The Smooth Operator is indeed a very traditional
thruster in every sense. With ever increasing tail flips in
the modern performance thrusters that enable fast
and flicky repertoires there are many surfers out there
as a result, being left behind. Twitchy might suit super
talented surfers in small waves, but for guys who want
to draw long fast lines in 3 feet up, the Smooth
Operator has the engine required. I have always
believed a round tail is so easy to turn it more often
than not needs a check mechanism. Reducing tail
rocker does just that- balancing the drive and pivot so
as to fit the bill for those who want reach without
excess reaction.
PLANSHAPE
Like most performance thrusters the SO has moved
with the times with a fuller nose and a moderately
wider girth. The 12 inches up from the tail width is kept
reasonably narrow c/f with the excessive tail widths on
some of the performance shapes we have seen the last
few years. The Florence effect where power carves are
back in vogue, so it is true a barge arse will make this
very difficult. The round tail because it is narrower in
the last few inches of the tail it can be forced harder at
speed. In addition, we know boards with flatter tail
rockers are normally stiffer through turns, but adding a
round tail to the equation it will rotates with ease.
ROCKER
The 2 main ingredients for a board’s manoeuvrability
lies with the plans shape and the rocker. Since the tail
shape on this model has an easy rotation effect due to
the round tail it allows scope to balance up with a
straighter tail rocker. Boards with abrupt tail shapes
like swallows and squares need more tail lift to turn
easier, but a round tail flow easy so flattening the tail
rocker helps balance reach with pivot.
LATERAL BOTTOM SHAPE
The SO is a full concave from nose to tail punctuated
with in the back half with a subtle double concave that
sits within. Combined with the flatter tail rocker and
the squirt of the concaves the SO has some massive
bight off the bottom and reach to burn, but can rotate
on a dime due to the round tail. To compensate the
flatter tail rocker putting pressure on the nose area
more nose lift has been added to compensate.
RAILS
The ease of rotation with a round tail allows this design
to carry a tad more meat in the rail adding even more
drive when pushed. Toward the tail the rails become
increasingly lower in order to help a so called slippery
round tail to bight hard.
DIMENSIONS
6.0 X 19 1/8 X 2 7/16 = 29.13 LTS
6.2 X 19 3/8 X 21/2 = 31.11 LTS
6.4 X 19 5/8 X 2 9/16 = 33.18 LTS
6.6 X 19 7/8 X 2 5/8 = 35.39 LTS
These are stock lengths but can be stretched or
shortened to order