Dusty Payne's Horrific Accident, Bernoulli's Principle

Prayers of healing to the Payne family.

Water and air have similar properties. Bernoulli's principle originated in hydro dynamics and is used to explain flight. Pressure under an aircraft wing is greater than pressure over a wing, creating lift at the right speed. A speeding surfboard planes on the surface. Water hydro dynamically lifts a surfboard with speed. Speed creates higher pressure under the board so it planes on the surface.

Modern surfing has introduced flight. Air drops are very common in modern surfing. The surfboard is like a wing. The bottom of a surfboard is flat from side to side. The exception may be in the tail area where vee's or concaves may be added. A flat section most surfers fail to consider is the bow. In a landing, the bow often becomes a landing pad, due to the angle of attack and gravitational force.

The bow is the underside of the surfboard where the nose rocker bends. This bend can protrude into the wave face when it lands at the right angle. When the bow is flat, the board attempts to ride on the surface. Flat bottoms are designed plane on the surface, following Bernoulli's Principle. Due to the nose rocker bend, hydro dynamic lift pushes against the forward thrust of the surfboard. Two forces work against eachother. A bow wave forms directly in the path of the board, obstructing movement. When the nose sinks below the surface the restricting force occurs underwater. Drag is created under the board by a bow wave.

A flat bow pushes water forward before directing it to the side. Water accumulates in front of the board. A Vee or round bow parts water like a boat, pushing it out of the way and cushions impact. It may be possible to eliminate a few accidents caused by pearling and nose pokes, if a surfer can ride further. Less rocker and an alternative bow shapes may be safer. Flat bows work in clean conditions at lower speeds, however; surfing has evolved.