I want to take a crack at those neo stepups everyone does now. Wider nose, wide point forward, flatter entry rocker, etc.
problem is im a big feller at 220 lbs. so my boards are typically 21” wide or more. A round pin on something that wide still won’t hold into a steep face like the tail of 18” board. I was thinking about putting in a wing to reduce the tail area behind the front fins. However I don’t really see wings on anybody’s stepups or guns, only grovelers and hybrids.
Any reason for this? Would a wing create too much drag when speed is the goal?
With 220 lbs of weight, we get to dismiss a bunch of design preferences for boards designed for the lighter guys.
My ‘shortboard’ is 6’11" x 22 x 3 double wing round pin, but I doubt anybody but myself classifies it as a shortboard, and I’ve become a bit dismissive of what some human decides to classify anything as, regarding anything, much less surfboards.
Draw something out which looks right to you, and try it.
Perhaps some of the 70’s singlefin designs are relevant to your desire with their wings/bumps right around the back of the singlefin.
Wings reduce rail/tail line which does a few things. Faster, quicker turns. More speed and if done well; more bite in fast steep waves. Put some meat in the middle third of the blank. If you were to lay on the board in paddling position, everything from your chest/shoulders thru toward the tail to your thighs or even to the knees. 'This area represents the center 1/3 rd of the board. Whatever your desired thickness may be, should be established there. Of course tapering off and thinning toward the nose and tail. Proper contour and flow of the overall bottom. From there you can do anything you want. You can thin that nose and tail nicely from there. Just leave yourself enough thickness in the tail to place a one inch fin box without it showing thru the deck. Lowel