pinhead wrote:Cpt.Caveman wrote:making as many design elements of the surfboard to have less drag, while retaining the types and amounts of drag needed to turn and keep it under control.
IMHO this is not a unique approach to surfboard design
True, definitely not unique to this board, but like a lot of surfboard concepts this combination of elements is unique. Traditionally the same elements would be made for smaller and weaker waves, making the ride skatey or boat-like, topping out the range when the waves develop some grunt. This is kind of the opposite, some of these boards don't actually grovel and are more about hitting greater speeds on good waves while maintaining control.
You still need drag to turn, which is important, turning a surfboard is about creating pressure and redirecting water (e.g. fins, a rail digging into the water). The question is, how can you still create the pressure and drag necessary to surf in the pocket and push aggresive turns, but while taking away as many other sources of drag as possible and making all of the angles and edges in the tail favor quick release of the water out the back (instead of for example, a pulled in curvey tail which causes the board to sink more into the water as you turn sharply, losing speed).
The general theory is being seen in all sorts of recent boards now (forward widepoint with a straighter rail line coming to wider tail, foam still foiled out to allow for bite, bottom contours for grip and release out the tail, round or chop-nose for low swing weight, sometimes tail cut-outs to allow for extra grip).
Some examples of boards that are moving this direction are:
- Tomo MPH and Next-Gen.
- Al Merrick Neck Beard.
- Diverse Chopper and Felix.
- MORE Dumpling.
- Vampyrate snub nose things Mark Gneck made recently.
- MG Retro Fish.
- Ryan Burch asyms.
- Plenty of the Hydrodynamica models.
I reckon we'll see plenty more and all sorts of tangents and flavors with these boards. Its a natural progresion for the fun-driven everyday surfer who might be experimenting with quads and fish at the moment, and is more about the sensation of speed and having some fun in quality waves rather than being restricted to ball tearing thruster surfing only for quality waves.
The typical HPS thruster still has a valid place of course, its a very well balanced board, but again its one particular feel and combination of design elements thats not for everyone, or for everyone all the time.
