glass on fins, boxes. Now a days we can get a finished 7ft board out the door with fins weighing 6.5 lbs.
Don't know, but it is boat cloth at least 12 oz. It's got a resin swirl too....blue/green.
Kids, let this be a lesson to ya....don't drop in front of a guy with an old 60's board...YOU WILL DIE. Old 60's boards don't ding, (they don't turn either) and they don't ding when they hit another "6'0" 4 oz glass job pump n squirt".
I remember one day I had to take 4 short boards off the end of my old Hansen....kind of like taking marshmellos (sp) off of a stick
I dunno what typical weights are but when kendal "weighs" in I tend to listen. I seem to be chasing lighter and lighter for my long boards. Remember carrying my first 8'6" Greg Noll on my head for miles down the beach cause my arm wouldn't fit around it. Still got neck issues. It's long gone but it was heavy.
