I saw some Robert August Short Boards this weekend. One of them was a Bud Llamas model. It was 6' x 20" wide and 2 5/8" thick. It had a scooped out deck, like a step deck on a longboard, but it started about a foot down from the nose and went all the way down into the tail. I know that some companies are doing this now (and has been done in the past) to increase the flex of the board, but the thing is that the board was 2 5/8" thick with real boxy rails. I don't see how scooping the deck could increase flex in a board that thick with such boxy rails. It seems to me that it would just make the board more prone to pressure ding and/or make the board weaker overall. Has anyone seen/ridden one of these? Is it just a poor attempt to create flex, or am I missing something? I could see how it could work on a thinner board with a more refined rail, but this thing was beefy.
>>> I saw some Robert August Short Boards this weekend. One of them was a Bud > Llamas model. It was 6' x 20" wide and 2 5/8" thick. It had a > scooped out deck, like a step deck on a longboard, but it started about a > foot down from the nose and went all the way down into the tail.>>> I know that some companies are doing this now (and has been done in the > past) to increase the flex of the board, but the thing is that the board > was 2 5/8" thick with real boxy rails. I don't see how scooping the > deck could increase flex in a board that thick with such boxy rails. It > seems to me that it would just make the board more prone to pressure ding > and/or make the board weaker overall.>>> Has anyone seen/ridden one of these? Is it just a poor attempt to create > flex, or am I missing something? I could see how it could work on a > thinner board with a more refined rail, but this thing was beefy........................... I did one some 20 years back. My thought was to have boxy rails with a thinner board and I was also thinking about a little bit more heal/toe leverage. What I ended up with was a board that didn't surf any different but was uncomfortable to sit on and the deck pooled water like a bird bath.
Try this at home. Next time you shower pretend your standing on a surfboard with your toes along the rail of a concave bottom. (I'm assuming your bathtub is slightly concave). Now gently lean forward and feel the leverage on your toes. On a surfboard a concave deck creates a more sensitive and responsive to your body's influence. Rob
>>> Try this at home. Next time you shower pretend your standing on a > surfboard with your toes along the rail of a concave bottom. (I'm assuming > your bathtub is slightly concave). Now gently lean forward and feel the > leverage on your toes. On a surfboard a concave deck creates a more > sensitive and responsive to your body's influence. Rob Right on, Rob! Good example... and they also FEEL really good, too! It`s the same leverage/sensitivity idea behind many of the wedge-shaped traction pads for surfboards and the kicked tails/noses on certain skateboard decks, too.
>>> Right on, Rob! Good example... and they also FEEL really good, too! It`s > the same leverage/sensitivity idea behind many of the wedge-shaped > traction pads for surfboards and the kicked tails/noses on certain > skateboard decks, too. They definitley work it lowers the center of gravity by just a hair but thats all it takes --remember the G&S waterskate the originals were concave decks till because of volume they slowly worked their way to strait flat decks---I can still remember watching Jeff Crawford and Gary Goodrum riding the heck out of them----Michel Ho also had one out very simalar to the Bud model I'm sure, Isaw them at Georges in Huntington back in the 70's---the real trick is in the rail flow by the way my kids got one hanging in their room they keep passing down to each other, I think I shaped it about 7 years ago --always wanted a new one for myself but just never did it ---now you guys got me going!
concave deck don't work. Thats whats wrong with this world. Nobody wants to learn how to use something the way it is, their is always excuses. Ask your self, is a concave deck going to make me a better surfer? A good surfer will make anything work. Learn how to use it. The surfboards today are at their best, because of years of fine tuning. Ride and be merry
>>> concave deck don't work. Thats whats wrong with this world. Nobody wants > to learn how to use something the way it is, their is always excuses. Ask > your self, is a concave deck going to make me a better surfer? A good > surfer will make anything work. Learn how to use it. The surfboards today > are at their best, because of years of fine tuning. Ride and be merry >>>> Hmmm, Concave deck don't work? Really? I think maybe you havn't tried the right combination. I've been making them for the last 4 seasons, and surfers such as Joel Tudor, Todd Morcom, Alex cox and others seem to enjoy the performance benefit's that a concave deck has to offer. You might also check out the video, shelter 2001, it has footage of some guy named Rob Machado riding one, its a 5'8" single fin. Just my observation, but it seems to work for him. Regards, sk
>>> I saw some Robert August Short Boards this weekend. One of them was a Bud > Llamas model. It was 6' x 20" wide and 2 5/8" thick. It had a > scooped out deck, like a step deck on a longboard, but it started about a > foot down from the nose and went all the way down into the tail.>>> I know that some companies are doing this now (and has been done in the > past) to increase the flex of the board, but the thing is that the board > was 2 5/8" thick with real boxy rails. I don't see how scooping the > deck could increase flex in a board that thick with such boxy rails. It > seems to me that it would just make the board more prone to pressure ding > and/or make the board weaker overall.>>> Has anyone seen/ridden one of these? Is it just a poor attempt to create > flex, or am I missing something? I could see how it could work on a > thinner board with a more refined rail, but this thing was beefy. Reading all of the posts have got the muse workin'. What size is the concave Mike? My guess is that it goes about two inches from the rail. How far out to the rail does the scoop go? Looking at that bathtub example it makes me wonder if a narrow concave would cause the same effect (flex and leverage) as well as maintain the floatation... To elaborate: A wide concave at the point of chest contact going to a concave that is slightly wider than your foot the rest of the way 'down' the board. Anyone ever see anything like that? I am interested in anyones' thoughts. Thanks, Magoo P.S. Trivia time: When did Randy Lewis stop shaping the Bud Llamas models? M
everyone has the same ideas. If someone good uses something, that means it works. You know what? I saw Kelly Slater just jump off a bridge. Hes pretty good, I might want to try that...
>>> everyone has the same ideas. If someone good uses something, that means it > works. You know what? I saw Kelly Slater just jump off a bridge. Hes > pretty good, I might want to try that... I think u must jump first to show us that it doesen't work... Thanks for all your responses guys, you're teaching me how to shape, and each one of you are open my eyes. Coque.
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