A new Classic on the rack...

Here's a 9-9 Classic Model noserider that just had the bottom laminated.

That's Ice Blue tint with clear stripe and opaque blue nose dip.
I know, Ice Blue looks like green, but its really blue. Same color as the belly board below.

Here's a view from another angle. This board is based on a Terry Martin Hobie round-pin noserider I used to own, at least the back half is. The front half is from a template of a board I did about 3 yrs ago. Best noserider I've ever owned, but it was a square tail. I liked the curves of the Martin so I just blended the two together. Dimensions are 9-9 18-1/4 x 23-1/4 x 14-3/4" 3-1/4" thick with pinched, 60-40 rails, hlf-length nose-concave and tail V. Can't wait to get this one in the water.

Ice-T-Belly

Here's John's Ice Blue T-Belly. The latest iteration of the T-Belly has thinner foil and lower rocker. The slope-deck rails are thin, offering good wave penetration. I moved the fins slightly forward, but kept the V outside of the fins, with a progressively-deep single concave exiting the tail. There is a "hip" in the outline just forward of the fins, which is where the V starts at the rail and where the concave begins, flowing in between the fins and exiting the tail.

T-Belly for John M....

I really enjoy shaping these little boards. Shaping all of the contours, while trying to maintain symmetry, balance and functionality, requires a high level of concentration and forethought. Its really a meditative exercise. Time flies by as the unwieldly blank (in this case a 6-8RP by US Blanks) morphs into a rideable shape. I had intended to take photos throughout the shaping process, but once I picked up the planer, I got lost in the process until I reached the point where the deck and bottom were roughed-out, but the rails hadn't been turned.

As can be seen, the rocker is extremely flat in the last 2/3 of the bottom. This makes the shape paddle fast and glide fast across the wave face. Here's the finished shape...

I use a sloped-deck approach which allows a nice, thin rail for hold on steep faces. There is a concave down the center of the deck to hel keep the rider centered. The thickness along that deck ridge is 2-1/4", while thickness along the stringer is about 1-7/8". Those gooves on the nose are rail-grips. They will be less apparent after glassing. The nose is scooped-out a bit (more noticeable in the photo above). There is a break in the curve or "hip" about 12" up from the tail. This should coincide with the location of the rider's waist while riding, and serves as a pivot point in the outline for turning.







Looking down the bottom from the nose to the tail, you can see the concave that runs out the back 14" or so. The bevel in the tail bottom starts at the hip in the outline and increases the rocker along the rail in this area. This bevel makes the board easier to turn as the board is rolled up on the rail to turn. The bottom is convex in the nose up to the point where the rocker starts to flatten. The bottom then stays flat until the bevel and concave in the tail. Asymmetrical twin fins are placed 4" up from the tail, in the flat area between the bevel and the concave. Fin toe-in favors speed over turning.

Bottom showing both concave and bevel

Right-side tail bevel

Next, the board goes to Ray for Ice Blue resin tint, bottom and rails, clear deck inlay and yellow pinline.