Any composite material has it’s own inherent flex character. It becomes more interesting when you mold it into curves, as along the rail or domed deck of a surfboard.
I’ve seen boats with molded “stringers” that were nothing more than cardboard tubes sliced in half lengthwise and wrapped in fiberglass. They were stiff as could be.
The same amount of glass and resin laid up as a flat panel would flex quite a bit.
Carbon fiber, even when laminated with WEST epoxy, is not necessarily stiff. I used some 9oz carbon and laid it up with WEST epoxy. Fully cured, it was surprising how far it bent. A full arch could be straightened out flat.
I posted some pics awhile back. This piece has a foam backing about where I am grabbing it. The rest is plain carbon/epoxy. See post 10 in this thread.
i do lots of my experimenation with pu first. when i tried carbon rails on several stringerless pu, my test boys all commentedthat it felt very similar to the f/wire and wood perimeter boards they had ridden…
Right on Mike. I’m not going to pretend that I understand what you lunatics are up to over there. But I’m a big fan!! I’m saving up to get a personal done:) Just thought this looked like it fit your program.
Right on Mike. I’m not going to pretend that I understand what you lunatics are up to over there. But I’m a big fan!! I’m saving up to get a personal done:) Just thought this looked like it fit your program.
p.s. what, no website??
The asylum we’re housed in won’t let us host a website, but maybe someday… They do let us play outside occasionally, though.
Just got a ride report on the latest version yesterday afternoon. Let’s just say the phone call made my day. Did I mention made my day. To paraphrase it was somethin like “fast, snappy, quick, rail to rail speed…one of the best boards I’ve ridden…blah, blah” This was after the first few hours in the water. Made some basic changes to the shape and amended the layout of the carbon. Also put in the double concave deck. Funny how the top pros show up at a comp with one and everyone goes nuts. I like it, though. Things are changing. I had one at the Surfing Magazine surfboad show last month and not a word. Well everyones hero, Biolas, was checking it over. So did Greg (Loehr). The biggest thing going was if a cetain shapers board with a stencil airbrush of Marylin Monroe/Anna Nicole was sold or not. Funny. Whatever it takes I guess. These are made across town by surfers, not across the ocean by factory workers. Here’s a few pics of the latest.
Maybe I missed it, but do you know what carbon cloth is being used in the rails? I assume it’s tape, but wondering if it 1x4oz or 2oz or a different schedule?
It it laid under the (4oz e glass?) regular laps or does it replace the regular laps? The pics look like the carbon’s done first, then regular laps?
By the way, what’s the density of the EPS core? I guess it’s low because you’ve managed to concave the deck and yet retain buoyancy?
Nice idea. Was thinking of something similar myself. I am not much of a surfer or board builder, but I know epoxy and composites and boat building. The CF looks from the picture to be either plain woven tape. If so, I would suggest using a uni directional tape, or a double biax tape.
CF works best in tension, in compression its no where near as strong
Maybe I missed it, but do you know what carbon cloth is being used in the rails? I assume it’s tape, but wondering if it 1x4oz or 2oz or a different schedule?
It it laid under the (4oz e glass?) regular laps or does it replace the regular laps? The pics look like the carbon’s done first, then regular laps?
By the way, what’s the density of the EPS core? I guess it’s low because you’ve managed to concave the deck and yet retain buoyancy?
Thanks for the help
Red
Hey Red-
I’m using a regular weave carbon cloth. I was thinking about unidirectional, but was advised by a very knowledgable person not to. Still would like to give it a try though, just to see.
Wrap the rails, then glassed as a regular board is. Glass schedule as you normally do. I have some e-glass in the layup. Tune it to what you like weight and flex wise(salt to taste as they say).
I use 2lb EPS as a standard, and that’s what this is.
Having great feed back from the latest generation. There’s no going back now…
Seems to me that carbon has given this board lots of toughness along with a most interesting flex pattern. Carbon is the ultimate stiffener for lamination work so I’m very curious to know what the flex pattern of the board is like both in the way it contours with the turning radius when the tail is loaded and how the longitudinal flex is affected. I’m about to embark on a experiment in creating a variable flex in a high performance Twinzer and am looking for all the info I can get about how creative experiments like yours affect board flex and board performance.
disappointing to see a few pros at hossegor using carbon railed boards and how poorly the boards are performing. just watch how stiff and unforgiving the carbon railed boards are…you can’t miss them. go to videos at
