Technical board info to help you design your custom board
Length: Normally Between 36-46 inches. This is the overall finished length of your board. The general rule of measuring from the floor to your belly button is not always the correct method but just a guideline. The best way to find out what length is best for you is to have a go on friend's boards until you find what works. Or use your current board as a guide either you want a little extra length or a little less or perhaps what you have used before is perfect. If you want to get a DK board then normally a half or full inch more than you would normally prone with.
Nose Width: Normally between 10 - 15 inches. This is the finished nose width of your board, including rail skins. A moderate to wider nose width is better suited for prone giving better control and manoeuvrability. A narrow nose is good for drop knee riding.
Tail width: This is normally between 16 and 19 inches. The width normally would be scaled to fit the overall length and width of the board, however for DK riding you would have it slightly wider for stability. For mostly prone riding styles you would look for a tail width that best suits the overall board spec, kind of tail you are using and rider preference.
Width: Normally Between 20- 23 inches. The type of waves you will be surfing generally determines the overall width of the board. Wider boards work best in small, weaker surf as they provide more floatation. Narrower boards are suited to bigger, more powerful waves. Making it easier to go from rail to rail in heavy surf as you are looking to control the waves power. Also width is determined by your body size and preference
Wide-point distance from Nose: Normally Between 15-24 inches. This is the distance from the nose to the widest point of the board. The distance from the nose will determine the overall look of the board and the template that will best suit the dimensions you have requested. A high wide-point suits a wider nose and straighter, boxy template. This type of configuration is more suited to prone boards. A lower wide-point works well for a medium to narrow nose board, with a little more curve in the template. Best suited to versatile and drop-knee boards.
Rail Ratio: This is the ratio of bottom rail to top rail in percentages. For example, 50/50 bottom/top rail is an even 50% top to 50% bottom rail (chine). Best for smaller, lighter riders in small surf. 60/40-bottom/top rail is for high performance riders in powerful surf and for heavier riders.
Channels: When holding a line in the face of the wave or making a hard turn, there is only a relatively small percentage of the board in contact with the water. The section of the board that is in contact with the wave is generally the back corner. The function of the channel is to increase the surface area of the slick exactly where it is needed. By placing the channel close to the rail and in the back corner of the board, this has enabled shapers to maximize contact with the wave. This has increased the riders ability to hold a higher line on the face of the wave and to apply more power to turns.
Bottom Skins - Surlyn™ - Dupont™, invented the Surlyn™ resin. With its rubber-like properties, Surlyn™ provided the Bodyboard with a tough slick skin with precise flexural stiffness. This worked in perfect harmony with the boards core and top skin and gave the boards what they had been missing, rigidity. With rigidity came speed, which propelled the bodyboard into a high performance wave-riding vehicle. The rest, as they say, is history. Rossi Board Co. uses Dupont Surlyn™ in all its boards construction. Nothing else comes close!