My New Wood Paipo Board

[jbw4600]

I finished my new board awhile ago. And I have ridden it twice. 20.5 x 51.5 x 1 5/8. It is wild a ride. Today was the time out with rideable waves. The first day was very choppy. I started to get the hang of it today. I took a couple steep drops. (note stringers are symetrical so it looks uneven, but it isn't)

[nomastomas]

Nice job, JB!! What kind of wood and what did you use to finish it? How much does it weigh? Did you do just an up-rail shape in the nose and down-rail in the tail, or is the nose rail more 50/50? How well does the board turn given its flatness? I found a source for 2"x24"x86" polyurethane sheet foam that I think might make a great core for a belly board. Just wondering how flat I can go without loosing too much turning. Trying to find a way to lower production cost in a sandwich construction board. Beginning to think that wood may be the better alternative for paipos/BBs in a cost-to-performance sort of way. -tp

[jbw4600]

It is Paulownia wood. The nose rocker is about 3/4" and the tail is about 3/8". The nose rails are 50/50 going pretty sharp about 1/3 of the way back. I have only had it out twice. The first time was very choppy. The second time was better but pretty steep and then started to close out. So I can't really tell how it turns. It seems very responsive. The lack of rocker is pretty difficult. I perled or nose dived several times. I think you need more rocker at this type of steep break. It think it would be great on a good wave. It is a lot different than the floaty board you made me. I love the duck diving capability, but it doesn't paddle very well. It is kind of an experiment to see what a really thin board is like. Now I want to try different thickness between this board and my TBelly board. I might try it out at Ocean Beach this weekend. The waves aren't as steep there. Also I want try smaller fins and no fins.

[krusher74]

I love the look of it, very nice. I surfed ocean beach for the first time this winter on my paipo, great fun, but horrible paddle, was double over.


to stop pearling you need to have your weight on the back inside corner as you drop. fin-less might actually make that easier.