3 stage vs. low continuous rocker

[bajoman]

Hi All,
I am curious to know the riding characteristics of a "3 stage rocker" longboard vs a "low continuous rocker" longboard...
Advantages/Disadvantages?
Thanks!

[waikikikichan]

Questions before I can give my input:

#1 Which board manufacturer and which model ? Maybe like a Walden Magic ? Maybe a McTavish Fireball ?

#2 Do you describe your riding style as Classical or Progressive ( or just learning the basics ) ?

#3 Do you surf a beach break, point break or reef break ?

[bajoman]

Questions before I can give my input:

#1 Which board manufacturer and which model ? Maybe like a Walden Magic ? Maybe a McTavish Fireball ?

#2 Do you describe your riding style as Classical or Progressive ( or just learning the basics ) ?

#3 Do you surf a beach break, point break or reef break ?

Thanks Waikikichan- this is not for a board recommendation but more for my own education as I get experience riding different boards and to see if what I'm feeling is a known characteristic of the different designs...

#1 My most recent board is a Tollhurst 9'2 Harley Ingleby Diamond Drive (which has the 3-stage rocker) with 4 3/8" rocker in the nose and 3 3/16" flip in the tail. The board it replaced, that I surfed for 8 years, was a local NY shape of Mike Becker's with a continuous rocker 5 3/8" at the nose and 3 1/4" at the tail. The other Harley Ingleby step-down model (from his HP model) is the 9'1 HI4, which has continuous rocker with 5 1/2" at the nose and 4" at the tail (the choice between the two is what got me thinking about the design question!)

#2 My riding style is in between Classical and Progressive- I prefer a faster lighter all-around board with long rake single fin, like a lot of engagement with the wave, and also like to work on cross-stepping to the nose on occasion. I like the mixed styles of people like Mark Martinson, Wingnut, Taylor Jensen and Kai Ellice-Flint.

#3 I surf mostly beach breaks East Coast USA.

I'm also pretty familiar with Robert August WIR and Takayama ITP boards as those are what I used to rent when on surf holidays!

[waikikikichan]

Off the subject, but may have some pertinence, do you ride a street motorcycle ? If so, have you raced it at a track ?

[bajoman]

No, not a biker... You're going to have to enlighten me on that one!
Which boards are street bikes and where is the track?

[waikikikichan]

When I thought about how to explain the feeling between 3 stage and continuous rocker board, what immediately came to mind was tire profiles on a sport bike. Some are Rounded ( like continuous rocker ) and some are Triangular ( like a staged rocker ).

When discussing staged rocker boards, I would look at the design theory of Bob McTavish.
"The McTavish "Original" Surfboard is the OG of modern longboards. Bob McTavish’s first-of-its-kind three-stage rocker places four inches of rocker in the tail, six inches in the nose, with a flat and strong midsection making the Original loose in the curl, fast off the tail, and powerful down the line. Innovative trim channels funnel water along the middle of the nose for unmatched nose steering. Bevels just past the channels loosen the rails for smooth, side-to-side rolling, and flying beyond the bevels is the power and drive enhancing double concave. The Original’s 2+1 fin setup is mounted further forward and right on the hips helping your back foot find it easily and boosting the pivot and maneuverability to shortboard levels.

One negative I feel on staged rockered boards is that they have two paddling points. One further up than what you're used to and one further back, compared to a continuous rocker board.

[bajoman]

I haven't noticed an issue with paddling placement at all- in fact it paddles really fast!
What I have noticed (not sure if this is characteristic of 3-stage rocker in general or this board in particular) is that it doesn't like to be maneuvered from the middle of the board AT ALL from what I was used to. If I don't get my rear foot way back there, even for a little nudge turn, it wants to stay on a track. But when I do get on the back of the board, it is extremely sensitive and turns REALLY well. I'm getting more and more used to those two extremes after a year and a half on this board but it was not initially as user-friendly as I expected. I also feel like I have to be more careful to get weight way on the back when I take an angle down the face, like after a top turn, or it feels like maybe that flat area in the rocker "slaps" on the face putting my nose in danger of catching. Again, something I've been learning to compensate for on this board and have gotten better at.

I'm not a great noserider or cross-stepper (yet!), but I'm not feeling any difference with those things from my old low-continuous-rocker board (I've hit steps on both boards where I got that slipping on a banana peel wipeout, but I take full credit for those from my lack of skill ). I am also a little more tentative to walk up to the front on this board when I know I might have to get all the way back to any adjustments ...

All points considered, it has had me wondering, after already a year and a half of riding it, if it's all in my head (especially about the 3 stage rocker) or if I didn't get the right board for me and should have gone for a 9'1 Harley Ingleby HI4 or a 9'0 Takayama In the Pink or DT-2...
A durable (Thunderbolt or Tuflite), apartment friendly sized (9'2 or less), "all arounder" with fast speed and easy volume for paddling and trim were my main priorities...