why are modern Kneeboards so BIG!!Why even kneeboard?

[toofast]

I do agree with you that longer boards are easier to paddle. I do have to work very hard to catch waves. Late take offs are what I live for. For my boards to work, I need some size and steepness. Other wise, they plow water.
When the fall comes, i`ll be looking forward to go to SC. Maybe I can try a longer board.
The way I see it, I`m sure everyone else is having just as much fun on their board as I am on mine.

[K-man]

Been mulling that one over for awhile[You kids down there quit giggling same word different meaning]Had afew boards that were real short[for me] 5'5'']and wide throughout.Seems I had problems paddling and catching waves,wide noses appear to push much more water making wave entry more difficult.Perhaps one of our learned shapers can give us a brief[in general-using small words,thank you ]litany on the wide nose narrow nose thing



PS,our south is just starting to show-hopefully tonight we'll snag a few.

[Beeline2.0]

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[K-man]

beeline,

Very good answer,practical and to the point.If I wasn't so polite I'd say you managed to weasel out that question with extreme professionalism But I'm not going to

[Beeline2.0]

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[hart]

I kinda thought I had said too much already on this thread..didn't want to get punishing or nothin'!!

But I gotta say..

Nose width will not be detrimental to paddle providing your bottom can enter independently of the width.

Its a litle like 'fat' kneeboards..just cause you are a bigger guy (for example)..just going fat, won't mean the board will be easier to paddle.

Just like wide noses..a fat board will push water just the same..if the bottom isn't shaped cleverly.

Perhaps that I have never worn flippers that I am so concious of paddle..but with a good bottom, you will feel it draw in water after one or two (paddle) strokes into a wave..don't need to kick at all.

But if you did..and wore flippers..you should be catching EVERYTHING that moves.

Paddle entry is just another (invisible) responsibility of the modern (professional) shaper.

Oh and 'toofast'..your posts are of interest..and you give your age..but what about your height and weight. These are very basic elements of kneeboard size and dimensional configuration.

Hear from you soon..

hart

[red]

You know the nose of your board is doing the right things with water entry when you can lean forward on late(ish) takeoffs. Since I got (Bruce's) boards that pull water from the nose area out to the tail I've been learning how to lean forward during take off.

It feels as though your ankles are higher than your head and you think the board is going to 'action stations dive' when you get to the bottom of the wave, but it doesn't. You end up going really fast into the bottom turn (plus an added bit of adrenalin). The lean forward position also helps when the lip pitches over your head because you have speed to punch through it; your centre of gravity is lower so you go forward, rather than driven under water or sucked backwards; and you can put your forearms on the deck to prevent your face getting smashed into the board.

Gary Clark uses this technique to take the drop sideways and simply pulls in to the tube in perfect trim.

Of course I do ride 6' boards almost all the time so I have the benefit of better paddling and travelling momentum, even when it's a 'pop and go' late drop. Gary's board's are not as long (5'10" or so), but he's not a tall bloke.

[K-man]

This thread was in response to willis'post.Seems He trashed the nose,rounded it off kept on surfing.and liked it.Mentioned that a bit of concave was in order.Good solid info from you guy.thanks.The wide nose thing is not my style,like those pulled in noses,with the last 8in tweaked up a bit.I've four boards that cover a wide range of conditions-Three are mainstays.Got them where I want them at this point in time.One board is the experimental model.Changes are gradual over periods of time.Pretty much for small waves-medium size when it's a bit fat.Hart,like you I don't wear fins,for a reason.fins on this board are on the tail-way back there.That means I'm surfing and turning off the tail.If I wore fins they'd be hanging off the tail,dragging.The object of this thesis is to impart to those on this site,What and how I kb.If I have further questions this info might be helpful to those I ask.As far as water experience.Early sixties-long board-short boards-mid eighties KBing.I live right by the ocean-it's a big part of my life.Im the boss and sole employee-surf whe I want Wake up dammit I'm almost done Have a good one

[toofast]

hart........ I`m 5'7" and weight about 150#..The 4-9 I had shaped is about 1 3/4 thick and is 22" and the widest part. The bottom has what is called a "hydo" channel that goes into a step deck. The swallow tall is 6 1/2 deep. The 5' pin tail I ride, I shaped it, is 23" at the widest part with very little rocker. The bottom is flat except for a step deck.The tail is narrow. 12" up form the tail, it`s only 12" wide. Both boards are out of the ordinary.
Sunday,I surfed with few other ksusa guys, I caught as many waves as the rest of the guys. I just worked harder. The next time we go out , they offered me to try their boards.

[hart]

Hey mate,

Talk about your step decks..I'm interested.

And sorry for the ignorance..where is Oceanside in Ca?

hart.

[DarcyM]

Posted: 11 May 2004 01:24 am Post subject: steps

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Hey mate,

Talk about your step decks..I'm interested.

And sorry for the ignorance..where is Oceanside in Ca?

hart.

Hart -

Oceanside is in Southern California, north of San Diego, north of Encinitas (Swami's) and Carlsbad, at the southern edge of Camp Pendleton marine base and south of San Clemente (Trestles). O'side has a pier, but is known mostly for average but rippable beach break and the jetties to the north of the pier which can get epic. Before the wind turns onshore, that is.

darcy "atlas" m

ps: try not to confuse Ocean Beach (San Diego) with Ocean Beach (San Francisco) either ...

[Beeline2.0]

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[Jeff Ommen]

As it was on Sunday. Craig Russell, Greg Little and I caught it in it's glory Sunday mornig, hollow, low-tide 10' - 12' faces breaking off the South Jetty, Very Fun

[toofast]

Ok , about the step deck...They are old school design. You don`t see them any more. What a step deck is when a section of the bottom of your board has a defefite line across your board in which the tail has been made thinner. It usually starts before your fins and goes all the way to the tips of the tail. The step on my boards are between 1/4-3/8 deep. I have a single 12" fin box on each board. I have my fin box placed about 8" into the step. I was told yrs ago that the idea is that it lets air get underneath the tail and makes the tail losser.
Hopefully I explain it well enough for you to get the pic. I have some pic being devolped now and they say a pic is worth a thousand words.

[hart]

toofast..

I figured that's what you were talking about..we just call then something different. Steptails.

Rather than straight however..I do rounded (or eliptical) shaped steps..that way they don't break your rail line as the step hits your outline.

I shape heaps of them..2 have just gone to the UK and heaps of guys in Sydney and Vico ride them. Great for small to mid size waves..and you're right..they seem to surf smaller than they actually are cause of the cavitation that happens in the last portion of you bottom.

Oh..and Matt Gallagher won a pro-circuit contest on one (Opens) only a couple of years ago.

They are a great trip from the 70's that we can still utilise today.

hart.