"hey bro, I came across your blog when a friend sent me a link about the Simmons inspired boards you have been shaping. I too have been doing these types of retro-craft for the last two years. I wanted to ask where you got your templates and dimensions from? I have looked at your boards and it seems from the pictures that you are very close to what the Swift guys are doing but you go longer. Why do you shape them out longer? Can you share your rail profiles at 12 inch increments? The other inspired boards I see have regular rails like you would find on any other board but I know they are supposed to be bladed? I have some templates and fin outlines to trade. Thanks, Marcus"
Thanks Marcus...
I am no where near the original shapes except for outline and rails, maybe the hull.
I don't think you can shape one of these and have it work without the hull/rail/outline being related. The design looks simple but its quite complicated to tie it all together and not end up with a so-so board.
There is one on Sways from Simone, it has everything but the rails and hull so is it really a Simmons inspired board or a fat tailed twin fin?
(see attached pic and link)
I go longer because I feel we need a bit more paddle from our boards here in Oregon. I would rather add some thickness and width/length than have a board that struggles while paddling.
Also, most surfers up here are older and surf with a bit of old school power so the length has very little effect while riding.
I am currently shaping a true mini at 5'8" but its a 'for sale' board rather than to ride it myself.
I think the design is fun because...it looks so unlike what most guys ride. Its a 'new' thing and some older guys are digging the return to the cruising/soul style of surf culture. I also love the way they feel under foot.
Everything old is new again.
I will send you my file on the rails/dims/outlines, send me some fin templates in trade.
Thanks, Tony
Here is the one on sways. Its a nice looking board but the rails are fat not bladed or even hard, there is no hull and the S deck isn't there.
Fantastic glass job though.
I would add that maybe this board is exactly what the rider wanted.
The outlines and dims I have all use a thinned tail/rail foil. No bigger than a dime at the apex. My last board, I thinned the tail even more after watching water pour over the frontside rail on my 6'4". The rail, when presented to the wave face after say a bottom turn, needs to 'fit' into the face with as little turbulence as possible.
Remember, Simmons whole objective was...
"To catch the wave before any one else, go faster and further than any one else!"
What he didn't know then was when the design is applied to shorter boards, all that speed is translated in to more turns using that speed.
Thats what I have found when surfing this design, I am going faster and using that speed to make sections and boldly go where that speed lets me.
Oh, they do great floaters too.
See ya.
Oh, if any one is after a 5'8" mini, let me know, I am choosing colors and tints in the next day or so....
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