New Kneeboard Shapes ?

[Terence H]

Hello all , one is always reading of new refinements with Foot Board design is anything happening with Kneeboards ?
I do realize that a lot of "new" Foot Board designs are bullshit and just
there to generate sales.
Where are we going is anybody experimenting with anything new ?
Interested to see something thought provoking.

Regards
Terence

[albert]

Where are we going is anybody experimenting with anything new ?

I could tell you, but I would have to kill you...

[wolruss]

Don't tell him about the toilet seat, Albert ......that one's for around the campfire after a few beverages....

[Terence H]

Where are we going is anybody experimenting with anything new ?

I could tell you, but I would have to kill you...

Go on Albert tell me , i feel pretty safe here in S.A

[albert]

Don't tell him about the toilet seat, Albert ......that one's for around the campfire after a few beverages....

haha... for every one good idea there are a hundred or so failed ideas sitting in someone's garage!

[analbirth]

Terence, a fair few guys on this site thought this wouldn't work

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it does, not that it's anything radically different apart from being not what most kneeboard flex tails have been in the past
AB

[micko]

and does it?

[analbirth]

Micko, yeah, better than i'd hoped for, heaps more bite and stability in the tail in critical sections, riding on the foam ball, bumpy walls. the flex gives it extra rocker when you load it up and then releases when you need it. I've surfed it in 3 - 6' so far and i'm liking it more and more, just need some 8-10' swell to really test it out. Al

[eqKneelo]

Terence-
Best bet is to start a dialogue directly with a Shaper... or with guys who ride a certain label, then share ideas offline. No one discusses " new refinements" on site anymore.
Best of luck, brother.

[analbirth]

i do, i like to share, and for the kiwi's out there thats share not sheer

[Terence H]

Yah i just wanted to get a some kneeboard discussion going , not really expecting people to share trade secrets
As far as looking from a distance looks like at least kneeboard length seems to be coming down which i think is a good thing.
Looking at George Greenough's early Kneeboard riding what he was doing was easily as pleasing to the eye as what the best guys are doing today.
Maybe moving backwards before moving forwards again.

Recently being having a look at the speed that guys get out of their surf mats , and interesting to see George Greenough's input with the latest 4th gear flyer model , how can we get some of that without losing the ability to do tight turns. Maybe tinkering with the flex tail idea ?

My next board i think i will just play around with some ideas instead of just going with tried and tested.

Saying all of the above , please note with due respect to all of the excellent Kneeboard shapers doing brilliant stuff , in fact i would like to get a few boards from each of the shapers out there , just to play and test.

Cheers. T

[red]

The length thing is a progression. People are learning that length needs to compare to their height, strength and ability. GG's only 2 bricks and a tickey tall, so he can get away with a 5 something. It you're a head taller (you must be at least that, Terence?), then you probably need to match your height a bit, otherwise your knees end up near the nose!

Fewer fins are a good go for speed.
I've been toying with a small wave twinny idea for a few years, but have not got around to cutting it.
I'm going to eliminate fins completely once I start cutting on my own machine (early next year). There are some new things happening with holes through the board replacing fins but still giving direction and drive (unlike most finless currently around).

On a more conventional note I think there are good things being done with narrower boards (22" wide range), and that's something else I want to play with. Problem is - I'm just too happy with what I'm riding now (5lb, fast and loose)

I think that the next leaps are going to come from construction. We've been constrained too long by the limited approaches of laminating. Injection moulding, vac bagging, yarn spinning are starting to come together to a degree where it can be cost effective to do custom boards (imagine a board made out of honeycomb aluminium!). All of a sudden boards may not be limited by strength of material constraints. Lighter, thinner, stronger, faster.

Sort of a personal manifesto

[analbirth]

Dick Van Stralen had a lash at aircraft grade honeycomb Au and it died a natural death. You can go too light the same as you can go too heavy, if a board feels right then it probably is.

[RMcKnee]

Lighter, thinner, stronger, faster.

Ahh ... youth!

[Terence H]

The length thing is a progression. People are learning that length needs to compare to their height, strength and ability. GG's only 2 bricks and a tickey tall, so he can get away with a 5 something. It you're a head taller (you must be at least that, Terence?), then you probably need to match your height a bit, otherwise your knees end up near the nose!

Fewer fins are a good go for speed.
I've been toying with a small wave twinny idea for a few years, but have not got around to cutting it.
I'm going to eliminate fins completely once I start cutting on my own machine (early next year). There are some new things happening with holes through the board replacing fins but still giving direction and drive (unlike most finless currently around).

On a more conventional note I think there are good things being done with narrower boards (22" wide range), and that's something else I want to play with. Problem is - I'm just too happy with what I'm riding now (5lb, fast and loose)

I think that the next leaps are going to come from construction. We've been constrained too long by the limited approaches of laminating. Injection moulding, vac bagging, yarn spinning are starting to come together to a degree where it can be cost effective to do custom boards (imagine a board made out of honeycomb aluminium!). All of a sudden boards may not be limited by strength of material constraints. Lighter, thinner, stronger, faster.

Sort of a personal manifesto

Thats what i am talking about shake the trees long enough !

Go Red.