Differences between stand-up and kneeboards?

[surfride1977]

Can you stand another design question? I've searched the archives, but am still a little unclear on a few things.

My story: I'm 5'11, 185 pounds. High intermediate to advanced stand-up surfer. I surf a variety of beaches and reefs in San Diego, which this time of year tends to be knee to chest high (mostly beachbreak), mushy to semi-hollow/slightly lined up.

I'm recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. I'm able to boogie board and kneeboard, but no stand-up surfing for several more months. I got bored with the boogie board quite quickly, so I decided to try kneeboarding on one of my regular surfboards. The board in question I had custom shaped specifically for small (knee-chest high) beachbreaks. It is 6'0, 20.5, 2.75 thick, single concave round tail with 5 fin boxes, can be ridden as twinnie, quad or thruster. I don't know the nose/tail widths offhand but I'd guess 12.5 nose and 15.5 tail. I'd describe the nose rocker as low and tail rocker as intermediate, as far as surfboards go. I've set the fins as far towards the nose as possible, and I've been riding it as a quad kneeboard thus far.

I feel like the board goes ok when it's chest high or bigger, but I can't turn the thing to save my life- when I manage it, I lose a ton of speed. I'm consciously kneeling as far back as is possible without my feet dragging in the water. What I want to do is turn- just basic off the bottom, off the top and roundhouse cutbacks. The other big issue is that I can't make it past flat/mushy sections of the wave very well. It feels like if I'm not right in the pocket of a steep wave, It just bogs and stalls.

Questions: Is this board suitable for kneeboarding? Would a competent kneeboarder be able to turn as I've described, and make it across flat spots, i.e. is it my lack of skill at kneeboarding that's primarily keeping me back... Or is it the board design?

Of the kneeboards that I've seen, it looks like the fins are set much closer to the nose then on conventional surfboards. This makes sense to me, as one's weight is not on a back foot over the fins like surfing.
Are kneeboard rockers totally different than surfboards? Looking at my current board, it seems as though a flatter tail rocker might be helpful. I've also noticed that kneeboard widths are much wider, how does this affect performance?

Lastly, should I bite the bullet and invest in a bona-fide kneeboard? If so, what dimensions and features should I be looking for?

Does anybody have a reasonably priced used board for sale that would suit me? I definitely can't afford a new one at this time.

Thanks in advance for any/all feedback.. Aloha and good waves! -Tony

[albert]

Questions: Is this board suitable for kneeboarding?

Short answer: Not if you wanna do turns

Would a competent kneeboarder be able to turn as I've described, and make it across flat spots, i.e. is it my lack of skill at kneeboarding that's primarily keeping me back... Or is it the board design?

Short answer: its probably both.

Are kneeboard rockers totally different than surfboards? Looking at my current board, it seems as though a flatter tail rocker might be helpful. I've also noticed that kneeboard widths are much wider, how does this affect performance?

Short answer: have you looked down and noticed how close your knees are together when riding a wave? if they are spread apart less than the width of your shoulders then you need a wider stance, which you can get with a wider board.

Lastly, should I bite the bullet and invest in a bona-fide kneeboard? If so, what dimensions and features should I be looking for?
Does anybody have a reasonably priced used board for sale that would suit me? I definitely can't afford a new one at this time.

ill let someone else address that one...

[Headwax.]

Hya Tony, welcome to kneeboarding!

You are probably bogging because of the intermediate tail rocker - plus reduced planing area under your weight.
It's good to ride on the tail but if there is too much tail rocker it will make the middle of the board push water.

You really need to go wider. a typical 6 foot kneeboard might have 22 inch width minimum. Most would be wider. The board dimensions you describe would probably go well at a sucky very powerful reef beak - but not on ordinary beach break.

I'm 5'7, weigh maybe 12 stone. My boards are 5 10 by 23 and a half for beach breaks. Maybe 2 and half inches under the chest. Maybe less. But flattish rocker. 4 inch, two inch? of course its the curved in between that make the difference.

Maybe you could go 6'3" by 23???? Depends on waves. Depends on rocker.

Wider board gives you more planshape means you need less rocker and get better planing.

meanwhile try and surf upright stance and leaning way forward into the turns. Twist your body, get your outside shoulder over the inside rail in the beginning of your turns.

Good luck.

Heres an incredably anal thread on doing a cutty that might have some clues. Posted a long time ago...

viewtopic.php?t=1553

Hope this helps.

[surfride1977]

Thanks for the responses guys, that's very helpful. I'm now on the hunt for a decent used board...