SURFBOARD DIMENSIONS, DESIGN, MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND DECAL TECHNIQUES.

What you need to know about...

The Mini-Mal

Mini-mal surfboards are perfect for the person who likes the feel of a longboard but wants more manoeuvrability. Easier to carry and manageout in the water but with all the surfing ease of a longboard. Great for kids and smaller adults looking for a great beginners board or the experienced longboarder needing something more manoeuvrable.

The Longboard

The longboard or malibu surfboard is a modern replica of what the sport was started on. Paddle into what ever you want and hang ten all the way to the beach. Among the most popular boards in the water and for good reason, easy to start on and always fun.

The Shortboard

The shortboard (also known as the thruster) is the most popular type of surfboard design, it’s used to perform quick manoeuvres on waves. They are light and are easy to negotiate through the impact zone, as all areas of the board are narrowed down.

The Fish

Fish surfboards are great for surfing small waves as these boards are usu-ally shorter but wider and thicker. They generally have a swallow tail design and a 2, 3 or 4 fin setup. They move quickly over flat sections of the wave while you are surfing and are easy to manoeuvre. Fish ridereally smooth, look great and are a must-have for any surfer who spends a lot of time in the water over summer!

Surfboard dimensions are commonly measured in feet & inches. Your board dimensions will change depending on the type of board and shape of its rails, tail and nose.

ft ‘ inches “Length

The length is measured from the nose to the tail. Choosing the length of the surfboard is dependant on your size (weight, height), board type and waves conditions you wish to use the board for. Longer surfboards will paddle easier, glide better and make it easier to get around sections. However they are less manoeuvrable than short surfboards. Beginners normally need a surfboard around 12”-18” longer than they are tall.

Width

Surfboard width is the size of the surfboard across the surfboard, perpendicular to the stringer. The widest point of the surfboard is measured from rail to rail. Generally the wider the surfboard the more stable the board, while a board with smaller width maintains better speed and performance. Wider surfboards float better, are more stable and ide-al for beginners and for surfing junk waves. 20” - 22” is a good width for beginners surfboards. Experienced surfers will often ride surfboards around 17” - 19” wide and in large waves most surfers benefit from the increase in control that narrower surfboards will give.

Board Thickness

Surfboard thickness is measured from the top deck to the bottom. The thickness again has a bearing on the board’s performance. Surfboard thickness and the distribution ofthickness along the surfboard will determine how well a surfboard floats and, to some degree how well it paddles. Most surfboards are thickest in the centre with the thickness tapered to produce a thinner nose and tail. Beginners will benefit from having plenty of thickness throughout the board. The thicker boards are stronger and because there is more foam under the surfer and the boards are more stable. Experienced surfers will tend to go for the thinner boards as they are lighter and offer better performance.

Pin TailPin tails are generally used on XL shortboard (mini Gun) and Gun surfboards. These are a perfect down the line tail shape for these styles of surfboards. They should track in one direction for optimum speed. They are for fast waves of medium to large size.

Round Pin TailRound pin tails are generally used on shortboards, XL shortboards, Funboards and Longboards. They have less surface area that allows the tail to burry into the face of the wave making it more stable.

Squash TailSquash tails are generally used on shortboards, Funboards and Longboards. Squash tails are highly responsive and excellent for maintaining speed in slow sections of the waves. The roundness allows the surfboard to dig into the wave and give more control.

Round Square TailRound Square tails are generally used on shortboards, XL shortboards, Fish surfboards, Funboards and Longboards.

Square TailSquare tails are generally used on shortboards and XL shortboards. The round square tail gives more surface area at the back of the surfboard. This allows more tail area to turn. Large square tails are excellent in small waves and also for the larger surfer.

Swallow TailSwallow tails are generally used on shortboards, XL shortboards and Fish. The swallow tail is excellent for maintaining control in sharp turns because of the larger planning surface.

Fish TailFish tails are generally used on shortboards, XL shortboards and Fish. Fish tails are excellent for small and less powerful waves.

Tail shapes have many different purposes. More tail shapes have been added in recent years as surfing has evolved. We have listed the main features of tail shapes. Basically an angled tail will give a sharper turn where as a rounded tail will make more elliptical turns.

Rail Volume

In the middle of the surfboard the rails are larger with more roundness so they won’t catch or dig into the wave. Rail volume is one of the most important features of the surfboard. Hard rails will make the surfboard generally easier to turn depending on where the hard edge blends into the rest of the rail. While soft rails are for a more laid back style of riding.

Rail Edges

Harder rail edges forward of the front fins will generally make the surfboard track more in one direction. If you make a hard turn at the bottom of a wave and you have hard rails at the tail then the surfboard will tend to grip more to the face of the wave, without sliding. If you want a surfboard that will make fast turns and quick wave release then you need a hard rail from the tail up to the back of the front fins.

Rail Height

Rail Height depends on the kind of waves you will be surfing and the style of surfboard e.g. shortboard, fish, funboard etc. Generally the lower you go on rail height the less buoyant the surfboard will be and would be suited more for an advanced surfer who is selective about their wave choices. High rails are more suited toward beginner surfers howeverpro surfers will usually have a higher rail board for smaller sloppier conditions.

Rails are the edges of the surfboard where the deck meets the bottom. The shape of the rails controls the way in which the surfboard responds during planning and turning. Height of the rail determines the surfboards buoyancy and response. Before choosing a rail height, think about how much buoyancy you require and your surfing style.

1. DesignThe first step to making a surfboard is the design. Accurate designs of both the surfboard shape and dimensions and decals must be done before the board is began to be made.

2. Pre-Shaped BlankThe next stage is too have the chosen surfboard blank pre-shaped by a machine to ensure 100% accu-racy in width, height and rocker.

3. Surfboard ShapeAfter the blank has been pre-shaped it is than hand shaped by an experienced shaper. The shaper fine tunes the shape of the board, the rails, the tail, the nose and the boards density to the surfers ability and board use. This stage cannot be achieved by machine and is what makes every board produced my MBMD completely unique.

4. Decal ApplicationIf a cloth decal, paper decal or full body spray is to be used it is applied during this stage. The application of decals is a difficult process and easy to make an error it should only be attempted by very experienced surfboard glassers.

5. Fibre Glass & Hot CoatLayers of Fibre Glass are added using resin. The type of fibre glass used and the number of layers are dependant on many contributing factors. A hot coat is applied to the final layer to fill in the clothes gaps.

6. Finishing TouchesThe board is sanded and polished. If applicable Posca Art or top layer spray is added here.

BlanksThe type of blank you use is crucial to the overall quality of the board. The blank is the surfboards heart and therefore needs to be of the highest quality. There are many different types of surfboard blanks that greatly differ in material and density. The highest quality blank in terms of strength and performance is the Australian made polyester foam technologyit also comes in three different densities to cater for performance competition surfers to life long last surfboards. Blue-Lite: This type of blank is excellent for the everyday surfer. Blue-Lite has been formulated to maximize durability without compromising performance. The Blue-Lite Blanks are the most advanced standard weight blank on the market designed to last longer while keeping a high performance feel in the water, perfect for novice to advanced surfers Green-Lite: Green-lite is lighter than the Blue-Lite. Green-Lite is designed for the high performance surfer who prefers lighter boards. This blank has been designed to be one of the lightest blank on the market but keeping the strength of a standard weight blank perfect for advanced to professional surfers. Orange-Super Lite: Orange-Super Lite is the lightest core. The Orange-Super Lite is formulated specifically for professional surfers where durability is able to be sacrificed to achieve ultra high performance.

MyBoardMydDesign always use the Blue-Lite Australian Made Polyester Foam Technology Blank for durability, stength and performance. When a lighter board is required for more advanced and lighter surfers MyBoardMyDesign use the Green-Lite or Orange-super Lite Polyester Foam Technology Blank.

Surfboard Cloth

Fiberglass for surfboards usually comes in 4 ounce or 6 ounce cloth. Most shortboards are glassed with 4 ounce cloth usually single bottom layer and 2 layers on the top. This would suit the average surfer who wants to keep his/her surfboard for more than one year.

6 ounce cloth is usually used on Longer surfboards like mini mals, longboards, guns and in many cases retro surfboards because a bit of extra weight is a good thing on these kind of surfboards. This replicates how these surfboards were made in their era. However a combination of cloth can be used on any kind of surfboard.

Volan Fiberglass Cloth

Volan fiberglass cloth is the original cloth used on surfboards. Volan has the appearance of green tint. It is much stronger than modern fiberglass which is specifically made for surfboards. The method for manufacturing a Volan cloth surfboard is much different from a modern surfboard. A volan surfboard, if looked after will last a lifetime. It is ex-cellent for retro designs and longboards with its nostalgic appearance. Volan adds extra weight as it is a heavier cloth. Extra weight is often a good thing on longboards.

Carbon Fiber Cloth

Carbon Fiber Cloth is excellent for impact resistance and tensile strength. It is at least 7 times stronger than fiberglass. Carbon fiber does reduce flex. SD carbon fiber surfboards have a foam core like the regular surfboards. They can be made with epoxy resin or Poly-ester resin. We believe having a solid foam core (either Poly Urethane or Poly styrene) makes the surfboard much stronger. Also if the board does snap you have something to keep you afloat. The upside is, it is a much stronger surfboard. A certain amount of care needs to be taken to keep the surfboard cool as they tend to retain heat. Carbon fiber is also excellent for deck patches.

The more advanced surfer would prefer a lighter weight surfboard and usually requests 1 layer of 4 ounce glass top and bottom. This surfer needs to have the lightest weight possibleto meet his expectations of the surfboard and is not so concerned about life of the board. Performance is everything.

Paper Decals

Paper decals give more depth of colour than cloth decals however given their tendency to tear when wet they are only suitable for small areas. Paper decals are ideal for logos or small intricate patterns. Paper decalsare extremely porus and must be printed using special UV inks to avoid bleeding when wet and ensure longitivity. Paper decals cannot be placed onto a colour and need to be designed on a white background.

Cloth Decals

Cloth decals still provide an intense amount of depth however given the fibrous material the images are not as sharp as paper decals. Cloth decals can cover the entire width and length of the board providing a mas-sive blank canvas for any board designer. Different types of cloth are used depending upon the complexity of the decal and purpose of the board. Given that cloth is denser than paper it can alter the density of the surf-board and MUST be taken into consideration when glassing the board.

Resin

Resin is used to seal the layers of fibre glass ot the surfboard. Tints can be addded to the resin to give the board colour. Using a resin tint gives you the strongest and deepest colour you can possibly achieve on a surfboard. Resin art is a different category of surfboard desig all together it can be extremely timely as each colour of resin has to completely dry before adding the next. Given the intensive labour involved this can resultin a costly board. Rsesin tiniting as been around for decades and surfboard glassers have got quite creative oer the years blending and swirling different designs together.

The application of decals is a sought after skill and difficult to achieve. So is the knowledge of knowing what type/combination of decals to use and when.

Spray Paint

Spray paints are added either directly onto the surfboard blank or at the very end onto the top layer of the finished surfboard. When more than 75% of the board is to be coloured the spray is added to the base layer of the board to ensure longitivity and colour depth. Smaller and more complex sprays are added to the top layer of the board however this does not ensure longitivity and can be scratched off through wear and tear. Complex sprays cannot be added to the base layer is porous foam that will dissolve the sharp edges resulting in colour run.

Posa Pen Art

Posca pens are Acrylic based pens that come in all different shapes and sizes. They are applied to the top layer of the board. To date Posca Pens are the most commonly used method of adding personalised style to a surfboard. Posca Pens are useful because they can be removed so you can change the style of the board as many times as you like. The major down side to Posca Pens is that you cannot add photos or images and the finished drawing is only going to be good as the artist drawing it. Additionally because Posca Art is added to the top layer of the surfboard it can easily be chipped off through general wear and tear.

Posa Pen Signage

Posca Pens are excellent for signing a personal message onto a board MyBoardMyDesign gives away free Posca Pens with weedding boards and special occasion boards so a personal message can be engraved onto the board along with messages from guests. When using Posca Pens you must always seal the finished product with a sealant spray before entering the water.

With Posca Pens the result is only going to be as good as the artist.