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Shorter Race/Freerace boards

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shawn13
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Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby shawn13 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 11:01 pm

I had an amazing session on my Sector 52 this weekend.

The wind was great and I was achieving awesome speed that launched me off the waves.

While I was riding, occasionally waves coming over the front tried to pull the nose down. I started thinking why is the board so long and nose heavy? Obviously for light wind but would it be possible to have the same style of board but only say 140cm long? Just long enough to have foot straps and a small surf style nose? You still get the fin benefit but easier to maneuver especially in chop and stronger winds when your dont need the floatation anymore...

Does a board like this exist? Is it a dumb idea?

UPDATE

You can find my project board thread here:

viewtopic.php?f=107&t=2386494
Last edited by shawn13 on Mon Sep 29, 2014 8:46 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:13 am

Of course there are WAY better boards for those condtions - and some of the first raceboards are actually more like you want, shorter, narrower, narrow nose, and not overfinned.

And just now, slalom boards are developed - used for halfwind races.

They are like you say, not as big, much more controllable at high speeds, and no big wide nose that are in the way sometimes.

Our good old Mutants was almost such a thing, just too narrow and not early planing like small freerace boards are.

I like boards like you describe you want, but because races are pushing the development, and many want ultimate early planing upwind boards, the "freerace" section is not really evident and noone cares (and if most customers, except you and I, dont care either, it is understandable).

But maybe the "slalom" niche can change this now ?

I dont know, but will be exciting to see :naughty:

8) Peter

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby shawn13 » Thu Aug 01, 2013 2:08 am

Heres an example of what Im thinking about. Ive shorted the board from 185cm to 140cm

Image

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby tautologies » Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:48 am

The Bullet is not quite that, but the shorter version I think is 5'0''
I ride the 5'4'' quite a bit.. Imostly ride is with more surfy fins than the stock tyhat have more of a race feel to them..but this board is definitely joining the race and surf. A bit hard to come off the top of a wave on it, but it works super well.

http://naishkites.com/bullet/

Also check out the 4'8'' skater from last year. It is really a hidden gem. I have so many killer session on that board. It feel much more skatey than what you describe and it is not a speed board, but super playful..I've ridden it in waves up to maybe head and half...but think the overall feel of the board is best at headhigh and smaller.

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby shawn13 » Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:53 pm

Any other thoughts on this?

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby Gioro_T » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:01 pm

Yo, Shawn ! ... custom bult is what I'm thinking. :naughty:

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby shawn13 » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:34 pm

I have started construction, just wanted to see if any updates before I ordered fin boxes!

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby coleman » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:41 pm

shawn13 wrote:I had an amazing session on my Sector 52 this weekend.

The wind was great and I was achieving awesome speed that launched me off the waves.

While I was riding, occasionally waves coming over the front tried to pull the nose down. I started thinking why is the board so long and nose heavy? Obviously for light wind but would it be possible to have the same style of board but only say 140cm long? Just long enough to have foot straps and a small surf style nose? You still get the fin benefit but easier to maneuver especially in chop and stronger winds when your dont need the floatation anymore...

Does a board like this exist? Is it a dumb idea?

kind of like the north nugget/firewire sweet potato. the nugget has a very short nose with not alot of scoop. really flat and short but double concave and small surf fins.
maybe model it after that design a little bit in terms of dimensions and strap/fin placement but with no concave and bigger fins like the sector?

i think the nose is longer because it helps blast over the top of chop at high speeds. with 70cm wide raceboards it isnt about maneuverability as much as it is about pointing/driving the board off the fins. the sector 52 though is very maneuverable and probably could be scaled down though i dont think you can go too short and wide with big fins and get away with it.


i am looking at your initial drawup and having a hard time seeing how this will work. this looks like a 65-70 cm wide raceboard design but scaled down for maneuverability. with this design the board will not handle the chop as well. not sure how wide you are looking to go but i have a sector 52 and a 70cm raceboard. if you are going for a scaled down sector design then maybe but the straight tail wide raceboard with big fins i dont think will work in 140cm design. it would be almost impossible to handle in chop if you put fins on itover 28cm i would bet. i can see the board nosediving often.

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby RalfsB » Wed Aug 28, 2013 8:02 pm

I have seen some locally shaped raceboards, a bit over 160cm. A very successful design, excellent handling of waves and chop. The nose rocker is quite steep.

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Re: Shorter Race/Freerace boards

Postby poldo » Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:54 pm

too short and fat like in your draft would be unstable, there's too little rail to work and very difficult to put fins in the right position

when it's too windy and bumby and waves for your Sector 52 (never tried but should be A+ board) would be the time to go with a surfboard designed for good wind


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