2 More Balsa Compsands, Warts and All.

General Discussion
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2 More Balsa Compsands, Warts and All.

Here ya go. After my first Balsa Compsand, the tiger stripped twinzer fish, with multiple failures and a few success, my wife wanted a fish. I needed a new long board, too. Less construction details and pictures, but no less failures. Ha.

First the Fish: 6’-2", 16"N x 23" W x 15"T, 2 ½" thick or so. For my wife, she’d be the upper end of the beginner scale. She can catch ‘em and stand up almost every time, but likes the high tide sloppy ones best. Glass was 4 under 4 over all around, I don’t have the weight off hand, I’d guess 6 lbs. or less.

  1. Cut the 1# EPS foam profile and outline close with hot wire. Shaped the bottom, vac bagged the 1/16" bottom skin. Had some “roll over” of the foam due to the bag pulling. Next one I’ll lay up the bottom skin proud of the outline and router the outline. That should help the appearance of the seam at the rail/skin.
  2. Built up the rail material. 1/8" balsa. Harder to bend than 1/16" of last time but quicker work
  3. Finished shaped the deck and rails.
  4. Measured and located the fin positions, routed from the bottom through the deck (daylighting) taped the bottom hole, and poured 8# pour foam into the deck hole. Let the foam do it’s thing, sanded to match the deck.
  5. Vac bagged deck skin slightly proud, sanded to overlap and match up nicely with rails. This surprises me how neat the line comes out, with out over thinking it. Just sand and BAM, there it is.
  6. Thin coat of epoxy over the balsa.
  7. Lam bottom, cut lap the deck.
  8. Lam on the fabric inlay. It stretches like crazy. Follow cut lap to trim fabric once cured.
  9. Lam deck, hotcoat, poly gloss coat. Worked great on the bottom, failed on the deck. Just never kicked, I had to use some old resin (?). Acetone bath, finish is spray polyurethane.
  10. Routed for the LokBox. Built a little jig, it was so high that I had some slop around the flange. I’ll trace a razor blade slice and free hand it next time. Found that post too late. Kies fiberglass keel fins, long base, outside foil only.
  11. Same 8# pour foam around the vent plug and leash plug.

The long board is 9’-0", 19"N x 23"W, 15"T, 3" thick or so. Serious belly roll the entire length, too much rocker (maybe) thanks to the length in the vac bag, I guess. It really curled up.

  1. Single fin box with 8# pour foam halo through the deck. Old school leash loop through the fin box. Should be OK because the 8# foam is water proof, there is still resin surrounding the leash string hole. I’ll let you know.
  2. Paint is straight rattle can. The colors are ode to Bert’s old board (with the hips), first compsand I saw. The spray was originally very close to the rails, after coating the balsa with epoxy and some sanding, it blended to a nice Red/Orange/Yellow. Opps, I mean cool.

Neither board has been ridden yet. Little north swell on the way for this week end. Ha.

How ‘bout it? Whats ya think?

WM


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those both look great Widow Maker.

thanks for posting the problems that you had as well.

hopefully someone else can learn from your mistakes and not make the same ones.

your wife looks stoked, and she should be!

that longboard is just aching to be surfed.

good going doing the old-school leash loop.

hope the swell comes through. let us know how they go.

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Here are some more pics.

Fish…



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More Fish…



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Last of the Fish…



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Here’s the Long Board…



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More Long Board…



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Last of the Long Board…

You can see the (extra) rocker. I’ll let you know Monday. ha

Thanks for laughing with me.

WM


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good one dudes

bit of team work eh?

well done

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Hey silly and fellow Swaylockians,

Before I started, I pictured my wife helping me the whole way. No way. That’s the only pic of her in my shed ever. ha. I did ask her to get me some kitchen gadgets. You know, wire wisk, measuring cup, turkey baster, whatever. Anything Pampered Chef really makes the boards come out better.

We did get some swell this past week end, so here are the RIDE REPORTS:

Sat. was about chest high for the bigger ones and great shape. Just super fun.

The Long Board has belly roll all along the bottom and maybe too much rocker overall (?). Soft rails. It is light for a 9 footer. It surfed really good from the nose, I got 5 over on my second wave. Never could get 10. But even surfing a foot back from the nose, I could control the direction and line. I would look back at the end of the wave and see the tail fully underwater, the water would wrap around the soft rails and roll over the deck. I had trouble going backside, I guess I’m used to leaning hard on a rail during a bottom turn, the soft rails and belly roll seem to need a less aggressive approach. Pulled off 2 or 3 Falling Trees on the first few back handers. Once I figured that out I was super stoked. Catches waves so easy, the super buoyant and light weight foam just pops. Even when the board is in the whitewater after eating it, the board doesn’t seem to pull your leg off like other longboards do.

My wife’s fish went real good. She rode it on Sun. when the waves had dropped to waist or less. Still super clean and fun. She hadn’t surfed in about 6 months or so, and her other board is this thick fun board. She didn’t miss a beat. When she is sitting on the board, her thighs are just under water. So I’m hoping she’ll be able to learn to duck dive. I traded her my long board for a few waves and she really liked it. Her little fish was ok for me. The waves were a little too small for that board and me. It was fast for how small it was, I had only had one wave where I could push back. But on that one, it flew down the line and was loose too. One thing I hated about it was the leash plug. She’s goofy foot so I put the plug on her heel side, my toe side. It was amazing how much it got in my way. My wife said she never noticed it, so I’m stoked.

Saw theboys out on Sat. He took the long board for a test run. I rode his “Lowes Blank Quad” with Halcon fins. Nice. It was super wide and thin for me. I did get a couple nice turns on it, just had to paddle like mad to catch 'em compaired to the LB. I think if I was fresh, I could really get into that board. Good one Hunter!

Any thoughts on “Belly Roll” and nose riding? I could use some tips on getting to the Tip.

Thanks,

WM

Here’s a pic of Sat. from our local report. (unknown surfer)