Mini-Tanker for a Tanker Driver
Brad has just finished building one of our newest designs to date, and we think it’s going to turn some heads. Our friend, who sails as a chief mate on oil tankers, asked us to build him a custom longboard suited for our local conditions and well as to his physical size and style of surfing. Nothing in our current line was really right for him, so a new shape was required.
Developing new shapes for custom orders is a growing part of our custom board building business, but it requires a whole pile of additional steps, the most important of which is getting as much input from the surfer as possible.
For smaller modifications, when we have a current design as a starting point, we can begin the construction process and alter the frame shapes as we go. But for completely new shapes, we draw new designs using a 3D CAD program. This enables us to design boards in 3D space and create the exact shape we’re looking for. We can send models to our customers for review and really dial in the shape that our customer has been dreaming of. From there we design the internal structure, create the frames and check them out to be confident that we got it right.
Our new mini-tanker
For this mini-tanker, we chose our 8′ Sapling as a starting point, pumping it up to a more classic longboard shape. Brad started by adding width and volume to the nose and tail of the board for more glide and to make it a sure-fire wave-catcher. He rounded out the rails keeping them full to create some suction in the softer, slower waves we get around here, transitioning to a tucked rail toward the tail for speed.
Flat entry, and a gentle belly running to a slight ‘V’ at the fins should help this board serve surfers of all skill levels. The 2+1 setup allows this mini-tanker to surf as a traditional single-fin or for more control and performance, with sidebites. We designed it to work well in a variety of conditions, but it’s definitely intended for the lighter-weight longboarder looking for a classic glide.
This new board’s dimensions are 8′ x 22 3/8″ x 3″, 19″ nose width and 15.25″ tail width.
The current 8′ Sapling and 9′ Root with the new 8′ mini-tanker
Let us know what you think as we’re considering adding to our line in the coming weeks, if there is enough good support for this board.
Thanks.
April 15th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Excellent. Please make sure they make their way to capeboatworks in australia!
April 15th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Great design. Put some in the lineup this summer.
April 15th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Nice Lines! Traditonal always looks good.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Looks fantastic - will it be available as a kit in the future?
April 18th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Thanks for all the feedback. We would like to add this board to our line and when we do, we’ll definitely offer it as a kit.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I can hardly wait to see this in the kit form. Simple, classic lines - and sized for the people who beleave that sometimes ‘less is more’.
May 4th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Looks great are you going to make it into a kit? Could someone by the keel and cross member now.
May 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
This was a custom board, so we don’t have the components ready yet. We will definitely announce when they’re available… Stay tuned! Or join our email list (right at the bottom of the page) to be sure to get the word.
May 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
If the mini-tanker ends up in the Grain kit line up then I will definately purchase one. I am just about through with my 10′ and can’t wait to do it again. Great, cool, and well thought out design.
May 25th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I am 5′6″ tall and approx 190lb (a little fat guy..!) and getting back into surfing after about 20 years. I was tossing up between getting an 8′ Sapling kit or a 9′ Root kit (leaning more towards the Root) when I read your article on the 8′ Mini Tanker. I’m after something that floats pretty high for ease of catching waves but which (after a while at least) shouldn’t be too hard to turn… Have you any advice or suggestions?
May 28th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Sounds like the mini-tanker might be perfect for you. Its high-volume was designed for larger people or those that are just getting into (or back into!) surfing. It also has a pretty wide tail, though still enough hip to facilitate smooth turns. That makes it a solid wave-catcher without the cumbersomeness (if that’s even a word) of a longer board. We wanted something that would give those with less upper body strength (like many women) or people 5′6″ and under the float and glide of a longboard without the bulk. Unfortunately, it’s only available as a custom board right now, so if you want it as a kit, there will be a bit of a wait. The Sapling can be shaped as a tucked-rail, high volume thruster, or a 2+1 50-50 funboard. The Root is more of a turned-down, relatively low-volume longboard, very fine in the tail.
May 29th, 2008 at 7:46 am
OK. Thanks Brad. Do you know how long until the mini-tanker kit will be available? (I’m in Australia, by the way so I guess it will need to be through Capeboatworks.) If it’s too far off I might just see how I go with the Root. A large part of the attraction for me is to build the board and anyway, as your ‘blurb’ says, everyone needs one of these boards in their quiver..!
May 29th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
You should probably go with the nine then… I can’t tell you when the mini-tanker will be available in kit form, and I can tell you are ready to roll! Capeboatworks will be a less expensive alternative for you if you live in Australia.