Description
The concept is simple. Mid length features, but shorter. Born from a need to feel stability, with a yearning to keep it a lot spicier than a longer rail line would tend to offer.
The Sidepiece has a lovely curved outline with an eggy rail line and pulled in nose and tail for more speed through turns. A higher wide point creates a bit more board upfront which offers slightly longer rail lines to hold on to that forward momentum and trim we have all learned to love when riding midlengths.
The rocker is consistent with a slight kick in the tail, and a slightly more drawn out entry. Both tail and entry are medium height in the grand scheme of surfboard rockers but leaning on the higher end for twin fin boards of this genre. This combo gives more poise on rail, as well as more aggression when you surfing the pocket of a wave.
The foil has a slightly ‘forward heavy’ balance, giving stability off the front foot an extra nudge in the paddle department. Allowing for slightly more neutral foot positioning and added forgiveness at lower speeds.
The rails are hard edged in the tail and pinched, gradually rising in apex as they transition to a softer boaty rail shape nearer the nose. This allows you to push hard and maintain forgiveness through turns.
The bottom contours are very ‘Luke Hart’. Single concave in the tail, rolled double to loosen it up a touch through the fins, which later transitions into a very light vee through the latter part of the nose area. This graceful lifting of the rail lines offers a smooth transition rail to rail once you have utilised the lift generated from under your feet. No channel required.
The fin set up is twin only, with the fins dropped slightly further back to offer a bit more hold, given the shorter rail lines. The pivot off the fins is married nicely to the concave and pulled in nature of the round pin tail. Its spicy in the pocket and smooth moving out on the face. The twin fin set up is utilised to free it up whilst the rest of the design allows you to push a little harder and turn a little quicker than you can on your mid length.
When it comes to the best construction, we would advise base construction for surfers looking to use this board in better waves but have no problems with one of the epoxy techs being utilised for those looking to use the Sidepiece as a daily driver.
You should be riding the sidepiece around 6 inches bigger than your shortboard and around 6 inches (or 4-5 litres) less than your favourite mid length.
The sidepiece is a board for anyone. A great paddler that is still small enough to duck-dive. Fast and loose yet smooth and effortless – We could go on. Lets just say the sidepiece is a surfers surfboard. A surfboard that encapsulates the freedoms we all want to feel when surfing with some added stability we have learned to love when riding longer rail length surfboards. An instant classic is born.
