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New summer Groveler

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 1:01 pm
by krusher74
I have been using my standard paipo in good waves and my old faithful "the log" BZ retro bodyboard in small, flat or crowded waves. So I thought it was time to experiment and try to replace the summer bodyboard groveler with a paipo.

Already having a CNC cut file for standard performance paipo I asked Tomas (who modeled my original board so it could be reproduced) the make a few alterations to the file.
I'm 5.10 175lbs and my performance board is 44" 25.5L

I've gone up 1.5" length, widened the board 1" and increased thickness by 1/8" and ended up with a board with a slight amount more planning area and at 30L 17.5% more volume.

It does not really compare but a 165lb pro would have the buoyancy of my performance board and a 190lbs pro would have the volume in my new board. It does soom in general on a prone board you can get away with less volume than needed to catch a wave and stand up.

I have a couple more design changes which I will discuss once finished shaped

So here are pics of the PU US blanks blank I had cut.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 8:07 pm
by nomastomas
Looking forward to seeing the finished shape!

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 6:43 pm
by krusher74
I managed to get in the shaping room today to finish off the new board :D

The two changes I have made from my standard board are instead of a full swallow I have gone to a clipped swallow? :? my thinking is in stand up surfboard terms the one side of a swallow tail is like a pintail, and this tail I have done is more like a square tail, the idea is to have a wider tail to get less drag on the smaller waves the boards for. (I see the back of my boards are two tail as it so wide you're working off one side or the other depending on what rail you're on.)

I have also found when I have a bodyboard with more volume I struggle to sink the rail and get god hold or turning ability, so here I have added a small channel to either side to hopefully get a bit more grip (this is the same as bodyboards have.

Here are some picture and they speak better than my words, I have edited them with extra contrast to show the curves off better.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Mon May 13, 2019 10:09 pm
by nomastomas
I like the bottom concave...very Lindsay Lorde/Bob Simmons. Nice transition from down rail in back to up rail in nose. Not easy to do with such a short distance. I'm interested to hear how the grooves in the tail affect control, assuming that's their purpose.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 5:06 am
by krusher74
so this arrived in the post today from good old china, I had been searching around on the interwebs for EVA foam pads to stick to my newest paipo and found this "teak" boat decking. I don't like to much texture grip as I like to slide front to back on the board for accelerating, stalling and doing 360's

The groves are a bit deeper than I would have liked but it was less than $40 (including postage) for a piece nearly 24" wide by 7.5ft long, plenty to do two boards,

if you in California Toobz bodyboards in morro bay also have EVA offcuts from building rescue sleds than will make one deck pad for $20. (call them)

there is a lot of os stuff out there in the China websites interesting to see what's available

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale- ... k-pad.html

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 4:12 pm
by belly rider
Wow look at that Premier motorcycle helmet holding that new pad down
The helmet comes right from my neck of the woods-- they are the best
Lightest and you should try their Dyneema fiber products as well
\Congrats for the pad and the helmet

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 2:29 pm
by krusher74
Getting glassed, it's nearly done. 8-)

UV cure Poly

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 5:38 pm
by bgreen
I look forward to seeing more photos.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 4:22 am
by krusher74
Picked the new board up from the Glasser yesterday and got the deck pad put on. Here are pics for comparison to my performance board.

The same base design is there the groveler is just bigger 1.5" and 5L volume, has a different tail and a couple of extra channels.

I asked for the fin plug in the same place as I usually have it, But sometimes people decide they know better and move/change things :? As i had driven 35 miles to go pick it up now was not the time to turn for home without it, I will try it as is but expect to have to take it back and get the plug moved.

Surf forcast is looking very poor (as it does with the curse of a new board) so don't know when I will get to try it out :(

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:22 am
by CHRISPI
How much does it weigh?

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:40 pm
by kage
I get that it's irritating to not get the plug where you want it, but what will be the effect - one place or the other?

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:00 pm
by krusher74
kage wrote: Sun Jun 16, 2019 2:40 pm I get that it's irritating to not get the plug where you want it, but what will be the effect - one place or the other?

5 things!! :o

1, in the normal location I have the plug (10" from nose) the bicep coil bodyboard leash I use sits nicely on top of the board out of the way while riding.

2, while arm paddling, the leash is now whipped around more by the arm movement than where I normally have it

3. The leash can now get over the edge of the rail easier and get pulled under/stuck while riding.

4. I can actually touch it at times when holding the front of the board (gets in the way)

5. when losing the board it now whips round to facing away from you much harder and wants to drag more making it more difficult to get back.

It's amazing but this location is so much worse than my normal location :(

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:10 pm
by krusher74
CHRISPI wrote: Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:22 am How much does it weigh?
I had no idea so I weighted a few for you.

Groveler 6lbs
performance board 5.5lbs
bodyboard 3.5lbs.

So my bodyboard is nearly half the weight and I feel there is no discernable riding difference due to weight between them all.

What are your thought on board weight and its effects?

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 8:51 pm
by nomastomas
Lighter is better from a "feel" perspective. My 5lb G5 "feels" like riding nothing.
Leash belongs on the right rear corner attached to your ankle :D

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 4:18 am
by krusher74
nomastomas wrote: Sun Jun 16, 2019 8:51 pm Lighter is better from a "feel" perspective. My 5lb G5 "feels" like riding nothing.
Leash belongs on the right rear corner attached to your ankle :D
Don't get me started on what a heinous addiction a leg-rope is to a paipo!! :o

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 6:32 am
by bgreen
My new board (as yet not ridden) is more like 7-8 lbs. They have heavier glass jobs for travelling and I don't find it slows the board (perhaps other than in small weak waves). They possibly sit more in the wave face.

I tried a leash on the leg, too much board flapping around and longer to regain position on the board. Having said that, you shouldn't get hit in the head using a leash on your leg.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:06 pm
by nomastomas
I use an ultralight 5ft "grom" leash and have never found "board flapping" to be a problem. And, yes, I do enjoy knowing that the hard shell and sharp-edged fins are far from my head/face when the ocean decides to rip the board out of my hands.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 5:05 pm
by krusher74
I have now ridden the board twice in small beach break conditions.

Interestingly on the first wave, i felt a lot of turbulence from the new channel at the back corner and thought oh no have a got this all wrong, but that feeling seemed to soon be unnoticeable.

The extra volume up to 30L is certainly noticeable but feel good and not too much, and certainly makes catching weak waves as easy as in my summer groveler bodyboard, I paddled for a few I thought I was going to miss and easily caught them.

One thing i always struggle with on a new board is the new deck pads, its very sticky for the first few uses. As I try to move around on the board i get stuck, this makes the board feel unresponsive, but it just the fact that my weight is on the board wrong.

So I will leave the report there for now as i think the "new factor" is still having to much influence,

The extra volume it certainly doing it job though.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:11 am
by CHRISPI
I think a lot of people don’t see the overall picture. The overall weight has to include the rider. The board weight as a percentage of the total riding package can’t be that significant, except when doing unloaded airs, where getting it back under the rider is important. I think science says more weight has more potential and stored energy but taking more energy and drag to change direction than a lighter rider board package. The board weight as a performance issue would be almost impossible to measure.

Re: New summer Groveler

Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:28 pm
by nomastomas
YES...exactly