Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum

I normally ride Frier Tuck (Parkes) 6' Tri in big surf or thinner 6' Kneelon Tri for smaller surf less than 6'

I need some kneeboard advice from any one worth there salt on this.

I've been toying with the idea of something small floaty for crap small waves.
A lot of standups are trying the Firewire Sweet Potato or JS Pier Pony.

They are both strange looking boards more akin to Kneeboards but they work well in small surf. I think with a few small mods they would make a great kneeboard. VERY flat profile, fast, double concave with V running thru stringer. Apparently very easy to get on rail and turn. It works where Mal riders normally ride.

I was going to buy 5'8" Sweet Potato ... then I saw the RS Industries "Pier Pony". A quad/ tri combination.

http://surf.transworld.net/1000142383/n ... pier-pony/

It has rave reviews and thought that it would make a great small wave Kneeboard.

By putting in 3 more fin plugs so that the rear fins can be located further forward utilising one existing hole I'll either ride it as a twin, quad or Tri and may even put a fin box to try it as a single fin.

Its a bit of an experiment , I think it will work. I guess that's how this sport developed.
I love looking at the outrageous board ideas that have come from this sport over the years and creations made with even the worst looking kneeboards seeming to work. I'll just sell it if it doesnt work and shouldnt be too hard seeing its a standup board.
Big Question.
Will this work? And how far forward should I locate the fins?

I would think you should just ask your shaper, small wave ripping kneeboards have been available for 30 years.

Those footboarders are just a bit slow to catch on and then think they are onto something

I'd be keen to hear if anyone has tried one kneeboard style.

Steen's probably right but they do look they would work ok even with their current fin setup.

Talk to David about a rounded square 4/5 fin board specifically for small crappy waves. What you'll end up with will be similar in planshape and rocker to the JS thing but will be an actual custom built kneeboard with adequate width and better fin placement that won't require any mods.

If you really want to go out on a limb try a Native Hunkachunk in EPS/carbon/epoxy from Alan Bruce. Kind of like a Coolite on steroids, so I'm told ...

Sandgroper...
Parksey has been making me these little 5'6" fish boards for small waves for a couple of years. They go UNREAL in 1 -3 ft surf! They totally changed the way i look at small waves. Give him a buzz.

I'll probably eventually get one shaped by Parkes along the lines of the Pier Pony providing It works to my liking after Ive mucked around with the fin positions.

Now, I can't see why it wont work as a kneeboard, everyone who rides one standing up rave about them, how fast and maneuverable in small gutless surf. And the shape is so Kneeboard, but a very FLAT profile(little rocker tail/nose).
I'm just in it for the experimental fun and don't really care what people think too much.

Troz and Chayno wrote:Sandgroper...
Parksey has been making me these little 5'6" fish boards for small waves for a couple of years. They go UNREAL in 1 -3 ft surf! They totally changed the way i look at small waves. Give him a buzz.

Hey nice looking boards

I'd recommend Parkesy as well.

I see these pier ponies are max 22 1/2

If you get one you will be doing yourseslf a disservice because a kneelboard can easil go wider - and get more area for the same length.

because

A stand up board made as wide as a kneeboard will spin out unless you stand right on the rail.

importantly

A flat rockered board needs more planshape curve. A wide short board will give you more planshape curve than a longer narower board. (Or just compared to a narrower board. )

in addition

A stand up rider can concentrate his weight on a small area on his back foot to use that tail lift to keep the front rail out of the water - much more than a kneelo can ever hope to do

which leads to

The other thing is that even though the pier pony it is flat rockered, there is still some curve, and a kneelo shaper will know where to put that curve for a kneeboarder . Think about where a standup rider uses his pressure points on the baord - compared to where yours are - and it will make more sense.


finally

the board they have pictured? I reckon for a kneelo it won't start really howling till it gets to 4 foot plus - and then you'll be catching the rail etc unless you ride right off the tail

(who knows, maybe it will rip? let us know )

mate..you have to talk to David..

the board dimensions stated do not have adequate width to surf as a kneeboard (unless yr knees are together)

the widepoints noted are suited for front foot standup surfing with no correlation to kneeboarding (and the thicknesses relate similarly to this)..meaning you are drawn WAY FORWARD of half-way (not to mention the tail lift that a front-foot standup gives contrary to what a KB surfer needs)

The fin positions will require additional plugs for rail fins, quad fin optionals and perhaps a centre fin..so that would potentially mean a board with 10 optional fin positions

this board will be built in China? with additional $ spent here for adjustments (forgive me if I am wrong)

I so appreciate you are into a different approach to yr boards..so please talk with David or a local shaper to do this once and do it for kneeboarding

As an alternative to David have a look at these beasties.
http://neepro.blogspot.com.au/

This board was made for small surf and performs exceptionally well.
Michael will shape what you ask for.

[albumimg]29052[/albumimg]

nice boards on your blog - congrats

my latest boards 22 inches wide and goes real well in gutless surf, i weigh around 100 kgs at the moment

Great replies got me thinking about KB design and some of the small wave boards available. I've only been Kneeboarding for a few years (due to injured shoulders) but standup surfing for 25.
Maybe I'm wrong but I think I'll have fun trying all the same. I actually want to try something very different and play around with some fins and positions. If its a complete f....up I promised it to my son who surfs. well he could use it too just has to put the fins back.

I just look at what George Greenhough designed and rode over the years from spoons to rubber blow-up mats. For me it's about giving it a crack and having fun.

Maybe there's a Shaper out there that can have a look at the Pier Pony when they can get there hands on one and shape something along similar lines.
Its the rocker V and concave that impresses me with the board.
22 1/2" too narrow? I am not sure BUT a few years ago i think most people would have laughed at this board being ridden by a standup.
It just looks too wide, but hey it works and well.

whos David?

RMcKnee wrote:Talk to David about a rounded square 4/5 fin board specifically for small crappy waves. What you'll end up with will be similar in planshape and rocker to the JS thing but will be an actual custom built kneeboard with adequate width and better fin placement that won't require any mods.

If you really want to go out on a limb try a Native Hunkachunk in EPS/carbon/epoxy from Alan Bruce. Kind of like a Coolite on steroids, so I'm told ...

Sandgroper wrote:whos David?

Mr. Parkes

WOW!

That "Pier Pony" thing looks a lot like a board I built and used at D-Bar 1982?, surfing with Joe Engle.

There was this mushy peak off the top of the jetty that died off then reformed inside.
Nobody was trying to surf from out there.

I was able to drive and carve around on the mushy bit then easily breach the flats to connect with the inside peaks as the wave doubled up for the inside reforms with this board.
I used it all over the Goldie as my small wave shooter.

Fin placements look about the same. (mine was only a 4 fin)
Same dimensions to.

Mine went unreal!
Here is a couple of photos of a similar board in action.
[albumimg]12220[/albumimg]
For places like California and Australia, I just flattened them out a little.
[albumimg]12219[/albumimg]

I left that board behind along with a double wing 4 fin fish at Gordon and Rena Merchant's old place on Mermaid Hill.
Didn't get back there for ages.
Gordo told me he'd cleared out his garage.
Never saw the boards again.

Always wondered what had happened to it / them......
Now I know!