Why egg?

So I’ve spent the last couple weeks trying to get more information on egg surfboards, like what does a board need to have in order to be called an egg? And what makes them good boards past the seeming conception that they’re just “fun boards” or something for people who can’t ride a “proper shortboard”? I may just be bad at looking, but I can’t seem to find much of any real information on the boards. I can find plenty of pictures, but not necessarily makes them tick. Maybe they’re just not talked about to much? From what I can tell, they’re boards that have very similar nose and tail designs, usually rounded, flat rocker with a little kick in the nose, and usually rock 50/50 rails or something similar. They seem to be able to be made from 5’0’‘-10’0’'. I was doing some craigslist searching for eggs and there seemed to be very little in common with what people are calling “eggs” and most of the ones on Craigslist are just fun boards and look like no fun to surf…but I’ve seen plenty of pictures of eggs to no that’s NOT what they are. I’m just not sure how to describe them.

And then the second question, why ride an egg? What makes them a better design than others for certain situations? My shaper recommended me an egg and I’m planning to get one sometime in the next month, but since then I’ve become more curious about the design since I’ve never really known much about it before. I haven’t been able to meet back up with my shaper yet and the internet seems to have very little information…or even videos of good surfers riding them! I’ve only found a couple worthwhile clips of guys on eggs. Ughh, I hate when the internet fails me! Hopefully someone here has more information for me!! I love the pictures of the eggs in the thread here and I really want more info on what makes these boards tick! 

Also, sorry for the double post, but what fin set ups do you all enjoy? I really enjoy single fin long boards, definitely a lot more than 2+1’s, but I feel like for my first board below the 9’ mark that I should do a thruster set up or at least a 2+1, just for the user friendliness of the design. For learning to shortboard well [I’ve done it before, but I just haven’t owned one before so I haven’t spent extensive time on one] I think having the single fin is probably not the best choice.  But, what fins are best for an egg and why?

You are the shaper Johnnynoserider.

Take your favorite longboard and scale it back One foot. Ride it for 6 months . Take that and scale it back One foot. Ride it for 6 months. Scale that one back One foot......Ask someone What makes a Fish a Fish?.....Chickens lay eggs....some chickens are well fed...some are not.....I have a whole quiver of eggs....small long boards....not long/fat short boards.

..."Fun Boards"....a term made up by snobs...If you are not having FUN on your BOARD......why surf?

Every surfboard I touch is a FUN Board. Surfing is fun. Fun  fun  fun . Stop looking at ...Lost and Rusty adds...start shaping and riding your own......

Stingray

...eggs are small longboards.......................got it?

Greg Webber makes a really nice egg shape in two versions a standard and a mini, he has videos talking about them on his website http://www.webbersurfboards.com/ check out the mini cd/ and just the standard dvd vids

 

johnny noserider, thruster is probably best. this vid will fill you in on eggs

http://vimeo.com/9682627

A quick look with the search function brings up this gem of a thread…

http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/egg-thread-lets-see-them

As you’ll see what constitutes and egg is almost as vague to some as what constitutes a fish (sic).

its simple,,,, when a surfboard kind of looks like an egg,,,,, its an egg, but still a surfboard

Im confused,,,

not really

 

rounded at both ends , somewhat, but not allways

speed eggs are a bit pointier at the ends

rails vary but usualy down

usualy single fin but can be 2+1 or thruster

 

they are not all eggzackly the same

talk to Reverb he is the eggman

I never was much into eggs till I surfed one. Eggs are giant killers. Howling offshores? no problem. Chop?? Relax, slice your way through. Do a single first.

[quote="$1"]

I never was much into eggs till I surfed one. [/quote]

Hah!  You were half egg when you were conceived (and that was the big half!)

Busted or cracked? Neither! Permeable.

 

On topic, I highly recommend an egg. 

What the hell is " a proper shortboard " anyways Johnny?    Stingray has some great advice.."stop looking at Rusty and Lost adds and shape some boards."

  Here's another nugget, cancel your subscription to Transworld Surf too :)  Surfing is just surfing, long boards, short, fish, egg....get well rounded and expeirience all of it..Don't get pigeon holed by the "surf industry"  ...Getting an egg is a great idea...as far as fins go, if you like the lose feeling of a single then stick with it till you feel like trying something else........

Fun stuff....thanks for all the egg links...Honest Johnny, I'm an Egg Junkey...but I can't solve your problems.....

my favorite egg is an 8'0"...it's in the photo archives....

Click this one too...

http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/stingray-perfect-fin-setup

The BlueBioFoam board got some really good sessions under my feet. My biggest problem is I like a little bit longer board. And I thought the nose rocker would be too much...but the guys love it....and it turned into an underground travel board...

Blue Surfboard went from Stingray to SrPato to Durbs....hopefully others can ride it and give input...I'm really into 50/50 rails on my eggs....but anything can happen........It's all about having fun......Ray

Thanks for the advice…I’m really hoping to talk with my shaper about an egg next week and get it ASAP. Trust me, I never even look at Lost and Rusty boards, I’m the last person the be “pigeon holed” by the surf industry. Actually, the surf industry kind of frustrates me a lot of the time. The only surf magazine I’ve ever bought is Slide. I’m finally starting to branch out from longboards only though, been surfing for about two years and I’m finally getting comfortable enough and have the experience to comfortably ride something shorter. I was slow picking up the whole surfing thing, but I’m in for the long haul now. I hope the board my shaper has for me to demo has the option of a single fin because I want to try out single and thruster and 2+1 before I really decide. I feel like I’m gonna go 2+1 though so I have the options for thruster, twin fin, or single…just whatever i want. :P.

Those videos were great, those mollusk surf shop videos are really interesting…I watched most of the ones on there, not just the egg one. Thanks for the great link!!

And “proper shortboard” I meant those 6’1’', 18" 2 1/4"…etc. The stuff that only pros SHOULD ride but that to many guys try to ride and look like they have no fun on. :P. It may have been better phrased “standard shortboard” not “proper” haha.

You've got the right idea by talking to your shaper,I'm sure he'll get you dialed in with what you need...eggs are a blast to ride...have fun

Yeah, the guy did a perfect job on the noserider I’m on right now, it does everything I’d want it to and more. What I’ve seen from his eggs they all look really great and it’ll be fun to have a board I can do more aggressive turns on again. The last longboard I had was a 9’0’’ hi performance comp board, and as much as it wasn’t what I want in a longboard at all it was fun being able to take off into anything and crank out a bottom turn into the lip, :P. I just don’t think that’s how longboards should be ridden…but you know, I won’t feel as bad doing that on an egg! haha.