Concave deck

[oeste858]

I know this design idea has been around for a long time. But after a few sessions on my first board with a concave deck, I'm kinda blown away at the effectiveness. Small sample size so far, but it almost feels like cheating, like I'm strapped into a snowboard. In some challenging conditions, I've yet to blow a turn or not stick a late drop. FWIW- I'm riding MrSteve's 5'6" Mandala Superchunk, which is like a hybrid HP minisim/quadfish. (crappy garage photo from the unboxing)
I guess I'm wondering why this isn't used on more boards? What's the down side?
Do I need to settle down?? LOL

 

[jkb]

Single concave deck never made much sense to me, but I'm not opposed to trying it. I hear people say you're closer to the water. What? Will I really feel being 1/4" closer to the water? That explanation never meshed with me.

Perhaps you're getting a little more leverage from your toe and heel pressure through turns?

I kind of like the idea of a double concave deck though. Giving your foot that arch support and kind of acting like a well worn board with established footwells. I imagine paddling might get a little weird if the double concave was pronounced enough.

 

[encladd]

I have a cassette deck from chemistry that i've yet to ride.

I noticed that the V on the bottom is pretty mellow. At first I was a bit puzzled and then realized that it has a double concave deck which I'm assuming adds to the concave equation, making the board rollover to the rail easier.

Shapers: do you have to mellow out the concave on the bottom to counteract the added concave on the deck, and/or vice versa? How does that relationship manifest while riding?

 

[Retropete]

Webber is all over the double concave deck just in case you haven't seen it.

Creature

Adam Robbo test driving the Creature Beau Edwards carving The Creature is a true “super high” performance shortboard to be created. The first being the Banana. But along with the amazin…

webbersurfboards.com

 

[sushipop]

I’ve got an Parmy that is a single to double deck. To jkb’s point, I like the positive feel going from toe to heel and back. It compliments the neutral bottom and round rails very well by rolling over on rail easily. The “double“ is in the tail and helps me feel where my foot is without a tail pad. Very positive, lively feel.

 

[oeste858]

Perhaps you're getting a little more leverage from your toe and heel pressure through turns?

I kind of like the idea of a double concave deck though. Giving your foot that arch support and kind of acting like a well worn board with established footwells. I imagine paddling might get a little weird if the double concave was pronounced enough.

Yeah, I think it's the feeling that your heel & toe have more leverage (as on a skateboard), like your foot can't go off either side (even if it's fairly subtle). I don't know how else to describe it than "locked in". I have a flat deck Rusty where the effect is practically unnoticeable compared to this board.
I've had old PU boards that have that inadvertent raised stringer from footwells when the foam either side of the stringer is worn down. It's not comfortable paddling, but I see your arch bar point when riding. Double concave could make sense at the tail since it wouldn't bother when paddling.

 

[racer1]

I have a couple concave decks and I love them. Feels like a little hug when you're paddling and yeah when I do turns or snaps, my foot brings the board right back under me. Also land more airs on concave decks. Feels like a skateboard to me. Mine are Stretch SK8 decks. Also pumping down the line feels like less effort, I kinda just flick my toe and heel a little bit to get up the face.

 

[oeste858]

this.
I could seeing being useful for guys doing more radical fins-free surfing and airs (not me). And why not big wave guns?

 

[Lowqi2]

had a few small wave boards with cc deck. I notice that the rails tend to be kinda bulky on these boards, which I don't care for.

 

[racer1]

had a few small wave boards with cc deck. I notice that the rails tend to be kinda bulky on these boards, which I don't care for.

The only person I've seen address this is Stretch. The apex of the rails are still super low, I think it's because he does the concave deck and then does the deck rails. If you do deck rails then you can make the actual rail any thickness you want.

 

[Aruka]

Mr. Stamps made me a double concave decked fish last year. It's a mellow concave but noticeable. The rails are not fat at all. I like it.

 

[oeste858]

The only person I've seen address this is Stretch. The apex of the rails are still super low, I think it's because he does the concave deck and then does the deck rails. If you do deck rails then you can make the actual rail any thickness you want.

Hmm. I think I've only seen them on Stretchs and Coils. So, what are the deck rails supposed to do?

 

[ChaseTMP]

My CI/Varial Neckbeard 2 has a double concave deck. I didn't/don't think it added/adds too much if anything performance-wise for me, just gave the worn-in footwell feeling quicker. My deck on my PU performance twin doesn't look too dissimilar in the front foot area than the NB2 after riding it 10+ times. My boards get really deep wells/pseudo arches under my front foot and the foam under my rear foot toe side always gets smooshed-in on the edge of the tailpads.

 

[csarqui]

The only downside for me on a Stretch Mr Buzz was that the concave deck constricted my breathing while paddling.

 

[TheEl]

Been riding one pretty exclusively for almost a year now and am really blown away. I agree it feels like cheating. Re-thinking my whole quiver at the moment.

 

[xmesa]

i dont like how it pushes the volume out to the rails ... makes the board feel weird and fat; but i think it's more of an aesthetic concern.

I actually ordered a custom SuperChunk from Manny and i think it was the first concave deck that he did... he thought it would be too fat for me and kept it for himself... He was super stoked on the concave deck last time i spoke with him. i've been meaning to get another one from him

 

[oeste858]

I can see the point about pushing volume out to rails. That could be an issue for some more HP outlines, but maybe lends itself to these short/stubby/fishy boards I like- that are slightly thicker anyway. Obviously, probably has to be a stringerless build too. Pleasantly surprised to hear the Varial CI NB2 had it. I wonder if it could be an option on some XTR stringerless customs? Guess it would depend on the shaper.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I haven't been a fan of the ones I've ridden due to the rail volume issue, or at least the perception

 

[GWS_2]

Depending upon the width of the board and where you put the rail shoulder/bevel you may wind up with a much bulkier rail than normal. It is possible to take it down very thin from that point, but it involves a kind of acute transition (hard to express this in words) that you don't see very often. And in a poly blank, that deck cut is going DEEP to get that out of there. Cutting a concave deck design out of a blank with a convex deck is a bit of a pain.

Chris Gallagher's G Deck is kind of what I was talking about re the acute transition. Last profile.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

My lil bud has been experimenting with some too.

Interesting looking stuff.