I want to build a shortboard that flexes more they seem stiff to me.The longboards that I have built flex just fine you drop them in the water and you see them flex.I tried pvc stringers and it doesn’t seem to make any difference.I am using 2 lb foam 4 oz E cloth 2 layers on bottom 3 on top the decks do dent up except where the stringer is.How about no stringer but I want them to hold up.6’6" 2 1/8 thick YOWZA THANKS
Terry, Your longboard will flex when you toss in the water, due to it’s length, and weight. (I ride a 9’ 8’ myself) What your asking for in a shorter board may be hard to get but, I would try a flex tail board. (No stringer in the tail of the blank) The shorter, and thicker board the stiffer it will be. Never rode one but, if it’s predictable it would be okay, but in bigger, or steeper surf I don’t know? As for the pressure dings, try staggering you glass. IE. full 4 oz. 3/4 4 oz., and 6 oz. tail patch. I like 6 oz. glass myself because it’s very strong (relative to it’s weight), a traction pad (for the pressure dings). I’m having a country board built for me now, 7’ 6" round pin, 19 1/2", 2 3/4" Glassing full 6, 3/4 4, and 4 tail. full 6 bottom. Because I’m older I prefer a e-z to paddle board (surfing over 30 yrs.) Hope this helped Aloha Randy
Terry, Your longboard will flex when you toss in the water, due to it’s length, and weight. (I ride a 9’ 8’ myself) What your asking for in a shorter board may be hard to get but, I would try a flex tail board. (No stringer in the tail of the blank) The shorter, and thicker board the stiffer it will be. Never rode one but, if it’s predictable it would be okay, but in bigger, or steeper surf I don’t know? As for the pressure dings, try staggering you glass. IE. full 4 oz. 3/4 4 oz., and 6 oz. tail patch. I like 6 oz. glass myself because it’s very strong (relative to it’s weight), a traction pad (for the pressure dings). I’m having a country board built for me now, 7’ 6" round pin, 19 1/2", 2 3/4" Glassing full 6, 3/4 4, and 4 tail. full 6 bottom. Because I’m older I prefer a e-z to paddle board (surfing over 30 yrs.) Hope this helped Aloha Randy
Terry, A guy was building “flexible” stringerless shortys in my town a while back. I am not sure if he still makes them, but basically they were just glassed heavy, to try and compensate for the missing stringer. It seemed to me that he was having problems keeping the rocker consistent without the stringer in there to hold the shape. I guess one would need a jig to hold the board in place while it was shaped/glassed. Anyways I tried one. It felt very sluggy and mushy feeling. I hated it. It just didn’t have any spring back or snappy-ness to it. It was an odd sort of worn out feeling, like the way boards feel when they are old after a lot of use. I think that if you are looking for more flex out of your boards, redistribute your volume out to your rails, making your board thinner in the middle and thicker on the rails. This will cut down on stringer thickness, and reduce the dome of your deck, both of which will help the board flex more. Also a thinner stringer may help.
Terry, A guy was building “flexible” stringerless shortys in my town a while back. I am not sure if he still makes them, but basically they were just glassed heavy, to try and compensate for the missing stringer. It seemed to me that he was having problems keeping the rocker consistent without the stringer in there to hold the shape. I guess one would need a jig to hold the board in place while it was shaped/glassed. Anyways I tried one. It felt very sluggy and mushy feeling. I hated it. It just didn’t have any spring back or snappy-ness to it. It was an odd sort of worn out feeling, like the way boards feel when they are old after a lot of use. I think that if you are looking for more flex out of your boards, redistribute your volume out to your rails, making your board thinner in the middle and thicker on the rails. This will cut down on stringer thickness, and reduce the dome of your deck, both of which will help the board flex more. Also a thinner stringer may help.
maybe think about a spoonish style board with a concave deck to thin it out. Then fill the cavity up with thick deck pad foam and shape it to look like a standard board. similar to a early '70’s wibulator. The shape of the board will determine the amount and dimensions of flex. Scat, Pendo and Mike Macdonald have built heaps of them. Not for everybody but if you like checking out the possibilites outside of your everyday “shop” board it is well worth fooling around with.
maybe think about a spoonish style board with a concave deck to thin it out. Then fill the cavity up with thick deck pad foam and shape it to look like a standard board. similar to a early '70’s wibulator. The shape of the board will determine the amount and dimensions of flex. Scat, Pendo and Mike Macdonald have built heaps of them. Not for everybody but if you like checking out the possibilites outside of your everyday “shop” board it is well worth fooling around with.
I know a guy named Eric Schoelkopf who shapes kneeboards like that. (Spooned out decks with deck pad shaped fill.) Pretty cool stuff.
I know a guy named Eric Schoelkopf who shapes kneeboards like that. (Spooned out decks with deck pad shaped fill.) Pretty cool stuff.
Stan Pleskunas - Do you know what type of foam they use and what they use to glue it in place? Are you coming down to the Swayloholic’s Anonymous camp out? By the number of posts I’ve seen of yours recently, I’d say you might need help.
Stan Pleskunas - Do you know what type of foam they use and what they use to glue it in place? Are you coming down to the Swayloholic’s Anonymous camp out? By the number of posts I’ve seen of yours recently, I’d say you might need help.
I got a feeling I probably won’t make it unless it’s here in TEXAS.Maybe next time but thanks for the help ya’ll.I do have a 6’2" round nose fish that the deck is real flat and now that it’s kinda pressure dinged where I lay It’s concave somewhat it does seem to flex a bit more to my likeing.
I got a feeling I probably won’t make it unless it’s here in TEXAS.Maybe next time but thanks for the help ya’ll.I do have a 6’2" round nose fish that the deck is real flat and now that it’s kinda pressure dinged where I lay It’s concave somewhat it does seem to flex a bit more to my likeing.