that DOES sound like fun! I believe the one I have is the high density foam/fiberglass type - shaped like a guitar pick. Paul Lindbergh makes them 30" wide at the rear "wings" and a little roll and kick in the front. He apparently uses a type of mold/press to accomplish the curvatures. It also has a 1/4" thick rubber mat on the deck. It is a nice shiny black. Of course, the website for Hawaiian Paipo Designs shows one hot rider arching his way down an immense Pipeline barrel. I hope to start in something a little less life threatening. Thanks for your response Dale!
>>> that DOES sound like fun! I believe the one I have is the high density > foam/fiberglass type - shaped like a guitar pick. Paul Lindbergh makes > them 30" wide at the rear "wings" and a little roll and > kick in the front. He apparently uses a type of mold/press to accomplish > the curvatures. It also has a 1/4" thick rubber mat on the deck. It > is a nice shiny black. Of course, the website for Hawaiian Paipo Designs > shows one hot rider arching his way down an immense Pipeline barrel. I > hope to start in something a little less life threatening. Thanks for your > response Dale! John, Paipos like yours love violent, heavy waves. You just bought the stealth bomber of bodyboards...
>>> John,>>> Hey, not to worry, someday you`ll have both! If a more traditional paipo > is used: like finless, 3/4" or much less thin and perhaps pounds > heavy, basically rockerless with maybe a little upward roll in the rails > which gradually increases toward the nose, plywood, high density > foam/fiberglass, or almost solid glass and resin... looking like a > gigantic, triangular guitar pick... and given the opportunity to prove > itself to you, it can be quite exciting: providing the sensation of clean, > ultra fine-slicing high velocity, they can drift and side-slip like ice on > teflon, usually function increasingly better as the surf gets hollower, > bigger and more powerful, offer the glide of a freekin sea bird, duck dive > almost effortlessly (because of the low bouyancy) and make some impossibly > critical, late take-offs... those are most of the upsides... sound like > fun? What are the downsides, Dale? The old wood ones were heavyweight pieces of non-stoke for me, and that was in warm water. So has anyone here tried riding modern foam/fiberglass skimboards paipo style? They have much narrower tail configurations than trad Hawaiian style paipos but from what I've seen they go like hell with riders standing on them. Tex Haines at Victoria Skimboards even put a fin box in at least his personal board a couple of years ago. Nels
>>> What are the downsides, Dale? The old wood ones were heavyweight pieces of > non-stoke for me, and that was in warm water.>>> So has anyone here tried riding modern foam/fiberglass skimboards paipo > style? They have much narrower tail configurations than trad Hawaiian > style paipos but from what I've seen they go like hell with riders > standing on them. Tex Haines at Victoria Skimboards even put a fin box in > at least his personal board a couple of years ago.>>> Nels Nels, I would always encourage the prone riding of thin wood boards, if for no other reason than the opportunity to connect with and feel some of the same things that were also experienced by ancient surfers many hundreds of years before. Riding such humble planing devices, especially in challenging surf, can easily give fresh understanding to the idea of raw simplicity not necessarily equating with a lack of serious fun. I have worked through a number of design questions by intentionally beginning with various simple forms of plywood, and then gradually making changes. Over the years, it has greatly annoyed a number of other surfers who were using more expensive, sensitive and well-known equipment... when I`m also out there slicing through the same fast and critical waves on a piece of 1/4" thick wood. That said, there are the potentially negative aspects of riding the more traditional paipos: swimming around almost completely underwater most of the time can get to be old, even in warmer water; being hit by the edge of something as thin and heavy as a paipo can be a serious risk to one`s self and others; the board`s frequent sensation of lacking directionality and drive can be frustrating; the wide tail of the paipo is often very useful at times, but then again, so is a narrow one... much the same can be said for the paipo`s knife-thin edges: often thicker is better; a rigid, no rocker design generally translates to relatively limited handling coupled with runaway speed; slamming into and over chop, bumps and ledges while traveling at high speeds on a solid, stiff and very thin board is just not as much fun as it looks... and finally, paipos truly crave heavy, fast and violent waves of consequence and are not nearly as satisfying when used in gentler, slower surfing conditions. The following are some changes that can significantly improve on the traditional paipo`s handling characteristics and their range in average waves: tuned and flexible fiberglass rocker/torque, sharp-edged strakes to separate the chine and planing areas, the addition of removeable, soft and slightly bouyant "false decks" and very shallow, thin and flexible runners or keels. Dale
>>> By the way, that state of mind between sleep and waking is where a lot of > really great ideas come from! ......... Thanks for grasping my perspective. That state of mind can definitely be a place of inspiration. Several years ago, I wrote my senior paper on Surrealist poetry...now that was an exploration into some interesting sub-conscious territory. I researched for about two full years and quickly found my life imitating the art. Since then, though I've distanced myself from that realm, I still find myself a little more "in tune" with that sort of thing, just a little more balanced now. I've got a philosophy about these kind of ideas and the value thereof, but I'll leave that for another time. Bringing this concept back to shaping, it would certainly be nice to have unlimited (or at least less-limited) resources to really put ideas to the test.
>>> Thanks for grasping my perspective. That state of mind can definitely be a > place of inspiration. Several years ago, I wrote my senior paper on > Surrealist poetry...now that was an exploration into some interesting > sub-conscious territory. I researched for about two full years and quickly > found my life imitating the art. Since then, though I've distanced myself > from that realm, I still find myself a little more "in tune" > with that sort of thing, just a little more balanced now. I've got a > philosophy about these kind of ideas and the value thereof, but I'll leave > that for another time. Bringing this concept back to shaping, it would > certainly be nice to have unlimited (or at least less-limited) resources > to really put ideas to the test. Deeb, As long as we`re dealing with things surreal... it would be even better to have have endless, uncrowded, quality waves after your unlimited time and resources have resulted in the creation of some very cool, new ideas!
that DOES sound like fun! I believe the one I have is the high density foam/fiberglass type - shaped like a guitar pick. Paul Lindbergh makes them 30" wide at the rear "wings" and a little roll and kick in the front. He apparently uses a type of mold/press to accomplish the curvatures. It also has a 1/4" thick rubber mat on the deck. It is a nice shiny black. Of course, the website for Hawaiian Paipo Designs shows one hot rider arching his way down an immense Pipeline barrel. I hope to start in something a little less life threatening. Thanks for your response Dale!
>>> that DOES sound like fun! I believe the one I have is the high density > foam/fiberglass type - shaped like a guitar pick. Paul Lindbergh makes > them 30" wide at the rear "wings" and a little roll and > kick in the front. He apparently uses a type of mold/press to accomplish > the curvatures. It also has a 1/4" thick rubber mat on the deck. It > is a nice shiny black. Of course, the website for Hawaiian Paipo Designs > shows one hot rider arching his way down an immense Pipeline barrel. I > hope to start in something a little less life threatening. Thanks for your > response Dale! John, Paipos like yours love violent, heavy waves. You just bought the stealth bomber of bodyboards...
>>> John,>>> Hey, not to worry, someday you`ll have both! If a more traditional paipo > is used: like finless, 3/4" or much less thin and perhaps pounds > heavy, basically rockerless with maybe a little upward roll in the rails > which gradually increases toward the nose, plywood, high density > foam/fiberglass, or almost solid glass and resin... looking like a > gigantic, triangular guitar pick... and given the opportunity to prove > itself to you, it can be quite exciting: providing the sensation of clean, > ultra fine-slicing high velocity, they can drift and side-slip like ice on > teflon, usually function increasingly better as the surf gets hollower, > bigger and more powerful, offer the glide of a freekin sea bird, duck dive > almost effortlessly (because of the low bouyancy) and make some impossibly > critical, late take-offs... those are most of the upsides... sound like > fun? What are the downsides, Dale? The old wood ones were heavyweight pieces of non-stoke for me, and that was in warm water. So has anyone here tried riding modern foam/fiberglass skimboards paipo style? They have much narrower tail configurations than trad Hawaiian style paipos but from what I've seen they go like hell with riders standing on them. Tex Haines at Victoria Skimboards even put a fin box in at least his personal board a couple of years ago. Nels
>>> What are the downsides, Dale? The old wood ones were heavyweight pieces of > non-stoke for me, and that was in warm water.>>> So has anyone here tried riding modern foam/fiberglass skimboards paipo > style? They have much narrower tail configurations than trad Hawaiian > style paipos but from what I've seen they go like hell with riders > standing on them. Tex Haines at Victoria Skimboards even put a fin box in > at least his personal board a couple of years ago.>>> Nels Nels, I would always encourage the prone riding of thin wood boards, if for no other reason than the opportunity to connect with and feel some of the same things that were also experienced by ancient surfers many hundreds of years before. Riding such humble planing devices, especially in challenging surf, can easily give fresh understanding to the idea of raw simplicity not necessarily equating with a lack of serious fun. I have worked through a number of design questions by intentionally beginning with various simple forms of plywood, and then gradually making changes. Over the years, it has greatly annoyed a number of other surfers who were using more expensive, sensitive and well-known equipment... when I`m also out there slicing through the same fast and critical waves on a piece of 1/4" thick wood. That said, there are the potentially negative aspects of riding the more traditional paipos: swimming around almost completely underwater most of the time can get to be old, even in warmer water; being hit by the edge of something as thin and heavy as a paipo can be a serious risk to one`s self and others; the board`s frequent sensation of lacking directionality and drive can be frustrating; the wide tail of the paipo is often very useful at times, but then again, so is a narrow one... much the same can be said for the paipo`s knife-thin edges: often thicker is better; a rigid, no rocker design generally translates to relatively limited handling coupled with runaway speed; slamming into and over chop, bumps and ledges while traveling at high speeds on a solid, stiff and very thin board is just not as much fun as it looks... and finally, paipos truly crave heavy, fast and violent waves of consequence and are not nearly as satisfying when used in gentler, slower surfing conditions. The following are some changes that can significantly improve on the traditional paipo`s handling characteristics and their range in average waves: tuned and flexible fiberglass rocker/torque, sharp-edged strakes to separate the chine and planing areas, the addition of removeable, soft and slightly bouyant "false decks" and very shallow, thin and flexible runners or keels. Dale
>>> By the way, that state of mind between sleep and waking is where a lot of > really great ideas come from! ......... Thanks for grasping my perspective. That state of mind can definitely be a place of inspiration. Several years ago, I wrote my senior paper on Surrealist poetry...now that was an exploration into some interesting sub-conscious territory. I researched for about two full years and quickly found my life imitating the art. Since then, though I've distanced myself from that realm, I still find myself a little more "in tune" with that sort of thing, just a little more balanced now. I've got a philosophy about these kind of ideas and the value thereof, but I'll leave that for another time. Bringing this concept back to shaping, it would certainly be nice to have unlimited (or at least less-limited) resources to really put ideas to the test.
>>> Thanks for grasping my perspective. That state of mind can definitely be a > place of inspiration. Several years ago, I wrote my senior paper on > Surrealist poetry...now that was an exploration into some interesting > sub-conscious territory. I researched for about two full years and quickly > found my life imitating the art. Since then, though I've distanced myself > from that realm, I still find myself a little more "in tune" > with that sort of thing, just a little more balanced now. I've got a > philosophy about these kind of ideas and the value thereof, but I'll leave > that for another time. Bringing this concept back to shaping, it would > certainly be nice to have unlimited (or at least less-limited) resources > to really put ideas to the test. Deeb, As long as we`re dealing with things surreal... it would be even better to have have endless, uncrowded, quality waves after your unlimited time and resources have resulted in the creation of some very cool, new ideas!
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