ok so whats the craziest shaped board you have? wood, foam, bought, made exc… just post a pic :)
crazy shapes are what fuel your imagination!
“Dragon_Fly” Hydrofoil paipo board (circa 1997)
does that even work???
Does that “handle” on the forward deck control the planing surface below (rudder, AOA)?
Does it work? It readily flies, but is too unstable in roll for everyone who has tried riding it so far. It initially did not have the rudder–that was added later to give the rider more roll control but was not as effective as hoped. But this was just the first in a series of prototypes.
The design objective was to come up with a board that had enhanced maneuverability without any loss of speed. Hydrofoils share lots of characteristics of airplanes. High maneuverability is achieved in current air superiority fighter planes by designing them to be unstable (a fly-by-wire computerized control system is used to keep the plane from crashing). The same is true with surfboards (sans the computer system): instability enhances maneuverability. So the design challenge is to find the optimal balance between maneuverability and control.
A number of prototypes were subsequently designed, built, and tested to hone in on this balance between maneuverability and stability (while also not compromising speed). The attached pictures show the current version. The “full featured” version (not yet built) is expected to further enhance maneuverability and rider control, and is described in US Patent 7,144,285.
Hard to top that one for craziness.
I rehabbed a nearly trashed late 60s Harbour a few years ago. Did a quick and dirty nose re-glue and then glassed it with autobody resin and 8 oz boatyard cloth. I kept most of the original shape. Just shaved the deck a bit, then put a funky swallowtail in it and did an ugly resin swirl. The swallow was to ridicule the fish fad. I actually call it the Kook Buster. I use it at crowded spots when I feel like bumping rails on purpose to send certain types a not-so-subtle message.
I’ll try and get some pics of it. It’s pretty silly.
as silly as this?
[img_assist|nid=1052619|title=frankenboard|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=512|height=640]
Haha! I immeditely thought “Frankenboard” before I saw the text below the pic.
can that board catch a wave??? and if it does i have a new found respect for tape lol
2 boards in one, not that different from my Swinger design....
[IMG]http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp114/pridmore73/swingerquiverandfriends014.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp114/pridmore73/swingerquiverandfriends006.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp114/pridmore73/swingerquiverandfriends012.jpg[/IMG]
people think they look crazy but they are goin really well, very functional design and once guys try them, they like em, its just different to look at, most surfers cant get their head around it, so I just let them try them .....just putting 2 boards into one and utilising the good design elements of each to make one functional fun shape.....bla bla bla....
how do they do in small chunky surf?
I was at Lidamar the other day and saw a guy still ridding this joke board 4 years later after I stuck it together and sold it for $50 with fins and leash.
hey go quite well in most conditions, but I have a few diff ones with diff rockers and things...I have a 5'11" x 20 1/2" x 2 1/2" and it goe great in all sorts of waves but excels in beachbreaks that can be sectiony, the design suits beachies coz when it gets fat you can move forward or use the additional planing area up front, but when you turn its from the tail and with the pulled in tail, they handle hollow and steep waves well too....very happy with these babies...I can shape myself anything but I ride these 80% of the time...except for my current passion for finless ( or almost finless ) that is......dont really wanna push them, would rather guys ride em and see for themselves.....I really enjoy watching guys ride em for the first time, especially when the waves suit...satisfying to see the design make guys stoked.....
when you say finless you mean made of foam and glass right? i just got addicted to alaias and am in the middle of building my first one 
but how does the foam work? do you have pics
yup, the Frankenboard caught a lot of waves…ps this board was only put together because
Bill Thrailkill dared me to.
[img_assist|nid=1052631|title=frankenboard 2|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=189|height=640]
Too many to mention. Every board I make is freakin out there!
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/T311.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/hr7sml.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/Rod1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/Pvf5-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/Pictures294A.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/dec29034A.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/SURFFOILS/Surfboards004-1.jpg[/IMG]