Types of Boards

There are many types of surfboards currently being ridden: shortboards, longboards, hybrids, guns, fishes, etc. Althought they may look very different and are different, they all contain several components common to surfboard design. The following sections will breakdown these components.

The outline is the surfboards curve viewed from the deck or bottom. Generally a surfboard with a longer straighter has more paddling power and produces longer drawn out turns in larger surf. Shorterboards with a lot of curve in the outline will allow lots of turns and maneuvers in smaller surf. The trick is to find a board with the right amount of curve for the conditions you generally surf.

The main ingredient in the curve of the outline is the placement of the widepoint of the surfboard. The widepoint has wandered up and down the board over the years. From the forward wide point of the 70's Brewer Guns to the well back of the 80's No-Nose shapes, to the nearly centered wide point of today's shortboards. To add additional release or pivot points, shapers have placed wings (single or multiple), or bumps at various points near the tail. Depending upon your they may or may not be for you.

Shortboards
A shortboard has the advantage of extreme maneuverability. Tight turns, vertical movement, even aerials are possible, and as you become adept at surfing a shortboard can become an extension of your body. Top level competitive surfers perform on shortboards because the most radical moves in the most critical wave sections are possible.

Surfing a shortboard well requires top physical conditioning, agility, and quick reflexes. The main drawback for many people is the amount of physical effort required to paddle a shortboard (especially for long distances) and to accelerate to the speed necessary to catch waves. The other disadvantage for a beginner is the initial feeling of instability. However, if you are young and fit and can surf often enough to get good at it, by all means jump on to a shortboard.

Fishes
The current fish design is a re-invention of a design that came into prominence in the late 70's. The original fish was designed by Steve Lis of San Diego. The design features a full nose, full parallel rails ending in a wide swallow tail. The fins were set near the rails. The design was ridden shorter 4'10"-5'6", and featured a loose skaty feel, which worked well in small sloppy surf.

The design works best in average surf conditions, although it can be ridden in nearly any condition by an experienced surfer. The shape might be the best choice if you live on the East Coast and have only one board.

Hybrids
The hybrid or big wave tri is a design that has gained increased interest in recent years mainly due to the fact of long time surfers are getting older. The hybrid has a lengthened shortboard template . It will slash like a shortboard but is much easier to paddle. Hybrids work well over a wide range of conditions, and, with their moderate rocker, low, hard rail line and nose kick, will handle large fast waves.

The design is basically the current shortboard designed up to fit older, larger riders that are not ready for funboard or longboard.

 

Funboards
Funboards or Eggs fit pretty neatly between the shortboard and longboard designs. Funboards are perfect for the older surfer that are over the shortboard but don't like the feel of a longboard. They also are perfect for the beginner. You can get the feel of the maneuverability of the shortboard, but the board has the added benefit of the width and length to help catch more waves.

Funboards also come in variations called Fun Guns or Speed Eggs. They are slightly thinner, narrower, more foiled versions, which when ridden by experienced surfer can handle just about any surf condition.

Longboards
Next to shortboards, longboards are among the most numerous designs seen around. The modern longboard and its variations is a refined, lighter, and more maneuverable shape than its early predecessors.

A correctly sized longboard will float you a certain way. Laying still on the board, you should be able to center yourself so that the nose is an inch or two above the surface and the rest of the board slopes slightly toward the tail, which is only a couple of inches beneath the surface. When paddling with the nose a couple of inches above the surface the "trim" of the board should be about level, and when you stop paddling your board should continue to glide for several feet. Some water will run over the rails along your body; in fact, if you float "high and dry" your board floats you too well, and that hurts wave-riding performance.

If your board floats you correctly, you should be able to "sprint" quickly up to a plane for take-offs, and your board should begin to accelerate or glide down the face of a wave without the wave having to be extremely steep. If you find yourself "clawing" down the face of waves for steep, late takeoffs like a shortboarder, you probably do not have enough speed. That lack of speed is usually the result of inadequate flotation (exaggerated rocker compounds the problem).

Longboards are a great answer for someone looking for something different. The various varieties work excellently in most types of surf, from ankle snappers to well overhead.

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