I’m planing to do a high performance noserider, 9’4 x 23 x 3. At the beggining I was thinking to make a normal lamination with 6x6oz in deck and 6oz at bottom, with a patch in fin area. As I want a longboard more progressive, I was thinking that was good idea to make a 6x4oz at deck and 6oz at bottom (Hexcel cloth).
I’m afraid that the board will be a bit weaker comparing to a 6x6oz lam in deck.
I would like to know your opinion about that, my concern is more for the weight of the board, with a layer of 4oz I could save a few grams (ah ah).
6&4 deck is normal in many glass shops. You’re fine with that layup. On Maui; My glasser the Great Dave Gott(Ballet Dancer) used to do a longboard deck of 6 E and Warp 4 oz. ( might have been the other way around, don’t remember) and a 6oz bottom. When I got back to the OC, Steve at Aloha told me his norm on a longboard was 6&6 E with 6 bottom. I asked that he do 6/4 and he did. I prefer the lighter board weight when I shape something that is on the progressive side of things. In other words something that will be turned and cutback. Sometimes on “old school” longboards weight is desirable. Also the rider and his weight and how hard he is going to be on the deck figure into it as well. Lowel
I go with all 4oz, 2 on top, 1 on bottom, with a couple extra patches around the boxes. I also recommend an 1/8" stringer. The idea is to get flex. The fat stringer and 6oz cloth will give you stiff. Don’t pull into closeouts and learn how to duck dive. More longboards break from the rider doing the “ditch and duck” than any other way.
Let’s do a quick weight guesstimate. 4oz/yd * 3yd * 3 layers = 36oz. More than two pounds, we haven’t added the extra resin yet either.
1/8 Basswood stringers are banded North of Conception. Two things I have never seen in the water after 55 years of surfing. A Shark and a snapped Three Stringer.
Thanks for the tip, I’ll have this in mind when go to laminate. As you said, If I do a 4x6oz at deck should be fine. I think the same about the classic longboards, they must be a bit heavier, different purpose.
…in my opinion or is a high performance as you say or a nose rider; of course you can try to nose ride in whatever type but are not the same and a nose rider do not need necessary to be light.
I think that the foam desnsity is more important. If you are using Teccel foam, there are good options regarding density but not so more options regarding longboard plugs however, they have a good perfomance plug.
I have good sucess with what you are trying to do with 3 x 4oz on top and 1 4oz on the bottom with gloss coat both sides with a lighter density but not overshaping it in fact thicker than those 2 5/8!. 2 7/8 should but with 60/40s perfomance rails similar to a shortboard.
But here is a photo of a board that I did recently that tried to combine both worlds: with the help of hybrid HD foam/wood T bands. Matte/gloss finish.
You can also go with 2 layers of 4oz on both sides. This will move the position of the centroid more towards the center of the blank. This reduces the shear stress at the surface (i.e. tendency to buckle). For even more strength with minimal weight, you can wrap all the layers of cloth.
Reverb makes a good call on thickness also. Changing the thickness is a x-cubed relationship with strength.
Hell! I’m in the process right now of doing a double four oz. top and bottom tint. But a layer of Vector Net between one each of 4oz. on the deck. Double 4 on the bottom. If I wanted the board to be lighter, I probably would have done a single 4 on the bottom. I have punched to many holes in 4 oz bottoms though and will double the 4 to make 8. I’m using 4 because of the V Net and wanted to keep the tint uniform top and bottom.
