Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

How to shape a surfboard that compliments your style?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.

EQ: How to shape a surfboard that compliments your style?

• Learn how to shape multiple styles of surfboards and then be sure to understand the fluid dynamics of each component of the surfboard. This will help you to understand things like the undertow of certain fins due to their size.
• Study your home wave break. This will allow you to figure out what type of board you will need. For example if you have a consistently fast hollow wave at your break then you should maybe have more rocker on your board for turns in the pocket of the wave. If your break is more of a sloppy slow wave then maybe you should have little to no rocker to allow you to keep speed and glide over flat spots.

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 

The most important source that I have used that has helped me to come up with an answer to my working EQ is my book "Surfing The Manuel: Advanced" by Jim Kempton. It has allot of great information that covers pretty much every aspect of surfing from calculating waves all the way to making your own board.

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

My Mentor is Ryan Nicholas Lopez and what I'm doing with him right now is watching him shape boards for people and I'm also getting started on shaping my surfboard with him. By shaping my board it forces me to look at my home break to consider shaping things a certain way that will not only give me what I want out of the board but also have it compliment the break of the wave to. I also plan on riding his wide variety of boards to help me decide what type of board is best suitable for certain wave conditions and which board will best compliment the riders style.