Surfboard Buyers Guide
This section is designed to give you a brief introduction to surf boards, the elements of their shape and design, so that you can select the right board for you. This is a good place to start if your new to surfing or are looking to take your surfing to more progressive level.
Introduction to our range of surfboards
High Performance Shortboards
Our high performance shortboards range from 5' 4" to 6' 8". They all incorporate
similarities in areas such as concaves, rail shapes, foiling's, foam distribution
and fin set-ups. This allows the board to give you outstanding performance in
critical waves.
View the Performance board range
T4s - Quadfin Surfboards
The T4' which is a big crowd buster the ' T ' standing for TURBO this is a 'speed demon'. The T4's all come with a double wing and a choice of two different tail shapes which are; a small swallow, and Bat tail. All our T4's range from 5' 5'' to 7' 6'' but any requests are possible.
The T4 Quad Fin Surfboard, or Quattro, is a much faster board due to the fact that it has a very deep single concave running throughout the board with a double concave inside it, between the fins. It also has slightly more tail flick and nose flick, unlike fish boards, therefore allowing the board to have performance aspects i.e. bottom turning accuracy, re-entries, cutbacks, and floaters.
With the extra width in the tail the four fin set-up will give you the extra control in the suckier part or pocket of the wave, maintaining ultimate speed.
View the T4 range
The Soul Solution
Similar template to the Joel Tudor kool kamar again this is for the smooth style surfer
who is looking for glide with stylish effortless 70's surfing in mind, rolled v bottom
down rails for bite and control and subtle double concaves for down the line
projection. Single fin only sizes from 5'8" to 6'6".
View the Soul Solution
The Spooner
This board great for those style master surfers who want smooth transitions and loads of glide
in a shorter board, rolled v bottom single fin only sizes from 6'8" to 7'5".
View the Spooner
Quad Fish
This board is your quintessential fish, great for small to medium waves with loads of speed
for beating those flat sections. Subtle concaves and rocker. The fin set up makes this
board very stable through performance manouvers.
View the Quad Fish
Hybrid
Our hybrid surfboards range from 5' 4" to 7' 4". Theses incorporate
fuller plan shapes and more volume distribution, meaning the boards are proportionally
wider and thicker in certain areas compared to the high performance boards.
However they still incorporate aspects of the high performance boards such as
concaves and rail shapes, allowing the board to be more forgiving in smaller
less powerful conditions.
View the Hybrid board range
Retros or Twinfins
Our retro surfboards range from 5' 4" to 8' 0". They all incorporate
the original bottom curves of yester year but with the modern twist of today's
concaves, rail shapes and foilings, which make these board's react in a more
fluid style of surfing. The models that we create are the late 60's early 70's
single fin, 70's fish and 70's - 80's twin fin
View the Retro board range
Eggs
Our egg surfboards range from 6' 4" to 7' 4", they are a hybrid model and incorporate
the same characteristics as the hybrids however they have a fuller/wider nose
allowing stability and more paddle ability.
View the Egg board range
Guns
Our mid range guns range from 6' 4" to 7' 0" these are
the boards you need when the waves get a little more serious. They incorporate
a more narrow plan shape generally with pulled in tails and subtle changes in
bottom contours. This allows the board to be more controlled in the more powerful
and steeper waves, but still forgiving throughout turning.
Our serious gun shapes range from 7' 0" to 9' 6" these boards are
designed for seriously heavy waves, double overhead plus.
View the midrange/big wave board range
Performance Longboards
For the progressive performance type of surfer who's not particularly interested in styling to the nose
and stepping back into a sweeping drop knee turn. These are for powerful manouvers ans work in pretty much
any size wave. They are also available in a four fin for extra drive and speed.
View the longboard range
Traditional Longboards
Incorporating traditional style plan shapes, rockers and thicknesses. This is your cruise ship if you have
time on your hands. All come with Volan tint glass jobs polished to a high quality finish.
View the longboard range
Groms
Our grom boards range from 5' 0" to 6' 0"; these boards are
designed for the grom who is at a higher advanced level of surfing. They have
the same characteristics as the high performance boards but they are on a smaller
scale for the smaller surfer.
View the Groms board range
Tail Shapes
We use a selection of tail shapes throughout our range of boards, they are:
The Rounded Square Tail
The rounded square tail allows the board to snap and release easily throughout
turns whilst maintaining control.
The Swallow Tail
This tail also allows the board to snap and release similar to the square tail,
however it is more controllable than the square tail in the steeper areas of
the wave making the board feel a little stiffer and needing a little more pressure
with your rear leg to manoeuvre the board.
The Rounded Pintail
The pintail allows the board to be controllable throughout the very steep areas
of the wave and makes the board feel stiffer, needing more pressure with your
rear leg to manoeuvre the board to make it snap and release. It also allows
the board to be fluid through carving turns.
Tail shape can also differ depending on board widths. For example a wider
surface tail can tend to feel very lose an slide alot easier, and a more narrow
tail shape can make the board more controllable with less slide giving a stiffer
feel. On our hybrid boards which tend to be proportionally wider we compromise
the wider tail shape by having a winged swallow which pulls the tail in slightly
allowing the board to be more controllable throughout turns.
The Bat Tail and Half Moon
These tail shapes have similar carachteristics as the swallow tail with the
added visual effect and feel of stealth.
Fins
We offer a selection of fin set-ups for you, they are:
- FCS Fins
- LokBox Fins
- Futures Fins
- Glass on Fins
The following information is courtesy of FCS Fin Systems
Depth: The distance the fin penetrates into the water. It affects the hold and the control the fin has in a turn. The shorter the depth, the more slide a board will have. The longer the depth, the more hold, especially with center fins.
Base: The length of the fin where it meets the board. It affects the amount of drive the board will have. The more base, the more area the fin has to push against the water and therefore the more drive. The less base the shorter the turning arc.
Surface Area: The projected 2D area of a template measured in square millimetres. A larger surfer needs a larger fin area to provide enough hold. Less area generally loosens the board. By experimenting with fin area, a surfer can find the fin area that is large enough to hold onto the wave but loose enough to suit their style of surfing.
Sweep or Rake: The angle measured between the verticle line from the mid point on the base and the line that connects the mid point of the base to the highest point on the fin. Put simply, how much the fin's outline shape is curved backwards. The more sweep the longer the turning arc. The less sweep, the more pivotal the board will be.
Tip Flex: The amount a fin flexes from the straight position. Fins with little flex are more responsive and will have more speed and direct drive. Fins with flex are more forgiving and easier to use.
Also check out....
Future Fin Systems Lokbox Fins
