Surfing Waves

Trying to maximize wave count on the smallest and weakest of days, but maybe retain a looser feel than the classic log.

Curious in particular regarding the wide flat (thin?) numbers employed by Japanese pros in conditions similar to a typical New England summer day. (Each is an East Coast in the North) How do those JPSA longboards differ from the 50-50 rails and glass-on fins of yesteryear? Couldn't find much detail on the interwebs, perhaps due to lack of Japanese language skills.

Hopefully Waikikichan will be along to answer your question (one of our regular posters who is in fact a japanese 'pro')

Please consider, the difference between your body size and Japanese longboard pros.

Are you bigger/ heavier than them? Is your skill comparable to theirs?
It is about whatever floats your boat and whether that boat can do it for you in the conditions you are thinking of!
Performance boards of any ilk require the surfer to be the performer.

Indeed, Jaffa, those particular 'what-have-you's' came to mind, and were initially included in the query, as qualifiers, but were culled in an effort to curb an often autobiographical bent bordering on boorishness.

Instead, mere data is sought, to further consider the various characteristics that might make a slick smaller-wave addition to my nominally- High Performance, actually recreational hand shaped Walden Magic 9'2", which is probably a tad undersized for my 6' x 80-kilo frame of aging-rock-climber, only-a-bit-of-excess-beer-brawn shape.

My particular Walden seems to have a bit more rocker than their pop-outs of similar length, and as such seems better tailored for the shapelier, more powerful swells common to California, recently approximated here thanks to Joaquin; the Magic has been great fun but seems to bog a bit on the smaller stuff: I still typically catch my share and then some, but am ready to tailor the quiver to accommodate the tiniest of ripples, and catch them as far out as possible . . . While retaining a touch of swerve and verve if possible. Points to discuss with a local shaper, eventually, and meanwhile to consider while trying out various shapes and sizes.

leinosaur wrote:Trying to maximize wave count on the smallest and weakest of days, but maybe retain a looser feel than the classic log.

Curious in particular regarding the wide flat (thin?) numbers employed by Japanese pros in conditions similar to a typical New England summer day. (Each is an East Coast in the North) How do those JPSA longboards differ from the 50-50 rails and glass-on fins of yesteryear? Couldn't find much detail on the interwebs, perhaps due to lack of Japanese language skills.

Performance longboards and Classic Logs are two different beings. If you have a "Log" ( but you wrote you have a Walden, is it the Magic ? ) if it has a fin box, I would but in a cutaway fin to let the it Slide-Butt a bit. But it is really hard to drop knee on a performance board, while it's difficult to pump a log. Each has it's merits, but one is Classical music and one is Rock music. Sure you find a "all-around" shape but it makes sacrifices on both sides.

I wouldn't consider New England and Japan waves. Japan is more islands, not like the end of the continental shelf where New England is. Plus Japan get energy from the Pacific not the Atlantic.

Funny thing is for over a decade, virtually all the Grand Champion JPSA longboarders were riding Hawaiian shapes or Surftech. Kekoa Uemura rode Todd Pinder shapes ( check out Pinder Hawaii. He shapes, sprays, glasses, sands all his boards by hand, plus he makes his own fins. Genki Kino was using Mitsu's shapes ( he just won the last contest in Chigasaki after being off tour for awhile ). Eugene Teal was using Surftech for awhile ( T&C Keola Rapoza shape ).

That's wild about the surftech, I have had great fun on an 11' surftech rental in the past but never imagined that floaty boat as a contest steed! I will look into those shapers, as I'm curious what aspects of their shapes are what makes them ubiquitous on the Japanese scene.

As far as 'Japan' vs New England, I was thinking in particular of the recent Chigasaki contest conditions, which look only too familiar; as a beach break receiving mostly windswell with a SE window, the similarities are striking. SE windswell is New Hampshire bread-and-butter; Rhode Island and southern mass might catch more groundswell, being more open to Caribbean storms, but it's relatively rate up here, in the year and a half I've been paying close attention.

Island vs continental shelf would make more of a difference in the variety of swell windows, no? Also adjacent water depths, but northern New England has deep Atlantic right up to the coast, unlike 'the South' with its various nefarious shoals complicating the windows.

I remember reading somewhere that East vs. West coasts differ some in power based on the earth's rotation, but haven't got my head around that one yet . . .

And Jaffa, yes, on second thought a board would certainly look wider, if the arms and legs hanging over it were shorter!

Also Wai-chan yes, it's a Magic, and I called it recreational rather than high performance based on its marketing as 'the right board for anyone in any conditions' - although it does say 'high performance' somewhere on the logo. My second-guessing the 9'2" Magic is based on at least a few of the following factors: I should have gone longer for my weight; too much time on my hands (over-thinking it), and (mostly) raw, green, noobitude!

Thanks, J & W for your thoughtful responses. Trying to be very circumspect regarding quiver expansion.

When waves hit shallow water they slow down and lose power so typically waves crossing a large continental shelf will be weaker and smaller than those with no shelf but perhaps with better form. Also I think the wind that generates waves on the east coast is closer to shore resulting in smaller waves on the east coast whereas Japan catches pacific swells generated far away and has no continental shelf.

Surftech did have the "pop-out stigma" in Japan. They call them "Mo-rudo bo-do" ( molded board ). It was Eugene Teal winning championship that kind of changed their minds. But most surfers aren't cool unless they have a $2500-3000 board imported from California. Most if not all the Dick Brewer's and Donald Takayama's (even before his passing) were not shape by them, they had "authorized" shapers using their templates. And not ghost shaping, they sign their name and have their own logo under the "main" logo.

I used to ride Walden Magic's in contest. They are very high-performance. But they did work well with just a single fin.

Forget about Longboard Pro's boards. Most are 9'1" x 21 1/2 x 2 1/2 - 2 5/8. Bonga Perkins is just as big as you and these are the dimensions on one of his boards that i own. 2 1/2" are so quick, but not forgiving. But that thin will not stand up to daily use. Taylor Jensen is huge and his boards are 2 5/8".

Oh, the reason why a lot of pros use 9'1" is because if their boards are measured by the judges and come out less than 9'0", their win gets nullified.

Awesome! Thanks so much for the detail, and I will gladly 'forget' the pro boards, as far as seeking sameness.

I did look closer at my Gulf of Maine topography, and see now that the deep waters close to New Hampshire shore are basins guarded by a broad shelf called Georges Bank, so definitely not as open to the deep groundswell as Japan's east coast: still, the surfline description of the beach at which the chigasaki pro was held (was it Shoran? Kanagawa prefecture, for sure) says it catches mostly wind swell during the 50% of days it's rideable . . . And on the video the whole bay looks guarded by smaller rocky islands and a snazzy great shark - tooth spike of rock, such that you wonder how anything gets through in the first place (?) Ah, the mysteries.

Itching now to try everything again from a new hampshire log to a surftech to a longer magic, maybe a mega magic, and whatever else I can try out from other local shapers too. Unfortunately the forecast at the moment is as flat as I have seen it in months, all the way from maine to rhode island : (

You are going to want to check out this Japanese surfer/shaper boards on you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcpihY ... xgrVUNk2Nw

You also might want to check out these people. I think they are in England and I think their shapes are some of the most beautiful in the world. These are real surfboards and look like serious wave catchers if you go with a 10 footer or so. (This may sound weird but if you are a newb, it is very, very important you keep your feet together when paddle for a wave and dig deep and stay steady, not fast) Check out this link to this shaper below.
http://slide65.com/

Hey you guys, thanks for the tips . . . I really dig those Todd Pinder shapes . . . Had hours of fun looking through his recent oeuvre on Facebook.

Meanwhile I have gone with my gut feeling and put a deposit in with the local log-maker Dan Hanlon for a custom classic new hampshire noserider, 9'8" x 18.5" x 23" x 16". I borrowed one of his a while back and loved it, and have spoken to many salty locals who swear by both the craftsmanship and the shape. Super stable, Superglide lines and durable double volan with plenty of weight to cut the chop.

I will hang on to my 9'2" Magic for a change of pace and bigger days, still love it and can't wait to get back on it tomorrow, have put the 9" fcs fat boy back on as a single for the predicted knee-to-thigh 9s swell; Thursday looks like 10s and shoulder to head high, might go back to 2+1 for that. Have been swimming a lot during two weeks of flat, and all the visualization in the pool has me super stoked to be back in the brine.

I really like the walden. In ways it is more forgiving than a nose rider. It turns easily and doesn't require as much tail pivot turns like no rockered nose riders do. It still nose rides I'm sure. I can pump my nose rider but don't because it's dumb. You can definitely roller coaster pump or tick tac the walden.

I sold my walden a long time ago and enjoy getting on them when I get a chance to swap in the water. My nose rider is really only fun in cleaner smaller stuff for me, which is okay since I'm on a shortboard or grovel board 99% of the time. I can say, however, that there's bigger days that seem like the walden would be perfect for but I'd rather not surf the nose rider. Days where the take off is steep and the wave is walled up requiring foam climbs and of the tops.