I’m not able to put a finger on what it is about shaping a hull that puts me in this deep zone of creative thought.
Is it all the history? Is it the fact that these boards are so far from the main stream? Is it because I’ve never gotten any calls to shape them for years and now that I am I get flooded with memories?
I don’t know, but yesterday after milling a few I spent the end of the day dialing in a nice 6’10 hull. What a joy it is to find yourself working on something where you can lose all track of time and not care.
…would it be giving away trade secrets if someone were to step-by-step document you shaping one ?
I ask , because I imagine they are quite difficult to shape “properly” , eh ?
Do you remember your early attempts , [what year was the first one you did ?] and how you learnt to do them ? Was it Greenough ? Richie West ? The other malibu guys mentioned in that other hull thread ?
WHO were your ‘mentors’ ? … or , was it just look at other boards , then begin the good ol’ trial and error process ?
Yes, I’d be really interested to hear any steps too Dennis. I’ve always wondered if you hull shapers have a special routine or schedule with the planer, counting passes or working in different directions to the norm and so on…
I’m sure lots of people would be stoked to learn more!
I don’t find them difficult to shape Ben. But that is most likely because I’d done so many back in the day and the look, feel and dims are so ingrained in memory. As well as having one under my feet to how long?
The tricky part is finding the right blank and getting the right rocker in the bank. Then establishing the exact spot on the blank for the outline so that the foil and foam volume are right. After that it’s all down hill, do the bottom, do the deck, rails, sand and pau.
I’d say Bob Cooper was my mentor which was before the Greenough days and maybe Tom Morey to and extent.
Geez, Scott do you sleep? Posting after midnight…
Tom, I don’t know about anyone else but my routine is no different when shaping a hull than anything other design. The hard and or frustrating part is with the banks. And that is the way it is right now with everyone, at least it’s my guess. Doesn’t really matter what you’re shaping in regards to blanks, gotta hunt for the right ones.
why all of a sudden so much interest in Hulls? For me it was the TSJ article. (that issue is like by far the most worn out issue i have – i keep picking it up and goin over the article over and over to see if i can gleen anything i missed - my other issues look brand new - but the Stubbie article one is getting as supple as my mat )\
As a hacker, I was always fighting the Clarks to minimize the deck cuts but still get the foil right. If you got anything more than a slightly twisted blank, there was no point in even trying to use it for a hull as there is no room for error.
There is a point when everything is roughed out and you start to blend it all together that is so satisfying. I’m looking forward to trying a few with Walker foam.
I think KP and Matt are cooking up some more hull stories, pics, etc. Not sure about the format, but knowing those guys, it’ll be first rate…
“Geez, Scott do you sleep? Posting after midnight…”
well I knocked off on the couch early then woke up at midnite and could not get back to sleep and saw your post and then as luck would have my son woke me up at the crack of dawn to make for a very tired day driving to get foam.
I’m sure the TSJ article has generated some interest. Thanks Kirk and Matt. This probably could be a topic for another thread but, there seems to be openness to other designs now days which may have started way back with the long board resurgence and has continued to cycle.
Lee,
You should find the Walkers nice. The 8’3 with flat rocker is good for boards in the mid and upper sevens. The flat rocker even puts a bit of S in the deck. Because of all the contour needed on the deck and bottom for that matter, you don’t get all the density variation like Clarks with the Walkers because it’s single density foam. I think they come out stronger too.
Scott, the life of a young father…you’ve got a future surf buddy so all is good.
If I remember right 5’10 is the smallest hull I’ve done. The S-deck is an integral part of the design foil so mine all have S decks no matter the length.
I only do single fins and use the O’Fishl glassed in fin box.