Hi, i joined this forum for some help, i shaped my first board last year, perfomance mal 9 footer. goes well, really enjoy it and have managed to take it out over the past couple of days to celebrate the birth of my son Oakley.
He is a cool little guy and i want to shape him a board summer 2011, i joined the forum in the hope that you guys could give me a few ideas on what type of board i would shape for a 5 year old boyo (i want to shape it in his first year for sentimental reasons)
Any radical/fun ideas that would make the board uniqu yet still practical?
I read earlier about a guy who was having trouble with bubbles in the blank, a suggestion was to insert shells or coloured foam? Ideas lke this and tips on how to pull it off would be greatly appreciated.
Congratulations on you baby. Hopefully you’ll still have enough time to build a board - it could take you 5 years
I liked your post, I’ve been thinking about the kind of board I’d like to build my baby boy too. As a keepsake it would have to be something ‘different’ and timeless perhaps. how about a mini-mini simmons?
Thanks tomway, I have managed to source a blank that has some damage for cheap, this shouldn’t be a problem as i only need about 4 ft of it anyway!
The mini simmons look is like a really stable slow shape, this would be perfect for him to learn in the white water. Am i right?
I’ve made a few sets of keel fins in my short time using single ply, clamps to build up the profile., i could probably use some flat plastics from some fisher price toys or something instead!
congrats on the grommy mate, nuthing better than kids and if you can share surfing with them, its even better...
the shell idea is cool, I'd be doin that kinda stuff for sure, maybe let the kid paint it ? let him choose colours and go for it, real kiddy abstract stuff.....make your own decals, maybe use his favourite cartoon as a logo ??? hope to see pics as the board takes shape....
A friend of mine had his 2 year old girl dip her feet in paint and walk on his board before it was glassed. Came out pretty cool. You might try something along those lines.
Gratz on the little man, they are a blast. Mine just started boogie boarding (5 and 7), can’t wait 'till we can all surf together =)
This board looks beautiful, i like the coloured glass idea, but my glassing skills are still a bit primative, if the glassing isn’t even, the colour is a bit blotchy isn’t it? I head down to the south coast quite alot so i might have to pop in and pick your brains!
I love the idea of letting Oak walk up the board…what paint would i use? on my previous board i used a sharpy marker for details, but it bled a bit.
I’m thinking of insetting some lego blocks and lego men. i was going to make some keels out of different coloured plastics resined together and sanded down.
I will definately put up the pics, i will work on the fins and collecting cool lego men over the next month till i get the blank, then i’ll have a blast making a mini mini simmons. (cheers tom)
Cheers guys for the support, Oak is amazing, no sleepless nights yet, theres still time tho!
I painted this one with poster paint through a spray gun...got a little discolouration on the rail laps but nothing that the pin line doesn't hide...
If you're worried about glassing over paint just laminate it clear then do a hotcoat spray using aerosol cans (car paint) - I do both but glassing boards clear is a hell of a lot easier.
Give me a shout if you're heading down and you can pop in if I'm around - where are you based???
I did a paint job on the deck of a board using car paint and lakkered over the top, it didn’t chip at all, good idea.
I’m based down in Bournemouth area (i know what your thinking, all gear and no waves) but i grew up in Pembrokshire, Bosherston and Fresh West my special spots, lived in Porthtowan/Portreath for 4 years during college then moved to Boscombe for a job near the sea.
Shaped my first board last summer came out pretty good, wanted to make a couple next summer, one for the boy and a board for myself for the local waves.
Boscombe is a dumpy fast wave or a weak and wobbly wave, but there are a few spots near by the work well on the odd occasion, I was looking to make a board for down here but all i can think of is a fat fish, any other, more interesting suggestions. I liked your board shots of your fish with the elongated right rail, I’m guessing thats to make the second barrel section at levvy a little easier?
I miss cornwall
I will defo give you a shout when we come down do you sell boards to the shops?
