Arundana and the west java pig!!

well... i don't know the best way to introduce this post. here is an email ( via surfapig@live.com) exchange between Arundana and I. He is from West Java The first email had the below plans attached as a pdf.

"hello Nice blog, always got me stoked. My name is Arundana. I'm from West Java, and a lousy surfer. I'm currently working on a surfboard as my final assignment. I'm an aeronautical engineering student and joined composites laboratory, and my assignment is to determine the most suitable surfboard manufacturing process in Indonesia ;given that its really difficult to obtain the materials (nearest blank is in Australia, LOL). Anyway, I'm planning on shaping a pig, and i can use some enlightenment on the design aspect. here's i attached my template and would you be kind enough to comment on that? i made this template mostly by digging deep your blog and the swaylocks. I've never ridden a Pig before and a Pig in Indo is a rare sight (well u can find some in the deep rain forest here =P) thanks."

i commented: "Arundana, The template you provided is aesthetically appealing to my eye. It is quite extreme. My prototype for the COOPERFISH BLACKBOARD that Gene Cooper and I are developing has some of the extreme curve that this template has. I feel that 22 - 22.5 is as wide as you should go. Especially on a 9'4". My Jim Phillips and my Lance Carson pigs are kind of wide. probably 23 or just over. However they are 10'. Both ride well. Traditionally pigs were 22. A 22 inch board is VERY maneuverable.It is not the most stable board to walk to the nose on, but it breaks out of its trim line and changes direction swiftly. One of the key elements to making sure a pig rides well is where the belly is. You want the belly to be most pronounced under the hips of the board. You want there to be a "roll" under the back 3rd of the board. decrease the belly as you go toward the nose. try to get the bottom pretty flat under the nose. Keep volume in the rails, but try not to make the rails feel like a can of soup. I feel the fin should be tuck on the tail. or 2 inches up at most. please send some pictures as this project develops. let me know if i can be of further assistance. mike"

he wrote back this and sent the link to the below pictures: "Hey mike, this is the latest development on the board im shaping. It was quite slow because of some exams and reports. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=150760&id=636296654&l=05cb1c483b It ended up with some nose concave, as suggested by my local shaper, and the deck would be covered with balsa. Glassing will be done after i test some specimen to check the flexure of balsa deck configuration. What a pain in the ass shaping this with cheese grater, the dimension came out a little bit off."

i wrote back: "Arundana, Thanks for the follow through! You are an inspiration. It is awesome to see you making it happen. Keep me updated! Perhaps this will be the best board you have ever put your feet on! Mike"