OddaP wrote:Nick, can you explain your comment, re paddling fast for their volume? I don't really understand that.
OK.
This is all pretty subtle but quite noticeable if you're paying close attention to how a board feels in the water and to how easily or otherwise you're catching waves in a given lineup.
Surfboards have their very own paddling speeds; some paddle a little quicker than others. The biggest influence on this is volume. The more foam in a board, the quicker it'll paddle.
But there's a few other factors involved in paddle speed, including rocker and width, and where the foam's distributed etc. These can make up for lack of raw volume in some cases.
AB sixes, the ones over 7'0" anyway, paddle quicker than you'd expect given their classically reduced volume, I think for a few reasons, one because he puts a nice bit of foam slightly forward of centre which supports your torso, another because he keeps the width down (even my 8'0" is less than 18.75"), and a third because he keeps the entry low and the rocker down under your chest, which helps the board plane at lower speeds.
That's one of the reasons I love to surf 'em at Sunset, I can rank all the old guys on their 11' Brewers etc, even on my little 7'7"!