Angled rails

[Surfdad]

For those of you with surf style boards, you know that at least PART of the rails (typically ath the nose) is rounded and then gradually it changes to a very sharp almost right angle back by the fins through the tail.

Skimmers have what are called hard or sharp rails nose to tail, so that they can be ridden regular or revert (tail first) with the same basic responsiveness.

So I was looking at a strange longboard skateboard deck and it has a very angular undercut and it popped into my mind why not on our surf style wakesurf rails?

Then I was reminded that Johnny Stieg back in the days when he rode for New Wave Vehicles had these angluar'ish rails instead of rounded.

Water wraps curved surfaces, but releases off angular surfaces, so the idea is that the board would still have the contact points of a normal surfboard rail, but no wrapping and so, in theory, the board would release better and also have better speed.

What do you think? It's sort of star trek'y

The red lines are a typical rail say mid way down the length and the blue line is what I'm thinking about doing.

[Timmy!]

You forgot to post the pic of that longboard, that thing was pretty cool! So if they have a hard angle, how does that handle? Is it darty instead of smooth?

[Surfdad]

I need to get that skateboard picture, that was sick.

I've never ridden a board with rails like that so I don't know. I'd think mostly it would feel fast and sort of skatey loose.

[Timmy!]

I guess I wonder why others aren't doing it.

[Surfdad]

I think, in effect, skimmers are doing it. It's got to be slide'y, but it will be fun to try it.

[Timmy!]

BTW - my build is on hold until the foam guy decides to get back in contact with me.. In the meantime, I called Dennis and I am working on new board from Walker.

[duffymahoney]

The rears of my shred stixx customs are angled similar to that. I was told it was to stop the board from "sticking" to the water. When are you going to send me a board to try?

[Surfdad]

You only ride quads! I'll see if I can scare something up for you this summer.

I was thinking about these angular surfaces and wonder what a concave would be like if it were principally straight lines, or an inverted "V" rather than a smooth flowing curve.

Our wakes flow UP and catching that upward flow is what concaves do best (like tiggers) I wonder if an inverted V would channel more water with less "sticktion".

[duffymahoney]

Twinzer is a quad. Both are 4 fins

[NICKYPOO]

I've been thinking a lot about the 3/8" board and the rails that were on it. They were basically square weren't they? That thing looked absolutely beautiful on the water. The square rail concept has really intrigued me ever since.

Ha, I'd like to see a 2" thick board with a completely square rail. What if worked? I believe the shaped you have showed here has some serious potential for speed.

[Surfdad]

Remember that "slab o' foam" wakesurfer? That was probably 3 or so inches thick and had square rails. I think it works, but it changes how you have to ride. It's super hard to sink the rail, because of the extra volume compared to a rail that tapers, so you end up shifting your weight more to the inside rail.

If I were shaping for that, I'd make the board narrower to compensate. I'm not sure by how much, but enough to make it easier to bury the rail.

Maybe that's the bottom line, just about anything will work behind the board everything from actaul boards shaped for that purpose, to doors and toboggan's, but it changes how you ride.