…first off , im a kneeboarder mostly…but dont hold that against me… ; )
most kneelos like short, heavy glassed boards…but not me, i like em really light and 6’2 is my standard length…
also unlike most kneelos i tend to surf more verticle and like going for airs , big floaters,360 reos ,ect…
currently my favorite board is a PU/PE 6’2 x 24" x 2.5" double bump roundpin Flashpoint shaped by Bruce Hart in austrailia… it has a 1/8th ply stringer and super tricked out bottom with high performance rocker and 4oz glass job…
it absolutly rips but i dont know how long it will last with the way i surf and me being 6’6 and 230ibs…hopefully long enough to surf in the KSUSA titles in santa cruz this january…
… my questions are concerning shaping/glassing super light boards for contest surfing…
here it goes…
i mostly use 1 ib eps/epoxy…im cheap but willing to change if needed…
question #1 …stringer or no stringer? thick/thin? what type of wood? tapered? i like flex in the tail but not so much in the nose …
question #2 … glassing schedule for 1ib eps and/or 2ib eps… im gonna start pre wetting out my glass to get closer to a 1-1 ratio and have up to this point been using lightweight spackle to seal…
#3 .....concave decks? maybe needed for extra stiffness with light glass job on eps?
what do you guys think? any suggestions on how to shed some poundage?
if it breaks…oh well .boards break but…
im looking for something relative to the strength of what the pro footies ride…
If you want super light and strong and an easy build you cant go past XPS. My new 6’0 x 18 1/2 x 2 1/4 xps blank with one 4oz S Glass deck and bottom with fins comes in at 5 1/4 lbs and the liveliness of the board is unreal. Deck is holding up extremely well.
I have lent it to a young ripper from around here and the bugger wont give it back.
Shapers Australia XPS blanks dont gas out and are very white, just a pain in the arse to shape.
With 1lb foam, 9mm rail wood, HD foam skins, 50 gram inner glass, 50 gram bottom and one layer of 4oz texture deck, all scrimping on resin throughout, you will get a ridiculously light board. Post cure for maximum resin hardness.
Definately a small wave special on the flex factor with your weight, and you would want traction/knee pads, but it will rock you!
I have 6’6" stand-ups with this schedule, weighing as little as 2kg. They have held out very well, no breakages. And I offer people who pick one up to give them the thumb crush test, always getting surprised reaction.
Yep, got the drum. It’s just that after shaping quality PU for the last 12 years,that is easy to shape and finishes well the xps is a bit more difficult to play with. But the finished product may just be worth it.
what kind of wood are you using? and by rail wood do you mean on the rails like a firewire? or more of a perimiter stringer type?
and what kind of home depot foam as skins? ive only seen 1ib eps and some ester type foam that was considered unworthy by greg lohr…or maybe it was bert b?
Apologies, no, I mean High Density, not Home Depot foam. You’ll have to to go past Home Depot for the good stuff man…
Corecell, Divynicell…3mm thick.
Rail wood, yeah…though thats not the only option. You might be up for a merry composite adventure…I’m mixing it up with combos of HD foam and wood rails.
BTW Your thread got my interest because I’m doing a kneeboard order right now. I’ll send you some pics…Its a bit of a leap of faith because I don’t ride one, but I’m confident, and its looking sweet after the bag today. Wide point central, fins waaaay further up…Not going super light on this one because its for the Deep South…Pulled in round pintail.
