News

Fun In The Sun

Mike has been having a lot fun is the sun over in Western Australia .

Mike has a cool little quiver of Formula Energy Surfboards. A 6'3 by 19 3/4 by 2 3/4 Premium Savage (33.57 litres). A USC Old Faithful , 6'1 by 20 by 2 3/4 (33.84 litres) and A Premium Fuzz Nutz which is 6'0 by 19 1/4 by 2 5/8 (35 litres).

We kept his boards around the 33 litres mark for the performance end and fine tuned the dimensions depending on the model and type of waves Mike would be chasing on that particular board . With the Fuzz Nutz being primarily designed for smaller less powerful waves we made it 35 litres , just to give it a little more float on those smaller days !

Above: Giving his Savage a run on nice clean wall

Green Machine

Custom foam spray on the deck of this USC Performance Plus built for Jason.

Dimensions are 5'11 by 19 by 2 5/16 , litres 26.83. Instead of the standard pin tail or rounded pin , Jason ordered a swallow tail set up . Which allows a little more area in the tail pod , equals more hold and bite at higher speeds and two distinct pivot points with the swallow design .

Designed for good  to really good waves , well when it's pumping ! Kind of like Indonesia this week , get over there !

New 3D Fins in Stock.

New 3D fins in stock . With the "dimple" technology and superior flex memory these are good ! Designed for speed , flow and hold ! Check them out at the online store here ! Scroll below to read and watch a video about the design principles ! 

Technical Talk 

As we all know, a golf ball with dimples will fly further than a golf ball without. What most of us don’t know is why? There are two main reasons:

The Dimpled Surface reduces drag.
The Dimpled Surface improves lift.
A lesson in Hydrodynamics

There are two types of flow around an object: laminar and turbulent. Laminar flow has less drag, but it is also prone to a phenomenon called “separation.” Once separation of a laminar boundary layer occurs, drag rises dramatically because of eddies that form in the gap. Turbulent flow has more drag initially but also better adhesion, and therefore is less prone to separation. Therefore, if the shape of an object is such that separation occurs easily, it is better to create a turbulent boundary layer in order to increase adhesion and reduce eddies (which means a significant reduction in drag) Dimples on golf balls create a turbulent boundary layer.

3DFINS decided to test these principles and apply them to a surfboard fin. With advanced Computer Fluid Dynamic testing, we compared two identical fins: the 3DFINS dimpled fin and the exact same fin without dimples. The tests were conducted by fluid dynamics expert Darren Stephens (formally of CSIRO) and the results were surprising. A surfboard fin with a smooth surface is much like a golf ball with a smooth surface, it has a lamina flow over the surface. This works quite well when going straight and at lower speeds, but when you start to turn and reach higher speeds the fluid starts to separate from the foil or fins surface.

A surfboard fin with dimples creates a turbulent flow. Turbulent flow has more adhesion so when you start to turn, the dimpled fin surface delays the flow separation, reducing the separation bubble allowing the foil to maintain performance.

When the surfer is turning at high speeds, the turbulent boundary layer helps the flow overcome an adverse pressure gradient and allows the fin to remain attached to the surface longer than it would otherwise. This reduces drag, increases lift and improves overall performance of the fin design.

Mentawais Surf Tax

Our good mate Harry updated the quiver and headed over to the Mentawais in early August . Trying to get in before the all new Mentawai Surf Tax takes effect . Yes SURF TAX, you can read all about this new tax here at Surfline website.  But basically every visiting surfer will pay from $76 US upwards to surf the Mentawais Region , depending on the length of your stay . Hit the link above or go to the Jakarta Post for the original  breaking story .

Staying near playgrounds area at the Mentawai Surf Retreat  ,he managed to score a variety of waves from fun little setups like Pit Stops

Where he rode his USC TP1 model, perfect for those smaller days in tropics.

Then when conditions turned on he headed round the corner to a much intense set up called Bank Vaults . Its a fast , shallow barreling wave with a heavy inside section .

This type of wave Harry jumped on his USC Hi Performance model . Locked and loaded and looking for some travel time !

Lot Of Love

Lot of love went into  this surfboard for Tomas its a  USC Hi Performance model . 

On the bottom is a Resin Tint design called , Three Way Grey Light Blue Charcoal Resin Tint .
Featuring,cleaner deck lines, improved rocker, more forgiving rails and overall a much better, way improved surfboard, all designed for easier rail to rail transitions, and noted quickness coming back out of turns, tail shape "Squash Tail".

The Squash Tail design is the most common tail shape you see on modern performance surfboards . 

Talking tail shape can become a little confusing but here is a simple way of understanding some basic ideas. 

Think of a more angular tail as creating more angular, square turns ,like a square tail. A rounder tail will create more elliptical, smoother turns, for example a rounded pin tail.

Take the Squash Tail, a square tail that has been rounded off !

Its Very responsive, the squash tail design provides all the surface and planing area of a round tail, contributing to speed and lift and helping to maintain speed in slower spots.

The rounded corners provide a bit more bite and control than the round tail, and the square end allows the board to release. The corners allow for more pivotal, abrupt turns off the bottom or on the face, but will provide less release off the top. This tail design relies on the thruster, tri-fin setup to maintain control. The squash is the most popular tail for a short-board.

Rocket Ship

Waynes new custom USC Hi Performance 5'10 by 18 3/4 by 2 3/8 , 26 litres "rocket ship" . High performance surfboard model , custom built with a swallow tail .

When its landed on his door step, he commented it looked like a rocket ship !

Another Formula Energy addition to the quiver which already consists of a custom USC Alien , 5'10 by 19 1/4 by 2 3/8 , 27.36 litres.

Pure Performance

6'3 USC Hi Performance , custom made . For really good waves . 

Single concave under the front foot leading into double concave, instant speed and flow but with release and pivot that is needed under the back foot with the double concave , and tail shape is the super reliable squash tail.

USC Construction
USC Construction, or “Ultra Stringerless Carbon” construction with parabolic carbon rails, Really sets itself apart with the unique blend of materials and placement of the carbon.

With USC, you are using a stringerless blank, but a PU blank instead of EPS. The carbon is also laid around the perimeter, but more on the deck instead of wrapping under the rails.

The PU blank gives you that familiar feel we all know and love, while the parabolic carbon layout adds more speed, drive and flex. Combined with a unique bio- polyester resin, these boards lower their carbon footprint and are built to last, while giving you a board you can feel comfortable on as soon as you jump in it.

Check the full range out here

Blue Performance

Blue Sky Resin Tint on the bottom of this custom USC Hi Performance . Made for really good waves. 

In fact this surfboard is headed on a long journey to one of the hardest surf spots on earth to get to. It takes multiple plane rides sometimes back tracking  ,a fist full of dollars , and of course favourable swell charts to get it on .

Its true paradise once you arrive with crystal clear water, ruler edge perfect freight training barrelling righthander , and if you get it pumping , its one of the best waves in the surfing world an by the way it is no where near the Mentawais ....

These are the moments you need good equipment built to last and perform !

Charcoal

Custom USC Hi Performance for Ben . Dimensions are 6'0 by 19 1/4 by 2 7/16 (29 litres).

Artwork is  Charcoal Resin Tint ... 

This model is designed for really good waves but we added a little versatility and all round performance aspect by making it a squash tail .

Perhaps, the surf trip of a lifetime is on the horizon or just like to have a surfboard for quality waves in the quiver , well this is the one !  

 Custom order here click the link, and remember free freight on custom orders in Australia !

Why Carbon

Why Parabolic Carbon Rails over central wooden stringer ? 

Moments like these the technology really comes into its own . The flex ,the drive and speed generated is unique and superior .

Delivering you to sections quicker allowing you to turn tighter with no lag and an instantaneous reaction and an overall better feeling of connection to your surfboard . Its called the 

USC Technology click here for more information . 

Photo by Ryan Robson Images