Fourth Surfboards Belly Shank Base Construction FCS II Tri-Fin Surfboard

The Belly Shank

Speed, drive, mobility and flare, the Belly Shank is a great all-rounder that can be ridden in small to good waves, with the 2018 version offering even more drive, lift and hold. In terms of design, the Shank is fairly simple; it has a single concave running straight through from tail to nose, medium height and curve rockers and a tear drop outline which offers slightly more curve through the lower half of the outline than standard shortboard templates on offer today.

This curve in the back half gives the board plenty of pivot off the tail which makes it super responsive off the tail, the nose width is pretty wide which balances out the stability/sensitivity ratios meaning the board will keep its mobility at lower speeds and its freedom on rail without bogging or sliding out at higher speeds.

The balance between the nose width and tail width is key to the effortless carves and rail surfing that you can achieve on the shank. The rails are that of a standard shortboard in shape and thickness with harder edges slightly higher up to offer a nice platform off the bottom and plenty of release through turns - the rail and hard edge complement the wider swallow tail beautifully. The added belly channels provide more drive and the ability to push your turns harder which feels good at high speeds in better waves and in weaker conditions when you get the opportunity to spank a section.

The balance of this board offers you a high performance all-rounder, that transcends styles, wave conditions and ability levels according to the feedback from the Fourth team riders.

Features:

• Fourth Surfboards Belly Shank Model
• Outline: Teardrop with a fuller nose
• Tail Shape: Swallow tail with plenty of curve for a balance of pivot and release
• Concave: Single throughout to provide plenty of lift
• Rails: Boxy performance 60/40
• Fin Set-Up: Thruster for a good bend of control and down the line speed (fins not included)
• Volume: Medium, more than a standard shortboard especially under the torso area when paddling
• FCS II fin box set up

Who should ride this board?

Riders looking for an all-round high performance board that is fast, drivey and is as comfortable in the air as it is on rail. Should be ridden head height or slightly shorter dependant on ability.

Base Construction

The Base Construction (a polyurethane blank with polyester resin) is still considered the most versatile and all-round performance specific construction used the world over by touring surf professionals. At Fourth Surfboards only premium materials are used to produce top-quality boards; US Blanks at the core in blue foam and Hexcel Glass for the laminate bonded with Silmar resin for best balance between weight, performance and durability.

The Fourth construction method sees the board finished in 24/7 heat controlled environments to ensure curing times are at optimum levels to reach a finish unrivalled in Europe. The board is then sanded to a 240 dry sand finish ensuring that there is zero plastic lacquer on the board that can often look and feel horrible after a couple of months in the ocean