Shane Rueber
Owner/Shaper
808.781.5187
Contstruction Terminology
Design Terminology
Artwork Options
Blank - base material from which the surfboard is shaped (usually composed of foam bonded to one or multiple longitudinal stringers, or bonded to curved stringers that run along the inside of the rails - parabolic)
Common blank materials:
Polyurethane
Expanded/Extruded Polystyrene (EPS/XPS); open-cell/closed-cell
Balsa/Chambered Balsa
Stringer - strip of material to which foam is bonded that is used to provide strength in a blank; often made of wood, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), or carbon fiber
Single - runs longitudinally along center of blank
Double - run longitudinally along center of blank
Triple - run longitudinally equidistant along blank
Parabolic - run curved along the inside of the rails
Tail Block - block of material shaped and bonded to the tail to create a decorative end (wood, fiberglass, inlay, etc.)
Nose Block - block of material shaped and bonded to the nose to create a decorative end (wood, fiberglass, etc.)
Cloth - woven fiberglass, Kevlar®, carbon fiber, carbon/Kevlar®, etc. laminated to the shaped blank with resin in order to create a firm strong outer shell
Weave patterns include:
E - standard
K - standard, slightly stronger
Warp - added twist in weave, stronger
S - strongest of the common weaves
Carbon fiber, Kevlar®, carbon/Kevlar® - strongest cloths offered, generally (low availability and very expensive)
Standard cloth weights: 4 oz., 6 oz.
Cloth-related terms:
Laps (free/cut) - overlaps of cloth that add strength to the rails; can be cut clean for decoration when tinting and/or pigmenting
Deck/tail patches - added layers to deck /tail sections to add strength/durability
Light glassing/stepped - minimal layers of glassing to reduce weight of board at the cost of durability; can be stepped in fractional layers to further reduce weight (i.e. 1 + 2/3 layering, or 1 + 2/3 + 1/3 layering - stepped toward tail)
Resin - clear, liquid medium used in laminating cloth to the shaped blank; also applied to provide a protective finishing coat to the surfboard
Resin types used:
Polyester - used with polyurethane blanks
Epoxy - used with polystyrene blanks, but can be applied to polyurethane
Gloss Coat - thin coat of resin applied last for high gloss finish (optional)
Polish - abrasive compound applied with a buffer to a finely sanded surfboard finish in order to achieve high-gloss shine, or luster
Lamination - wetting and adhering cloth to the shaped blank using resin and a squeegee
Vacuum bag - a sealed bag and vacuum system used in the construction of sandwich composite boards (minimizes resin used, maximizes bonding, increases strength and durability)
Sandwich composite - specialized foams and cloths/materials sandwiched with resin to form a strong, durable, light-weight structure
Foot strap inserts - specialized inserts configured for foot strap arrangement on tow, wake, and kite boards
Weight system (tow boards) - system designed to affix adjustable weights at the optimum center of gravity (cg)/ center of mass (COM) position for tow board riders
Leash plug - plastic or plastic/metal device set in a surfboard tail to which the rider may attach a leash
Note: "aft" means "behind"
Outline - pattern or silhouette shape of the surfboard
Template - pertains to outline; model design from which the outline is based
Board dimensions - 1) Basic: the maximum length, width, and thickness of the board, recorded "Length x Width x Thickness" 2) With nose and tail measurements: The maximum length, nose width/thickness, max width/thickness, and tail width/thickness, recorded "Length Nose Width x Max Width x Tail Width Thickness"
Length - the length of the shaped blank, measured across surfboard deck from tip to tip (our method), or measured along bottom, following the stringer
Width - the width of the shaped blank at a given point, usually recorded at three points (minimum):
Nose width - 12 inches aft of the nose
Tail width - 12 inches forward of the tail
Wide point - near or at center; the widest point of the shaped blank (longboards - usually forward of center, shortboards usually at or aft of center)
Thickness - the thickness of the shaped blank at a given point, usually measured at three points (minimum):
Nose thickness - 12 inches aft of the nose
Tail thickness - 12 inches forward of the tail
Board thickness - the thickest point along the centerline of the shaped blank
Rocker - the curvature along the bottom of the surfboard; determines/affects many performance characteristics (speed, turning performance, successful entry/drop, etc.)
Relaxed/low – flatter rocker, used for speed and smaller surf conditions
Continuous - smooth, unrestricted curve optimum for all-around performance (wave entry, turning performance, speed, pocket surfing, etc.)
Natural - the original rocker molded in the blank by the shaper who designed it
Entry rocker - rocker in the front section for the board; responsible for easy or difficulty of entry (too much = plowing, too little = pearling)
Nose rocker - rocker in the nose of the board; comparable to entry rocker
Nose flip - amount of curvature in nose rocker; flipped noses have extreme curvature
Tail rocker - rocker in the tail section of the board; responsible for turning performance, speed, and drive (too much = loss of speed and drive, too little = bogging and slowed turns in steeper sections)
Tail kick - pertains to tail rocker; the amount of curvature in the tail
Rail - the curved, external section of the surfboard outline that contacts the water, especially during turns; critical in turning performance
Foil - the shape of the rail; volume distribution along rail from nose to tail
Hard - aggressively shaped rail, turned downward and thinner
Soft/Forgiving - fuller, more symmetrically shaped rail
50/50 - even shape in the rail from the deck to the bottom (semi-circle radius)
Pinched - excessively thinned rail
Boxed - more square-shaped in appearance, viewed as forgiving; appears unfinished, or not smoothed
Edge - sharp angle cast at the bottom of the rail in the tail section for bite
Tail Design
Pin - pointed (some curve)
Rounded pin - a smoothed, curved pin tail shape (wide variety)
Square - squared-off with hard corners
Squash - semi-squared with curvature in the corners
Thumbnail - modified squash (rounded, curved - like a thumbnail)
Diamond - shaped like the latter half of a diamond (angular, pointed center)
Swallow - shaped similar to a swallow (bird); small, modified fish tail appearance
Half moon/crescent - cut inward, toward the nose, in a half/crescent moon shape
Bottom Design
Spoon - concave section in the nose; aids in nose rides and can be designed to direct and control flow
Plane - surface along the bottom of the board on which the board rides
Concave (single, double, triple, combination, etc.) - horizontal curvature upward, toward the deck; puts planing emphasis on rails, reducing surface drag at higher speeds
Convex/roll - horizontal curvature downward, toward the water; puts planing emphasis on middle of the board and provides smooth transitions in turns
Vee/roll vee - a "V" shape in the bottom of the surfboard; can be used for a keel-like effect or to modify rail-to-rail performance
Inverse vee - opposite of vee (self-explanatory)
Channel - an aggressive contour in the bottom of the board, usually bordered by hard edges
Step - a temporary raise in the rocker, used to create release and increase water lubrication (tiny air bubbles acting as ball bearings)
Speed groves/speed channels - narrow grooves or channels specifically placed to increase flow, thereby freeing the board from more drag
Vector release - release system designed to vector flow out the tail, enhancing performance
Deck Design - design of the top of the board
Dome - curved, dome-shaped deck
Flat - flattened deck, excepting taper for rail foil
Cradle/Saddle - slight, downward curve placed in deck; designed to improve resting position on board for paddling and sitting
Fins/skegs - foils fixed to the bottom of the board for stability, turning enhancement, and drive
Placement & configuration - dependent on board dimensions and design (i.e. particular placement and spacing for singles, twins, thrusters, quads, five-fins, etc.)
Systems - FCS (tab and plug system), Future (box and insert system), Pro Box (adjustable box, tab and insert system), … glass-on
Fin template - the outline and overall shape of the fin
Foil - the curvature of the fin from base to tip, leading edge to trailing edge; volume distribution
Rake (sweep) - the amount fin outline curved backward
Camber - outward curvature on the outside of the fin (enhances flow and release on outside of fin, due to an induced pressure difference between the outer and inner sides of the fin)
Concave - inward curvature on the inside of the fin; multiple variations created in order to enhance cupping effect of the fin in turns, enhancing drive by increasing inside drag
Cutaway - section cut away from the base for release in turns
Toe - angle of the fin pointed inward, toward the nose (often expressed in a number measurement)
Cant - angle of the fin tilted outward from the base, toward the rail
Airbrush - painting on surfboard blank fine or large spray equipment; diffuse effect for fades, color blends, etc.
Pin line(s) - line(s) painted or POSCA-penned for decorative effect or grounding artwork
Laminate(s) - decorative silk screens or prints on rice paper; logo and shaper lams come with each board (custom lams priced per job, per design)
Resin Work - artistic designs by the laminator using tints and pigments in the resin
Clear - standard, no tint or pigment
Tint - a transparent shade of color through which one can still view the cloth laps and any artwork on the blank
Pigment - an opaque color in the resin which colors the board and the cloth; laps and blank texture not visible
Acid splash - an acid swirl effect created using colors of customer’s choice (be selective in color choice - some colors form ugly colors when they mix)
Marble/marble acid - a marbleized or marble acid effect created using colors of customer’s choice (same caution on color choice)
Resin pin line - pin line using resin (very classy, but more expensive than airbrush or POSCA pin lines)