Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum

See http://www.flexspoon.com for photos and verbage about construction if interested.

Finally got some decent waves on the newie this a.m. and well, 'twas very very nice. Offshore winds. Sparkly 4-6 foot faces. Very moderate crowd. 2 year old 4/3 full suit, rashguard w/ hoodie, AND 2 mil vest under it all. Still damn cold and the water at about 53 I think. Hate to contemplate February. Oh well, that's later.

The ride: Not bad on catching waves though definitely more finicky as to timing than a foamy. Probably because so small but extremely twitchy sensitive. Stuffed the nose dropping in several times because until you're weight is on it, there is zero tail rocker so you have to get up and on the board immediately, no lying down gliding in. Feels smoooooooth and much more connected w/ the wave action. Speed and control definitely come from the tail as the fin is right back there (currently about 5 1/2 inches in). Weight on heels and just lean it a bit and zip...it comes around. Haven't found the throttle for any feeling of acceleration but taking off behind sections, if I could get in and on the board, I out ran it and was on the shoulder looking for a cutback in a flash.

Love the down in the water feeling but not totally sold on the trade-offs of freezing my nads off while not being able to see outside and paddling 1/2 as fast as anyone else. No worries about getting caught inside though. As I relaxed more, got more and more zen about it all and unconcerned about paddling out timing or effort. Stayed out quite awhile after I would normally have come in due to fatigue and cramp warnings. Just easy cruise back to the line up, watching the bubbles and turbulance go by overhead as I ducked effortlessly under sets w/out slowing down. Got several waves due to others being flushed by set wave one and I could easily hold position, come up and get the next wave.

At this point, haven't ridden enough waves to think about tuning fin etc. The flex feels pretty good so far and no real noticible hang ups in control other than my lack of co-ordination and lack of knowing how the board works. Super fun to ride my own creation and have it work pretty damn well. Got several fun waves out of the mix.

Fantisizing about next one already though...same bottom, maybe fishy outline, twin keels, but leaving in the blank and stringer and only removing foam in flared knee wells to make back corners flex and keep as much float a possible in a thinnish board (and maybe tapering the stringer to zero at tail for a little tail flex). Would need much less glass, maybe 2X4oz on bottom and 3 or 4 layers on deck?. Maybe get quicker start paddling and be able to sit chest deep instead of chin deep. It's cold out there.

A few more go outs. Couple days ago rode my Mandala fish in totally bumped out crappy windy 4-6 foot beach break. More time in the air between bounces than on the water. Today approx same conditions but a bit smaller and weaker and a bit less bumpy but still BUNK. Hey, I was the only one in the water and almost the only one on the beach (cold, windy fog)...

So: I'm starting to think that spoons are a whole different sport than solid foam board. They look a lot alike but the differences are so profound even though hard to communicate.

Fish: muscular power, jolts of acceleration, sits hard and high on the water

Spoon: soft, sinuous and sensuous. Lots of speed but so smooth it sometimes doesn't feel as fast as it is. As much as feeling part of the board, feel part of the wave. Like body surfing in a kneeling position w/ heaps of control and speed and drive.

I like both. A lot. But the experience is so different it sort of boggles my mind. I'd forgotten or never knew. As much difference as between a mat and a solid board. Between body surfing and board surfing.

DrStrange,
Nice stuff good descriptions. The speed and unity with the wave sounds very appealing. The take off sounds similar to a paipo board take off, grew up around alot of that here at Sandy Beach and at Makapu'u. You mention your next project as a Fishy twin keel thing, are you going to stick to a design already tried or are you going to experiment? I am appreciating what you flexboard guys are doing.

J,
Why don't you get something going on the Island? You've got the pictures and text to do it.
_______________
Raw O Nam

Not really sure about next project today... I'm really digging the edgeboard. Also really like my fish. Ride 'em both awhile. Got pics from MOW of solid foam edgeboard I liked too. Wondering how much effect all that float would have on identical edgeboard. Sigh, so many boards, so little time...

Really though, takes some time, but not so difficult to build as far as technique goes. Lot of knowledge has been gathered so far I ( though it is the tip of the iceberg I'm sure). Go for it Hawaii!!! Warm water makes everything better!!!!!!!!! I'm blue with envy on that score.

What are the possibilities of these edge board being for sale?
Understanding that the object being, that the more of them out there being ridden,the more info that is available to those that build these beauties.Hence progression of the design.A bit farfetched perhaps..
And of course the cost may be prohibitive.
Doc doesn't like the idea of me riding his edgie,says I weight too much Says I may break it
Just fishing.... thats all


K

K-man wrote:What are the possibilities of these edge board being for sale?
Understanding that the object being, that the more of them out there being ridden,the more info that is available to those that build these beauties.Hence progression of the design.A bit farfetched perhaps..
And of course the cost may be prohibitive.
Doc doesn't like the idea of me riding his edgie,says I weight too much Says I may break it
Just fishing.... thats all


K

Wayull- as Dr. S has been kind enough, between here and Swaylocks, to post step-by-step instructions and descriptions of how he did his....

You can make one, mebbe a skosh bigger, somewhat different shape, etc. Then tune it to your style and size and friendly neighborhood waves.

http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product ... talog.html has the materials including either pour foam or sheet foam.......

go for it.....

AHHHH,doc if I was a spry muskrat[that is a muskrat..no??]like yerself I wouldn't hesitate.Unfortunarely over the years I've been sensitized to certain substances..yup that stuff in particular.And filters are at best...not the best. Thanks though.Still fishing....


K

This is the foam edge board Dr S is talking about. It belongs to Eric Thomas out here in FL, who purchased it in his home town of Santa Barbara. I believe it was a Wilderness production. 5'6" X 21", nose concave, double concave through the tail.



3" thick, about 3" nose rocker and 2" in the tail.



Eric usually uses a 6-1/2" hatchet fin in it, but used a big Greenough to ride it standup at 4X OH Rincon in Jan. 98.


Sorry, K-man, not for sale. Meanwhile, Eric's doing a velo-type spoon of his own. He's a 4-time world champ and Olympic gold medalist in bodyboarding but man is he stoked about spoons!

K-man wrote:AHHHH,doc if I was a spry muskrat[that is a muskrat..no??]like yerself I wouldn't hesitate.Unfortunarely over the years I've been sensitized to certain substances..yup that stuff in particular.And filters are at best...not the best. Thanks though.Still fishing....


K

Ah, je comprends . And a muskrat it is - foam dust in the hair/fur not shown.

Perhaps someone could put one together, fairly local. And the thing is, if you're forming the bottom from a male mold, you can make lots of 'em relatively easy. Something made from a well oversized mold could be sawed to outline shape and go from there......

Ahhhh - another winter project. We'll see....

doc...

The foam edgeboard looks nice.
Just a question on the fins. Why large base, short fins? Surely a board designed for speed would tend more towards high aspect fins?

Has fin box for central fin. He uses either a GG VI hatchet fin or for huge surf a deep twanger like on Velo.

K-man, you could use epoxy. Mr Flexspoon is super sensitized to poly resin etc and spent a whole day in the shop w/ Greg Loehr and no probs at all w/ the epoxy!

It's a lot of work to make one but not super difficult. You just have to go slow and think about each step...

originally,I was trying to get a figure $$$$$$$$$
In another way,When doc s has shaped his 50th edge board[right doc ]and so had the process down,that he would know the cost of materials,and roughly the amount of time to construct,afigure could be equated..time and materials.=
Im not fishing to have one built,just curious at this point.



Doc,the other one,can ya muskrat ramble on the banjo????


K

Lets see- banjo, no, but he can quote great swaths of The Wind in the Willows...

K-man-- the time involved is the thing. Many hours even once the process is dialed in. Shaping, w/out power tools, only 3-4 hours at a guess. Glassing? Ahhhhh, hours and hours and hours...

re: foam edgeboard--also contemplating what it would be like as a fish shape. Lots more planning area. Reduced drive from a true fish flat all the way across but much more manuverable. Also, another possible varient-- Pendo-flex tail. Steve Pendervas (Pendervais) in San Diego has been making for many years--dig out wells in rear of board leaving stringer intact. Glass and back fill wells w/ flexy pad type material. Schoelkophftstpsph (How do you spell his name?) does this mid board for knee pads but likely Pendo's are deeper and in the tail. Gives strength but torsion flex where you need it for variable turning rocker. Supposedly last year McTavish saw one at J-Bay and was verrrry interested. Friend of mine has several footies from Steve and loves them.