Hi all,
I’ve wanted to own a bonzer for a while now and seeing as I’ve starting ruining blanks, why not try a bonzer. The nail in the coffin was reading Yorkys excellent thread - https://www.swaylocks.com/forums/time-to-shape-my-bonzer Thanks dude!
My goal is to have something in the 6’6 range, fat and flat for the laid back English conditions I seem to get every trip to the beach. Initially wanting a Bonzer3 (less fins to glass, contours etc) but, everywhere I read the Bonzer5 is the way to go…so I started with an old 7’4 Bennett blank I picked up (left one) -
After skimming blank I made some side fin templates and played about with placement. Need to order 8" fin box. Contemplated a classic diamond tail, but will probably stay roundy pin…
I tried not to complicate the bottom contours too much and did a flat nose to 12" and a soft starting 3/16" concave all the way through. At this point the blank is 6’7" X 2-5/8 X 20-1/2…a bit narrower than hoped, but I can work with this.
Side fin placement (from all my research) ended up at - rear fin 10.5" from tail and 1.5" from rail. Rear of front fin is 1.5" out from front of rear fin and level. Both toe in 1/4".
I made some radius ‘sticks’ for bottom contours and used 32 foot radius for my inner guide line and 24 foot for outer.
I taped the stringer and outer contour on rail and got sanding. Surformed through main concave first and then round hard-foam block (size of a toilet roll). Used the foam block for outers also.
Here’s where it sits after smoothing a little more. It took a couple of weeks to get it to this stage (when time permitted) but will hopefully get back on it soon with work slowing down a little.
Main contour ended up 3/16" it’s deepest between the rear fins and starts just over half board length (front foot). Outer contour 1/8" deep and starts just behind front foot(ish).
Previous post shows rails done. Here’s the rail bands on deck and finished rails. I blend till I get the right feel through my hands, with going hard edge from front fins back. I’ve tried to keep as much foam on the blank and ended with a reasonably flat deck.
I did a couple of fin panels. 20 X 6oz for side fins and 40 X 6oz for centre. The templates were free drawn off the pc from a few images. I will shrink the centre fin to around 6"1/4 - 6"1/2, not sure why I drew this size.
Friday was top lamination, flip and lam decal under a piece of 6oz (probably need some 4 or 2?). Mixed some old lam resin to mount side fins - forgot to sand bottom of fins to match board rocker, oops! A small gap front and back but I’m sure roving/rope will solve. Side fins mounted at 20 degrees. Saturday I lammed/patched the fins (forgot to take pic).
Thanks guys, the colour is growing on me.
Glass-on fins, what a nightmare of a job! Yep, this was my first time doing this and maybe shouldn’t have stated with a bonzer. I tried to take BillT’s advice (various other threads) and use no roving but this just wasn’t possible with the small gaps I had. I ‘only’ ended up using 2 pieces of roving each side and confident with fins shaped to boards bottom contours could do with no roving next time…and think the process simplified.
I managed to sand then hotcoat early in the week. Leash plug and box installed Thursday -
Friday morning was spent sanding hotcoat, plug and fin box. Getting a resin pinline on.
With the cold weather (now snowing in Bristol, uk) I wasn’t sure I’d get the gloss coat on but am lucky I have my spray booth and managed both sides Saturday. A well worth long day. Got a busy week ahead so hopefully next weekend will be sand and polish…
Well I finished it up before xmas, can’t wait to ride it…Dims ended with 6’6 X 2-9/16 X 20-1/4. Nose at 15-1/4, tail 15-1/2 and nose rocker of 3" and tail 1-3/4.
