Greg Webber's deep double
Jutting his chin like an outlaw Greg Webber holds up his latest board design - a deep double concave with narrow, flexing fins up front and a snub keel at rear.
If the concept seems extreme keep in mind this is a toned down version of something Greg's been working on for a while. See the bottom photos which were taken in 2016, and keen observers will notice strands of the idea have surfaced in Greg's work over the past twenty years.
Inscribed down the stringer of the latest board is 'by Greg for Someone' with the shaper alluding to that someone being in the the Quiksilver Pro. He's shaped for Kelly before, yet KS is feet up in Hawaii. So who's the board for?
"That someone is anyone, really" said Greg when Swellnet pressed him for answers.
So it's a bit of guerilla marketing then?
"Yep. It's sitting in the [Quiksilver Pro] competitors tent getting looked at a fair bit."
Greg says he's after top level feedback before releasing it as a new design. "John John would be ideal! Now that he's out maybe he can have a little go."
And even though KS isn't here, Greg is making a version for Kelly so he can test out his foot.
Comments
Where do pro surfers stand with there board sponsors if they wish to test ride a board from another shaper?
A pic of JJF freesurfing at Snapper on a Webber gets taken and hits social media in minutes?
that twin fin looks down right frightening.
the mans an astronaut ....I want to see a controversial twitter tele photo bottom turn of Donald Trump driving it wearing North Korean Russian left wing intellectuals
great. so webber is still alive. wave pool?
If he wants to send it to me I will have a crack. I can give him some bottom level feedback.
I’ve got 3 of his boards with that bottom and the same fins.
One is a mini longboard, one a fishy thing and the other is a fishy thing with a round nose.
They are fucking amazing.
He is a true innovator, there are very few shapers in the world with his vision or ability.
Hey mate. What size is the fishy thing?
Are the fins as gnarly as the last pics, or more like the board in the tent?
What conditions does it surf best in?
Hey roofie,
It’s a 5’9 x 20 1/2” x 3 1/8(!!!)
It’s has a 3tab twin set bigger that the first set but not as crazy as the fangs there.
It feels intriguing under the arm, like a loaf of bread with epic concaves. It actually surfs like a whippy, well balanced thruster with a bit of extra spark. I use a small trailer.
Best In facey lined up waves, it can handle a bit of size provided the wave isn’t hollow from the getgo.
Not a board for the slabs perhaps, but you can get well shacked if you sneak up on them with some speed.
He made me a 6’6” “Diamond” kind of a very short longboard 3” thick. I have to say, I’ve been a shortboarder all my life but that is the board I think about surfing most of all. Just amazing.
https://www.facebook.com/Webber.Surfboards/videos/10154986796674224/
Here is a link to the mini fish, in French unfortunately but you get le drift.
http://www.surfrepotes.fr/forum/annonces-surf/webber-mini-fish-6-0-x-21-...
Thanks EC, that's great.
The FB video really clarified to me his thinking on the benefits of a double concave: drive and hold with more forgiveness than a single concave. At least, that's what I got out of it. Total neophyte when it comes to board design.
The 5'9 sounds like my kinda thing but living in Perth the waves are generally small and hollow. Still, I've just spent the last 30 minutes browsing Webber boards... The seed is planted now. It's just a matter of time before I succumb.
what sort of waves do you surf them in ??
Whatever comes my way pretty much. I have a thing for putting boards into inappropriate surf. Here that means super hollow dumpy beachies mostly.
Beggars can’t be choosers around Perth
Norman realised he had to change when he smoked a girl scout cookie, discovered he couldn't read and transformed his life..." right now I'm pretty comfortable, takes me for a ride in his model T. I have got my own business, sometimes I am in the bookshop for a couple of hours and I have the nurse help me fill it out, which made me feel great. I'm more confident now than I have ever been."
In the end, everywhere he looked there was smoke on the ground, the Russian spy poisoning, bodies and dead people. Mr Trump himself had now been sacked. Russia denied any involvement.
That twinny pin tail is my go too board,but i use the extra large fins,gives it way more drive,just gotta be careful in water less than a meter and a half deep....lol
That’s yours?!
Fuck man, if I spent a night with that....you wouldn’t want to see it under a blacklight.
Hope some folks have a ride of it.
The quote below is in need of some answers..........
Where do pro surfers stand with there board sponsors if they wish to test ride a board from another shaper?
Been there done that:
i have a lot of respect for greg webber.
there are parallels between him and some of the great and pioneering engineers i have worked with and for.
you can be good at something by applying the existing template and refining it.
this is what all the big surfboard shapers/brands are good at.
it works to, because i - like most punters - want something that works in the majority of scenarios.
greg like other pioneers probably got bored with refining the HPSB (probably to his financial detriment).
i respect that - more so now i work in R&D.
here is someone who has already pushed the limits of one design to breaking point (the deep singles) and now he appears to be pushing the limits of other design elements to breaking point.
Ultimately everyone in surfboard design benefits from this because we cant really know the limits until you go past them.
that when the boundaries are set and the refinement can start.
Greg may be alone in this research - i am not sure.
But i think the work he has been doing (regardless of the reason) should be applauded.
unfortunately when greg leaves the industry much of this knowledge will be lost.
Sure we might have some examples of his work, but we wont have whats in his head.
The other thing about him is that he can really surf. Like most of us though he is getting older, fatter, has a fucked back etc. he’s very good at taking the bleeding edge and applying it to his (and our) changing physical abilities.
Awesome guy
Has anyone picked it up from the comp and taken it into the water yet? or it it still
waiting for a wax up?
Good points, Graveyard.
Not so sure about the last one though. He doesn't seem shy about sharing his thoughts behind his boards and their designs. A serious student armed with a few of his boards and his videos should be able to understand where he's coming from. It seems like more of a problem of compilation and tabulation of the existing knowledge.
Or do you think there is a deep well of secret knowledge he's keeping under wraps in order to maintain his commercial advantage?