I was clearing out my emails and came across one from Pacific Longboard magazine.

They are giving away a Pieter Pig Shape board with their latest issue.

I have a soft spot for the look of these boards, I just think they are a beautiful shape...

I have never ridden a pig and it is on my list of things to do, but you cant deny the beauty of them... Surely!

Even if by all reports the shape does in fact ride like a pig - unless there has been some improvements???

www.pieter.com.au/index.php?p=1_21

From what I can see, the outline is not their biggest problem, a reduction in frontal area and the placing of the wide point where your weight will be when you're trying to move that frontal mass around, is a noble and some would say sensible thought. Their biggest problem as far as I can tell is that most of them are made with really knify rails which makes them dig in hard on turns and require a lot of effort to recover.

the people who ride them tend to adopt a twitchy sort of a style that many people don't find attractive.

A shaper from way way back called Bill Thac......... (sorry, I don't know how to spell his surname) claims that almost every short board since the advent of the thruster is essentially a Pigboard, because it has it wide point back. that for me is an interesting concept because it's no secret that I don't find the flippity floppity circus trick style of short board riding particularly attractive.

Hipsters luv em.

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obct said..
From what I can see, the outline is not their biggest problem, a reduction in frontal area and the placing of the wide point where your weight will be when you're trying to move that frontal mass around, is a noble and some would say sensible thought. Their biggest problem as far as I can tell is that most of them are made with really knify rails which makes them dig in hard on turns and require a lot of effort to recover.

the people who ride them tend to adopt a twitchy sort of a style that many people don't find attractive.

A shaper from way way back called Bill Thac......... (sorry, I don't know how to spell his surname) claims that almost every short board since the advent of the thruster is essentially a Pigboard, because it has it wide point back. that for me is an interesting concept because it's no secret that I don't find the flippity floppity circus trick style of short board riding particularly attractive.

Hipsters luv em.

I have also heard the theory that every shortboard is an evolution of the Velzy pig shape - interesting as you say. However with the pig being developed to provide a better 'hotdogging' board I guess it is a suggestion that is plausible.

From my limited insight into these, I like the idea of a reduced size and weight in the front are for a nose rider - reduces the possibility of the front end rail catching. Allowing the wide point further back I would assume would provide more stability and hold in the white wash/suck part of the wave when on the nose. Well that is my understanding.

As far as turning and manoeuvrability - that big @r$e fin would be a hindrance of some sort unless you are right over the tail.

In saying all that - I love the look of them (I am prob the furthest thing from a hipster) and would absolutely love to ride one. If I was cashed up I would splurge on this or even a Bing Feral pig and see how they go - unfortunately I am broke...... AND married......

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Here is some of the outlines - the first one is the Bing and the second is the Pieter (bad photo, all I could find!)

The wider "hips" are designed to create more hold at the tail for noseriding, generally designed as a "set and forget" as they turn pretty ordinary, or so I've read... but likewise, am not a fan of the shape at all...