custom surfboard thoughts?

heavier glassing will make it a bit stronger & help the board last longer. IMO, there is no reason for the average surfer to have an "ultralight" board...those boards are essentially disposable surfboards. if a difference in 2oz. of glass is going to prevent you from doing airs, you probably shouldn't be trying airs. heavier boards also handle better in chop & high wind conditions. i'm not sure where the idea that you HAVE to have a super light board in order to surf progressively came from, but it's not a practical reality for the average surfer. if you look at an "ultralight" glassed board from the 80's & the glassing lam (if it has one) will likely show that it's got a 6/4x4 schedule, rather than today's 4/4x4 schedule. personally, at 6ft & 190, i can't ride boards glassed that way as i am very heavy on my feet, especially through turns, & i crush the decks in a matter of sessions. all my boards are 6/4x4 glassed.

that said, hopefully the shaper is willing to glass it however you want it, given that you're the one ordering the board & paying for it.

 

What's the core? If it's EPS, 6oz all around is fine. If it's PU, there's different densities, too. Gotta look at the whole picture... One thing I can say about that board, is the better the waves are, the better it will work. Waist high is stretching it.

different glassers do it differently... Putting the 6oz under the 4 on the deck will save some weight. Putting the 6oz on top will give slightly better ding resistance. Four oz goes on the hull.

 

If you stick with the 4 oz, you might want to reinforce your tail (and other weaker spots) after the glassing is complete. I know a few dudes that go straight to a shaper, for tail reinforcement, right after buying any performance short board. I've never done this, but I'm sure it works and it might be worth discussing with your shaper.

 

most boards have 2 layers of glass on the deck, either double 4oz (your standard "ultralight"), or a layer of 6oz & a layer of 4oz. a single layer of 4oz glass on the bottom is pretty standard. to save a bit of weight, you can do a full layer of 4oz on the deck & a 3/4 length patch of 6oz.

 

stop worrying so much about the dimensions and weight of your board. I have friends who can out-surf half the entire lineup on any given day on a 20 year old POS. Your asking questions only the top level pro's should really be concerned with.

Get a board that will float you and is good for your local conditions. Nice job on going to a local shaper. Experiment with different fins. I find they matter more than the board itself. work on your style, always try to improve, and make sure its always fun. Everything else comes naturally.

 

If you're doing airs...a standard board probably will only last 1yr. or less (and I think that is generous) with a standard glass job from my experience. I would go 6+4/4--the weight difference is totally negligible. Given all the other variables while surfing I am not sure you'd even notice the difference when up and riding. You'll likely put a pad on the board, your leash dragging, fins (depending materials), etc. that will weigh more than the additional weight that you would have from a heavier glass job. Also, I'm a EPS fan and been loving my parabolic boards...i find it incredibly easy to flip around an EPS board--poly boards feel dead to me at this point so I would really consider getting that type of foam--but to each their own. As well, the weight savings between EPS/PU is obvious...

You looking for a board to flick around, learning airs, with a bit of durability--I'd go with an EPS/Epoxy. My $.02--you'll pay more for it, but in the long run it would be worth it. Also, I would consider buying used if you are really just learning airs, etc. No need to destroy a new board landing in the flats...

 

If this is the case then I wouldn't worry about the glassing being too heavy, as a matter of fact it'll help preserve your board longer because at this stage you are still learning and will put a lot of damage on the board.

 

Without a doubt man, you don't want to end up buying another a new board shortly after getting one because you put your foot through it trying to land an air. Do yourself a favor and talk to Mike Daniel's at Coil Industries and get a custom made, OR try and find a one used. Coil is what you want for a durable but high performance shorty. Google "Coil Ride Reports" and read up on that thread, you'll see what i'm talking about.

 

Anytime hcsurf15, you can PM me if you need any help with that

 

DP have you ridden a Coil?

 

Got one on order and bout to pickup in approx. a month, you?

 

Yeah i had 2 - FBF and a longer Round tail quad. I never really clicked with them, I found the rocker on the RT quad a bit excessive. The FBF was better but I was inconsistent on it- 1 wave would go great, the next I would bog. Some guys love em - I didn't. Just my experience.
Jim

 

I stopped getting the ultra-light boards about 4-5 years ago... Turns out, airs etc are much easier with a little more glass. A slightly heavier board translates into more speed. More speed = much easier airs.... If you are surfing sheet glass in california all the time, then yeah, an ultra light glass job will suffice, but as soon as you get into 5-10mph winds, you will lose speed and progression with the ultra lights. You will hang up on the lip more and not have as much torque through your turns... But get the solid glass job, get some speed and do what you need to do. Those ultra light boards get hung up in the wind above the lip too, so if you really are doing airs, your overall trajectory etc will be better off holding a line through wind better. Those ultra light boards almost require slight to heavy onshore wind flow to really stick landing.... in my opinion anyway.

 

Your the first person I ever heard that from. I've read hundreds of ride reports and none negative. There are lots of people getting plenty of air on them and the boards take a pounding. This is all I have heard.