Real quick question, is it true that the shorter the board is that the further the wide point is moved back from the mid point? And how far are they usually moved back? Thanks, Brandon.
That’s not always the case. Wide point forward gives drive and projection to really short boards.(…lost fish) Wide point back is for more snappy, vertical surfing. Rusty Hipster is a good example. 2 totally diffrent approaches.Depends how you want to surf.
On any board, “offset” refers to the distance which the wide point is “offset” forward of center. I’m not a pro. For most boards, you can derive the natural offset distance by subtracting the 12" tail width from the 12" nose width. If the nose is wider than the tail, the offset should be positive. If the nose is narrower than the tail, the offset should be negative. This formula just makes a natural looking rail flow. -Noodle>>> Real quick question, is it true that the shorter the board is that the > further the wide point is moved back from the mid point? And how far are > they usually moved back? Thanks, Brandon.
On any board, “offset” refers to the distance which the wide > point is “offset” forward of center.>>> I’m not a pro. For most boards, you can derive the natural offset distance > by subtracting the 12" tail width from the 12" nose width. If > the nose is wider than the tail, the offset should be positive. If the > nose is narrower than the tail, the offset should be negative.>>> This formula just makes a natural looking rail flow.>>> -Noodle Sweet, thanks Noodle, that is what I was looking for.
Sweet, thanks Noodle, that is what I was looking for. Noodle is correct but you can attain a nice flowing “template-line” with a narrow nose, positive offset and a wide tail. hard to describe without a diagram, but try this at home. The tail end (square, squash or fish, can be pretty wide. So wide that having a narrower nose and positive offset doesn’t result in a bad looking curve. Remember that positive offset of one inch on an eight foot board without much curve, won’t result in anything that the eye can notice. Your eye can’t even tell where the center of the board is. Off course if the offset is up really high (5 inches) and the difference between the nose and tail dimension is 4 inches…tehn you have a problem. Of course we are talking about short boards in this question…and the answer is that you can have a pos. offset and a wider tail than nose, but keeping a tail block dimesion not more that 30% less that tail width…and it is still an appealing curve. It is so much better to have a computer to generate templates and slide the handles around to see what you can get away with as far as offets. Put that fishing pole away!!!Kidding.SHHHHHAKKKKA!!! Herb?
Noodle is correct but you can attain a nice flowing > “template-line” with a narrow nose, positive offset and a wide > tail. hard to describe without a diagram, but try this at home.>>> The tail end (square, squash or fish, can be pretty wide. So wide that > having a narrower nose and positive offset doesn’t result in a bad looking > curve. Remember that positive offset of one inch on an eight foot board > without much curve, won’t result in anything that the eye can notice. Your > eye can’t even tell where the center of the board is.>>> Off course if the offset is up really high (5 inches) and the difference > between the nose and tail dimension is 4 inches…tehn you have a problem.>>> Of course we are talking about short boards in this question…and the > answer is that you can have a pos. offset and a wider tail than nose, but > keeping a tail block dimesion not more that 30% less that tail width…and > it is still an appealing curve. It is so much better to have a computer to > generate templates and slide the handles around to see what you can get > away with as far as offets.>>> Put that fishing pole away!!!Kidding.SHHHHHAKKKKA!!!>>> Herb? Wide point up from center for single fins and back from center on multi-finners. How about this for old school retro single fin…wide point 2" positive with a 12 inch tail, 12 inch nose, so the curve from the wide point to the tail is a bit straiter, 6’10". Drop in late on a fast wave that a short board with neg offset coudn’t get in front of the wave…then get to the bottom and sweep 1/4 of a football feild in a single turn, ride mid wave and wait for the wave to pull up the face from shear close out type force, then side slip, one quick pump and trim like there is no more tomorrow…look back and look at the grom way back in the distance and think to yourself, here must have negative offset.
Sweet, thanks Noodle, that is what I was looking for. I’m used to longer boards with positive natural offset. I did what Steve above said, and put a short board shape on my graphing program. The water entry point of a board is forward of center. The entry width shouldn’t be much narrower than center width. Otherwise, water would enter onto a rail, and push out instead of going under the board. It is possible to form a natural looking rail with a wider tail, but positive offset. Steve’s advice is good, and I would follow it. My apologies for misleading you. -Noodle
Wide point up from center for single fins and back from center on > multi-finners. How about this for old school retro single fin…wide > point 2" positive with a 12 inch tail, 12 inch nose, so the curve > from the wide point to the tail is a bit straiter, 6’10". Drop in > late on a fast wave that a short board with neg offset coudn’t get in > front of the wave…then get to the bottom and sweep 1/4 of a football > feild in a single turn, ride mid wave and wait for the wave to pull up the > face from shear close out type force, then side slip, one quick pump and > trim like there is no more tomorrow…look back and look at the grom way > back in the distance and think to yourself, here must have negative > offset. I think the reason many short boards have “behind-center” offset is that short board riding styles(especially tri’s) are meant to be surfed back and in a sweet spot, so volume/foil is pulled back and more planing takes place towards the tail section. As you all know, volume/foil and wide points are very inter-related. And tyhe truth is taht there are no rules in shaping. There are so many theories and so on. And yes, a board does behave different even with little changes. And I think all parts of a surfboard are inter-related and that is why is is so hard to make your “magic board”. I have surfed many years and have been shaping almost 20 years and the best two boards I have ever made are: 6’6" rounud pin, centered wide-point, tri-fin, forward vee to a flat at 11" up from tail. second…a 6’10" single-fin 2" up from center, slight panel vee. simple desing, no concaves or anyhting. By the way, the fishing pole template method does work. Holy mackerel I got a big on the line!!!
I’m used to longer boards with positive natural offset. I did what Steve > above said, and put a short board shape on my graphing program.>>> The water entry point of a board is forward of center. The entry width > shouldn’t be much narrower than center width. Otherwise, water would enter > onto a rail, and push out instead of going under the board.>>> It is possible to form a natural looking rail with a wider tail, but > positive offset.>>> Steve’s advice is good, and I would follow it.>>> My apologies for misleading you.>>> -Noodle Sorry for the lame question, but what do you mean by positive offset, moving up?