Which U.S. shaper builds the "AUS fins fwd" style

[johnxyz]

I dont know who would do that.
Especially since finish shaping can muck the whole thing up.
Rail foil in kneeboards(fins forward) is appreciably different than stand up boards.
Set a standup shaper to finish shape the board without a model reference
and it may be a dissapointment depending upon how well defined the machine leaves it.....
I'm wondering what Red thinks.
Red's got one of his models posted as a CNC file over at Swaylocks already.
He's got quite a few of these under his belt.

Whats your height and weight JohnnyXYZ?

5'11" 175lbs w/out a 5 or 6 mil suit.

Makes sense about the finish shaper screwing it up.

Is FCS the only system Parke, Flashpoint and Island use? Hate the thought of those plugs ripping out. Does John Mel/Freeline use Lokbox?

[albert]

Is FCS the only system Parke, Flashpoint and Island use? Hate the thought of those plugs ripping out. Does John Mel/Freeline use Lokbox?

All of those shapers have access to a variety of fin systems, if you are partial to lokbox I am sure any one of them can source that out for you

[Beeline2.0]

5'11" 175lbs w/out a 5 or 6 mil suit.

Makes sense about the finish shaper screwing it up.

Is FCS the only system Parke, Flashpoint and Island use? Hate the thought of those plugs ripping out. Does John Mel/Freeline use Lokbox?

Actually finish shaping might leave you with fuller rails than intended and that
would limit the high end of the wave range of the board.
Might otherwise be 'OKAY'.

[surfhorn]

John/Freeline uses Future Fins normally but can add whatever boxes one chooses.

[johnxyz]

Thanks guys for all the great advice and recommendations.

I'm going to look into a custom from a CA shaper that a member was kind enough to PM me with contact info.

If that doesn't work out, my next option is a Freeline or a Cleary (if he is still shaping and if he does the Aus. fins fwd design - I still don't have any feed back on thoses two questions for Cleary).

I would love a Parkes but just too much money to import into the US. One member clearly layed out the design/build differences btwn a Parkes, Flashpoint and Island. Based on his input I would choose a Parkes.

As far as swim fins - it seems that Vipers are rated well for comfort and propulsion. Still don't know whether to order the 5" or 7" and the yellow or orange dot.......Help......

Thanks again

[Beeline2.0]

Thanks guys for all the great advice and recommendations.

I'm going to look into a custom from a CA shaper that a member was kind enough to PM me with contact info.

If that doesn't work out, my next option is a Freeline or a Cleary (if he is still shaping and if he does the Aus. fins fwd design - I still don't have any feed back on thoses two questions for Cleary).

I would love a Parkes but just too much money to import into the US. One member clearly layed out the design/build differences btwn a Parkes, Flashpoint and Island. Based on his input I would choose a Parkes.

As far as swim fins - it seems that Vipers are rated well for comfort and propulsion. Still don't know whether to order the 5" or 7" and the yellow or orange dot.......Help......

Thanks again

from Dean Cleary's site: http://www.deanclearysurfboards.com/foamzone.html

December 20 2007
It's dark and dismal here in Southern California and I think the surfboard industry is quite dismal here as well. If you are not one of the big names with a huge marketing campaign you probably are not going to make a very good living in this industry. More and more of the industry leaders seem to be moving their operations to China or Mexico and surfers are able to get boards at a low cost from boards made abroad.
US consumers want low prices and seem willing to except surfboards that are made in China. I will continue to create boards at small volumes and and build them by hand here as I fill a niche market.

Dean Cleary seems to specialize in kneeboards that are 'fins back' and
that carry length well ( boards well over 6'0" is not a problem), yet surf well in all size surf.

Fins are very personal, yet you have to start somewhere.
Its best to progress or degress(depending on the point of view) up to larger fins.

Maybe you can offer something for me.
It would be very interesting if you could post the Parkes vs. Flashpoint vs
Island analysis. I've never had a Parkes or Island board and it would be
helpful if it was posted without attributation. In any case, I'd like to read it.

[johnxyz]

Beeline - with apologies to the member that PM'd me the following recommendations for Parkes, Flashpoint and Island boards - strictly anonymous, however:

"But if I try to not be biased, I would say that it all depends on your level of experience. If you often surf in heavy rips and need a board that will handle a variety of conditions and lots of chop but hardly ever surf anything below head high then I would say go with Island, Neil Luke has hardly ever left his home town and they get big, raw open ocean swells nearly all year long, so whether he wants to or not he specialises in that sort of boards. Also he hardly ever shapes a board that is less than 2 1/2 inches thick and there is never any doming of the deck or thinning of the rails, thats just his style, although I suppose he could do something else if asked to.

Bruce has done very well recently selling boards in the states through this site, he has a very very good eye for curves and puts together some beautiful looking boards. However, he is a draftsman by trade so this comes naturally to him. I have ridden several boards from each of these shapers and I consider Bruce's to be the least practical, something about his rail shapes and rockers that just slows a board down a bit. Again I am sure he could change things if asked to. That being said I have never ridden some of his smaller wave boards but those might go really well.

As far as Parkes, the one thing I can say with the utmost confidence is that he is the best quad shaper in the kneeboard world at the moment. He has been making them and riding them for over 30 years, whereas Bruce and Neil Luke have been riding tris. Parkes makes boards for the average skill level of surfer, practical, and not very glitzy. "

[Ler]

The best is James Vartianan of HB, shapes in Costa Mesa. The best board I ever rode is right now from James, it is a copy of a Parkes

Ler

He wants to shape more kneeboards.

[skansand]

ler was killing the small contest surf on that board!!...

[badknees1]

I'd like to give Mr. Vartianan some business. Any way to contact him? I'd like to order my christmas present a little early this year.

[Beeline2.0]

Beeline - with apologies to the member that PM'd me the following recommendations for Parkes, Flashpoint and Island boards - strictly anonymous, however:

"But if I try to not be biased, I would say that it all depends on your level of experience. If you often surf in heavy rips and need a board that will handle a variety of conditions and lots of chop but hardly ever surf anything below head high then I would say go with Island, Neil Luke has hardly ever left his home town and they get big, raw open ocean swells nearly all year long, so whether he wants to or not he specialises in that sort of boards. Also he hardly ever shapes a board that is less than 2 1/2 inches thick and there is never any doming of the deck or thinning of the rails, thats just his style, although I suppose he could do something else if asked to.

Bruce has done very well recently selling boards in the states through this site, he has a very very good eye for curves and puts together some beautiful looking boards. However, he is a draftsman by trade so this comes naturally to him. I have ridden several boards from each of these shapers and I consider Bruce's to be the least practical, something about his rail shapes and rockers that just slows a board down a bit. Again I am sure he could change things if asked to. That being said I have never ridden some of his smaller wave boards but those might go really well.

As far as Parkes, the one thing I can say with the utmost confidence is that he is the best quad shaper in the kneeboard world at the moment. He has been making them and riding them for over 30 years, whereas Bruce and Neil Luke have been riding tris. Parkes makes boards for the average skill level of surfer, practical, and not very glitzy. "

Makes me wish more of these shapers were more into the exporting biz.

[johnxyz]

["[/quote] Makes me wish more of these shapers were more into the exporting biz.[/quote]

Amen to that brother. I contacted D. Parkes but the price w/. shipping is just too high . Maybe in the future. I didn't hear back from Island; and, FP doesn't seem to have an e-mail address. Doesn't matter anyway - the trip from Oz is too expensive.

Now I'm back to an underground shaper recommended by a BB member or Dean Cleary, also recommended by a BB member. Since I'm a noob to KB'ing, the progressive Aus fins fwd designs may not matter for my 1st KB.

Those Australian boards are still seductive though - blow away anything here IMHO based on looks alone....

[johnxyz]

beauty is in the eye...aus boards look and ride like fat standups.

Hi trowt - That seems to contradict a (general) consensus that the 5'10-6'3' Australian-built, fins fwd designs are consisdered the SOTA at this time in KB design.

Can you elaborate a little on the benefits to the San Diego style boards in your view (if that's what you meant in your post). I'm about to pull the trigger on a new board and looking at all the angles . Thanks.

[balzig777]

some may remember some may not, but Ive been shaping a few kneeboards again for those in the know, ready for kneeboard resurgance in numbers and new designs, I'll work your designs or anyone elses to put you in the pit ...........later bal