Fickle sweet spot

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,123
10,244
113
33.8N - 118.4W
Wonder if the erbb brain trust can answer this question- what makes a board have a fickle sweet spot? I've been riding my diamond tail twinzer and sometimes it just goes. Other times, if my feet aren't in the right spot, it's a dog. Even more fickle backside. I've had other boards that were like this. Instead, I have other boards that are very forgiving of where I stand. Obviously, I prefer the forgiving boards. More preductable.

Anyone experience this and have any insight about what might cause this? Also any favorite board models that were just super forgiving?
 
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Swallow Tail

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 6, 2017
1,679
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Your Mom’s House
Boards with well balanced curves, and nothing too drastic = a board that isn’t finicky or bitchy. There’s no one “thing” - can be any number of different culprits: foil, fin placement, rocker, rails, aggressive or abrupt bottom contours etc - one or a combo of some.

Any aspect that’s overdone - or out of balance -even if it looks “subtle” - can lead to a bitchy board.
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
11,534
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54
How many fins
Fin placement
I have never ridden a twinzer but twin I have and if you do not step on fin cluster back foot (behind) slippery soap bar specially back side. For this I have installed pads on both my twins:cheers:
 
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frontsidegrab

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 4, 2014
1,427
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Knowing zero details about your specific board, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's likely the width of your stance. Get further back and narrow your stance. I know you're not asking how to ride that board but whatevs.
 
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One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,123
10,244
113
33.8N - 118.4W
Honest question: what exactly do you mean and what are you basing that information on?
Honest question: what exactly do you mean and what are you basing that information on?
Here's the board in question-

In the shaping room-

I've come to think it's just the width, wide tail and the tail thickness.21" wide , 15-1/2" (diamond...Griffin warnded me) tail. I only weigh 165 so this is a ton of foam (but cut me a little slack - I'm 60 and getting over a back injury). Especially backside sometimes I'd take off and just not be able to set my inside rail with any power, so I just limp down the line because the beach breaks just don't give you time to adjust. Frontside occasionally the same feeling. Other times , with feet in the right spot, the thing flies and carves. But I kind of never know what to expect and that feeling does not inspire confidence.

Today I rode another, trusty old 2+1 today and I almost never f- up on that board, always a feeling of control. I feel like a competent surfer.14-1/2" tail 20-5/8".
 
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