I have a couple of waves that get vertical and fast. My current 9'4" single fin pintail longboard has a few issues in these waves when the sets arrive. I walk towards the nose and can trim high and low from a pretty forward position (maybe 2 foot off the nose), and as the waves get wallier, the board accelerates nicely. But...

Sometimes the board can't keep up. I need to pull high for the speed, the board feels like it will make it, then it just falls out of the face.

My 8' doesn't do that (2+1), none of my short boards do (just get that speed pump happening) and the 9'6" gun doesn't either. However, none of these surf like my longboard. They catch less waves, don't glide the same, I don't walk the board and get back on the tail to turn. I want to surf a longboard, not something else.

So, what do I need to change? The bottom is pretty flat, before a rolled vee in the rear. I don't want a HP longboard as such. The one I rode didn't have anywhere near the glide or wave catching ability of mine, despite turning like a tiger. I like the feel of the pivotty turns, and then running forward a bit to initiate trim.

I'll get it made locally, but would a rockered ten footer like a McTavish Glider do the trick? That what I am thinking. 2+1 to hold in, more rocker, single into double to go fast, more volume to maintain glide, slightly pulled in nose (mine has a bit of a pig nose to it, not the full on wide nose of lots of longboards).

At the sizes above the waves have fat bits at times and the longboard is my preferred weapon. If they are bigger (4-6 or 5-6 with bigger sets) then my 8' or 9'6" gun would be my choice. For instance, I surfed the point today with one other bloke. I got 20 waves (I counted) and he got two because he couldn't paddle his shortboard onto them. I definitely want a longboard, even though it let me down in three or four down the line.

Help.

Side bites maybe or something with a bit more curve in the rail...if your trying to jam 9ft of rail in the face its always going to be hard work....failing that just get all the way to the nose and it should take off

The good old mythical board that will do it all...

I admire you mr drip for trying to find that weapon...

I am still at loggerheads with someone over my ultimate noserider....frustrating when i know i might be right

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chrispy said...
The good old mythical board that will do it all...

I admire you mr drip for trying to find that weapon...

I am still at loggerheads with someone over my ultimate noserider....frustrating when i know i might be right

What! You mean it doesn't exist?

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Tux said...
Side bites maybe or something with a bit more curve in the rail...if your trying to jam 9ft of rail in the face its always going to be hard work....failing that just get all the way to the nose and it should take off

Curve in the outline, not rocker?

A mate of mines son has probably the most versatile longboard I've ever ridden,its a single fin modern log that nose rides (well he does) like a demon but turns more like a more hp mal.Its really nothing to look at ,quite boxy rails,fairly standard plan shape,not sure of the bottom contours ,but if you only wanted one longboard then this would be my pick,Im always grabbing it for our monthly mal comps but the only problem is we usually end up in the same round 2 heat where he usually takes it out and the heat.Ill try and get some pics and more details of it,it really is a special board.

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Ricardo1709 said...
A mate of mines son has probably the most versatile longboard I've ever ridden,its a single fin modern log that nose rides (well he does) like a demon but turns more like a more hp mal.Its really nothing to look at ,quite boxy rails,fairly standard plan shape,not sure of the bottom contours ,but if you only wanted one longboard then this would be my pick,Im always grabbing it for our monthly mal comps but the only problem is we usually end up in the same round 2 heat where he usually takes it out and the heat.Ill try and get some pics and more details of it,it really is a special board.

The GSI Modern Retro Log? I think that's the one Mick raves about. How do you reckon it would go in head and a half, double head high waves? One of the waves I am thinking can be a bit of grower.

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thedrip said..

Tux said...
Side bites maybe or something with a bit more curve in the rail...if your trying to jam 9ft of rail in the face its always going to be hard work....failing that just get all the way to the nose and it should take off

Curve in the outline, not rocker?

Yep

nah this is a custom by a central coast shaper/glasser,no probs in 1 - 1 1/2 o/h, its just one of those boards that everyone that surfs it wants to buy it

I reckon a high performance longboard with the nose pulled in a touch would do the trick.

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smh said...
I reckon a high performance longboard with the nose pulled in a touch would do the trick.

I agree or a nice 10 ft sup would be even more perfect

What sorta fin you running?

I don't have that issue with my 10' Hot Log and I run a 11" Glide Hatchet.

Being an old school log shape though, there are waves where she just wont keep up, so then I go for the 9'3" Whalebone which is kind of a hybrid with a log profile but some modern tweaks for speed and steeper waves....

Tried moving the the fin back I assume?

How wide is the tail on your current one and what type of rails does it have?

? ? Reduce rocker, pinch rails, slight nose concave before your rolled vee??

What about something like this. Tak DT1. Maybe more for 3 to 6 foot...

^^ that's a nice looking stick ^^

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chrispy said...

smh said...
I reckon a high performance longboard with the nose pulled in a touch would do the trick.

I agree or a nice 10 ft SUP would be even more perfect

That's one big fark'n crow peck , now wash your mouth out

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SP said...
Tried moving the the fin back I assume?

How wide is the tail on your current one and what type of rails does it have?

And to andyroomac:

The fin is glassed in so moving isn't an option. I did wonder about it. I haven't measured the fin it tail, but the fin is pretty big and the tail pretty narrow compared to a lot of other longboards I have seen. The rails are 50/50 for the most part.

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Cobra said..

chrispy said...

smh said...
I reckon a high performance longboard with the nose pulled in a touch would do the trick.

I agree or a nice 10 ft SUP would be even more perfect

That's one big fark'n crow peck , now wash your mouth out

Crow peck ? Nah more mozzie like

I've heard good things about the TJ Pro round tail from very competent regular SW LB surfers.

Otherwise a LB with narrower width, sharp rails & larger sidebites should be faster & hold higher in the face.

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thedrip said..

SP said...
Tried moving the the fin back I assume?

How wide is the tail on your current one and what type of rails does it have?

And to andyroomac:

The fin is glassed in so moving isn't an option. I did wonder about it. I haven't measured the fin it tail, but the fin is pretty big and the tail pretty narrow compared to a lot of other longboards I have seen. The rails are 50/50 for the most part.



Yeah that fin is really narrow at the base and fairly upright template so i can't imagine it having much drive out of turns,if the plan shape is good id get that fin removed and get a box put in so you can muck around with a few different fin options.

That's a bit of a strange one.

Board looks more performance style with that rocker and not too wide so i would have thought it would handle steeper waves pretty well. I would definitely have a wider base and the fin set further back if it was me...

Could also be your positioning on the board though, i know with my boards that you need to step onto the trim spot for those faster sections or the tail bogs down, i'd maybe try experimenting with walking up and back to find the sweet spot...

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

I went and spoke with mark and he had a couple of solutions. The expensive one was to get a board half way between his Yallingup model and his beachies model longboard. The Yallingup model is one he makes for some juice.

I showed him where I was standing to go fast which was right in the middle of the single concave go fast zone near the nose. My board has a fair bit of rocker and he suggested putting side bites in. I was a bit reluctant as the glassed in wooden fun is sweet, but $150 versus starting at $1250 then all the extras as I make it pretty convinced me to go with option one. Mark also said a fin box would help, but I didn't want to lose the fin.

I'll let you know how it goes, although longboard season is closing soon so it may be a while.

get rid of the fin and put a box in,Mark is right you'll open up more options with a box and that fin though it may look good probably dogs that board out, get reckless **** it off.

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Ricardo1709 said...
get rid of the fin and put a box in,Mark is right you'll open up more options with a box and that fin though it may look good probably dogs that board out, get reckless **** it off.

i agree . That fin looks a long way forward and a box would make a big difference as well as side biters .

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Ricardo1709 said...
get rid of the fin and put a box in,Mark is right you'll open up more options with a box and that fin though it may look good probably dogs that board out, get reckless **** it off.

The base is markedly wider than it looks in the photo, although I do wonder about the bulbous tip. I would like to play with moving it around though.

Having said all that, I know nothing about longboard fins and, right now, that's a whole can of worms I don't want to open. Sorting out my shortboard fins and single fins and 2+1 fins was onerous and expensive enough.

When I eventually buy a new longboard it will certainly be a 2+1 with a fun box. Right now, I like my 20 year old board and its glassed fin. It has surfed knee to triple overhead so it goes alright, I just want to refine it in the one thing it sometimes lets me down in.

I basically reckon fins have probably dogged out more boards than anything else over the years. My latest shortboard (7' Yahoo Wahoo) got a new set last week and is finally dialled in after four variations. The difference was only two or three mm on the trailing edge and one mm on the tip. Longboard fins? Those things scare me.

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smh said..

Ricardo1709 said...
get rid of the fin and put a box in,Mark is right you'll open up more options with a box and that fin though it may look good probably dogs that board out, get reckless **** it off.

i agree . That fin looks a long way forward and a box would make a big difference as well as side biters .

agree

Yeah, I agree with SMH and Ricardo

Knock the thing out and put a box and side bites in..

Hang the fin on your wall if you like looking at it