since it looks like your getting close to an actual water test.
I’m probably just plain stupid here but a quick and dirty recap or summary of all you nts and what your pre-rid expectations were in doing those particular build outs in the way you chose to do this project would be a big help in understanding how all the little and big things you put in this are supposed to contribute to what you want to get out of the end result.
Then as you ride it you can give us feed back as to what components worked as expected and which ones didn’t and how you might’ve changed the build out base on whta you found out during the ride tests. That would be a big benefit to me in understanding how all this fit’s togethor cause it seems pretty complicated but with a purpose behind each element.
It would be a good pretake off checklist to walk us through what’s doing what…
Last night I pumped the board up with air and put in the vent plug. I let it sit for a few hours and then I pulled the vent out. No air came out!!! OH NO!!! so I pumped it up again this morning and submerged it in the pool. Sure enough there was a small pinhole leak bubbling between the rail and the deck on the top right side of the board twards the front. A little CA glue and a patch of 3/4 oz cloth about the size of my thumb nail made short work of the leak. I tested it again under water and there were no bubbles. I let the board sit for another hour, and then I released the plug. A full burst of air shot out. GREAT. This weekend the east coast of FL is supposed to get a decent NE swell with some off-shore wind. Im goin out there with a few of my buddies for 3 days. I will return with pics of the maiden voyage!! Check out the full traction and the leash. I chose to do full traction because the black carbon areas will get very hot in the florida summer. Wax will most likely melt in minutes.
I was very careful when I pressurized the board. I am aware that I can “pop” it. I held the nozzle of the compressor about 1-2 inches from the vent and allowed a stream of air to pass by it. Most of the air did not enter the board. I can’t think of any other way to test for leaks besides submerging it in water. If I submerge an unpressurized board, water will enter as air escapes. Any ideas??
Last weekend I went to Sebastian Inlet with some friends. We arrived at Melbourne’s boardwalk at 7:00 pm Friday evening. We were allowed a quick session before dark. The waves were not the best, mushy with some sea breeze chop, about waist to rib high.
I screwed the vent plug in, strapped on the leash and waited for a shore break wave to crash. I ran out full speed down the shore, threw the board down onto the fresh incoming water, and glided out on my stomach. The first thing I noticed was how much the board floats for its size and weight (11 lbs with leash and pads! EEK!!) Second I noticed just how far out I glided. I knew then that this thing was fast. Perhaps it is because it is so stiff. I was able to paddle out to the line up very quickly and easily. I was forced to duck dive a few times and it sure was a struggle to sink the thing. I really don’t like the fact that it doesn’t duck dive well, very annoying. However it floats well enough while paddling that it makes up for the poor sinking during diving. Once I got out to the line up I had to wait a while for a good wave to come in. A few came by and I made attempts to catch them, but they were so weak and mushy that they did not have the power to pick me up. I finally got a nice rib high right (I ride goofy). This wave broke well enough to pick me up easily. The board felt VERY solid. Getting up to my feet was very easy. I leaned back and took the wave strait down the line for a while and it closed out. After that wave, I knew that I liked the board. I had better like the board because of all the time invested in the thing!! I paddled out again and caught another right which lasted a bit longer, then closed out again. I stayed on the white water because I could see a left starting to re-open on the inside sandbar. The board really held up its momentum even though the white water was starting to disappear and the wave was reforming. I gave a few pumps and before I knew it I was dropping into a fresh thigh-waist high left. This wave on the inside was breaking much faster than those on the outside. The board picked up its speed very well and accelerated down the line until the wave died out. End of session. I am satisfied with the board.
The next morning we cruised down to Sebastian Inlet. The tide was coming in, the wind had switched off shore, and the inlet was barreling with waist to chest + conditions. It looked very fun. It was much better than boardwalk. I paddled out and caught a few lefts and rights. The board was able to pick up waves easily and drop ins were very easy. The board is very solid and stays put when I stood up on it. I was able to lean back easily and slow it up to get in barrels from which there were no return. On other rides, I found myself accelerating way out in front of the breaking wave. However the weight of the board made it a bit sluggish while turning back. Another thing the board’s weight hindered was lip smacks, it is noticeably harder to pick the board up to the top of the wave. But I also was not given too many opportunities to do lip smacks so only time will fully answer that question.
Most of the session was done on second peak. Being goofy footed, I like riding lefts. Second peak has a nice left and good size. Even though the right at first peak has a nice bump and lots of power, I never ride it because of the crowd. Down at 4th and 5th peak there is also a nice left. We surfed there too. The left off of second peak occasionally intersects with the wedge off the jetty. This almost always kills the breaking left off second peak and causes another peaky shore break wave that holds off until the sand. On two occasions I was able to get far enough in front of the wave off second peak to glide over the wedge and pick it up on the other side. I’ve never done that on my old board. We never got around to taking pictures with the digital camera but my buddy Gabe got a pic of me riding with his disposable water camera. I will try to scan it when he gets the film developed.
I feel that I have learned so much from the construction of this board. Maybe in a few more years I will get around to making another one. I realize that there are many things I can do to speed up the building process and reduce parts count and weight. I am working on getting a vacuum bagging set-up. If I make another, I plan on making female molds for my skins and bagging them. I will try to put more arch in the deck so the frame does not have to be as strong. I have a few other ideas but I haven’t thought them through yet.
fantastic thread, just found it today and have just read most of it, amazing board, amazing construction - there’s just one question i would like to ask and that is , why go to all the trouble of the way you built the board and then put tail and deck pads on it ??
And thats it? Do I have to put another quarter in the meter?
Just gotta see pics of it in m~o~t~i~o~n
Any chance?.. or have we ’ blotted our copybook’ with this great builder??
Sorry guys!! One year later, the board is still riding great, no mishaps. Its Crazy I dont have any pics riding it huh?? Well here on the gulf, When we get waves there is such a stoke factor that its not worth the time to take pics of em, We just ride. I’ll see if I can convince one of my friends to chill on the beach for 5 mins.
having looked at some of those photos its apparent that the maker of this mega tech board has good skills… but gee wizz, its a bit bloody complex.
If you realy want to learn about super light structures look at Burt Ruttans aircaft structures.
You’ll be blown away with the similarity to salomons S core construction …and it is possible to laminate balsa useing vac bagging over forms.
So in theory its possible to make a wooden S core.
Now, I’ve been making flying things for 31yrs, my father has been at it longer and i know ppl who have been at it longer than he… our mantra to light is KISS : keep it simple stupid
And Light is the minimum structure to surround empty space.
I belive the way forward could/would be nigh-on hollow like the S core concept as this is the minimum use of material, theres lots more to this than first meets the eye and brain, but by careful thought and execution will maybe reveal the path to A goal and undestanding of the structural dynamic.
Maybe the quoted mass per unit length in this thread is correct at 16oz per foot length is correct, maybe ive taken taken drugs (I wish),but somthing inside my head says “lighter can be done”.
And I think for once im not gonna think too much and give a few tests a go.
Just a parting thought,
Has anyone laminated Silk and resin onto a surfboard in place of fibreglass?
I cant get away from the idea that the rails are letting us down in the construction of a board. In a simple way they just hold the deck and hull apart and there are variations from a flex spoons sharp edge to a 60’s malibu with big fat rails. But the rails dont seem to add strength or am I wrong?