Evolution and the Planning Hull

The image below is of a surfboard planning hull. Most surfboards are flat from end to end. A few have concaves and Vee's in the tail for speed and maneuverability. At lower speed the underside of the nose rocker, known as the bow in boating, pushes water forward and around the surfboard. The bow section is painted red in the picture.

With the evolution of vertical surfing and flight, surfboards frequently land on its bow. This is due to gravity force and the angle of attack. At high speed, the flat bow cannot push water out of the surfboard's path fast enough. Water accumulates in front of the surfboard, in the form of a bow wave, and blocks movement. At the perfect angle, with the right force, the flat bow creates lift that pushes the surfboard back, launching the rider. This lift is hydrodynamic lift, the same force that surfboards utilize to plane on the surface. Surfing evolution is directing designs toward semi-displacement hulls from the past. Vee or round hull push water out of the surfboards path at high speed. The surfer can progress further. In the next video Mason Ho's surfboard stops and pitches him.