Just want to say I think your charts are way more realistic than some of the others. When visiting a lot of other surfboard volume to weight ratios. They recommend a much lower volume. For example, a beginner 80kg surfer is recommended a 50-52 liter surfboard compared to the 80 liter the surf simple chart says. Thanks for all the wonderful information, it has really helped me progress and have more fun on the water!
Hi - A question about board volume and paddling. There must be some magically threshold when the board volume decreases below this point, wave catching is less about volume paddling and more about position relative to wave breaking. At what volume, does decreasing buoyancy modify this? It seems that a some volume, it might be better to actually have less volume because paddling isn't significantly better and an increased understanding of waves (smaller zone for wave catching) and position are more important. The extra volume could be hindrance. It is interesting to me that surfing ability (beg, beg-int, int, int-adv, adv), the volume is dramatic across skill level. The differences in volume between a beginner and intermediate is nearly 50%. Yet the volume change amongst a particular skill level between 86 Kg person and 76 kg person is 6%. With respect to horizontal distances to wave catching, when does the lower volume provide diminished returns relative to positioning? You can only paddle so fast regardless of the board once is partially submerged - correct? I am assuming it is hidden in these calculation. What's missing is a quantitive output? For example, with a 100L board you can catch a non breaking wave. With a 60L, you can be 5 meters away from the breaking wave. With 50 L, you can be 3 meters away. With 45L, you need to be 2 meters away. With 40 L you need to be 1 meter away. This gives me a quantity that lets me evaluate. I imagine this is exponential with decreasing volume. This is implied in the volume calculations, but when is the point of diminished returns. Any thoughts on an equation to describe this? When does board length modify the equation? Longer lower volume board is equal to shorter higher volume board. Another topic question.... Wave phase speed - using the simple sqrt(gravity * water depth) - if the goal is to reach the phase speed of the wave, than bigger waves break farther offshore and require a faster speed than smaller waves. Any thoughts on this?
Thank you for another great episode! Question: quivers! How many different type of boards do you think a beginner / intermediate / advanced should have? What good would do to switch between boards in the same condition? (i.e. using shortboards when it’s small, funboards when it’s pumping)
Talking about forecasts, what are the factors you take in count for a surfspot to be working? For example does de swell has always to be perpendicular to the shore? How to decide if it's gonna be better working at high or low tides? Etc thanks 🙏
Hi, love your channel and learn a lot from it. I have a question regarding board weight. You mentioned few episodes back that the board weight won't change much in paddability and overall buoyancy, but given the same model and dims won't a heavier board will be harder to maneuver (more push power from the legs will be needed)? so, will maneuvering with a lighter board will be easier ? Another question of board weight is about retro boards; I sometimes read about the added down the line speed of heavily glassed retro boards. Is there a real explanation for it or is it just a marketing thing? Cheers!
Great series, keep it up! Question: One of my local spots generally has better waves an incoming tide, and wave quality seems to drop off once the tide starts dropping. Can you clarify why that might be?
reactionary17 there’s actually an article published by nature disputing this; search “How tides affect breaking waves”. They proved that wave energy was higher during incoming tides
Dang it. You skipped over level 2. I'm guessing it is learning to pump, starting to turn on the waves. That's where I am. Currently on a 7'6 NSP E2. I tried a 6'6 JOB foamy & did well during my last lesson. I am 5'2, 123lbs. I haven't surfed all summer because here in south Florida our waves are flat, as in 0-1ft, during this time of year. Mid September it will start getting better. I am currently riding about waist-some smaller chest high waves. What should I be looking for? According to the charts I have researched, I'm thinking around 6'2 34L, swallowtail fish. Is that too small & too big of a jump from my NSP? Thoughts & advice welcome &appreciated.
Hi Jaime, I would advise staying on a bigger board for as long as possible until the board becomes the limiting factor. Progression can slow down when trying to learn new skills on a smaller board where we lose the chance of a high repetition rate and having surplus stability and speed always allows us more opportunity to practice maneuvers. Having said that, the board that motivates you to go out and practice is always the best board to be on!
Hey dude, your volume-to-weight calculator seems ludicrously conservative. According to your calculator, I wouldn't be able to ride the board I currently ride until I'm 'Level 4', doing aerial rotations (68kg riding 33.9L hybrid fish), which is just insane. To give a more universally understandable example of just how conservative your calculator is, you currently have Filipe Toledo down as 'Non-functional' on his board, which I'm sure he'd find hilarious... I reckon your whole algorithm is about 10kg out of whack based on my own surfing, and that of my friends.
According to Sharp Eye Filipe Toledo is 63kg and rides a 25L board, which is a ratio of 39% and actually puts him on the border of L4 and Pro on our chart. www.sharpeyesurfboards.com/team/filipe-toledo
Remember that this chart does not show the size of board you should ride. It shows the minimum volume we would recommend for learning a specific skill. There is no harm in riding bigger or smaller boards if it puts a smile on your face, but progression through the different skill sets will be slower if the board is below the recommended size, which may eventually take some of the fun away.
Just want to say I think your charts are way more realistic than some of the others. When visiting a lot of other surfboard volume to weight ratios. They recommend a much lower volume. For example, a beginner 80kg surfer is recommended a 50-52 liter surfboard compared to the 80 liter the surf simple chart says. Thanks for all the wonderful information, it has really helped me progress and have more fun on the water!
Hi - A question about board volume and paddling. There must be some magically threshold when the board volume decreases below this point, wave catching is less about volume paddling and more about position relative to wave breaking. At what volume, does decreasing buoyancy modify this? It seems that a some volume, it might be better to actually have less volume because paddling isn't significantly better and an increased understanding of waves (smaller zone for wave catching) and position are more important. The extra volume could be hindrance. It is interesting to me that surfing ability (beg, beg-int, int, int-adv, adv), the volume is dramatic across skill level. The differences in volume between a beginner and intermediate is nearly 50%. Yet the volume change amongst a particular skill level between 86 Kg person and 76 kg person is 6%.
With respect to horizontal distances to wave catching, when does the lower volume provide diminished returns relative to positioning? You can only paddle so fast regardless of the board once is partially submerged - correct? I am assuming it is hidden in these calculation.
What's missing is a quantitive output? For example, with a 100L board you can catch a non breaking wave. With a 60L, you can be 5 meters away from the breaking wave. With 50 L, you can be 3 meters away. With 45L, you need to be 2 meters away. With 40 L you need to be 1 meter away. This gives me a quantity that lets me evaluate. I imagine this is exponential with decreasing volume. This is implied in the volume calculations, but when is the point of diminished returns. Any thoughts on an equation to describe this?
When does board length modify the equation? Longer lower volume board is equal to shorter higher volume board.
Another topic question....
Wave phase speed - using the simple sqrt(gravity * water depth) - if the goal is to reach the phase speed of the wave, than bigger waves break farther offshore and require a faster speed than smaller waves. Any thoughts on this?
Thank you for another great episode!
Question: quivers!
How many different type of boards do you think a beginner / intermediate / advanced should have?
What good would do to switch between boards in the same condition? (i.e. using shortboards when it’s small, funboards when it’s pumping)
I’m a beginner/intermediate and have 3. A foamy, 7’4 Seaside and Beyond and a 6’4 Creeper. Average surfer probably only needs 2 or 3.
Thanks Harry. Always informative.
As always, very informative and helpful. Thankyou 🙏🏼
Talking about forecasts, what are the factors you take in count for a surfspot to be working? For example does de swell has always to be perpendicular to the shore? How to decide if it's gonna be better working at high or low tides? Etc thanks 🙏
Hi, love your channel and learn a lot from it.
I have a question regarding board weight. You mentioned few episodes back that the board weight won't change much in paddability and overall buoyancy, but given the same model and dims won't a heavier board will be harder to maneuver (more push power from the legs will be needed)? so, will maneuvering with a lighter board will be easier ?
Another question of board weight is about retro boards; I sometimes read about the added down the line speed of heavily glassed retro boards. Is there a real explanation for it or is it just a marketing thing?
Cheers!
Hey guys a re you going to pick up the podcast again?
Been missing it a little ;)
Great series, keep it up!
Question: One of my local spots generally has better waves an incoming tide, and wave quality seems to drop off once the tide starts dropping. Can you clarify why that might be?
A tide push is fake. Tide height is the real factor. The tides don't move fast enough for a "push". It's science.
reactionary17 there’s actually an article published by nature disputing this; search “How tides affect breaking waves”. They proved that wave energy was higher during incoming tides
Dang it. You skipped over level 2. I'm guessing it is learning to pump, starting to turn on the waves. That's where I am. Currently on a 7'6 NSP E2. I tried a 6'6 JOB foamy & did well during my last lesson. I am 5'2, 123lbs. I haven't surfed all summer because here in south Florida our waves are flat, as in 0-1ft, during this time of year. Mid September it will start getting better. I am currently riding about waist-some smaller chest high waves. What should I be looking for? According to the charts I have researched, I'm thinking around 6'2 34L, swallowtail fish. Is that too small & too big of a jump from my NSP? Thoughts & advice welcome &appreciated.
Hi Jaime, I would advise staying on a bigger board for as long as possible until the board becomes the limiting factor. Progression can slow down when trying to learn new skills on a smaller board where we lose the chance of a high repetition rate and having surplus stability and speed always allows us more opportunity to practice maneuvers. Having said that, the board that motivates you to go out and practice is always the best board to be on!
Children are not scaled down adults. Adults and kids are proportionally different from each other. Is child specific board geometry a thing?
Thank you Harry!
Hey dude, your volume-to-weight calculator seems ludicrously conservative. According to your calculator, I wouldn't be able to ride the board I currently ride until I'm 'Level 4', doing aerial rotations (68kg riding 33.9L hybrid fish), which is just insane. To give a more universally understandable example of just how conservative your calculator is, you currently have Filipe Toledo down as 'Non-functional' on his board, which I'm sure he'd find hilarious... I reckon your whole algorithm is about 10kg out of whack based on my own surfing, and that of my friends.
According to Sharp Eye Filipe Toledo is 63kg and rides a 25L board, which is a ratio of 39% and actually puts him on the border of L4 and Pro on our chart. www.sharpeyesurfboards.com/team/filipe-toledo
Remember that this chart does not show the size of board you should ride. It shows the minimum volume we would recommend for learning a specific skill. There is no harm in riding bigger or smaller boards if it puts a smile on your face, but progression through the different skill sets will be slower if the board is below the recommended size, which may eventually take some of the fun away.
Mahalo Harry
First