I'm trying to get my head around whether channels make any real difference to a twin tip and if they do then what?
Anyone got a view?
If your riding with huge mofo fins then it probably wont make a difference. If you ride without or with small (0.7) fins it definitely gives more traction on the water.
Back in 2007 I was riding around on an 2004 underground 132cm which had a completely flat bottom. I used to get really sore ankles til one day whinging to a friend about my sore ankles when he said to try his board. It was a 2005 underground 132 which looked like the same board except with a single concave. Immediately it rode much smoother and my ankles felt better. I swapped back and forth, one run with flat bottom then the concaved board. Each time the concaved board was much smoother and my ankles loved it. I ordered a new 132 and it had a double concave. It rode smooth and my ankles loved it but it wasn't as lively as the old 2004. Landing jumps were better as the board gripped better with out grabbing too hard like big fins would and bucking you off.
Little, or subtle shapes make a difference, proberly not in normal riding, as in, just edging along, but when you do stuff with your board, the water flow is changed and controlled at different points on the hull, gripping and making the board resist sliding, such as landing hot from a big jump or changing from heal to toe in a high speed gybe, grippy but not biting or grabbing and throwing you off!
cheers for now,
Robbie
They allow the board to edge better with less imput,way better toeside riding with a channeled board and they make the landings way softer ,also helps deflect spray away from the rider,to date the best board i have ever ridden would be the Cardboards FR 131 ,it has a four channel concave,and you can toeside it hard out without it even looking like spinning out.
concaves and channels do very different things. Concaves disperse water making landings and riding through chop more comfortable. Much like the hull of a boat.
Channels will provide more traction on the water for better edge hold.
Pretty much all boards have concaves to the bottom, few kite boards have channels.
Concaves are built into the board by putting it in a rocker jig at the wood/divinicell stage. Concaves make the board faster and stronger, as having a flat section through the middle of the board reduces drag, but allows the rocker to be constant on the edge to help with edging.
Channels are either epoxy or some are then are carved in. Some boards channels are made in the wood stage eg Noble NHP.
Boards with channels work well, ask anyone that has tried the Cab Custom, especially this years 2011 model.
Boards that have channels that are concaves too like the Undergrounds, and Nobile's as well as several other brands, work extremely well too.
My own choice for comfy ride in chop due to the tapered outline and decent rocker combined with minimal fin height to enable easy switching from heel to toeside is the Cab Custom.
Boards like the Underground Crypt and the Nobile 666 ride exceptionally well in choppy conditions too, and size for size have a bit better upwind than the higher rockered Cab Custom.
Hi Peeps,
The channels help control Yaw movement. They help align the board with the direction of travel when landing jumps/tricks and enable the fins to bite in earlier which gives better control.
DM
I don't know about this channels thing. I've used flat bottoms & single concaves. Going to double concaves or the newer quad concaves I think the overriding difference is that they carve turns heaps better. They grip loads more & when you push them too far they start sliding with control so you can still hold your line pretty much.
Col
Channels give you grip but also slow you down. If you want to ride a board without fins they are especially good. I also like the feel of channels on a surfboard like on the old shortboards.
