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 Custom Surfboard Options


      [ The Redtail Pocket Rocket ]

The Redtail Pocket Rocket is our high performance short board. Shaped one at a time to custom specifications. Rockers generally fall into one of three primary groups - "flat backs" designed for marginal to moderate waves, "speed boxes" designed for all conditions, and "bananas" designed primarily for hollow barrels. Outlines can be any one of the classic configurations - squash, thumb, swallow, and round pin. Bottom Contours feature shallow vee in entry, moderate single concave begins between entry and wide point, reaches maximum depth under the center of the surfer's stance, and fades through the fin array. Swallow tails feature a touch of vee near the trialing fin. Profiles are crisp with sufficient volume integrated into theses designs to support the surfer, accelerate and carry speed, yet thinned appropriately in the nose, tail , and rails for complete control. Rails vary with the displacement and surfer's technique - fuller rails for technique that generates greater displacement - thinner rails for a more light footed technique. See essays on volume and displacement on the Natural Curves Design page for more insight on how surfer and technique relate to board design.

Flat Backs These designs feature low tail rocker with entry rocker adjusted to surfer's requirements. This rocker profile excels in marginal and moderate conditions by generating and carrying speed in and out of the pocket without sacrificing control in powerful surf.

Speed Boxes These designs feature an area of relatively flat rocker under the surfer's torso and hips when paddling and under the surfer's stance when surfing. The speed box will vary in length and the tail and entry rockers are tuned to surfer's requirements. This rocker profile can be tuned to the greatest variety of conditions.

Bananas These designs feature continuous rocker from entry to tail. They excel in crisp hollow waves. These conditions generally provide all the speed and power required for solid performance surfing. The continuous rocker profile keeps the board free and loose in the pocket and in the tight transitions experienced in quality waves.

   


 
     [ Step Downs ]

The Step Down is a high performance short board designed 1" to 2" shorter than a pure short board. This design offers short board performance in smaller or marginal waves. These shapes evolved from surfers looking for a shorter - tighter turning radius to maximize performance in these conditions. This is an excellent design for vertical maneuvers.

 
  


 
    
 [ Step Ups ]

The Step Up is a high performance short board designed 1" to 2" longer than a pure short board. This design provides short board performance in larger surf. The extra length facilitates easy entry and improved projection in thicker powerful waves.

 
  

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 [ PLGs ]

PLGs excel in small waves. This design blends speed and maneuverability in a very short board. The short length allows the surfer to take a "full swing" at their turns in small - undersized surf. This design extends short board performance into the smallest conditions imaginable yet holds it's own in moderate sized surf. The length of this board depends on the size and fitness of the surfer. PLGs should range from the the same height as the surfer to 2" to 4" longer than the surfer's height. The width should be 1/2" wider than their short board - the thickness the same as their short board. Rocker, outline, bottom contours, profiles and rails are fully integrated to maximize performance.

 
  


 
    
 [ DSCs ]

DSCs excel in small waves just like their distant cousin the PLG. This design, though, is significantly wider with fuller dimensions in the nose and tail. This design developed from the desire to blend speed, performance, and glide in small to moderate sized waves. Surface area and volume are maximized to afford the surfer a very "user friendly" board. The length of the DSC should be 2" to 4" shorter than the surfer's short board - the width 1" to 1 1/2" wider - the thickness the same or 1/8" thicker. Rocker, outline, bottom contours, profiles and rails are integrated in the same manner as a high performance short board.

 
  


 
    
 [ Semi Guns ]

The Semi Gun is designed for speed, quickness, and control in larger and thicker waves. Paddling and entry are a premium in these shapes. Performance is also an essential part of this design - quick response and maneuverability are essential to surfing effectively in these conditions. Semi guns feature the same elements of design found in a short board scaled to the conditions.

 
  


 
    
 [ Guns ]

Big wave surfing places brutally clear cut demands on a surfboard. First and foremost is catching waves with fluid entry followed closely by control getting to and turning off the bottom of the wave. Guns are a fundamental and simple design featuring a convex bottom for maximum control. This design is tested by and limited to serious surfers in serious waves.

 
  

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 [ EPS / Epoxy Flex Tails ]

EPS / Epoxy boards are a bit of a "Catch 22." Their physical properties offer a relatively "strong" surfboard compared to similar poly construction. EPS / Epoxy construction offers great performnce features - paddling, speed, quick response, and maneuverbility in smaller - marginal waves. Those physical properties also reduce flex. A relatively "rigid" board maintains or holds it's rocker when performing high speed turns. Unfortunately this can lead to control issues. A board that flexes and springs back with a quick response to it's "shaped rocker" (memory) is essential to performance surfing. Flex, spring back, and memory provide control and acceleration. As the board loads with the surfer's input initiating turns it flexes to provide more rocker for control at speed. As the board returns to it's "shaped rocker" the memory springs acceleration into the turn. In order to bring the flex and memory components of poly construction to EPS / Epoxy construction The Flex Tail features a wedge stringer - 5/16" at the nose to 1/16" in the fin array where the stringer ends. This provides integrated flex and memory. It's worth noting that the flex, memory, and spring back of EPS / Epoxy construction have a stronger component than similar flex, spring back, and memory in poly construction.

 
  


 
    
 [ Speed Eggs ]

The Speed Egg is a design developed by Rob Yuen during his years of surfing the points, reefs, and beaches on the Pacific Coast from Oregon to Baja. RY's experience and interaction with surfers up and down the coast contributed to this design. Extremely low continuous rocker and a convex bottom dominate this versatile design. This design is so basic it will surf itself. A skilled surfer can put a Speed Egg to use in a very wide variety of conditions. The Speed Egg combines the thrills of glide and carve. As it's name implies, the Speed Egg is a very fast surfboard.

 
  


 
    
 [ Performance Hybrids ]

The Hybrid is a recreational surfer's delight. Hybrid design varies with the surfer, the approach they take to surfing, and the waves they intend to ride. Borrowing components from modern short boards and integrating them into a longer - wider surfboard with significant surface area, hybrids combine the thrill of carve and glide. The fuller nose and above average width provide maximum surface area and stability. The contemporary rocker, bottom contours, and rails facilitate easy board management.

 
  

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 [ '69D ]

Mike Diffenderfer was shaping some of the best boards in the world in the late '60s. This was an era of extreme development - a revolutiuon for surfing and surfboard design. Diff's boards were innovative and well executed designs that opened up a cornocopia of progressive performance surfing. These designs raised the level of shaping and surfing beyond anything surfers had yet experienced. The '69D Series offers a portal back to that experience and pays tribute to Diff's skills and body of work.

 
  


 
    
 [ Makaha Fun Guns ]

The Makaha Fun Gun- named after Oahu's legendary west side reef. The Hawaiians were some of the first postmodern surfers to embrace performance surfing on big boards. The Makaha Fun Gun is a high volume full template surfboard. Rocker and profile integrate semi gun features into the design. Wider than conventional semi guns and narrower than performance long boards the outline is parallel enough to offer great projection and curved enough to turn with ease. The convex bottom provides lift, glide, and control. A joy to surf in small waves and a very reliable asset in the biggest surf most surfers want to ride.

 
  


 
    
 [ Performance Longboards ]

Performance Longboards are designed to offer the surfer performance turns, trim, and nose riding in one versatile surfboard. Rocker and profile have curves that fit and trim tight in the pocket and on the open face. Outlines are marginally narrower than traditional long boards and feature a narrower nose and tail. These boards have the same proven convex bottom contours found in many Natural Curves designs - subtle tri plane entry transitions to a panel vee (with no acute transition where the vee panels merge at the stringer.) Lighter foam density and glassing schedule contribute to a more sensitive feel than their classic predecessor.

 
  


 
    
 [ Classic Longboards ]

"Traditional Longboards" capture the classic lines of the halcyon days of long boards. Low rocker profiles, full outlines, high volume, convex bottoms, and large and / or deep single fins are the essential design components of the Classic Long Board. High density foam and volan cloth yield a weighty board that trims and nose rides with ease.

 
  


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