New Board - No! Really!

[Surfdad]

We had Stretch do a quad for us. The current scoring system in professional wakesurfing is in such a state of flux, it "feels" like only the 9 wakeboard grabbed aerials will be scored, (1 trick with 9 grabs, just go straight) so James will have some options.

Slightly different construction and there's lots going on that doesn't quite show up in the pictures, we'll see how this one goes HOPEFULLY this weekend.

[ajholt7]

That looks awesome!

[NICKYPOO]

Is this the new one of which you spoke? That is some serious fin action.

Uhhh, what is with the Hyperlite in the corner?

[jbort]

Very nice - excitement time!!

[Surfdad]

Thanks guys. Yeah Nick that is the one. Well at least the first production vs garage version. Stretch does a good job with quads. It'll be ridiculously stiff but the trend in scoring is towards the one trick so this will give James a board more suited to goimg straight and UP.

Good eye on the Hyperlite! Judy won that up at the NWWSA contest in Washington and well it's been stuck there ever since! Know of anyone that needs a good broadcast? It was a blem or repaired when Judy won it.

[jbort]

I'll buy the Broadcast - how much? or can PM or email

[NICKYPOO]

Ya, look at that big 'ol phat butt. That thing is pure thrust. It looks like it has a fairly wide forebody. Is that so you can start tucking that rail back to that tail ASAP? It looks like a much softer rail as well? I'm seeing a "break" in the grain as well, right at the graphic in a V. Nose rocker section? Maybe a little less rocker in the tail?

It looks bitchin. That fin set up makes it look like a Mako shark. What are the specs on it?

[Surfdad]

@jbort are you serious about the broadcast? I'd love to get rid of it.

@ nickypoo Man you have a good eye! I know you have always had the attention to detail, but holy crap how can you see that well?

The rails are kinda funky, we're playing with them a bit. Not really sure how well they'll work, but it had potential in a garaged-prototype. The nose is a bevel'ish shape or chine'ish, almost like you's see in a nose rider. James stalls a bunch with the board revert and we're giving up a BUNCH of flexibility with that stupid quad arrangement, so we're hoping to gain some sensitivity back with that bevel/chine. Also, taking the board vertical it gives a real crisp break on the face.

There's tons of misinformation about going vert, as you know water wraps curved surfaces, the sharp rail on your skimmers gives amazing release. Once the water is released, it doesn't reconnect, so we are trying to get it away from the rails going vertical as quickly as possible with that bevel/chine...while also giving James his rail in the water when he is revert.

So that is that wide point and rail thing you spotted.

The V panel in the boo is a good catch also. There are some internal things going on that aren't tested fully, so I'll keep that under wraps for now. I'm a little concerned it'll be crap, but sometimes one man's crap is another man's...well crap

The bottom on the existing board is a big single concave, this new board is a double to V. The double starts very close to where that V panel stops on the deck. It's hard to see, but that panel of 'boo that runs from mid to tail is split down the middle, so it's actually 3 pieces of 'boo. The V patch in the nose and then a right and left piece thru the tail. Some of that is appearance, some is that's it's easier to bag the 'boo over the complex curves when it's cut into pieces like that and some, I think, has some functional purpose.

We've also moved the trailers on the quad way inboard. Well not wayyyyy they are an arrangement that Stretch has found successful on his boards in sloppy beach break. For James, the hope is they'll be inboard enough to miss the wake when he is revert and give him the thrust and aerial height.

We'll see. Mostly the board is a transition to the this judging criteria where the only trick that seems to score is a wakeboard grabbed aerial.

Thanks for checking it out Nick!

[jbort]

Hey Surfdad - I'm real serious & will pop an email.

[NICKYPOO]

Thanks for answering my questions surfdad. That's some good info. Is that a build sheet taped to the top side. I would love to see that.

I certainty does look like it will turn better but, it sure does look fast.

Out of curiosity, on the other board, which appears to share that same shape as the flyboy and JWPM, the little wing along the rail at the fin. Any chance you could elaborate on that thing? Why its there and how it helps do whatever it does? Obviously the new board is completely different and that feature is gone.

[Surfdad]

Yeah that's the build sheet from Stretch. No you can't see it

The wings do a few things, all sort of related. First they straighten the rail line. Parallel rail lines like that help a board go faster in trim and down-the-line. So if you can imagine the outline of the board remaining the same, but without the wings...a continuous curve from the tail to the mid point. The material outside of that line straightens the rail line.

That abrupt angle at the wing allows the tail to be brought in tighter/smaller much quicker without a funny hip. Tighter smaller tail allows quicker and shaper turns. It's still a fairly wide tail, but much smaller than if the rail line was continued in a smooth arc. That abrupt change also gives James something to turn on. Not like a pivot point, but the water releases like crazy right in that area.

[NICKYPOO]

I certainty does look like it will turn better but, it sure does look fast.

DOESN'T look like it will turn better. Stupid smart phone.

I kinda figured the build sheet would be top secret. Oh well. Closed mouth don't get fed, right. Did you guy ride it yesterday or was that surftoboggin only?

[Surfdad]

I respect you for asking about the build sheet! Yeah we took the quad out. Rode pretty much as expected. Goes straight, goes vertical. We'll make a few changes and see how that does.

[NICKYPOO]

I respect you for asking about the build sheet! Yeah we took the quad out. Rode pretty much as expected. Goes straight, goes vertical. We'll make a few changes and see how that does.

It's looks a little stuffy in the sense that it looks very straightline-ish. In NASCAR terms, it looks like it rides "tight" (won't turn). I would assume James would like to "free it up" a bit. How you gonna go about that? Less width in the tail? Less overall length? More rocker? With speed and release being the ultimate factor to "shape" around, what design element would have the least amount of effect on speed? If I'm getting too nosey, feel free to tell me to shut up at any time.

[Surfdad]

No, no, no it's fine to ask Nick. My responses are tempered because this isn't a board that James likes riding, it's a board we shaped to cater to the biases in the judging and THAT alone.

I won't make any changes to loosen it up, the technical tricks that James does don't score as well and there is a faction trying to devalue those even more such that wakeboard grabs score even higher than they do now, relatively speaking.

The evolution of pro surf style wakesurfing will be wakeboard grabs and that's about all. One trick with different hand placements. It's so boring I can barely stand it. What are you gonna do?