By its nature, big-wave surfing is often the epicenter of innovation in our sport. The high speeds, critical conditions and dangerous hazards mean that both athletes and equipment have to be in top form. In his latest YouTube video, consummate experimenter and innovator Kai Lenny goes on a deep dive into a new shape of big-wave gun that he’s been developing with his shaper – one he hopes will revolutionize the discipline.
“There is no limit to big-wave paddle surfing if we just improve the technology behind it” says Kai Lenny, by way of introduction. “I think we can go faster, ride bigger waves, take off deeper, get longer barrels and ride smaller boards.”
He goes on to explain that traditional guns have been relatively unchanged for most of their history – a thin nose, foiled to a thicker mid-section and then a thin tail. However, his new craft bucks the trend with an extremely thick nose, a thinner tail and foiled equally all the way through.
The board looks strange to someone accustomed to seeing slight variations of that same gun over and over, but Kai thinks it’s the ticket to bigger waves and better rides. According to Kai and his shaper, Keith Teboul of KT Surfing, the displacement from that thick nose makes it much easier to paddle in to big surf, without sacrificing much in the way of maneuverability once you’re already up. Lenny also says the shape is more aerodynamic on those huge, gut-wrenching big-wave drops.
The design was initially derived from the thicker noses of racing standup paddle boards, which are designed to displace water and paddle faster without getting water on the deck. However, when Kai and Keith realized that aerodynamics can be as significant as hydrodynamics during a drop, they also turned to hydrofoil board designs for inspiration. In the end, the two say that the thicker nose also allows Kai to cut through the air more efficiently and stick the landing on takeoff.
Kai’s been testing the design out on kite foils and windsurfing, in order to replicate the high-speed conditions of a big wave and, so far, he seems convinced that it’s the wave of the future. However, time will tell if this shape starts to make its way into the quivers of the rest of his cohorts.
