What do you think of domed decks?

[Zooport]

Do you like your deck domed or flat?  Why?

[TallDude]

With domed decks I feel like I'm aware that I'm wrapping my feet over the rail. My 10' Icon is domed and my home made 9' is flat. I never think about my feet on the flat deck. Other than that, it doesn't effect the way I surf.

[DavidJohn]

Windsurfing.. Loved them.

Stand Up.. Hate them.

[Dwight (DW)]

DJ, the latest trend in windsurfing is thin, wide, and flat decks. They feel great and good to be home again, after spending so many hours on flat SUPs.

Old windsurfers feel like standing on a round log. 😋  Funny how things change.

[beached]

hate domed decks. would you rather try to balance on a piece of plywood, or a log?!

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

I had an old Bic longboard windsurfer with a domed deck and a Kona longboard with a flat deck. I guess the domed deck was better when I was hiking out against the sail on a long reach, but not by much. It never seemed to make much of a difference as long as you had a sticky deck.

[Zooport]

I like domed decks, but I don't like everything about them.

After going through about 15 surf SUPs in the past 2.5 years, here's my subjective and unscientific observations:

PRO:  They sink a rail easier than a flat deck board for any given volume, all else being equal.  The are more responsive on a wave than a flat deck for any given volume, all else being equal.  A domed deck board can carry more volume without sacrificing turning ability, so you can have a board that catches waves easier yet still turns well.  That comes at a price, though.

CON:  Tippy.  Because they sink a rail easier, they are more tippy for any given volume.  Thus, they are more work to paddle, less comfortable to stand still on, and more likely to make you fall off.  A domed board feels more narrow that it really is.

[supsurf-tw]

Like em not too flat, not too domed.........Just Right!

[goodfornothin]

I think it's easier to roll rail to rail with domed deck,,,I like surfing on a rail. 

It's easier to engage your rail on bigger faster waves with domed deck.  For me at least.

All my boards have a domed deck,,I don't think joe B makes a flat deck.  None of them are tippy for me. 

[headmount]

It appears from these posts and from my own experience that doomed decks aren't great at low speed like when you're paddling out but at high speed, like DJ's windsurfing comparison, they come into their own. 

I've been an a JL Stun Gun and that has also been my experience.  On the wave it's fantastic and for me that's the highest priority.  But as a session gets longer or the wind bump increases I definitely feel the difference from my old board that was flat.  It motivates me to paddle around rather than stand still when I'm waiting for a wave.

[JimK]

Since putting in some time on the Sunova's which have more domed decks I can't saay Flat or domed is better (Performance wise thinner rails of a domed deck are more precise)
But they are different (balance wise) Say a Fanatic AllWave (AW) has thicker rails and balance wise it gives you great primary balance But the Sunova has what I would call secondary balance in that it does tip more (side to side) but as it tips you need to learn new reflex timing (just because a board cants just hang on a second) because the secondary balance of the unweighted side moving higher and flater it is easier to catch yourself...This seems to also help in choppy conditions)

That is just my 2 cents but this is a work in progress

JimK

[PonoBill]

Makes my ankles ache if I stand on them for long.

[mrbig]

Rawson - flat, Lopez - flat, Angulo - flat, Daum - flat ( on request !). I have ridden boards with domed decks and they don't work for me. I have never windsurfed either - wish I had though..

[SUP Sports ®]

Makes my ankles ache if I stand on them for long.

Zackly!
From my experience riding and designing standup boards for over 10 years, you will have longer, fatigue-free sessions on boards with flatter or only slightly domed decks...they are more ergonomically correct...

On sailboards we use domed decks for increased leverage and sensitivity...especially, in the rear foot strap area and tail...pads are designed around the foot strap area to also enhance control...absorb shock...etc...and, you only have your back foot on the center line...

[SlatchJim]

Of the few demo rides on domed deck, I could tell that I felt the roll quicker and needed to concentrate more on my foot placement even standing still.  I can see someone with more of a shortboard style liking a domed deck more than I do.  I kind of like walking around on my board.