hey i am starting a XPS mini-simmons 6'2 x 22 x 3 this week. i am about to glue up the blank and have the 1/4 inch (6mm) ply stringer cut ready to go. i was thinking of drilling holes in though the stringer to drop the weight. Have any of you guys done this will good results? i was thinking it may weaken the board alot what your thoughts?. I not that keen on stringerless with the board being so wide but i could look at that if it would be a better option.
i was thinking a light glass job two layers of 4 oz top and one 4oz on bottom with patch at tail around the fins
What are you using for the stringer? Chances are with balsa, basswood, paulownia?
Even poplar won’t be that bad. That’s going to be a pretty stiff stringer at 6mm though.
That probably isn’t going to be your biggest weight factor so maybe focus on your glass and resin instead of adding the work and possibility of a weaker stringer?
If you’re really worried about stringer weight, forget machining the wood and make a foam/glass stringer instead.
a side note worth considering…I’m 6’1 and probably over 260lb wet with a suit on.
my 6’4 x 22 x 3 simmons is GROSSLY oversized.
at the dims you posted, depending on the fine tuning of deck profile and rail foil, you are still looking at something that’s going to be 50 liters or possibly more (1.75cft)
unless you are over 300 lbs or just looking for an excuse to build a second board after you finish this one, I would highly recommend you rethink your dims.
the forward width, wide tail and convex bottom are exceptionally good at catching waves…you do not need the length you think you do. challenge yourself and your predisposition to a particular length.
I’m 5’11 tall and 185 pounds dry.I surf a 5’5x22 3/4x 3 mini simmons with ease.It is 2# stringerless eps with a single 6 oz E glass bottom and top with full rail laps.I have some footwells but for the most part the board is holding up great in thigh to head high surf.
hey i will look at the dims agian as i am abit over 5'11 and 200 pounds maybe i should be dropping the board size down. the stringer is a from a left over hardwood ply sheet that i had from a kitchen remodel. so is a little heavier to start with that was why thinking of removing weight but i will look at glassing different too maybe 1x6 with patch top and 1x 4 bottom
Hey greg I have several pics burried in the soap thread.I arrived at page 11,sways minimizes my pics from photobucket so they are small.Heres a link,I have snapshots from 11 through out the rest of the thread.
My input is that the holes will act as stress raisers. My long ago studies into steel structures mentioned that a small hole is worse than a big hole for a source of failure because it concentrates the stresses more.
My boards are all in the 6’2" 23" wide range and stringerless, but EPS/veneer construction 4x2; 4 bottom, so a bit stronger materials wise.