Kneeboard Design

[GWS]

Since there are a couple of KB threads over on the dark side, I thought this was maybe appropriate.

I've noticed guys riding longer KBs than they used to. Like a 200 pound guy on a 5'11" X 23.5 X 2.75? I could easily standup surf those dimensions. I've seen some recommendations for a guy that size running up to 6'2"?

Concave deck? Flat deck? No? What kind of pad and how thick? Where do you get your pad?

Foil/thickness flow. If I look like at the pad placement, it looks like maybe the thickest part of the board is pulled back? So instead of putting rocker apex, wide point and thickest point in the same place, move the thickest point back and thicken tail block/numbers at 12" and 24" from tail? Or is that weight back thing a misconception of mine? Depend on style of riding? Some guys seem to go up vertical/full height on their knees while the older school guys are maybe more hunched over (weight forward) with one hand on a rail.

Fins. It looks like everyone moves the cluster forward? Mostly all quads? How far up do you move the cluster? Bonzer? I know Malcolm has made a few. Hell, I cut a few for a number of shapers.

Does everybody use swim fins? I've seen a few guys without. No leashes still. I don't see handles out on the rails either.

A few days ago, after beating myself up for a few hours on a 6' I ran into utterly empty 6' tp 8' thumping tubes at a certain isolated beachy. A few looky-Lous but no takers. At my age what starts going when I'm tired is precision in nailing my foot position on a late takeoff. I'm usually not blowing the takeoff, but going into that first turn with my feet slightly out of position on a critical BB wave can be a deal breaker. That's what gets everybody. I'm probably hitting a 10% plus error factor now, and talking with older guys, it ain't going to get any better. I don't want to longboard. I don't want to SUP. I would rather cripple it on my knees and be pulling into tubes when I get into my 70's. (I ran into a guy a few weeks back that was 72 and surfing really well on an SUP. Shoulders gone, can't paddle anymore). Anyway, longer boards throw off whats left of my shortboard skills. Seems like knee boarding would be such a complete departure there would be no transitional problems plus the boards are close to some of the stuff I'm currently standup surfing.

So many questions, so little time. I'll hit up a few shapers and gather some thoughts. I just may make a KB as a supplement and to learn a new skill while I still can. Its got to beat the hell out of surfing Old Mans on an SUP when your in your last few years.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

It’s better to burn out than to fade away.....

 

[GWS]

It’s better to burn out than to fade away.....

You'll notice the guy who wrote those lyrics opted to fade away.

Talk is cheap from the shallow end of the pool.



If I can pull into tubes on my knees while my most of my peers are in rest homes, sign me up. With any luck I won't live long enough to hit the dementia and Depends stage. Fvck the golden years.

 

[Woke AF]

I feel ya man. But the thing w/ kneeboards is you never get off your knees :frown2: and if you can't lean into a full bottom turn with your entire body pushing as hard as you can -fuk surfing. Gardening.

 

[Fredtool]

Can’t give you much information on design. I bought an older Keel Fin fish shaped by Stu Kenson.
My back will go out now and again I can’t pop up on some days add to that I have a a bone- spur in my shoulders. On days when the 67 year old body isn’t responding. I use the kneeboard. I get a lot of crazy looks. It’s fun keeps me surfing and stoked . Yes I Longboard. I also have a SUP. Anything to keep me on the water.
The Kenson is 22” wide 5’10” thinking of building a wider 23” wide. Maybe 6’ long fish
Looking for design info I would check out some of Kneeboard surfing sights on Face Book. Most are from Australia. Seems like they never forgot Greenough down there.

 

[tsenn]

I like a 5'8 to 6' board...quad fin with regular fin placements. You'll notice the Aussie boards have those way forward fin placements for waggling around...just get a 5'10 quadfin, drop in, bottom turn, get barelled and get out...fwiw, I have a Mitsven with a Pendo'd deck...

 

[GWS]

I feel ya man. But the thing w/ kneeboards is you never get off your knees :frown2: and if you can't lean into a full bottom turn with your entire body pushing as hard as you can -fuk surfing. Gardening.

I'm still all good with that. I'm blowing maybe 10% of my late takeoffs now, which never used to be the case, but whatever. Maybe if I drop another 10- 15 pounds I can make that go away for a few more years.

I suppose belly boards are the final frontier as you head towards that big wave pool in the sky.

I knew a now dead North Shore pioneer of note that surfed almost until the end on big bellyboards with handles.

Which admittedly doesn't sound that great, but I'm guessing it beats the snot out of gardening and shitting in your Depends?

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

 

[SlicedFeet]

It’s time for you to get one GWS.

I have one of your old eps shortboards so I think I know what might work for you.

You want a 6’0 (or 5’10) quad 23 to 23 1/2 and 2 5/8 thick. The reason I say quad is for barrels you can point and go instead of learning how to get those first few pumps in.

Get your first board from a kneeboard shaper. Blast, SD, Romanowsky, Barry Snyder and there’s a bunch of others. The Australian shapers know their sh!t. The fins must be more forward if you eventually want to turn or hit lips, which is my favorite part these days. Fins in the rear, while effective will really hold you back. Get a modern kneeboard.

My 6’2 has alot of nose rocker, Over 5” so it paddles like a 5’6 I feel at times. Fins are a must when competing in a line up. Vipers or duckfeeet or what ever. The Aussie’s don’t use them cause I think they are in better shape and better waves.

Covepad.com makes the best kneeboard pads. They are around $80-$90. Also a must.

Don’t worry about style, just do it, you’ll figure it out. I always tell people to always put your hand on the outside rail when first learning and do lean forward.

I hate kneeboarding in mush, it’s just hard for me but others rip in all conditions.

The better kneeboarders might have some different thoughts, go with what they say.

Trying to find used kneeboards from the real kneeboard shapers is tough. We hoard them.

Let’s get GWS a 6’0.

 

[GWS]

I like a 5'8 to 6' board...quad fin with regular fin placements. You'll notice the Aussie boards have those way forward fin placements for waggling around...just get a 5'10 quadfin, drop in, bottom turn, get barelled and get out...fwiw, I have a Mitsven with a Pendo'd deck...

I watch video of the guys with the fin cluster way forward and it looks lame to me. I'm sure they're having fun, but I'm more interested in the other approach.

 

[GWS]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Woke AF]

I feel ya man. But the thing w/ kneeboards is you never get off your knees :frown2: and if you can't lean into a full bottom turn with your entire body pushing as hard as you can -fuk surfing. Gardening.

I'm still all good with that. I'm blowing maybe 10% of my late takeoffs now, which never used to be the case, but whatever. Maybe if I drop another 10- 15 pounds I can make that go away for a few more years.

I suppose belly boards are the final frontier as you head towards that big wave pool in the sky.

I knew a now dead North Shore pioneer of note that surfed almost until the end on big bellyboards with handles.

Which admittedly doesn't sound that great, but I'm guessing it beats the snot out of gardening and shitting in your Depends?

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

10% failure rate you seriously need to get off the Chuck Norris superstar self evaluation grading scale. We are all just becoming the kooks we once were. I think it was really fun back then not so much now. Why so?
Some of us are more advanced at this than others. Back of the line gramps.

 

[GWS]

I know. My ego, believe it or not, has an issue with falling inexplicably on takeoff. I find it humiliating. And I realize that is kind of pathetic. My kid gives me sh!t about this as well. But the writing is on the wall. I see it coming. I talk to guys that were my childhood heros and they all concur that it just gets worse from here. Sucks to get old.

 

[kidfury]

Getting older. Medium waves seem bigger. Slower waves seem faster.

 

[tsenn]

http://www.tigersurfshop.com.tw/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Rex-Huffman-1024x590.jpg
Not sure how to post pics...

 

[GWS]

It’s time for you to get one GWS.

I have one of your old eps shortboards so I think I know what might work for you.

You want a 6’0 (or 5’10) quad 23 to 23 1/2 and 2 5/8 thick. The reason I say quad is for barrels you can point and go instead of learning how to get those first few pumps in.

Get your first board from a kneeboard shaper. Blast, SD, Romanowsky, Barry Snyder and there’s a bunch of others. The Australian shapers know their sh!t. The fins must be more forward if you eventually want to turn or hit lips, which is my favorite part these days. Fins in the rear, while effective will really hold you back. Get a modern kneeboard.

My 6’2 has alot of nose rocker, Over 5” so it paddles like a 5’6 I feel at times. Fins are a must when competing in a line up. Vipers or duckfeeet or what ever. The Aussie’s don’t use them cause I think they are in better shape and better waves.

Covepad.com makes the best kneeboard pads. They are around $80-$90. Also a must.

Don’t worry about style, just do it, you’ll figure it out. I always tell people to always put your hand on the outside rail when first learning and do lean forward.

I hate kneeboarding in mush, it’s just hard for me but others rip in all conditions.

The better kneeboarders might have some different thoughts, go with what they say.

Trying to find used kneeboards from the real kneeboard shapers is tough. We hoard them.

Let’s get GWS a 6’0.

Do you use swim fins on a 60?

 

[ocean7847]

Wish I still had a few of the old kneeboards I picked up during my 1-2 year recovery from foot surgery - they'd've worked for you, GWS. listen to SlicedFeet on this point.

kneeboarding definitely changes your approach to barrel-riding, IMHO. for the better.

i sold those a while ago but i can see myself picking up another in the future, when father time comes calling. i think i've got a few more years of kookin' out on a shortboard left in my yet.

swim fins aren't necessary, except when they are... and they they are. if that makes sense? in other words, modern kneeboards are about the volume you could stand-up on em, paddle in, etc. without fins. but if its ledging... well, no reason to handicap yourself, right?

FWIW I saw a younger guy (20's, maybe early 30s) killing it on a kneeboard out north of town earlier this week. i wanted to chat him up about what shaper he was riding but we kept passing each other on waves and never sat on the peak together.

 

[Lance Mannion]

Here's what David Parkes is putting together for me (6'0" 200lbs) now, this is a copy/paste from him:

5’10” x 23 1/2” x 2 3/4” but refined.
All rounder.
4 fin Rounded square tail.
performance rocker with single to double concave.
Futures boxes
Standard fins x 4 to suit
5 6/4 glassing
Protec finish


Step up mid to bigger waves board
6’2” x 23 “ 2 3/4”
Area pin tri fin outline (with 5 fin locations)
Very slight concave ( centred) with subtle vee incorporated
5 x Futures fin boxes
2 x large side fins with carbon reinforced bases
1 x centre fin standard
6 6/6 glassing strong
protec finish

 

[Ifallalot]

I've always been interested in becoming a cripple

If you start experimenting with shapes I'll buy one. I'm smaller than you though

 

[SlicedFeet]

Yep, I always wear swim fins. Even though the board is 6’0, the rocker and apex in the front make the board paddle slow compared to a regular surfboard. I’m the slowest one out there paddeling back out especially in reef setups. I have gone without but then I’ have to sit inside of the shortboarders and right smack in the middle of them. Without anyone in the line up, it’s doable but still not really worth it because I’m so used to using them to dart to different parts to get in a good postion. The swim fins do provide quick fast thrust with added paddeling. Just hard to sustain. With beach breaks everything is evened out more.

It’s also fun giving a few kicks of the swim fin when duck diving.

But to really answer your question, it is not worth it to surf a kneeboard. Two different “events.”

 

[SlicedFeet]

Wow, Charming, rad, please post up pics of the bottoms when you get them. :rockin: