Regarding Asymmetric Surfboards: Shaper Todd Proctor breaks down the Asym

In the past, I always thought the whole asym thing was weird. They just looked off to me, like the surfing world had run out of designs & had gone crazy & fallen off the deep end. I guess I viewed asym’s like a classical painter of realism might look at the stylings of abstract cubism, & I admit deep down I mocked & scorned…for years. But then a friend of mine who seemed genuinely, positively effected by these off-craft said to me, “You really should consider it’s a legit thing.” So, I ignored him for a long time.
Then, like pop, one day it hits me…it makes sense. It has to do with the body mechanics: A longer rail line on the toe side / frontside, & a shorter rail on the heel side. If you’re regular foot you’ll have the longer rail on the right rail toe side & the shorter rail on the left heel side. & vice versa for goofyfoot. Everyone lays over their rail differently on their frontside versus their backhand approach, so it makes sense to design each rail line according to these varying approaches. Everyone compresses the frontside rail using both their toe side feet together at the same time; leaned over pushing off the toes. Yet everyone, on their backhand compresses the rail by the ball of their back foot heel. A more concentrated pressure forces the board into a more abrupt, steeper angle when re-directing off the heel side. These differing leverages vary drastically due to body mechanics; how the bones & joints & muscles hinge themselves in motion. So that’s the approach I took with the asym when I finally decided to stop being a wallflower & join the crook-tailed dance party.
To my astonishment it works wonderfully & really seems to smooth out the speed, tempo & rhythm to match that of the wave’s pace. Now, this is just the intro course. There’s a lot more to it like the outline, rocker, hull contours, rail type, *fin setup, etc. But I’m going to leave all that for an upcoming board breakdown in the shaping room coming soon. Here’s asym #5 for my friend Dooma. I love how he surfs this board with long drive speed out of the bottom turn & a crisp power speed hack rebound out of the top. But most of all I dig the big smile paddling back out saying, “I’m just so stoked to be this excited to surf.” One other thing I’ve come to realize about this new design: you don’t need to think about how to adjust your surfing to ride this shape. It’s an organic flow that matches body mechanics to the natural arcs we wanna draw. More & more I’m believing that on a proper asym, you won’t even be thinking about the fact that it’s an asym. I’m calling this asym design the “Right Brain / Left Brain” because it combines both lobes working in unison together. 🧠
proctor-board-shop.com/collec...

[@MikeStrip]

Great explanation really makes sense Biomechanically. Thanks!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I recently surfed my fish with 2 separate fins, one pivot on my heelside, and one keel for my toe side. That alone changed the board for the better in order of magnitude, so I can only imagine how a asym shaped board could benefit a surfer, especially an average surfer. Pro's and highly advanced guys have already figured out their adjustments on a symmetrical board but for the every day guy, it would be a game changer in my opinion. it would be little to no adjustment and taking the best rail line for toe side turns and the best rail line for heel side turns. I am hoping to try one soon. Not sure where to started though, I guess technically, I started already but surfing my fish with 2 different fins.
That shape look rad, BTW. Thanks for your insight.

[@markrichardson8382]

Living on the east coast of Australia, I've always been infacuated with your designs and this latest iteration might just be the straw that broke the camels back "like you deciding to shape an asyimme" and for me to purchase & just pay the fucking shipping costs to ride a Proctor here in the land down under!!!! Look forward to seeing more on riders' reviews and feedbacks mate!!!! Yeeeeeew