Universal

7'5" Universal for Johnny

Clear with a tinted fin patch

9'4" Cassette

9'4" Cassette for Ian.

Green tint with a grey band.

Mid-length Hull

8'4" Hull for Ivan

Mode

9'2" Mode for Simon

Vulcan

10' Vulcan for Matt

Universal Report

having given the Universal a thorough testing I now feel ready to report back.

Built at the beginning of August, since then it has been my everyday board. I've ridden it in knee high peelers, a wide range of beach breaks, a lumpy double over head reef and a couple of very hollow and challenging, backhand, head and a half reef breaks. The Universal has proved to be a reliable and easy to ride board. with plenty of glide, speed and wave catching ability. It feels similar to a full traditional hull but is much easier to ride and doesn't require the usual adjustment that you would expect with a hull. It projects well off the bottom and will draw a beautiful line on a wave allowing you to put yourself in positions on the face that other boards would struggle with. It carves some great arcs and at 7'9” it's even long enough for me to cross step to a cheater five. I've been pleasantly surprised by how well it handles powerful surf. As soon as the rail engages the board feels locked in and stable but still carves smoothly off the rail.

In smaller, weaker waves it cruises along, rolling turns from rail to rail. It feels Lively, natural and intuitive and it's planing speed matches the wave speed well. As the waves steepens or speeds up the board will accelerate to match it. It sounds obvious but not many boards do it well.

The only time that it has felt a bit of a handful, but not unmanageable was in lumpy double overhead waves with flat faces. I found that I had a lot of speed but no wall to engage the rail in. the board did feel a little unstable until I ran it out on to the flats and lost a little speed. I was then able to get an edge in and start carving turns.

In hollow powerful waves up to head and a half the board feels great. surprisingly solid for a single fin and because of the long flex fin, when it does slide it's very controlled and regains it's hold gently rather than grabbing as some boards do. It feels really comfortable in the barrel and has a very fine response to small changes in line or weight distribution. The take off feels surprisingly comfortable despite the length and low nose rocker.

I recently lent it to a friend for a couple of waves, when he paddle back out to return it I could see his grin from 50m away, there wasn't much more that needed to be said. 

what has really surprised me is how well this board has performed in such a wide range of conditions. The Universal is proving to be one of the best single fins that I have ridden and probably the most useful, versatile and fun mid-length.  

more info to follow here: http://empiresurfboards.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/universal

Cassette

9'4" Cassette for Rich

Cassette Mk II

9'4" Cassette for Marcus

Based on the Cassette variant that i shaped for Nick Radford.

We made a few changes from the original.

The wide point/curve has be pushed back and the tail width/rocker have been increased.

The Universal

Dipped in darkness and more Bladey than the Reapers Scythe.

the 7'9" Universal

wide point back, evolution inspired displacement hull

Mode

9'4" mode for Andy

Resin tinted in cream and purple with black, white, black bands.

Vulcan

9'2" Vulcan for John

Wave length

Great Article on John Eldridge's recent indo trip.

Look out for the Empire Dirty Pin in the quiver shot. 

Vulcan

9'8" Vulcan for Scott

Bon Voyage

Alex on his 9'5" Bon Voyage

Bon Voyage

Photos by James

See more here:

http://iamjamesbooth.co.uk/

Testing the new shape

New 9'4" for Nick Radford

Initial report....

The combination of vee, hips, and wide diamond tail makes for really nice transitions off the top and into a cutback, and the softer rails are still responsive with them being bladed out more in the tail. The lower widepoint seems to have a number of advantages - for general maneuverability and responsiveness surfing off the tail (with the widepoint by your front foot), or initiating turns further up the board with the roll, but mainly noseriding...

It creates a really solid trim when it locks in. This might be a combination of the kick in the tail and slightly turned down rails in the nose also, but it really holds my weight (14 odd stone) on the nose - because of the increased weight / volume in the tail with the lower widepoint and heavy glass job, and the resulting counterbalance when locked in for a noseride. it makes a solid platform for walking, and the softer rails are more forgiving in this respect. In my 15 years of riding longboards, I'd go as far as to say this is one of the best noseriders I've ever had, maybe the best! And it still goes good off the tail.

I've been riding it with a big Hynson red fin, which creates really nice drive and hold. Seems like a good fin for it, or maybe a big pivot fin. Anything too small or flexy I might be concerned the wide tail would ping out. I can give more detailed feedback when I've surfed it more, but for now it feels spot on!

Test pilot John Eldridge

7'5" "Dirty Pin" Single fin with scooped deck for John Eldridge.

Design with John, inspired by the boards of John Wesley and incorporating a few things that i have learnt from the recent boards that I've shaped for Alex.

Artwork by John.

all fun.

Super 6 for Alex

New shape for Alex

 Scooped nose Hull up front, down rail with spiral vee in the tail

Some words from Alex "The Super 6 design is a Transitional Displacement Hull. The idea was to create a board with hull characteristics with modern short board turning control under the back foot. Its a lively board to ride either as a single fin or with the added side bite options. The single fin an inch up from the back of the box will give the board a loose feel, you can engage the rail more on the turns and maintain loads of speed. When the waves are steeper, the side bites (all set in a line - moving the single fin up further) will tighten up the back of the board and stop it sliding out. Thickness distribution plays a big part in the board, its almost 3" thick under your chest for moving around quickly in the line up and paddling in early, this volume then quickly tapers out to the rails and down towards the tail. Also, the foam in the nose is taken out to enable you to drop the entire length of the rail into the turn, on more pivotal turns, it feels light and responsive.  Its a board that takes a bit of time to figure out, constantly shifting your weight and feet around to connect turns, more weight forward to feel the hull and increase speed, weight back for snappy turns back into the pocket."

Vulcan

9'8" Vulcan

#9 for Graham

7'2" single fin #9

it's always a pleasure to shape for friends.

thanks Graham, good luck and best wishes with the new adventure.

hope to see you there soon.

http://plimsollline.wordpress.com/

New shape for Alex

9'5" bon voyage