You're Going to Need Tools

First, the mental tools (you can add some of your own).

1. Curiosity
2. Understanding the energy of a wave
3. Some basic elements of surfboard design;

• floatation and volume
• flex and rigidity
• dynamics of rail curves (how they pull and release water)
• bottom curves; roll vs concave
• fin placement and design vs no fin at all

Japan’s On The Board magazine story circa 2003

Lesson 1 - Curiosity

Spoon under the faucet

I was interviewing master shaper, Kahuna, Skip Frye when he said, “All you need to know about surfboard design can be learned from a spoon under a faucet. One side creates suction and the other release.”

Skip is right.

So right now, let’s see what he is talking about. Grab a spoon and walk to the sink. Holding the spoon from the tip of the handle, place the back side of the spoon under the running water. See the bottom of the spoon pull itself into the stream of water, and hold there. Notice how the curve pulls itself into the water. Next, flip the spoon over and notice how the front of the spoon wants to push away from the stream. Done! You have come a long way already.

Now imagine, with a new curiosity, how the same curves effect the water over your own board. To do this, you are going to have to go surf now!

Find out more about Tom Wegener here