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Gary Sharp Danang
Never understood why you guys in UK and Europe make them so thin.? . they are planing surfaces.. the more area the faster.. been making plywood bellyboards since 1964.. always cut out of a 4' x2' 3/8th brunzeel marine ply..
2 July 2023
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 139945080/
You might try tucking that nose a bit further under your chest.. you will notice the difference
10 July 2023
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 989810080/
This one travelled a lot as check in baggage hence the stubby twin skegs.. the origin had a single fiberglass greenough fin
Much prefer swim fins for bellyboards.. especially barely floating ply.. more comfortable cruising and power when needed.. used to be able to buy rubber fin holders.. but have not seen those in decades so just cut the ends off a tight pair of socks and drag them down over the heels
Turner Ocean Craft
No I totally agree with you Gary
I’m definitely no expert of belly boards
but how I understand it isRoughly 4 foot by one foot is the optimum size for the maximum amount of boards you can get from one sheet of plywood
And somehow those dimensions have suck as the standard size
If you look at the much older English style belly boards
I’m talking coffin lids and planks
They are actually much larger
It’s really only when plywood was introduced that the size came down
again how I see it and understand it is more based on the boards from the bishop museum Anything under 5 foot is really concerned a Paipo
a belly board prone vehicle I also can’t believe that the more Hawaiian style belly board Paipo isn’t more popular here in the uk
In fact it completely baffles me
As you say a larger planning area would be way more efficient in smaller weaker surf
Gary Sharp Danang
heres a link to a video .. the boards are what we modeled our on in Northern Beaches Sydney in the 60s.. the guy at 3:10 is showing perfect style.. no hand holding and hanging over the nose.. note the finshttps://youtu.be/mAp48UqnizI
Phil Macey
nice video mate
Larry O'Brien
Brighton 1943, taking a break from the war.
Bill Wurts
When you say thin, I assume you mean narrow (width). Agreed. It’s all about planing surface and aspect ratio. Lindsay Lord’s work is still relevant today especially for bodyboards/belly boards (AR 0.4). https://etchellsfleet27.com/.../Naval-Architecture-of...
Ryan Burch’s Lord Board.
Burch riding his Lord Board. https://youtu.be/tpLuOB-T6Ls
Ryan burch G land
Steven Halpin
He could ride a door that bloke
Bill Wurts
The ride in the video is more bowman than arrow for sure. But there are limits to a door’s speed
Rod Rodgers
I extracted some relevant sections of Lord's book and posted here:
https://mypaipoboards.org/pubs/BookSummaries.shtml...
Of course, Lord focuses on a couple of dimensions of performance of a vessel traveling across the water. Riding waves adds several more performance dimensions. And different waves and riding styles equate to different board designs coming into play.
An Annotated Bibliography of the Paipo Board
Bill Wurts
Agreed. My latest experiments/builds use bottom rail chamfers to create a rectangular planing surface (AR ~ 0.4) combined with traditional curved rail outlines/templates — Lord hybrids. I have a copy of Lord’s book.
John Morris
I've only recently paid attention to what prone riders in the UK are using, but it's puzzling. If the goal is to take maximum advantage of what the ocean is offering, then, in my opinion, the design will need to include some features lacking in those thin, narrow, basically shapeless staves I see posted here. If the retro vibe is the main attraction, then enjoy.
Steven Halpin
I understand what you are saying. However, our bellyboards are part of our heritage here and have a different history.
For me, the difference between a wide board and a narrow board is the 'feeling'.
When I use paipos or bigger planing surfaces, it's much smoother yes, but the feeling is more akin to a bodyboard for me and your body is not as connected to the ocean. I kinda see the bellyboard as a elongated handplane of sorts, and really enjoy the sensation of feeling the ocean through my body. On a wider board where your body is on the board it feels way more disconnected. Its probably not a fast due to drag, for sure, but I enjoy the bellyboard more than any wide board that is skimming..
Turner Ocean Craft
Actually from what I have seen from footage and stuff
Narrow English style boards do seem to draw a cleaner line
The wide boards seem very bouncy
Steven Halpin
that's true. In the average conditions we have, I guess a bigger area does cause more bounce. I find the uk bellyboard style easier to adjust as I ride..I also find they provide plenty of speed in small weak waves.
Gary Sharp Danang
ok, interesting thoughts:)
Elijah Baley
Steven Halpin very nice wave. Is this a 30cm wide board ?
Steven Halpin
yes a standard 30cm board
Rod Rodgers
wider board suggest more speed and more lift which create the feel of bounce. Its all relative, too--can't compare a UK beach break small wave to riding Sunset on a good day.
Gary Sharp Danang
mmm a hot westerly blowing off Newport Beach (Sydney) a 6' swell with a steep fast curl... ahhh the memories..
Rod Rodgers
yes, on a powerful wave as you describe above, or like the Sunset Beach North Shore Oahu as shown in the video, I doubt one of the typical UK-style bellyboards would survive a single session (assuming one healthy wipeout!). But, maybe I am all wet on that thought!
Damian Coase
Steven Halpin you are surfing it well.
Love the passionate discussion around bellyboards and what works. All valid points and as long as everyone is having fun, all around the world in all sorts of different waves, that's all that matters. Great discussion
Harlan Fujioka
Steven Halpin Interesting way of thought.
Elijah Baley
I used to ride a wooden belly board, it was basicaly just a poplar plywood plank, no rocker, 40x120cm, parallel rails, rounded nose. Quite narrow but not as much as the british bellyboard (wich are 30cm).
It was a great wave catching machine, it was fast, even on small waves, and it had some flex so you could (kinda) "pump" to get speed. It didn't last unfortunately, the varnish was too light I guess or maybe I should have apply expoxy on it.
I made some attemps with wider boards, didn't like it, it felt like it was more complicated to use and it wasn't faster.
23 July 23
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 902745080/?
How about a fin close-up. Why are you hanging up the board?
Gary Sharp Danang
70 now and my 4th Flyer mat is easier on me
Bob Green
Thanks. I should add the fin photo to here: http://home.brisnet.com.au/~bgreen/bgpa ... html#north Any photos of you surfing the board?
Paipo - Belly boarding in Australasia
Gary Sharp Danang
no worries
31 July 2023
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Gary Sharp Danang
My first plywood bellyboard lasted from 1964 to 1994 when it was stolen.. my current pbb was made in 1994 and still going strong'
23 August 2023
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Gary Sharp Danang
The thin plywood rails on ply bellyboard are what dig into the face of a wave and hold me on the face... the fins are almost meaningless
12 September 2023
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- Sharp212Sep23.jpg (28.62 KiB) Viewed 383 times
I made my first plywood bellyboard in 1964 with dual fins and still have it.
Gary Sharp Danang
good one.. longevity.. bangs for buck
same 1964 to 1994 when stolen,, then 1994 till now for me.. first one cost about £20.. second about $100..Stephen Newbegin
My first one did not cost anything to me since I had no money and was a kid. A silver dollar was worth a dollar so my Dad probably paid $10 for a sheet of plywood that I got the left over piece from. He was a Sea Captain so the Spar Varnish was basically free benefit from his employer.
Harlan Fujioka
Either you have a good template to build off or experimenting is fun
John Morris
How do you treat the edge to stay waterproof over the long haul? Ever wish for a little more flotation?
Brett Blackler
I used marine varnish on my paipo’ s edges, keeps it watertight. Also, bought some foam from the hardware store and stuck it to the deck. It floats a bit better and is kinder on the ribs.
Bob Green
what sort of foam and glue?
Rob Beling
I simply oil mine with Danish oil and use Marine grade plywood. If there are flaws in the plywood I fill them with epoxy. I actually prefer to be IN the Ocean and let her support my body. Of course in the UK I mostly wear a wetsuit which gives extra buoyancy. The speed and sensation of skimming and being so close to the water is what makes plywood so special for me. Also the rail can also behave like a fin.
Brett Blackler
Bob Green ok mate. From Bunnings get a roll of foam with the sticky backing, then a can of Sika spray glue. It works a treat.
Bob Green
Brett Blackler any particular type of foam?
Brett Blackler
can’t remember what it’s called, just in a 5metre roll
Gary Clist
Easy to make one yourself with basic tools
John Mandybur
Good for presenting a cheese platter.
Larry O'Brien
Plywood bellyboards some of those same advantages with the timber bellyboards, but maybe flex is something that plywood can do better, if you want flex. Both kinds of wood boards have a lot of teachable moments for young people and even older people that never learned woodworking and finishing.
Elijah Baley
#Works great finless, as the thin rails act as fins
#Great feeling of beeing sort of part of the wave
Dave Booth
Cheap as chips..and endless design possibilities..Loads if different finishes too..I’m doing one with a glitter coating..
Graham Butcher
Mini paipo fits in my suitcase for foreign travel
16 December 2023
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 838990080/
Why the farewell?
Gary Sharp Danang
Cleaning out my apartment for rental and traveling the world
Jay Bayliss
the fins!!!
Steven Halpin
Jay Bayliss similar to my board you saw
Bob Green
So what did you do with the board if there was no pyre?
Gary Sharp Danang
gave it to the cleaners
Bob Green
So it still lives.
Gary Sharp Danang
yes guess so... not sure they are taking it to the water though.. might be a coffee table:)
Bob Green
I wondered what it might end up being repurposed for.
Ian Anderson
coffee table?
Bob Green
will have to go back in six months and do soem detective work.
6 January 2024
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 207270080/
Gary Sharp Danang
I gotta say I rode my ply bellyboard for over 40 years and never got hit by it... maybe I was lucky but as they barely float my normal practice if I saw a crunch coming was to push is hard away from me.. usually under my body.. it would ultimately pop up thru the foam 3 or 4 metres away like a submarine surfacing and was quick to retrieve.. it was painted bright yellow.. that helped too