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Record-setting wave: surfers get amped to ride 'world's biggest board' Record-setting wave: surfers get amped to ride 'world's biggest board'
(about 5 hours later)
The Big Board patiently awaits its moment. Lying on its belly at a Southern California yacht manufacturer, Huntington Beach’s 42-foot surfboard still needs another sand and hot coat and its giant two-foot fins have yet to be attached (it’s a quad, by the way). The Big Board patiently awaits its moment. Lying on its belly at a southern California yacht manufacturer, Huntington Beach’s 42-foot surfboard still needs another sand and hot coat and its giant two-foot fins have yet to be attached (it’s a quad, by the way).
But outside of some paint and decals, the Big Board is basically whole, an enormous blown-up version of the short board used by professional surfer and Huntington Beach local Brett Simpson and a respectable stick for any quiver.But outside of some paint and decals, the Big Board is basically whole, an enormous blown-up version of the short board used by professional surfer and Huntington Beach local Brett Simpson and a respectable stick for any quiver.
Unlike a boat, the Big Board is not a “she”. It’s more like an “it”. And what “it” is, more than anything, is big. “I’ve been calling it the Megaladon,” local board shaper Chiron Stewart says, referring to the extinct species of giant shark. “It’s just the largest thing out there.” Unlike a boat, the Big Board is not a “she”. It’s more like an “it”. And what “it” is, more than anything, is big. “I’ve been calling it the Megalodon,” local board shaper Chiron Stewart says, referring to the extinct species of giant shark. “It’s just the largest thing out there.”
Of course, the Big Board is designed to be big, as in “world’s largest”.Of course, the Big Board is designed to be big, as in “world’s largest”.
On Saturday 20 June, the Orange County beach town will transport it from nearby yacht and boat builder Westerly Marine to the Huntington Beach shoreline. From there, the 1350-lb board will be launched into the surf south of the Huntington Beach pier in an attempt to set two Guinness World Records for “World’s Largest Surfboard” and “Most People Riding a Surfboard at Once”. On Saturday 20 June, the Orange County beach town will transport it from nearby yacht and boat builder Westerly Marine to the Huntington Beach shoreline. From there, the 1,350lb board will be launched into the surf south of the Huntington Beach pier in an attempt to set two Guinness World Records for “World’s Largest Surfboard” and “Most People Riding a Surfboard at Once”.
To accomplish this, the 11ft wide, 16in thick board, holding 60 to 70 standing watermen and waterwomen, will be towed by JetSkis past the break line and onto a wave that they will attempt to ride unassisted for 10 seconds. The Epic Big Board Ride is the latest endeavor undertaken by Huntington Beach to cement its reputation as SurfCityUSA, a trademark it already owns after winning a 2008 legal battle with northern California rival Santa Cruz. To accomplish this, the 11ft-wide, 16in-thick board, holding 60 to 70 standing watermen and waterwomen, will be towed by JetSkis past the break line and on to a wave that they will attempt to ride unassisted for 10 seconds. The Epic Big Board Ride is the latest endeavor undertaken by Huntington Beach to cement its reputation as SurfCityUSA, a trademark it already owns after winning a 2008 legal battle with northern California rival Santa Cruz.
The seaside city, site of the annual US Open of Surfing, is home to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Surfing Walk of Fame, as well as the Big Board’s intended final resting place, the International Surfing Museum.The seaside city, site of the annual US Open of Surfing, is home to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Surfing Walk of Fame, as well as the Big Board’s intended final resting place, the International Surfing Museum.
The current attempt to set a Guinness World Record is actually HB’s second bite at the cherry. In 2005, a 39-ft board designed by Australian shaper Nev Hyman set the record with 47 people aboard at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia. A few months later, after Hyman’s board was flown to the States, it was ridden by 60 people in Huntington Beach. The current attempt to set a Guinness World Record is actually HB’s second bite at the cherry. In 2005, a 39ft board designed by Australian shaper Nev Hyman set the record with 47 people aboard at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia. A few months later, after Hyman’s board was flown to the States, it was ridden by 60 people in Huntington Beach.
“It was totally unscripted,” says Visit Huntington Beach CEO Kelly Miller. “You just showed up and you could get on the board.” But there was one major problem. No one from Guinness was there to adjudicate, and the ride didn’t count. Recently, when the idea of a repeat attempt was floated, Huntington Beach tried to get Hyman’s board, which is still in Southern California. When that failed, HB decided to build their own. The result is the Big Board, constructed from a foam blank much like any short board but on an enormous scale. “It was totally unscripted,” says the Visit Huntington Beach CEO, Kelly Miller. “You just showed up and you could get on the board.” But there was one major problem. No one from Guinness was there to adjudicate, and the ride didn’t count. Recently, when the idea of a repeat attempt was floated, Huntington Beach tried to get Hyman’s board, which is still in southern California. When that failed, HB decided to build their own. The result is the Big Board, constructed from a foam blank much like any short board but on an enormous scale.
First, working from Hyman’s tweaked CAD drawing, Huntington Beach hooked up with mouldCAM, a Rhode Island company that owns a CNC router big enough to cut something up to 85 feet long. MouldCAM was able to cut a giant piece of EPS foam to spec, machine it into two halves and send it cross country via tractor trailer. In April, Westerly Marine, a boat manufacturer in Santa Ana owned by Lynn Carpenter, began assembling the board. They glued a basswood stringer (a piece of wood that usually runs down the middle of a board) to one piece of foam and fit the two halves together to form the blank before glassing both sides. First, working from Hyman’s tweaked CAD drawing, Huntington Beach hooked up with mouldCAM, a Rhode Island company that owns a CNC router big enough to cut something up to 85ft long. MouldCAM was able to cut a giant piece of EPS foam to spec, machine it into two halves and send it cross country via tractor trailer. In April, Westerly Marine, a boat manufacturer in Santa Ana owned by Lynn Carpenter, began assembling the board. They glued a basswood stringer (a piece of wood that usually runs down the middle of a board) to one piece of foam and fit the two halves together to form the blank before glassing both sides.
Carpenter estimates around 50 gallons of epoxy resin were used on the board. They brought in Stewart to help shape the board some more, added tow holes near the rails, and routed and laminated the fin boxes in place. “The original thought was we were going to do a thruster,” Carpenter says, referring to the common three-fin setup. “But the idea for this board is to keep it going straight and not turn. No bottom turns. Nothing off the lip.” While HB is not worried that the board will float, they did bring in nautical engineers to do displacement testing and determine how much laminate is needed to hold sixty people. A trial run in Huntington Harbor is also planned. Carpenter estimates around 50 gallons of epoxy resin were used on the board. They brought in Stewart to help shape the board some more, added tow holes near the rails, and routed and laminated the fin boxes in place. “The original thought was we were going to do a thruster,” Carpenter says, referring to the common three-fin setup. “But the idea for this board is to keep it going straight and not turn. No bottom turns. Nothing off the lip.” While HB is not worried that the board will float, they did bring in nautical engineers to do displacement testing and determine how much laminate is needed to hold 60 people. A trial run in Huntington Harbor is also planned.
“You get 60 to 70 people plus the weight of the board, you’re over ten thousand pounds, you’re over five tons,” says Miller. Assuming everything checks out, another obstacle is the size of the surf. “Two to four foot is what we’re kind of shooting for,” says Miller. “You get up into 6-7 feet, I don’t know. It would be a great video but at the end of day [HB lifeguards] have an obligation and we’ve vested that decision with them.” “You get 60 to 70 people plus the weight of the board, you’re over 10,000lb, you’re over five tons,” says Miller. Assuming everything checks out, another obstacle is the size of the surf. “Two to four foot is what we’re kind of shooting for,” says Miller. “You get up into six-seven feet, I don’t know. It would be a great video but at the end of day [HB lifeguards] have an obligation and we’ve vested that decision with them.”
If conditions are good, Miller says the 60-70 riders, including local surf royalty such as Simpson and Peter “PT” Townend, will show up on the 20th for a 9am run. Guinness will adjudicate their number before people hop on to be towed out. Miller says they’d like to break the record in one try but are willing to stay out as long as it takes. Riders will be positioned on the board according to weight. The most important spots are at the tow points where the JetSki lines must be released once the board is on a wave. “And then it will be the countdown like riding the bull for eight seconds,” says Miller. “But it’s riding the board for ten.” If conditions are good, Miller says the 60-70 riders, including local surf royalty such as Simpson and Peter “PT” Townend, will show up on the 20th for a 9am run. Guinness will adjudicate their number before people hop on to be towed out. Miller says they’d like to break the record in one try but are willing to stay out as long as it takes. Riders will be positioned on the board according to weight. The most important spots are at the tow points where the JetSki lines must be released once the board is on a wave. “And then it will be the countdown like riding the bull for eight seconds,” says Miller. “But it’s riding the board for 10.”
After the ride the Big Board plans on staying in Huntington Beach. It will take part in HB’s Fourth of July parade and be displayed at the US Open of Surfing before being affixed to poles on the façade of the International Surfing Museum, becoming a must-see photo op. “It’s almost like you’re bringing back Apollo 11,” says Miller. “You’re bringing back the spacecraft and people get to see it. This is cooler than the biggest ball of yarn or the biggest whatever. This is pretty cool. If I were to call it anything, I’d call it the new Statue of Stoke for SurfCityUSA.” Trademark pending.After the ride the Big Board plans on staying in Huntington Beach. It will take part in HB’s Fourth of July parade and be displayed at the US Open of Surfing before being affixed to poles on the façade of the International Surfing Museum, becoming a must-see photo op. “It’s almost like you’re bringing back Apollo 11,” says Miller. “You’re bringing back the spacecraft and people get to see it. This is cooler than the biggest ball of yarn or the biggest whatever. This is pretty cool. If I were to call it anything, I’d call it the new Statue of Stoke for SurfCityUSA.” Trademark pending.