On Shore Board - Land Shark 41"

Watch the OSB Video

The On Shore Board is without a doubt the most attractive looking board we have ever seen, and the futuristic design is truly awesome.

However, all that glitters is not gold.

The OSB is the result of over 60 prototypes and almost 20 years of development... and yet it seems unfinished.

Our first impression of the OSB Landshark was an immediate sense of awe over the way it looked. It is truly a beautiful board. Space-age materials and futuristic profiles give the board a completely unique edge on anything else we've ever seen.

The OSB claims to be a surfing simulator, as the steering is initiated from the rear, while the front end of the board "keels" side to side, just like a water-craft.

However, as with any simulator, there is a danger of focusing too much on one aspect of the replicated ride, while possibly overlooking others that are just as crucial.

The On Shore Board project is a formidable mission: to simulate the intensity of surfing the wild ocean on solid pavement.

This is not an easy task - it's comparable to simulating skydiving on land, somehow.

The OSB aims high in this regard and attempts to finally cross-over surfing with on shore riding. And while it may not do this perfectly (yet), what it lacks in performance it definitely has in spirit - as well as a dedicated team standing behind it, ever striving to create a means of providing the surfing life to those that may not have access to 5-foot sets or an idyllic environment.

And for that alone, they deserve to be commended.

Technical Info - Specifications

The OSB is constructed with a high-strength fibreglass composite material and carbon-fiber. The board has a stiff feel, with a small amount of reflexibility.

The top surface of the deck is generally flat, with a sharp concave about an inch or so around the edges. This helps to solidify your footing.

There are eight wheels in total that make up the vehicle aspect of the OSB, which could double as a standard "roller-blade" wheel set. (This would make it more convenient to go wheel shopping, I suppose).

As above, the board is outfitted with side "bumpers", which protect the underside of the board from "scuffing out" during an extreme turning angle.

The front in-line wheel set is situated within a "blade" module that can be adjusted to increase or decrease wheelbase.

The rear trucks are Randal R-II Longboard trucks, and are custom-fitted with two rollerblade wheels on each side for replacement convenience, and positive traction on wet surfaces.

The Ride - Part 1: The Paradox of the OSB

The OSB is somewhat of a paradox.

It is the exotic sports car of the longboarding world - but it has an engine that needs an overhaul.

The board does, in fact, feel like surfing - although the areas of surfing that this particular design seems to simulate are things like instability while turning at slow speeds, and a touchy, almost over-bearing reaction while initiating more extreme turns at higher speeds.

The OSB is the closest thing out there to a surfboard with wheels, but remember that the physics of a surfboard are empowered by two things: Buoyancy, and Rapid Water Displacement, which are not available on solid pavement.

Also, surfboards have the advantage of gaining stability through the submersion of its edges into the water while carving - whereas the OSB must remain above the pavement while trying to carve within the same physics as a water-based surfboard.

The OSB attempts to simulate the fin-system of a surfboard by using rear trucks to initiate the turning ability of the board. However, the board's shape contradicts its purpose. The rear end of the board is narrow, while the front end is wide.

This means that the back is left with little turning leverage, while the front - which cannot be leaned on too much - has excessive turning leverage.

This backwards allocation of physics creates another issue, which is that in order to stay in control of the board at speed, you must lean forward. This is fine, but when turning is required, you literally have to ease off the front, lean back to leverage the turn, and then regain your balance (and stability).

This can cause sudden, undesired movements at high speeds, as well as a momentary loss of control.

The Randal RII trucks give the board its turning ability and stability at speed, but the intense turning angle of the Randals and the board shape conflict with eachother during more extreme turning angles, causing wheelbite - which can be hazardous.

The inline wheels - while providing a true nautical "feel" while riding - contradict the turning nature of the board. The rear truck points the board in whichever direction the rider leans - but the inline wheels literally need to "relocate" themselves in order to follow the line of the rear wheel platform.

The result is a slowed turning response, even at steep angles. Also, the outer wheel on the rear truck will often lift off the ground during a steep turn.

And while the 8 wheels are a convenient idea in terms of replacement and practicality, performance-wise, they create a lot of unneccessary friction and a heavier board.

Having 8 wheels, 16 bearings and the hardware to boot does not provide the attributes of a light, agile surfboard short-board.

The On Shore Board, again, is like an exotic sports car that has restrictions. And the restrictions are not enforced by the board. Rather, the rider must remain continually conscious of the board's situation - making sure that he or she does not push the envelope too far, and tip the board on its side, or lose control at speed.

The Ride - Part 2: The Spirit of the OSB

Okay, enough of the criticism. The truth is, we're reviewing a product that is not yet finished entirely.

The OSB is on the verge of greatness, it really is. It's like we're evaluating Thomas Edison's 2nd last light-bulb prototype; the one that preceeded his final, perfect invention.

The On Shore Board is the result of alot of blood, sweat and tears by its devoted team of innovators, designers, riders and supporters.

The founder, Brad Bradfield (originally from South Africa), personifies the aloha spirit with his intense enthusiasm for the boarding community - which seems to override even his entrepreneurial drive to succeed by selling the OSB.

He can be found at almost any longboarding event that he can attend, along with his team. But you won't find him trying to "sell" the OSB - or even promote it, really.

Instead, you'll find him volunteering to operate the leaf-blower in between race heats to clean off the track, or encourage the riders involved in the race. And this, in a sense, is the nature of On Shore surfing.

Surfing is an intense sport, and those that share in its excitement, close-calls and prestige also share in the global comraderie that accompanies being a surfer by default. I have never seen such a tight-knit global community form out of any sport as strongly as surfing.

Judging from what I have seen and heard, this is truly what the On Shore Board crew is trying to simulate: The spirit of surfing.

Final Thoughts:

The On Shore Board is an unfinished project. It sports the framework of an awesome ride, but there are some details that need to be sorted out before it reaches its potential.

However, the spirit, enthusiasm and pure guts of the team behind it - to go as far as they have with this product, and their mission - is outstanding.

We fully support the On Shore Board project, and we're looking forward to seeing what's next from the OSB team.

Update: It looks as though OSB is going to be addressing some of these issues in their latest model, the "Mako", which has only 3 wheels up front, an integrated kick-tail and body shape modifications to prevent wheel-bite and increase control.

We look forward to seeing one of them in action.

-Chris Rempel, Editor, LongboardDirectory

See the On Shore Board in Action - VIDEO

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Check out these related websites for more information on the On Shore Board - LandShark:

On Shore Boards official website

 

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