If You Don't Know Now You Know - Episode 3

Surfboard Bottom Contours Explained: Complete Guide to Board Performance

Understanding surfboard bottom contours is crucial for choosing the perfect custom surfboard. In Episode 3 of "If You Don't Know Now You Know," expert surfboard shaper Jason Bennett from Chemistry Surfboards breaks down how different bottom contours affect your board's performance in various wave conditions.

Types of Surfboard Bottom Contours

Every surfboard bottom contour serves a specific purpose in board design. Here are the four main types of surfboard bottom contours and how they impact your surfing experience:

Flat Bottom Surfboards

• Flat Bottom Design: Provides maximum stability and speed for beginners and longboard riders
• Best for: Small waves, cruising, and learning fundamental surfing techniques

Concave Bottom Surfboards

• Concave Bottom Contours: Enhance lift and maneuverability by channeling water flow
• Best for: Performance surfing, generating speed, and responsive turning

Vee Bottom Surfboards

• Vee Bottom Design: Increases control and bite for smoother rail-to-rail transitions
• Best for: Larger waves, stability at speed, and easier turning

Channel Bottom Systems

• Channel Bottom Contours: Direct water flow and increase hold for maximum control
• Best for: Powerful waves, maintaining speed, and enhanced grip

How Bottom Contours Affect Surfboard Performance

The bottom contour of your surfboard significantly influences three key performance factors:

• Speed: Flat and concave designs maximize speed generation
• Turning Ability: Concave and vee contours enhance maneuverability
• Wave Hold: Channels and vee provide superior control in critical sections

Whether you're seeking a custom surfboard that glides effortlessly down the line or one that snaps tight turns in the pocket, understanding surfboard bottom contours is essential for ordering a board that matches your surfing style and local wave conditions.

About "IF YOU DON'T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW" Series

Chemistry Surfboards, Oceanside's premier custom surfboard manufacturer, presents "IF YOU DON'T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW," an educational YouTube series hosted by master shaper Jason Bennett. This comprehensive surfboard design guide covers everything you need to know before ordering your custom surfboard, including:

• Understanding your surfing style and skill level for optimal board selection
• Choosing the right surfboard dimensions and materials for your local waves
• Navigating the custom surfboard ordering process with confidence
• Surfboard bottom contours and their performance characteristics

Expert Surfboard Shaping in Oceanside, California

With decades of experience in custom surfboard shaping, Jason Bennett shares invaluable insights to ensure your next board perfectly matches your surfing needs and aspirations. Whether you're seeking a high-performance surfboard to push your limits or a unique custom board that reflects your personality, this series empowers you to make informed decisions about your surfboard design.

Frequently Asked Questions About Surfboard Bottom Contours

What bottom contour is best for beginners?

Flat bottom contours provide the most stability and are ideal for beginner surfers learning fundamental techniques.

Which bottom contour generates the most speed?

Concave bottom designs are excellent for speed generation, while flat bottoms also provide good speed with added stability.

How do I choose the right bottom contour for my local waves?

Consider your wave conditions: concave for smaller waves, vee for larger waves, and channels for powerful, hollow waves.

Ready to design your perfect custom surfboard? Contact Chemistry Surfboards in Oceanside, California, to discuss your surfboard bottom contour options and create a board tailored to your surfing style.

Bryan Perez's La Pantera Rosa Model

La Pantera Rosa: Olympian Bryan Perez's Signature High-Performance Shortboard

Born from the point breaks of El Salvador and honed on breaks around the globe, La Pantera Rosa is the signature high-performance shortboard of Olympian Bryan Perez. Designed by Jason Bennett, this dynamic model blends the best elements of our popular M Mix and B Side designs, resulting in a board that thrives in critical, powerful conditions.

Designed for the Best:

La Pantera Rosa features a more aggressive rocker, a pulled-in nose, and a single-to-double concave bottom, delivering lightning-fast responsiveness and unwavering hold in lined-up point breaks and punchy surf. The continuous rocker flow from nose to tail ensures seamless transitions and effortless maneuverability, allowing you to carve with precision and attack the lip with confidence.

Bryan's Choice:

Bryan Perez favors the thumb tail configuration for maximum hold and control during critical turns, but La Pantera Rosa can be customized with your preferred tail shape to suit your individual style.

A Quiver Essential:

This high-performance machine is a must-have for any surfer seeking to elevate their game and conquer challenging waves. Whether you're chasing barrels or pushing the limits of aerial maneuvers, La Pantera Rosa give you everything needed to perform at a high level. 

If You Don't Know Now You Know - Episode 2

Episode 2 - 3 Different Fin Setups

Join shaper Jason Bennett in Episode 2 of our series as he dives deep into the fascinating world of surfboard fin setups. Discover how these seemingly simple appendages can dramatically transform your board's performance, influencing everything from speed and stability to maneuverability and control.

Jason breaks down the three most popular fin setups: the classic thruster, the playful twin fin, and the versatile quad. Learn how each setup interacts with different wave conditions and surfing styles, and discover which one might be the perfect match for your custom surfboard.

Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of fin setups and unlock the full potential of your surfing experience.

"IF YOU DON'T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW"

Chemistry Surfboards, your go-to source for custom surfboards in Oceanside, California, is excited to unveil its latest YouTube series, "IF YOU DON'T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW," hosted by shaper Jason Bennett. This series is your ultimate guide to navigating the world of custom surfboards. Jason will delve into the essential factors to consider before ordering your dream board, including:

• Understanding your surfing style and skill level
• Choosing the right dimensions and materials
• Navigating the custom surfboard ordering process

With decades of experience in surfboard shaping, Jason will share his invaluable insights and expertise to ensure your next board is a perfect match for your needs and aspirations. Whether you're seeking a high-performance surfboard to push your limits or a unique surfboard that reflects your personality, this series will empower you to make informed decisions and create the best custom surfboard for your surfing journey.

World's Best Performance Hybrid

The 23 High-Performance Hybrid Surfboard: Ultimate Thruster-Twin Fin Combo

Meet The 23, Chemistry Surfboards' revolutionary high-performance hybrid surfboard that redefines versatility in custom surfboard design. Handcrafted in our Oceanside, California shaping bay, this innovative surfboard seamlessly transitions between classic thruster and playful twin fin setups, delivering the ultimate quiver-killer performance for surfers seeking one board that excels in all conditions.

The 23 Surfboard Features & Design Innovation

This custom surfboard represents the pinnacle of modern surfboard shaping technology, combining traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge design elements:

Precision Fin Box System

• Meticulously Placed Fin Boxes: Optimal fin positioning for both thruster and twin fin configurations
• All-in-One Setup: Switch between fin configurations without compromising performance
• Professional-Grade Routes: Ensures perfect fin alignment for maximum efficiency

4-Belly Channel System

• Enhanced Stability: Four belly channels provide superior board control
• Increased Speed: Channels direct water flow for maximum velocity
• Strategic Center Channel: Fades at 12" mark then dramatically reappears for energy injection

High-Performance Hybrid Design

• Standard Shortboard Outline: Effortless paddling and speed generation
• Diamond Tail Configuration: Surfs shorter for tight pocket maneuvers
• Versatile Rocker Profile: Optimized for head-high barrels to waist-high playful waves

Pro Surfer Review: Noel Salas Tests The 23

Professional surfer Noel Salas puts The 23 through rigorous testing in the latest Surf N Show episode, providing expert insights into this performance hybrid's capabilities across various wave conditions.

Professional Rider Feedback

Versatile Performance Characteristics

The 23 combines a standard shortboard outline for effortless paddling and speed with a diamond tail that surfs shorter, making it perfect for tight pocket surfing and critical wave sections.

Innovative Channel System Benefits

The 4 belly channels and strategically placed center channel provide an extra "boost" of energy, significantly enhancing the surfboard's responsiveness and drive through all wave conditions.

Dual Fin Setup Advantages

This unique thruster-twin fin capability offers unparalleled versatility without compromising performance, allowing surfers to adapt their setup to changing wave conditions instantly.

Expert Rider Assessment

Noel Salas praises The 23's ability to maintain top-to-bottom surfing despite its parallel outline. He specifically highlights how the rocker and diamond tail combination makes punchy surf incredibly fun and accessible for intermediate to advanced surfers.

The 23 Surfboard Specifications & Sizing

Recommended Dimensions by Rider Profile

Why Choose The 23 High-Performance Hybrid?

Recession-Proof Surfboard Investment

The 23 guarantees endless fun in twin fin style surfing while its thruster capability unlocks maximum performance when conditions demand it. This versatility makes it the perfect investment for surfers looking to reduce their quiver size without sacrificing performance.

Wave Condition Adaptability

• Small Wave Performance: Twin fin setup for playful, loose surfing
• Larger Wave Control: Thruster configuration for maximum performance and control
• All-Around Versatility: One board that handles everything from ankle-biters to overhead surf

Custom Surfboard Shaping in Oceanside, California

Experience the future of surfboard design with The 23, handcrafted by master shaper Jason Bennett at Chemistry Surfboards in Oceanside. Our commitment to innovation and precision ensures every custom surfboard meets the highest standards of performance and craftsmanship.

Frequently Asked Questions About The 23

What makes The 23 different from other hybrid surfboards?

The 23 features a unique 4-belly channel system with a strategic center channel that fades and reappears, plus precision fin boxes that accommodate both thruster and twin fin setups without performance compromise.

What wave conditions work best for The 23?

The 23 excels in everything from waist-high playful waves to head-high barrels, making it the ultimate quiver-killer for surfers who want one board for all conditions.

How do I choose between thruster and twin fin setup?

Use twin fins for smaller, playful waves and looser surfing. Switch to thruster setup for larger waves, more control, and high-performance maneuvers.

Ready to experience The 23? Contact Chemistry Surfboards in Oceanside, California, to order your custom high-performance hybrid surfboard and discover why The 23 is revolutionizing modern surfboard design.

Lyle Model

Half Moon Model

Welcome to the world of Cursive

For 17 years Chemistry Surfboards has been known worldwide as a high performance shortboard brand. We wanted to offer you something completely different than what we have been building over the last decade. Cursive is that brainchild brought to life. Our loyal customer base now has access to a line of classic retro shapes designed by Jason Bennett. There are currently six unique designs to choose from. These boards are constructed the traditional way which includes cut lap resin tints, glossed and polished finishes, and hand-foiled glass on fins. This idea has finally come to fruition and we are very excited to share it with you. Check out the new line now!

Cassette Deck

New Models 2018

We are excited to announce a bunch of new models for you this year. We have 5 new models total, 3 high performance shortboards, and two small wave boards.

The B-Side

The B-Side is our most high performance shortboard in our line. It also has the deepest single concave, and most accelerated rocker of any performance board we have built. Designed with team rider Barron Mamiya, this board was developed for his need for an ultra high performance board he can ride in contests as well as back home in Hawaii. This board excels in performance driven waves like Lowers, the North Shore, or anything that calls for a blade to be ridden.

The Beer Fridge

The Beer Fridge is another new addition to our high performance line. This model is a mixture between our Flashpoint and R2 models. The Beer Fridge has a thicker nose and tail foil which makes it an easier riding shortboard. The Beer Fridge has a lower overall rocker which assists in paddling into flatter waves and has a subtle hip to narrow the outline through the tail. Equipped with six channels, this allows the board to have a substantial amount of drive on flat gutless waves while allowing the board to have bite when putting the board on rail. The Beer Fridge comes standard with a rounded squash tail and thruster fin setup.

The R2+

Due to the success of our R2, we decided to develop the R2+ based off team rider Barron Mamiya’s need for more rocker on his shortboard to surf in bigger, hollower waves as seen in his 2017 Triple Crown Rookie of the year campaign. The R2+ has 1/4” more nose and tail rocker making it excel in top to bottom hollow surf. The R2+ has a single concave like its predecessor, giving the board the maximum amount of drive. Ride the R2+ as a more performance everyday shortboard, or order it bigger as a step up in larger surf. We recommend a five fin setup for this model to allow you to ride as a thruster in performance conditions or as a quad when you need that extra speed boost in waves of consequence.

The Holiday

Our Holiday model is a new addition to our small wave selection. This fish was built to speed down the line yet has a refined foil for high performance top to bottom surfing. The Holiday has a double concave to a single rocket channel off the tail. This assists rolling the board over from rail to rail while giving it some bite so it doesn’t feel too loose. The Holiday has a mellow rocker, with a wider nose, and the midpoint forward making it an excellent paddler for surfers of all skill levels. This board can be ordered in a variety of fin setups. From a twin fin with a trailer, to a straight quad fin, or even a traditional high performance thruster. Order it your way.

The Minion

The Minion model was spawned from wanting to put an ultra easy small wave paddler into the Chemistry lineup. This model replaces your need for a longboard when the surf is sub par. The fuller round nose makes this board ultra friendly to the novice surfer, while still maintaining performance for the more advance surfer to “cheat” in small waves. The outline is pulled in towards the tail making this board easy to whip around, while the double barrel to vee gives it a pivot point to turn off of. We suggest you order this model 2-4” shorter than your normal shortboard. Equipped with a 5 fin set up, this gives you plenty of fin options to keep you in the water on the slow days.

Summer Mod

Our summer time model was built exactly what the name suggests, for summer. This model has a perfect blend of low entry rocker, and a wider overall outline to get you into waves that lack the juice winter time swells have. The bottom contour of the summer time model has a single concave to center hull channel out the back of the tail. This provides an incredible amount of drive when the waves tend to be on the slow and gutless side. The wider tail lends to a straighter outline giving this board a lot of down the line speed. Adding a 5 fin set up, the summer time can be ridden as either a quad or thruster depending on the users preference and the conditions it is ridden in.