Quote Blog: Innovation

“This was a shape that would change the progression of surfing forever.” Something I can proudly say about the action sport industry is that besides the medical and military systems, this industry is one of the most innovative in all of America. These boardsports progress in skill level like nothing else. For example, in the X-Games 6 years ago the winning trick for big air snowboarding was a switch (opposite of normal stance) rodeo seven. This is essentially an off axis slightly inverted 720. Now, just 6 years later in 2014 I am on first name basis with at least 4 people who can do that same trick on the same size jump. Going back to my chosen quote, surfing used to be something completely different than what it is now. It used to be a fameless activity where people would just cruise down the side of some beach brake in Malibu, traversing up and down the face of the wave on these long heavy single finned boards. The timeline of different shaped boards is directly correlated with the progression of the sport. Once people started to venture off crowded California beach breaks in search of double overhead tubular reef breaks, it was brought to many of their attentions that the boards that they were riding simply could not comply with what waves the athletes wanted to ride. The next generation of surfboards that would redefine the sport as a whole was these pointed nose, narrow hulled boards with increased volume for more buoyance which would allow riders to catch the same waves at the same time that they used to, but still have the maneuverability of a shorter board. These boards came in lengths around 7’6”, a whole foot and a half longer than what the pros are riding now. After these came the modern shortboard. This shape came directly from the advancement of skill level of all the pros. These boards are thin, short, very pointed nosed and have 3, 4 or sometimes 5 fins, differing from the traditional single fin style surfers rode for hundreds of years. They require twice the precision, twice the balance and twice the creative mind because now launched surfing’s innovation phase. Riders could now squeeze themselves into fast turbulent barrels, air out of the wave performing 360s, flips and grabs to an astonishing level and could dig the narrow side rails of the board deep into the face of the wave to carry out sharp turns that could send walls of spray 6 feet in the air. This was the shape that would change the progression of surfing forever. Along with these spotlight shapes came the hard work of thousands of shapers trying new ideas that made surfing a little different, or shaped boards to fit a certain areas typical conditions. The book where this quote came from “Surf Craft” does a phenomenal job describing all of these interesting concepts famous shapers came up with and prototyped. One shape that really caught my eye was the planing hull board, shaped by a famous Japanese shaper. All this board was made up of was a foam block. He called it the “lord board” as it could reach speeds and make sections miles above any board of its date. It was 4’8”, very wide and finless. It displayed the textbook volume ratio of a planing hull. Below is an image of the difference between a conventional short board and a planing hull board. This has inspired me to try it out. Currently in my basement I have a hollow wood rib frame almost ready to glue down the veneer. I am beyond excited to ride this thing as I have never constructed my own surfboard before.