Build a Surfboard Episode 1: Shaping

Step 13 Placement of the Maximums

Johnny says: "They used to put the thickest part of the board up here in the front. You know, where your chest goes when you're paddling out. But then when you're trying to catch the wave the board points up in the air instead of down the wave. So then you don't catch the wave and you think you're a bad surfer. No, you've just got a bad board. And then you go home without catching any waves and you think surfing is hard."

His hands give a surfing demonstration. "You're up here trying to catch this wave, and you need to point down the wave with this penetration angle, or else you've got to paddle like a superman to go fast enough."

He measures the board with a big caliper. "You've got to get one of these or make one to measure boards. Yep, here it is, the maximum thickness is 1" behind the center." He's doing this for us. He was using his hand for a caliper when we asked him a question.

For this board, the maximum width is 6" ahead of center, the maximum thickness is 1" behind center, and the maximum thickness of the rails is a few inches behind that. He says this aft placement of maximum rail thickness helps the board "rail over" in turns.