12'6" Production Racer

[byrondesign]

This is about 95% shaped. 12'6" x 30".

I've done 14 footers, but they floated too much and I couldn't get my designed waterline into the water the way I wanted. If the point of the nose and the point of the tail isn't in contact with the water then there is a high probability that you are pushing water down in the front lifting the nose and dragging a flat spot in the rear pulling the tail down. OC1's are very narrow so they sink down to the proper waterline. I like the 30" width cuz as fatigue sets in I don't have to struggle to stay upright and can continue to put all my effort into my paddle stroke.

Most flatwater SUPs are now taking design ideas directly from narrower paddleboards and have round bottoms. The rounded hulled flatwater SUPs are hard to turn and tippy. I've come up with a very unique hard chine design that allows me to steer easily from the standing position by slightly edging left or right without the added harware and gimmicks of a rudder system. This again allows me to put more effort into my stroke by having to use less effort to stay on course.

The deck is stepped down for a lower CG but is nicely contoured allowing water to flow off easily. No bath tub design that is hard to build and holds water and no complicated scupper drains going through the board. I can run a full deck pad and step back into the surfing position to ride swell bumps with control.

The 12'6" Production design is something I'm going to concetrate on through this winter. This is a good size to paddle and reasonable build compared to the 16' or 18' unlimiteds. I also think (and hope) that flatwater SUPing is going to be the discipline that grows the most.

See ya in the water, Byron

[JonathanC]

Some great ideas there Byron - more photos please!

One thing I found with my Aussie Penetrator board - it has a rounded hull, so is tippy but it also does turn when one rail is depressed, only thing is that it seems to be a pretty fine shaping  line to get the board to steer by depressing one rail but not steer when you are just paddling hard. After coming from planing hulls where you could really put power through the leg on the side you were paddling I had to learn to keep weight on both legs to stop it steering when I wanted to go straight - I ended up putting in a fin that hung over the back of the fin box to get the right balance for me. I'm sure it would be much less of an issue with a planing hull though.

I'm also coming to the idea that 12'6 x 30 is the magic size, really like the idea of sticking to those dimensions and finessing the details of the shape.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Jonathan

[greatdane]

12'6" X 30 certainly seems to be working for the stock Hobie race boards...

[cape supper]

Hi Guys

I did my first downwinder this weekend and enjoyed it very much. I am interested in building a 12 - 13 ft. ocean racing board.

I need some numbers on nose and tail rocker. Also, where does the wide point work best?

Thanks.

Pierre. 

[byrondesign]

You're opening a can of worms, Pierre...

The knifey SUPs that look like wide paddleboards or kayaks need really flat rocker due to the fact that there is less volume in contact with the wate than the same length longboard outlined SUP. I'm doing crazy flat rockers and the flatter I've gone the better they work.

In kayak design there are 2 schools of thought, Swede-form and Fish-form. Fish-form is the wide point forward, tracks better in a straight line because there is less area to push against in the front and greater area in the following hull to keep you going straight. Swede-form has the wide point behind center and this makes more surface area in front of the wide point and less behind it. Swede-form shapes turn better and make for a more manuverable hull. It comes down to preference or how you like the feel of the board in the water.

Byron

[cape supper]

Hi Byron

I see how it works now. The ocean boards have a more surf oriented rocker and flat water boards are more canoe/boat like. Its starting to look like Im going to need 2 boards, one for flat windless lakes and one for the ocean. (a board for my every mood  )

I like the look of this board Jim Terrel is using here for flat water. http://quickbladepaddles.com/catalog/videopopup.html I would not like to try a board like this in the ocean.

Thanks for the Fish / Swede form thoughts. I rekon for me, a wide point further back on an ocean board could make it surf easier. I think I'll try a rocker scaled up from a traditional longboard/SUP with some more kick in the nose should do it.
Im also gonna have to figure out how to install an anti shark device  in this thing too. The area where I would like to use it is the biggest breeding ground for great white sharks in the southern hemisphere

-Pierre.

[byrondesign]

That's an awesome video Pierre, lots of good info. It showed a few different styles of SUPS. The Lt Blue one is a good one to study when you're thinking about making a flatwater racer. I'm still experimenting with deck design, but I've got the rocker and bottom pretty dialed for now.

And when you're paddling around Cape Town, just stay on your feet the whole time. If the Great Whites want a piece of you, make 'em have to jump for you!

Byron

[Good Clean Fun]

The chines especially. I've been talking with a shaper up here about attempting something similar, but I personally have no desire to get in a shaping room myself ever again. (After 20 years as a carpenter I'm simply over working with my hands!)

I think you're on the right track...something that can haul a$$ but also handle the surface chop we get on the coast. Email me at matt@gcfsurf.com sometime.....I'd like to talk to you about getting one of those up here.

As a side note it's pretty sweet also to come into this new arena with so many from our old arena. But this has legs where kayaking only had cheeks!

~matt

[cape supper]

I see Jim uses boards by Joe Bark.

They look like this http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yK2iaoc52Xg/R_2Qr7D6RaI/AAAAAAAACoE/kwDfr1vgTE8/P1010035.jpg

I was doing some 13ft outlines on Akushaper last night. I think I might get something together. They will start doing flat water races here this summer. 

-Pierre.