A "Thumb" for behind the boat

[Surfdad]

WAYYYYYYY back in the day there was a nose'ish rider called the Thumb. I just tripped over a site that was refurbishing and making some new ones, with Bonzer 5 fin bottoms. These were rather small at the time, and the one in this picture is like 5'9" ish. I think in the last picture that's Rob Machado with on and I believe he is 5'10"'sih

Would you buy one if you could hang 10 behind the boat? I'd buy one just for that Bonzer fin set up!

[Timmy!]

That would be pretty cool to hang ten on a wakesurfer! So why all of the fins? Does that increase stability while standing on the nose?

[Surfdad]

The original Thumb had that single "skeg" like fin. These folks were trying to update the performance and so went with the 5 fin Bonzer. I think, but not having ridden one I can't be sure, it gives the board some additional flexibility in terms of speed and turning ability. Bonzer 5's are fast. The actual Bonzer 5's incorporate a bottom shape also, I can't quite tell with this thing if there is any bottom shaping that's been done.

I too would love to do some noseriding on a board that was sized for the boat. I think it would be killer.

[Timmy!]

I too would love to do some noseriding on a board that was sized for the boat. I think it would be killer.

Can you imagine the judge's faces if you secretly learned how to do that trick and only pulled it out in a competition? The ONLY person doing that trick? That would be sweet!

[topaz surfer]

I think it would be sweet to be able to nose ride on a wakesurf board along with walking around on the board for trimming purposes. I have tried on an old liquid force board that is shaped like a longboard but doesn't really work.

[Timmy!]

I just noticed that it's almost like they put the fins on the wrong end. Why aren't many people making pintails for the boat?

[Timmy!]

(off topic) I still don't have my foam yet Jeff, they apparently have to jump through some hoops to get it cut for me. Almost makes me want to just buy the whole 4'x8'x3' billet and figure out what to do with it on my own.

[Surfdad]

@ Timmy! The judging reference I am sure just set off a firestorm on both sides of the debate. There is no noseriding recognized, no judging experience, either. I'm sure it would be a wild time at the OK Corral!

@ topaz We have a nose rider that Jerry Price did for us, Vernor was shaping for Shred Stixx back then. It wound up being too slow once you were on the nose. It was also something like 8'6" just too big.

It does look like the board is reversed, doesn't it? I can see it coming back to the shaper with the fins installed - you put the fins on the NOSE?!

I don't really know why there aren't that many pintails. This is really designed to cause the tail to sink and grab, to give you enough time to run to the nose. All the planning surfaces are in the nose.

[Surfdad]

Oh man, that's too bad Timmy! 3 feet thick of foam is a bunch and it's hard to work with that that thickness. However, I'd do it in a heatbeat! I'm really looking forward to your build!

[Timmy!]

I don't think I am buying a 3' block of foam for my first build. LOL! My wife would kill me!

[NICKYPOO]

Ahhh! I missed this one. I would love to have a go. I hang 5 all the time. I also do what I call the Jesus. I'm not sure if there is another name for it or not. Think of a hang 10 stance in the middle of your board with you arms straight out and your eyes closed. The eyes closed part is the hard part. I honestly can't make it more than a few seconds that way but, I have, on rare occasions, made it through a 10 count in my head. No idea on the relatively of the actuall time elapsed and the speed of my counting. I try to keep it fair though. Even with your eyes open, its a fun way to ride. Especially when you get in the groove.

Anyways, haven't we seen this board before? Didn't you build a noserider?

[Timmy!]

Did you start the build yet Jeff?

[Surfdad]

@ Timmy! Yes and I've also been in touch with Mike Walker from The Walker Project, I'm going to have him build one for us too. I think we'll be doing some demo's of the collaborative efforts. Not sure how we'll manage that just yet, but I think it might be fun for people to give these things a spin.

@ Nickypoo I can't ride with my eyes closed at all. Mad props from me for doing that at all. My eye sight is crap to begin with, but it seems to be enough to stay balanced. After I get the one from TWP, give me a shout of you want to demo it. I'll figure out how to ship the thing so folks can ride it.

[Timmy!]

I'd be interested in trying it out as well! The Surfdad Thumb board demo program...

[Surfdad]

LOL I'm not sure I like that name, but it's funny as hell. Actually, I am going to try and have a few different shapes made. I've got a call in to Jeff Whalers at Soulcraft to see if he'd be interested. It just has to be a different shape than we've all seen before. The Thumb noserider is unique and man, I am just so sick and tired of where this sport is stuck.

I'm also working with Mike Armstrong at Calibrated.

Maybe this summer we'll have something different that folks can sample and not just the endless "me too" shapes.

Does anyone have any good ideas for how to do that demo program? I can't imagine I'll have 5,000 folks interested, but there are only so many weekends during a summer.