Introducing Torsion Drive Stringers on Kneeboards BSD

What works & what doesn't and in what type of conditions. Got a "secret" only you and your shaper know???? Post it here... we can keep it quiet ;-)

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BSD
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Introducing Torsion Drive Stringers on Kneeboards BSD

Post by BSD »

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Really enjoying shaping more Kneeboards. Done a few for some people here. Been doing some studying of George Greenough's stuff lately. Love educating myself & doing some homework. I pride myself in being capable of handshaping any surf riding vehicle. Being a fan of flex, got me to thinking of incorporating one of my stringer designs to kneeboards.

Seeing some good photo's of his Velo shapes, (Of which I have an actual Greenough template) and how his boards flex, got me thinking. People who surfed with George described his boards as bending or warping to fit the curve of the turn. Good stuff. Now I understand how such flat tail rockers were turning so well.

We all know boards flex. They need to. Too much is bad. Too little is bad. What if we could control it?

Flex is a design concept not talked about in the surfing world. Talk to most shapers about flex, and they get a puzzled look on their face. We've all seen end to end centre stringers (Linear flex) the standard for 50 years. Parabolic stringers out on the rail produce a "Springy" rail flex. Allows for the rail to be stiffer and then return to its original shape.

What if we could have both?
Torsion flex is new to the surfboard world. Based on the stored energy of torsional flex. I developed this stringer system a few years ago. Basically, it's a central stringer which is split at a certain point and curved outward to the rails. For stand-up surfers, it ends directly under rear foot. leaving the remainder of the tail to flex because it's stringer-less. I'm thinking further up for Kneeboards. Allowing more area for flexing tails.

The possibilities are endless. Maybe in conjunction with a concave deck. (Which I've done on one Kneeboard). I've also done some special glassing configurations with staggered fiberglass to allow the tail to flex.

One thing I like about you Kneeboard guys (of which I have joined as well) , is the hunger for innovation. That keeps me going.

I truly think George is/was onto something. This may be a modern twist on 40+ years of surfing evolution.

What do you guys think?

Anybody interested? I can be reached through my website or PM me here.
I'm going to offer this stringer configuration free of charge to anyone here on this website (KSUSA) to get this ball rolling. I'm Psyched on doing this. This is a $100 value as I have to not only have added width to my blanks, but also cut and glue these stringers in myself.

barrysnyderdesigns.com

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Re: Introducing Torsion Drive Stringers on Kneeboards BSD

Post by Bryn »

Hi Barry,

Great to see you taking proper interest in kneeboards!

Greenough spoons are a very different beast to modern performance boards and as such would be worthwhile checking out the Crawford/Crozier boards which quite often had a flex tail as part of the overall design. Crox over here in the UK has been working extensively on his split flex tails for a few years now as well.

As important as flex is, it could be argued that it also is more of a damper than adding to drive. That said once the wave size gets bigger and you have time and space for reflex to come in to play then I'm sure the results of controlled flex will be far greater! I flattened my tail rockers massively over the last couple of years and compensated with outline and a tighter fin cluster to keep it loose and it's added a whole heap of drive to the point of almost being too fast! Maybe a touch more flex would be the perfect way to balance it out?

Really look forward to seeing more of your boards and how your torsional system will fit with kneeboards. Having a fixed position with the drive coming from further up will make it a challenge to find the sweet spot but sounds like you're the guy to get it to work.

Cheers!
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Re: Introducing Torsion Drive Stringers on Kneeboards BSD

Post by fincut »

Love the idea Barry and got me thinking.

Ultimately there will a few different applications for different waves and different styles. Would be fun to suss it out with your tail flex. Kneeboarding is so different with loads applied especially since our center of gravity is so much lower.

My first thought with the way I ride is instead of tail flex, which I love the flatter tail rocker for massive drive and speed, to go with a flex nose.

When your coming off the bottom with drive and have that wall in front of you to go into a turn, I wonder if a flexed nose would increase the bite and make us go more vert up the face, increasing the angle of attack. Changing the contours of the board going up and around the wall face.

I'm envisioning your torsion flex at the front 40% of the board starting with a single stinger at the nose splitting into a decreasing in width stringer on both sides with the side stringers ending around the knees. Then having a narrow center stringer (reversed fish style) with a little overlap from the side stingers gradually building into a normal sized stringer ending at the tail for a non or little flex tail. Call it the broken arrow.

Or it might be interesting to find other ways to change the top 40% of board flex. Sorta trippy when you look at boogie boarders and how they manipulate the nose rockers with their hands and pulling back when going up the face of a wave. Their boards also are flat as a pancake these days for more drive.

Design will never stagnate.

Keep on keeping on with your lab.
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