I've always assumed those boards are really heavy, even though I know they're hollow etc... they've just always looked heavy to me. It's not untill you see Roy working away on it that you realise that they don't seem heavy at all considering their length."
A question too, A while back Roy you advised someone not to hang 10 on it.. is that becauuse you don't rate noseriding or because the board would cartwheel? I just thought that with 13' of board in the water it might be enough to hold true
Roy Stewart: "Hi Ted, some are heavy, some not so heavy, this one is 28 pounds, my 17 footer is 65 or so.
The deal with noseriding this particular design is that you can do in some situations but it's a stalling move, the board isn't really dsigned for it, and if you try and ride it as if it is a noserdier its going to sulk in a big way, and you won't get the best out of it.
The deal is to let the board guide you, it shows you how to ride it.. . preconceived ideas are not very helpful, which is why complete beginners do well on the design. Basically the board is a tail rider, park yourself in the middle somewhere and go.
Going down the line don't trim straight like you would with a mal, she will sulk again, just hang high and let the nose and outside rail drop. .. . there is so much curve in the planshape that when the tail rail is working then the rest of the board is hanging out and down. it's impossible to spin the board out and it will hold in to the steepest walls, as well as being able to turn down the face anytime (never gets locked in ) so don't be shy to squeeze the board high up the face and then swoop back down whenever.
I will let you into a secret of the design, which I have kept to myself for years, partly because it can be hard to explain: The secret is that when the board is high on the wall and the outside rail and nore are dropped, then this angle of trim presents the fin partially horizontally, and it then acts as a big hydrofoil wing. . . (this doesn't happen with boards which trim level and flat).The 'wing' effect of the fin is due to the angle at which the rail presents the fin, and it is one of the main reasons why the fin is so big. . .. the fin doesn't have to be that big to keep the tail from spinning out. . most board designers think that with such a narrow tail only a small fin is needed, but they miss the point that the fin is the main power in the board, the rails are just used to guide the fin and present it where it is needed. . . that's why they are so soft, they need to be able to release and hold without catchiness, so that precise control over the fin angle hapens instinctively.
Don't tell anyone, let them keep using tiny single fins !
The fin is ten inches long and 13 high, it's got loads of power and lift, a typical 10 inch Greenough flex fin just doesn't have enough grunt in comparison.
Those who grind the tip into the sand will be *$#@**& !!
A lid is not required but for rolling under on big days a lid is a good idea, as the strongest grip on the board happens when the arms are not way extended above the head but more bent, this brings the cranium closer to the deck of the board, and sometimes a slight tap on the head can occur if the lip comes down really hard, for the ultimate roll under grip #1 the head is pressed against the deck of the board and the hands pull the rails down hard, while the body hangs down as a sea anchor. . . the ultimate grip #2 isn't highly recommended, and includes the above plus wrapping the legs around the board. . . this method attaches the rider to the board more securely, but the catch is that without the body acting as a sea anchor the board will get dragged beachwards, the tail will dig in, and board and rider will cartwheel beachwards for a bit. .. . (not as fun as it sounds)
If the waves aren't that big and one wants to lose the minimum distance then grab the rails and extend the arms up as far as possible while pushing the body straight down, not quite as strong on the grip front but the whole shebang stays firmly put as long as the hand rail connection is up to it .
Hoping that helps"
RoyStewart 28 November 2007 22:19 " What we have done is 400 grit all over, with 600 in the tail area, 600 is supposed to be faster over 20 knots or so, so the tail gets a 600 wipe just in case. The sanding is all fore and aft for speed. Really a good sand to 1200 plus some silicone based car polish was what I was planning, just to keep the board really watertight and uv resistant ( epoxy isn't 100% watertight by itself), but went for the basic 400 instead as the swell was up. Basically, go for it just don't wear all the resin away"
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