Wooden Handboards

[alakaboo]

Fcuking terrible for your shoulder

[still here]

I really think hand-boards are a waste . Can't swim with them , don't feel right . Too much resistance etc . Even watching people use them ....they're never the best bodysurfers !
Use your hand and shoulder and whole body length moulded and scissored legs in the pocket is far better than trying to hydrofoil your body out and thereby not able to make subtle adjustments . Ridden whole length of a j-bay like left point full tilt like this after busting a leash ...
Totally love body surfing !! ......Beemer a while but feel like getting some flippers out and getting out there for a body bash just thinking about it .

[romak50]

Fcuking terrible for your shoulder

If your shoulder is in bad shape to start with then yeah. If your shoulder is in good shape nothing to worry about.

[pirate_agenda]

Whats it like swimming back out wearing one??

like wearing a big swimming paddle. i reckon the foam ones would be a bit awkward though.

[Skipper]

^^
I like your logo matey.

Any one ever checked out Rollerman.

http://geekologie.com/2011/12/dangerous ... -of-ro.php
Click on the second pic to see the vid.

I wonder if you had a suit similar to Rollermans but instead of where the rollers are have handplanes, and try bodysurfing.

I'm thinking a handplane on each hand, a small alaia strapped to the front of your chest, two longer narrow handplanes that run from the top of your leg to the knee. and two smaller handplanes on the top of each foot.

The human surfboard.

e for effort marvin, but I think it's a bit too soon to expect nick to come back .

[andy2476]

pretty crap unless youre wearing flippers

[Skipper]

pretty crap unless you're Flipper

[carvin marvin]

My point is, is it possible for a body surfer to get more lift by for example having a small alaia strapped onto the front of the chest, I remember once seeing a photo of a body surfer coming straight down the wave face, the wave was fairly big and slightly fullish and about half way down the surfer was just planning on his chest with arms out sideways not touching the water, he looked like he was gliding like a bird.
A fantastic image.

Here is my favourite Rollerman vid. (1.7 million hits)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB68QKwf-kk
Rollerman vs Longboard
The gopro footage goes to a whole new dimension with Longboardman and the guy on the motorbike in the shot.

[pirate_agenda]

I know a bloke at Kiama who recycles busted boards into handplanes. He had a thing in the Royal National Park where he made a 1000 surfboard graveyard.
They are pretty expensive from what I remember.

http://ectohandplanes.com/

yep they are pretty exxy, and i think the amount of foam they carry is way too buoyant. i toyed with the idea of shaping some foam ones, and for the effort involved in glassing and for what its for, i reckon timber ones are more suitable.

[2nd Reef]

If you can't swim with a handplane then you've bought the wrong one. Personally I reckon handplanes, aside from raising your body and reducing friction, should serve the same purpose as flippers: to propel you through the water.

A few deep strokes through the water as the wave approaches and there's nothing you can't catch. Be careful to tuck your arm in when wiping out on big waves or, as Alakaboo said, it'l be fcuking terrible on your shoulder. Comes with practice though.

The strap also needs to be considered. Plenty of modern wooden planes don't fit tight enough so feel loose when using them to stroke into waves. I prefer wrist and hand straps, and ones that you can tighten not just slip your hand under. That's a matter of preference though, maybe test a few before buying?

I've used plenty of planes over the years, even made a few, but keep going back to one I got given in 1981 as a kid. It's a plastic and velcro number and has held up amazingly well for something 30+ years old.

Lot of good bodybashing waves around your way Coops. You'll have a ball.

[andy2476]

My point is, is it possible for a body surfer to get more lift by for example having a small alaia strapped onto the front of the chest, I remember once seeing a photo of a body surfer coming straight down the wave face, the wave was fairly big and slightly fullish and about half way down the surfer was just planning on his chest with arms out sideways not touching the water, he looked like he was gliding like a bird.
A fantastic image.

Here is my favourite Rollerman vid. (1.7 million hits)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB68QKwf-kk
Rollerman vs Longboard
The gopro footage goes to a whole new dimension with Longboardman and the guy on the motorbike in the shot.

I've ridden down that mountain . Rode up first though

[Tally]

I find it OK to swim with the foam and glass handplane, it has a pretty deep concave so is not overly buoyant and the plan shape is pretty small compared to the others. The effort in shaping, glassing and strap mounts is a bit over the top and the wood option is much easier.

I have also had a bit of a shoulder issue when I was using the redwing handplane whilst wiping out. I prefer the tight strap option as opposed to a loose loop or hand hole, but is definitely a personal preference thing. A good set of fins is definitely worth the investment.

these things are a bit of an uneccesary add on in most instances and I know quite a few regular bodysurfers who never use them and didnt like using them when they did give it a go, each to their own.

[Kunji]

If you can't swim with a handplane then you've bought the wrong one. Personally I reckon handplanes, aside from raising your body and reducing friction, should serve the same purpose as flippers: to propel you through the water.

A few deep strokes through the water as the wave approaches and there's nothing you can't catch. Be careful to tuck your arm in when wiping out on big waves or, as Alakaboo said, it'l be fcuking terrible on your shoulder. Comes with practice though.

The strap also needs to be considered. Plenty of modern wooden planes don't fit tight enough so feel loose when using them to stroke into waves. I prefer wrist and hand straps, and ones that you can tighten not just slip your hand under. That's a matter of preference though, maybe test a few before buying?

I've used plenty of planes over the years, even made a few, but keep going back to one I got given in 1981 as a kid. It's a plastic and velcro number and has held up amazingly well for something 30+ years old.

Lot of good bodybashing waves around your way Coops. You'll have a ball.

Thanks Stu. My family asked what I wanted for Christmas and as I find myself bodysurfing mostly this time of year from now to march thought this would be a perfect gift. On top of the wave riding advantages I also admire the craftsmanship of a good handboard.

[pirate_agenda]

couple of freshies

[Kunji]

Looks the goods man. Do they have concave hulls?

[pirate_agenda]

i do them as a hulled entry, slight concave in the middle and channel/v out the back.

in reality, a maccas tray works for the job, so i'm not convinced subtle bottom contours are critical. If you have a molded one with and inch of concave it would lift and bite.

[damo7310]

Hi

We make hand made wooden handboards at www.ppphandboards.com although we are a new web site, testing has been going for 1-2 years.

There are two designs the Velo (paulownia wood) and the Edge (eglass). The designs are based on the original GG spoon designs with Paul Gross input.

The Velo handboards are specifically designed for one handed or two handed or belly boards and are hand-made using multi-layers of paulownia ...They do flex ... as do the eglass handboards .... it is a throw back to when I made spoons ...

cheers damo

[Nick Carroll]

Fins> human body>>> handboards