Performance enhanced snowboard

Abstract

A performance enhanced snowboard having an extended, generally planar deck with a nose, a tail, and a central section. The deck also has an overall length, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The nose has a widest portion that defines a nose chord line having a nose chord length. The tail has a widest portion that defines a tail chord line having a tail chord length, and the central section has a narrowest portion that defines a central chord line having a central chord length. The nose chord length is greater than the central chord length, and the nose chord length is between about fifteen and thirty-five percent of the overall length of the deck. The tail chord length is between about one percent and ten percent greater than the central chord length, while the distance between the tail chord line and the central chord line is between about forty to ninety percent of the distance between the nose chord line and the central chord line. The structure permits the invented board to function like a surfboard or skateboard while also sliding like a conventional snowboard.

1 . A snowboard comprising:
 (a) an extended, generally planar deck having a nose, a tail, and a central section, the central section connecting the nose and the tail, the deck also having an overall length, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first rail edge, and a second rail edge, the first and second rail edges connecting the top surface and the bottom surface; the nose having a widest portion of the nose defining a nose chord line having a nose chord length; the tail having a widest portion of the tail defining a tail chord line having a tail chord length; the central section having a narrowest portion of the central section defining a central chord line having a central chord length; the nose being curved upward relative to the central section; the tail being curved upward relative to the central section; and   (b) means for providing friction to the bottom surface of the deck for additional control;   wherein the nose chord length is about twenty-two percent greater than the central chord length;   wherein the nose chord length is about twenty-three percent of the overall length of the deck;   wherein the tail chord length is about four percent greater than the central chord length; and   wherein the distance between the tail chord line and the central chord line is about seventy percent of the distance between the nose chord line and the central chord line.   
   
   
       2 . The snowboard of  claim 1 , the means for providing friction comprising a removable control fin, the control fin being attached to the top surface and extending beneath the bottom surface adjacent either the first or second rail edge. 
   
   
       3 . The snowboard of  claim 1 , the means for providing friction comprising a control fin, the control fin extending from the either the first or second rail edge and comprising a protrusion along an outermost portion of the rail edge. 
   
   
       4 . The snowboard of  claim 1 , the means for providing friction comprising a control groove on the bottom surface of the deck. 
   
   
       5 . A snowboard comprising an extended, generally planar deck having a nose, a tail, and a central section, the central section connecting the nose and the tail, the deck also having an overall length measured from the nose to the tail, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first rail edge connecting the top surface and the bottom surface, and a second rail edge connecting the top surface and the bottom surface; the nose having a widest portion of the nose defining a nose chord line having a nose chord length; the tail having a widest portion of the tail defining a tail chord line having a tail chord length; the central section having a narrowest portion of the central section defining a central chord line having a central chord length;
 wherein the nose chord length is greater than the central chord length;   wherein the nose chord length is between about fifteen and thirty-five percent of the overall length of the deck;   wherein the tail chord length is between about one percent and ten percent greater than the central chord length; and   wherein the distance between the tail chord line and the central chord line is between about forty percent to ninety percent of the distance between the nose chord line and the central chord line.   
   
   
       6 . The snowboard of  claim 5  further comprising means for providing friction to the bottom surface of the deck for additional control. 
   
   
       7 . The snowboard of  claim 6 , the means for providing friction comprising a rail fin. 
   
   
       8 . The snowboard of  claim 6 , the means for providing friction being a pair of control fins, one extending from the first rail edge and one extending from the second rail edge. 
   
   
       9 . The snowboard of  claim 6 , the means for providing friction being a removable control fin, the removable control fin being attached to the top surface and protruding beyond the bottom surface. 
   
   
       10 . The snowboard of  claim 6 , the means for providing friction comprising a control groove on the bottom surface of the deck. 
   
   
       11 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , each of the nose and the tail being curved upward relative to the central section. 
   
   
       12 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the nose chord length being between about fifteen and thirty-five percent greater than the central chord length. 
   
   
       13 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the nose chord length being between about twenty and twenty-five percent greater than the central chord length. 
   
   
       14 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the nose chord length being twenty-two percent greater than the central chord length. 
   
   
       15 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the nose chord length being between about twenty and twenty-five percent of the overall length of the deck. 
   
   
       16 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the nose chord length being twenty-three percent of the overall length of the deck. 
   
   
       17 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the tail chord length being between about one percent and five percent greater than the central chord length. 
   
   
       18 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the tail chord length being four percent greater than the central chord length. 
   
   
       19 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the distance between the tail chord line and the central chord line being between about sixty to eighty percent of the distance between the nose chord line and the central chord line. 
   
   
       20 . The snowboard of  claim 5 , the distance between the tail chord line and the central chord line being seventy percent of the distance between the nose chord line and the central chord line.