channels

[diggerdickson]

the best board I ever owned was a 6 5 rounded pin with deep channels running all the way through the tail, that was way back in 86 when I could still surf well, shaped by Peter out at thornliegh, its been so many bloody years ago I cant even rember his last name. Years have passed on, Ive moved up to the sunshine coast six months ago, surfing on a semi fish shaped by john gillard ( beautiful ) cause its mainly small and Noosa is just stupidly crowded when its on so settle for something less. Though the temptation to get another rounded pin with channels has been eating me up for when it is really hollow at my favourite break, it has been playing on my mind. I know I will only use it rarely though the question is guys, why dont we see them anymore, is it cause they are just to hard to glass or shape, or are the bottom shapes of today just that much better for glassy hollow waves and therefore I should be looking at something else. I do have a 6 10 semi gun but dont believe that I will ever use it up here and is just gaining cobwebs, but hey its nice to have just in case.

[ric_vidal]

why dont we see them anymore, is it cause they are just to hard to glass or shape, or are the bottom shapes of today just that much better for glassy hollow waves and therefore I should be looking at something else.

DD, probably all those reasons, ’cept quality of waves is probably where they shine. In a production (volume) environment where you are talking piece rates they would be scorned for sure.

Couple punters around here are fans… Salty and NC I believe when the appropriate conditions prevail.

[channels]

I'm a massive fan of channels. My main board is a swallow tail six channel. I find I now have so much more speed on the wave than I had 5 years ago when I had mainly concaves. Only problem I find is that they do tend to track a bit when trying a radical change of direction however for my level of surfing this is a small price to pay. Whilst I thought they were great in the beachies and reefs I mainly surf, I experienced the channel bottom's true calling at Manu Bay & Indicators at Raglan. Miles of wall in front of you, big bottom turn and away you go.

[Nick Carroll]

hey digger, hmmm I think a lot of elements have limited the six-channel in recent years, the single concave bottom shape has added much of its lift and drive to most boards without the production issues, they don't shine in average to bad waves which is what most of us surf most days, they definitely don't suit learner to intermediate surfers in any conditions and that level has been driving a lot of surfboard design over the past five years or so. Plus the nouveau materials thing has been occupying many naturally hi performance designers through that time.

Plus the lines a good six channel naturally draws are not massively fashionable among the haute pro level, except maybe in bigger hollower surf, nor are they easily handled by the up and coming grom. The lines are hard and unflinching, they hate spinning out and they really suck at airs, they don't like the recovery.

But man my recent few weeks in Hawaii felt like dramatic proof positive that the six channel has some unmatchable qualities of drive and length through the turn, ability to build and retain speed through long carving rail turns, and sheer "feel" for what's happening underfoot. The ones I ride there and here and wherever else the surf's really good, they kinda feel like what I imagine an F1 car might be like, they're ragged and jerky at lower speeds, but once you start pushing the revs up they just get smoother, faster and more and more responsive. At full flight they just don't really have a top end, you can go as fast as the wave could possibly allow and they maintain complete composure in critical situations.

Quite a few super pros have secret love affairs with six channels, Kelly's had a number of ABs, AI always seems to have one on his good-wave surf trips (from Arakawa, he usually rides it till it snaps then has to go back to the normals), Taylor Knox has a few fours and sixes, Occ's had a lot from Rodney Dahlberg (some of his most devastating performances, ie the Skins at Bells, have been on a six). Other guys don't like 'em, maybe get thrown by the low-speed clumsiness or they haven't had a good one (they're difficult to shape well).

So yeah not for everyone, but man, neither is a Chateau Mouton Rothschild '86.

[turtle]

^^ i've been using up to 6 channels on my boards for years, love em.
if i ride board with no channels feels like i got no control.
much easier for me too find pockket when im riding with channels.

my litre of juice

[diggerdickson]

So yeah not for everyone, but man, neither is a Chateau Mouton Rothschild '86.Nick Carroll
Owl status

lol, Nick thanks for the sum up, I remember the guy who shaped my board for me know, Peter Daniels. Man I loved that board, the board just loved a big hard sweeping bottom turn and was beautiful when digging in the rail and carving back.

On reading your post Im convinced its the way to go for when the banks are firing up here, and once the holiday season is over and The points are firing at Noosa it will be fantastic to have that special board to take out and drive though the turns without losing speed.

[diggerdickson]

Thanks salty, certianly have given me plenty to ponder over as I have time, have to save for it, my heart says go the channel though I think I will be talking to a few local shapers up here as well, get some good research in and talk in lenght with john gillard, the guy is a legend. Will post when the decision is made and then one day drop a photo online of the finished product. Thanks everyone

[diggerdickson]

excellent advice salty, thankyou

[mustkillmulloway]

hey mate...just up the rd from ya ( sunrise)

since moving here i have constantly pestered my shaper ( pridmore)

too consider channels

there a logical board for hollow surf

concaves have limits and lack any real feel underfoot than going forward

darren symes experimented with my (open debate) idea of reverse channels

with great success...basicly the channel runs away from the stringer

HEY...THEY WORK

but this was around the same time he was refining the tombstone

which ended up a awesome design that saved many a older surfers sanity

p.s concaves are overrated but cheap produce...thus why they are so prominent

[tiger]

Hey DD. If u wanna talk to someone up here who knows about 6 channels, try and chase up John Mills. I think he may do some shaping through Beach Beat. Stump at Black Widow and Mick Grace, both know how to shape them well too. All 3 of these guys are good surfers who were in the thick of it during the 6 channels hey-day.

[diggerdickson]

Im still itching for them, you know that overiding feeling you get when you just cant get it outa ya mind, new board, new board, new board. It drives you crazy and sometimes you go to bed thinking about the deminsions you want and the new lines you plan to draw with it. MMMMMMMMMMMM come on bonus time may it be a good one

[Crim]

A good guy to talk to about channels is the guy who started them, Phil Myers from Ballina. He is still shaping some great boards under his own name. He was using the Lennox Underground brand for some time. Not sure if that is still in operation though.

[pridmore]

A good guy to talk to about channels is the guy who started them, Phil Myers from Ballina. He is still shaping some great boards under his own name. He was using the Lennox Underground brand for some time. Not sure if that is still in operation though.

started them ? I have never heard of Phil getting a mention when it comes to first doing channells...I have heard that Col Smith was doin em early but I was told that Jim Pollard from Sunshine Coast was first...I have seen some very old boards of his and also worked with Peter 'Stumpy' Wallace and Mick Grace who were taught to shape by Jim Pollard and they swear that Jim was the first to do them...but its only yalk, dont know for sure I guess.....interested to see hear what Phil says....

[diggerdickson]

A good guy to talk to about channels is the guy who started them, Phil Myers from Ballina. He is still shaping some great boards under his own name. He was using the Lennox Underground brand for some time. Not sure if that is still in operation though.

started them ? I have never heard of Phil getting a mention when it comes to first doing channells...I have heard that Col Smith was doin em early but I was told that Jim Pollard from Sunshine Coast was first...I have seen some very old boards of his and also worked with Peter 'Stumpy' Wallace and Mick Grace who were taught to shape by Jim Pollard and they swear that Jim was the first to do them...but its only yalk, dont know for sure I guess.....interested to see hear what Phil says....

I always thought that col smith started them, hey this could be a real interesting read on who actually started them as I dont know to much on my history when it comes to shaping boards and I do find this topic interesting only for the fact that I like channels.

[cactus]

Yep, Jim Pollard was the originator of channel bottom.
I recall him moving down from the Sunny coast in about 1979 to do his Fluid Foils label out of Shanes at Brookvale.
The original channels were curved, as in following the planshape.
It was when he started working with Col Smith (Newcastle) that saw them progress into the clinker style that we see today..
I got to know Jim during that period and kinda remember him as "tortured genius"...
Where is he now ?

[pridmore]

someone told me Moffats Beach but that was 10 yrs ago.....

[Nick Carroll]

Jim Pollard- Phil Fraser- Col Smith- AB- Rodney Dahlberg- a number of other skilled craftsmen

Not counting "belly channels" good god those were the days. Well no actually they weren't.

[steve shearer]

Jeezus...how'd I miss this thread.
I'll second everything written here about channels.
It's a unique feeling on a powerful hollow wave that is impossible to replicate.
Phil Myers learnt from Col Smith and still shapes 'em occasionally for Rique Smith (as does AB).
Also Nick Aganostou from Mt Woodgee shapes a fine channel bottom.
Salty is that epoxy from Gunther a 6 channel?