Introduction to surfboard design
Surfboard Template: The outline of a surfboard. The template is the outside line that encompasses the surfboards entire dimensions as illustrated in the image above. Rounder more curved template perform rounder, tighter turns while longer straighter curves result in a template that performs longer more drawn out turns.
Surfboard Length: This is the measurement from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. Longer boards provides more floatation, paddle with ease, and catch waves early. The larger foam volume helps them drive in slower mushy sections of the wave. Shorter surfboards turn much easier and fit into the tight arc of smaller waves. The shortboard surfboards are much more sensitive to weight transfer and critical maneuvers.
Surfboard Width: This is the widest point on the surfboard template and is most commonly between 18” and 24” inches in length depending on the type of surfboard in question. The wider the surfboard the more foam it container which enhances floatation. Narrow boards are more suited to fast hollow waves where there is lots of wave energy.
Surfboard Nose Width: Measure 12” from the tip of the nose toward the tail. Wider noses paddle easier and catch waves easier. The additional planning area is an advantage is small surf. Narrow noses enhance maneuverability especially in larger surf.
Surfboard Tail Width: The wider tail will feel a lot more loose and maneuverable at low speeds than the narrow tail. The narrow tail is used on surfboards for big fast and hollow surf where there is lots of wave energy and control in the main objective. The minimal area of the narrow tail makes it easier to turn at higher speeds.
Surfboard Thickness: Surfboard thickness in one of the most important aspects of surfboard design and how your board will perform in a variety on conditions. Obviously for the beginner the thicker the better for added floatation. But for more advanced surfers thickness can change in countless different ways along the surfboard template each affecting the surfboards performance in different ways.
Surfboard rails: This is the all important outside edge of your surfboards. Fuller rails carry more foam. This helps provide floatation when leaned on edge. Thinner tapered rails carry less foam making them easier to sink and lean on edge. Now the harder the rails edge the cleaner the water breaks away from the board which contributes to speed and looseness. Hard rails penetrate the water poorly at high speeds and resist be leaned on edge while softer rails provide a smoother more forgiving response.
Surfboard Rocker
Rocker is the curve of you surfboard from nose to tail. It can be broken down into different sections such as nose rocker, tail rocker, and center. It is the single most important aspect of your surfboard.
Surfboard Nose rocker: Nose rocker is the upward curve of the rocker in the front section of the board. It helps keep the board from pearling and is steeper in larger surfboards. Insufficient nose rocker will cause the board to pearl while excessive nose rocker will push water and slow down the board.
Surfboard tail Rocker: Tail rocker is the upward curve of the rocker near the back tail section of the surfboards . Increased tail rocker will add maneuverability and lift to the tail at speed and provide tail sensitively in critical turns
Surfboard Foil: Foil is the distribution of foam from nose to tail on a surfboard. Obviously for the board to flow correctly it must be evenly balanced thru the shape. If there is excessive foam left in the nose center or tail or dips and bumps it will create uneven flow and cause the surfboard to be unbalanced. Proper even distribution of this foam will tremendously effect it performance and flow thru the water.
Surfboard Bottom Contours
Flat: This provides a completely flat planning surface on the bottom of your surfboard. They are quick and loose in small and mushy surf but at higher speeds can difficult to turn and shift to the side when turned hard.
Concave: This provides a concave planning surface on the bottom of the surfboard. The main purpose of the concave is to channel the water flow down the length of the surfboard. This channeling of the water thru the center and squeezed out the tail add more list and responsiveness to the surfboard. Concaves are a very important design feature and can cause a board to track swiftly and improve tail responsiveness for critical turns.
Channels: The channel surfboard bottom consists of flat planes that are designed in a concave configuration. They typically number from 4 to 8 channels and direct water flow down the length of the channel. Since the channels sit side by side to each other the water is not being compressed as it is in a full concave. These concave configurations of each channel propel water down the back underbelly of the surfboard and convert this into forward thrust. Longer and deeper channels give a more pronounced effect.
Vee: This is the opposite off concave. Vee is used to loosen up the tail at high speeds and increases the rocker at the rail line which makes boards turn more easily. Overall Vee makes a surfboard easier to lean on edge.
Surfboard tail designs
Many tail designs have come and gone over the years. We feel a few more notable designs should be mentioned here.
Rounded Pin: Rounded Pin Tails are very versatile and smooth rail to rail. They hold the surfboard in the after and transition from rail to rail well.
Pin: Primarily for larger waves. These tails have the minimum amount of area and hold in well at higher speeds in big surf.
Round Tail: A very smooth turning tail that has a bit more area than the rounded pin tail. The extra area makes it more suitable to smaller to mid range surf.
Square Tail: The square tail contains the greatest area of any tail design. The square tail design will carve the sharpest most pivotal turns and be most responsive.
Squash Tail: Just a rounded version of the square tail. It is somewhat less responsive and its carves are not quite as sharp and pivotal due to its rounded corners.
Swallow Tail: The swallow tail is basically two pin tails side by side. The swallow tail shifter to the other rail there is a hesitation from one side of the tail to the other. The gap allows water to flow freely between the two pins and hold well when banked hard for maximum water flow.