Board design

I'm sure most longboarders would admit to wanting a quiver of boards to suit any mood or condition. For most of us this remains a daydream - one that I've been having a lot recently due to the small, weak winter waves in this area. Deciding that my 9'3" all-rounder wasn't up to it I set out to find the ideal second board, and found that there was a lot to choose from.

This page might provide a guide to newer surfers thinking about getting into longboarding and wondering what board to buy. Hopefully seasoned veterans will take an interest in the various designs available and the issues involved in making a perfect board. For me, all it's really achieved is to make me wonder if I actually need three boards instead of two.....

What became clear to me when looking at all types of boards is that you need to match the board to the waves you usually surf. This may seem obvious but it is also very subjective. Take a look around you at your local break and see all the different wave craft being used! I guess this range is down to surfers expressing what style of surfing they want to fit to any given wave. Joel Tudor, for example, is well known for taking out heavy logs and surfing clean lines on waves that most people would be frightened to surf on a modern gun, whereas other pro surfers like Colin McPhillips might surf a light pro board in small clean point break waves and rip it up (in competition anyway).

When presenting the boards I've tried to give a balanced view of what is possible to do on a longboard for the average sized , average ability surfer (ie. me - 6'1" 170lbs and still trying to do a hang ten). I'm probably a typical middle of the range longboarder - I surf cleanish beach breaks and aim for a smooth style, no tricks just carving, trimming and nose rides. Sizes are also very subjective but are based on what a guy my size would probably ride. Heavier surfers tend to go wider and thicker, lighter the opposite. Length rarely seems to change just because of your weight, as different lengths are designed for entirely different types of surfing.

Another key decision is what size waves you want to ride. If you are going to stick to one board you need one that will survive in most conditions. If two or three boards are possible then you can look at having a bigger wave board and a small wave special. The boards are split into 5 categories that roughly cover the whole range of possible styles but group them all into how you want to surf: High performance, All rounder, Noserider, Cruiser, Big wave.

This option is both a stylistic and a practical one. A lot of ex-shortboarders (myself included) start off on a pro-style longboard because they don't want to give up three fin, light board turning ability. In doing so I've become addicted to longboarding for it's ease of catching waves and length of ride, but have only recently begun to appreciate the art of the old school boards - the glide. Heavier blanks and glass jobs, bigger single fins and flatter templates have a tendency to slow down your style and iron out the flailing. Turns become longer and smoother and noserides more stylish.

Nowadays you can find both modern and traditional style boards for almost all types of surfing style or waves, so you simply have to choose if you prefer a more high performance, quicker turning style or a slower, cleaner more traditional style. Besides the feel and performance of the board some people simply prefer the look and style statement of more modern boards or old school sticks.

No need to give up the short board moves on this board. You can do tail-slides, 360s, roundhouse cutbacks, aerials, you name it! Of course you won't be able to nose ride properly, which is evidence of the give-and-take involved in board design. Ex-shortboarders will appreciate the extra paddling power without giving up much on manoevrability. For average surfers the extra float and glide this board has will probably make their surfing more radical than on an shortboard.

An ideal board for aspiring pros, ex shortboarders or surfers whose local break is a powerful reef break or sectioning beachie.  More traditional versions are basically slightly flatter and heavier with a fuller nose outline and maybe a larger centre fin. Tails on most boards are mini squash to facilitate rail-to-rail turning and accentuate the advantages of the tri-fin setup. Modern style boards (the most common version) feature a pronounced nose and tail rocker, hard down 70/30 rails and 4" side fins with a 7" main fin. Light 4oz glassing top and bottom.

This board is either the best of both worlds or the worst of neither, depending on which way you look at it. On a clean shoulder high day you'll be able to mix up smooth carves and turns with short nose rides on the walling sections. On a small day you'll be frustrated by its lack of glide and the nose kick will make nose rides tricky. On a big day it'll often pearl and it's flat middle section will stick when you go for hard turns.

Still, if you surf normal waves and only have the space and money for one board (like me) this is the one! It keeps a lot of the nose rocker from the high performance model but offers a more generous amount of foam, rounder 60/40 rails, fuller nose for stability and nose rides and often a rounded pin or diamond tail for smoother, more drawn out turns. It can be surfed 2+1 (usually 3" side fins and 8" middle) or switch to a 9" regular single fin for small days. Glassing is usually thicker, making it a perfect durable travel board. Traditional models such as Dewey Weber or Takayama are heavier and flatter offering more noseriding possibilities but being slower to turn.

Time to return to the soul of longboarding! Some people feel longboards were never meant to be thrown about - they should be surfed with style and noseriding in mind. Even if you don't agree there is no better weapon for small clean waves, especially slow point breaks. This is old school style. Pivot turn off the bottom, set your trim, cross step to the nose and hang 10. But don't go for a hard cutback without stepping back to the tail, or you'll catch your rail.

Whilst modern models are more forgiving and can be turned hard off the tail, the traditional heavier boards are strictly for an older style of surfing. Beautifully made with extra stringers, tail blocks, volan glassing and a deep gloss colour they are as nice to look at as surf. Rails are full throughout and the rocker pretty flat, with a wide 16" tail and 19" nose giving a parallel outline. They catch waves easily and will trim across the faces of even tiny rollers, with the large single fin holding the board in place on the wave.

This is the Cadillac of longboards, but like a Cadillac it won't be your everyday run around. Built for beauty and feel, this is a style of surfing that has almost been forgotten from the times of original Hawaiian surfers and pre-war sliders such as the Duke. Sometimes made from balsa or redwood, these boards are a work of art with countless hours or expert hand shaping dedicated to their production. Designed for small, perfectly clean surf such as Waikiki or SanOnofre, they are ideal for trimming and gliding across clean faces.

Not really intended for nose riding, all of their design elements contribute to easy planing and gliding. Thick and flat throughout, with rounded rails and no sharp curves or corners. The widest spot is usually behind the middle, and it shares the theory of a long parallel middle section with a noserider, but dispensing with the wide tail and nose in preference for a pin tail or mini square. With rounded convex "displacement hull" bottoms they don't run fast, but keep their sedate pace even with tiny peeling waves. Fins are usually large and wide, glassed on to the bottom for a better look.

Survival! If you are surfing one of these then you are out in serious conditions and want something that will go fast and straight and make it to the bottom of the wave. Before the war pioneers such as Tom Blake and other big wave riders starting trimming width off the nose and tail of heavy cruising longboards to give greater speed and purchase on the steep faces of big Makaha and later Waimea. Nowadays modern versions of these boards are used at Mavericks and other big wave spots, heavily indebted to the early design changes and heroics or earlier chargers.

Traditional models seem to be gaining popularity again due to their beautiful looks and great wave catching potential. Many of the older school shapers are turning out balsa guns that people such as Greg Noll and Pat Curren rode to fame in the 60s. Modern versions often use a tri fin set up and a progressive rocker with a tight pin tail, to enable smooth high speed carving turns. Older versions keep the glassed on single fin.