rodndtube.com's (OLD) MyPaipoBoards Forums. Reading but no posting on the OLD forums.

[surffoils]

Whats the go with paipos being so fast ??
First I thought it was the flat rocker but heaps of other boards have flat or nearly flat rocker.
It couldnt be the materials, and the planshapes are pretty blocky.
I reckon its because of the rails. Because they are so thin the rails can slice into the wave face and they tap into a thicker slice of the rising face layer, whereas surfboards have thicker rails with greater bouyancy so their rails cant sit deeper into the face , they sit more ON the water than in it.
Theres also a vid of Bruce Irons(?) riding a kite board in 3XOH waves in Mex and he says that the boards was too fast.

Whats you take on why paipos are so fast ??

[flojo]

I am no hydrodynamic dude but I believe the lack of fins and flat rocker as well as the thin rails all contribute to the speed--less resistance--

flomo

[Soulglider]

not sure they truly are faster. i know riding them seems faster. like a go kart at 50 mph and a cadillac at 50.

they are truly better though
_________________
soulglider
http://soulgliderpaipo.blogspot.com

[bgreen]

Brett,

I had a board made like one of Larry Goddards. I have ridden it with fins & finless. Finless was faster.

Flat bottoms - Larry says Harry Akisada's boards are the fastest he knows of. These have concave in the bottoms. These boards probably have flex which people like Tom Wegener cite as factor in speed.

Thin, hard rails certainly reduce resistance. The Goddard style board I have doesn't have such thin rails, but it does have a flat bottom & slight concave near the tail. It has an S shape profile so the bulk of the foam is at the rear.

Paipo also have a minimalist component to them - just enough board in the wave, not too much extra.

Then there is the capacity to ride high in the fastest part of the wave. Paipo can lose speed down in the flats.

There is also the consideration that they can launch late and from inside -giving extra speed - like a slingshot.

regards

Bob

[surffoils]

All good replies guys, theres just something fast about a paipo, I can catch surfboards, longboards, bodyboards, I think theyre just perfect at converting the wave energy into speed.

[global ernie]

an article "interpreting the simmons board" gives some good insight.. its out there somewhere in cyberville. i have 3 paipo'. one HPD and 2 paulownia HPD inspired, one with vee and a narrower one with concave in the back third (and most often used). i find that i am often trying to slow them down in quality waves because there is no joy in outrunning a nice baz. all three have zero rocker, to quote bob simmons on rocker: you just don't need it. i think simmons statement is valid for short paipo boards but perhaps not as relevant to longer boards.

[surffoils]

At the time that quote from Simmons wouldve been on the money.
Things have moved on but for flat line speed a bit of nose lift is all thats essential for us proners.