Trouble Shooter // Introduction
Bummed with your bottom curve? Unhappy with your hips? Nonplussed by your nose profile?
It’s been said that surfboards are ‘functional art’. Yeah, they bring us happiness, and of course they’re wonderful to look at, yet like much art, they can leave us horribly confused.
It’s been this way since the single fin days, but as design has gotten more complex, not to mention the ever-growing matrix of manufacturing and materials, our understanding of why a board does what it does is slowly diminishing.
This is a terrible state of affairs! As readers of Swellnet you’re clearly discerning folk who want to take command over your surfing life and not just follow the latest fashionable trend, but sometimes it feels like you’re shooting in the dark.
So who can you turn to for design advice..?
Muzza - that’s who.
Murray Bourton has been shaping boards for over fifty years, he’s been through every trend from Bonzas to the mid-length twin, and despite all the marketing, the weasel words, and the guff, Muzz has never become a cynic. He simply loves surfboards and he loves talking about them - as anyone who’s had a chinwag with him can testify.
Beginning shortly, we’ll start a new column on Swellnet - Trouble Shooter. The premise is simple: ask a question about surfboard design - can be specific, can be broad - and we’ll get Muzz to answer it.
As with all of Murray’s surfboard discussions, there’ll be history, there’ll be digressions, he might be reminded of a guy he once knew, or a conversation he once had, but it’ll be worth taking the long way ‘round because when you finally arrive you’ll be one step closer to design enlightenment.
Questions can be typed below or sent to the editor: stuart@swellnet.com
Meanwhile, Muzz will disappear into his Pipe Dreams shaping bay. He'll be back mid-November.
Comments
Love it.
Onya Macca. Onya Muzz.
Pesky question email sent.
Epic. One of my first boards was a pipedreams. My question is, What causes some boards to be a real prick for getting into waves, even with more volume, they sort of hang up in the lip before dropping down the face...I've had this issue with a few boards now, where I'll go up to 35L, from my 33L daily driver, thinking i'll be able to paddle into waves easier, and it's worse, it gets held up and 'bobbles' as it's getting onto the wave, like you have to push it over a speedbump before knifing in. I've made this mistake a few times, buying what I thought would be a good shape for paddling into slabby waves, then it goes pear shaped on the entry.
Great question Halda.
I second that!
Thirded!
I belatedly succumbed to the hypto crypto bandwagon and that board was just a dog for me. I had to be knifing under the lip to catch a wave. Mind you, it flew when I could get a wave.
Didn’t keep it long, no point in beating my head against that wall. Sold it and bought myself a Simon Anderson Spud Nick. First surf in gutless 1-2’ I was picking up everything I went for, and it caught them early. No messing around. That was a great board for me.
Took me another board to work out that too much nose rocker was a pain for me, and very little to no rocker had no drawbacks for the waves I’m catching. It’s now one of the main characteristics I look at if I’m thinking of buying a board.
Very interested in what Muzz or anyone has to add to that conversation.
Thanks for the info Batfink, I'm slightly confused, what made the hypto not work? - aren't they meant to be a flat biscuit, paddle into anything sort of shape? One of my early boards in my tennis was a simon anderson, bloody good boards - i might have to look up this spud nick model.
rocker...
Imho
Long time listener, first time caller.
There's a pesky O in there, so is it Bur-ton or Bore-ton?
I've never known.
haha, sounds a bit rude.. you mean is it *pronounced* like "Bur-ton" or "Bore-ton", right?
..anyone gone for a spin? https://www.facebook.com/murray.bourton/videos/when-you-thought-maybe-i…
Q.1 & 2. Did the foamy, domed McCoy surfboards (era 1980's) morph into the modern shortboard or just germinate a sweet potato (2020)?
Q.3&4. How long do lightweight (4x4oz) EPS foam boards last ( in years) & are they worth it?
You will get 1 year if your lucky out of a 4x4 EPS. I glass my boards in 2x 4oz deck and 1x4oz bottom EPS and get 6-8 months until the deck is dented like hell. Most boards have a life span where they feel lively when new. They lose the flex over time and need better waves to get going.
Shaping & sanding for a lifetime of enjoyment
Wizard of Oz
Surfed a 6'9" McCoy pintail made for indo at SS; photo of Al Mc at scar reef indo made it in to a surf mag...
SS was a solid cyclone 8ft swell; no-one out... everyone twas busy on the GC at the points....
however; .... took a long 20min of duck diving waves to get out the back.... no none out, no internet, no jetski or cameras.
No rail catching or over the falls snaps that day.... crazy makes on a heaving ledge, on a very forgiving board, in extreme (for me) critical waves.
Same board was later run over... was dropped in on,.... then another kook dropped in on the next wave, my board "connected" by 'a surf coach' at a busy surf break, on clean waves... no apology for damage, no name, no idea, no coffee .... never rode that deeply scarred board again or surfed that place.
Coincidently, board same orange colour .... as Russ' board in video below...
Q.5. What's the point of surfing great boards, with too many wannabees surfing, with no idea & no control of their equipment?
Q5 (a). Do coloured hi performance boards make a difference..in Boganville.....
Q5. (b) do we have to now have to travel vast distance$ , get a jetski, 4WD & burn copious Co2, or fwit drop in for the "ultimate wave."..
or
Q6.
or
Q7. daily just check Swellnet for a moment of divine ocean energy re-connection ($7/mth) ....& get lucky ?
Q7. Devine magic just happens, sometimes?
Bula Vinaka