#016 Bat Diamond

#016 1.7lb stringerless Marko blank. Put in my own perimeter stringers with 3mm unidirectional ply. I was going to do the full picture essay through all the steps but I got the foaming PU glue on everything. I really didn’t think that it was actually going to foam. Once the foam started the digital camera idea went out the window, what a mess. I also clamped the board with blue tape, 1/3 of a role, ha! It worked but what a waste. I’ve already gotten some straps and inner tubes for my next try. The best part is that I now have a pretty good template for making perimeter stringers for that board size.

When I got the blank stringerless I was worried that I was going to have a noodle even after it was stringered and glassed so I over glassed the board. Bottom is 6oz. S with a very wide lap over the deck. The top is 6oz. S full, 6 S 3/4 patch, and a 4 S stomp patch in the tail. The part that I shouldn’t have done is the wide lap off the bottom and the exaggerated Vee shape of the deck patches. The deep v shape was my way of putting more glass over the rail stringers with less over the deck. While the board didn’t come out heavy it is just a bit too stiff. During very hard turns I can really feel the effect of the rail stringer flexing along the rail and then springing after unloading but in smaller surf it is a bit dead. On top of that the 1.7lb. foam is getting crushed under my front foot. The 2.1 and 2.3lb. density boards that I have don’t have nearly as much denting.

Should have gone with my original idea of putting Corecell between the rail stringers on the deck for compression resistance. Either that or go with a heavier density of foam and lighten up on the rail glass.

The last part is that it is difficult to cut on a compound curve so to hide some of the waves on the rail stringers I hid them uner the airbrush.

Dimensions are 6’5" x 11 1/2" x 19 3/8" x 14 3/8" x 2 11/16".

Nice looking board. Could something similar be my next year’s project? Anyways, congrats on a great looking board.