Bourton "Hybrid Small Wave" Shapes
  THE "MINI MINI" CONCEPT
The idea for this board came from simply seeing a cut down mini mal on the beach one day and it occurred to me that this could have a fishy application in that it could play in the same market.
There are a few designs currently that come to mind that are delving in this direction like the Merrick Biscuit etc. but they are in my mind a little un-adventurous or are simply a short thick rounded slap of foam made to float a big guy who wants to go short and I guess if that is their purpose then they will have a market.
Since this market is being plundered by some top labels as well as some Asian price points I decided to go a few steps further and try to design some thing that had more tricks and a slightly different market but when all was said and done it would be a small wave board that will go faster and be very quick from rail to rail albeit having a very wide nose.
THE DESIGN
 Some would say the plan shape is a double ender but in fact the nose 12 inches down is nearly 2 inches wider than the tail at the same measurement although the clever spray tries to create the opposite illusion much the same as I did with the High Performance Retro reason being most punters equate wide noses with non performance which in most cases is true but not my little puppies coz they have got some science in em.
So what about the science? First and foremost the design is wide and short and the width is forward for one purpose only and that is ease of paddle. I have not OD on thickness although the deck is flattish and there is ample rail meat coz bulkiness immediately kills impulse (can’t bury them quick enough) hence the very wide nose to get back lost paddle from lost meat.
To help the paddle issue again I have employed a cathedral hull under the wide nose which allows the surfer to be up on the nose when paddling in order to get in early but helps prevent pearling because it lifts the nose up brilliantly.
I have been testing them the last year and have been aching to bring them out in a model and the mini mini is the right application for it. Add to that you can almost hang ten if you are so inclined but this is not the primary purpose although I bet there may be a few punters out there that are longing for that sensation again.
The flatter nose entry also encourages the paddle in, so you can see why I do not need to fatten these puppies up for the market, so to speak.
Enough already on paddle now we know even Billy Bunter could stroke in with his eyes closed.
The next task is to liven the board up so the number one thing to do is to make it a quad and to put the quad set further up from the tail than normal quads so as to get closer to that wide nose. To facilitate that I have thrown in more tail lift and put a deepish vee through the fin area. The round tail also allows the board to be prized from rail to rail from further up allowing the rider to plunge that wide nose in as hard as he likes without fear of any tail spin. Since I have been developing a bit of a reputation as a Quad Maniac I have decided to throw in an extra fin (don’t get the wrong idea you will be paying for it) and not simply to dispel the typecast but for many reasons of which the most prominent to allow the punter to ride it as a thruster if he so wishes.
 The centre rear fin is up an inch more than normal thrusters which will keep it loose as a thruster and the rear quads are a little further up than this fin but not too far where they can not operate altogether if the board is surfed as a five finner.
I am excited how this board goes as a five finner particularly with the stretch quads at the front and 3 stretch rear centre fins across the tail. The round tail which sockets so easily from rail to rail and the extra tail lift prevents the five finner from feeling too tight. The five finner is not as impulsive from rail to rail as the quad but if you truly want to slam that nose in hard you will get more leverage from the 5 fin set up.
 THE MARKET
This may be guess work on my behalf but I think the market for this board will be quite diverse. For one the retro guys should get a chubby over it and I am sure they will get a much more lively response from this than their ironing board keels. Secondly any guy who wants a small wave fish that runs in little or no power and who would like a board they can have fun experimenting with ( multiple wives so to speak ).
Another comes to mind when I see all the dads out in the shore break pushing their young sons and daughters into waves on the all too common soft board which costs an arm and a leg I might add. The Mini would be a fantastic glass board to learn on because of its width for stability (a character which is a must for learners) and its great ease of paddle; another must. The point I am making is that once little Johnny has had enough Pops can take it out the back and smash a few lips and pull a cheater five if he wants and thankfully will not have to lug that soft water logged boat back to the car while struggling with his own board.
DIMENSIONS
5.8 X 20" X 2" 3/16
5.10 X 20" X 2" 3/16
6.0 X 20" X 2"
6.2 X 20" X 2"
6.4 X 21" X 2" 5/16
To view the Experimental Design
Process for the Mini Mini click here
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