glassing shedule for Bonzer B3 runners (glasson)

General Discussion
1

Hello.

I´ve searched the archives and found information for thrusters/quads/twins.

But I´m building a board with true ames Bonzer runners. With the longs base and little height, is my glassing shedule ok or am I asking for trouble ?

Bottom lam is 4+4 in the whole tail area.

I´ve glassed the fins on with the follwing shedule on each side of the fins:

  • 2 stripes of 45° cloth , 1" wide, for the fillet (Bill Thrailkill and others mentioned that in some threads)

  • 2 full layers of 4oz covering the whole fin and the whole taped off area on the bottom.

  • 2 staggered layers of 4oz, one covering apr. 2/3 of the fin and the taped of area. The other one covering 1/3 of fin and taped of area.

I know putting the staggered layers on top will be more sanding work.

But think for someone with limitid experience like me it´s safer to have the full layers below the staggered layers.

I don´t want to risk sanding through the full layers. And I don´t mind some sanding work (I´m just a hobbyist).

Thanks for any advice.

Michael

1200×900 286 KB

2

I don’t have the pro answer, but can offer a limited sample-size, anecdotal one til a pro glasser can weigh in.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1tuk1wn3Vo/

Process for that (glass-ons added after full poly glassing with just the single box): (1) sand down area for fins to be added (mostly for better binding, but also to spread out the hotcoat over a surface larger than the immediate fin area, (2) set runners with just a strip of epoxy, (3) two strips of fin roving, don’t remember how many strands, one for each side of fin base, wet with mixed epoxy (fin, base, roving), saturate 2 x 6oz strips for each fin side, apply strips, (4) sand, (5) hotcoat, (6) sand.

No problems thus far with maybe 15 sessions, 8 or 9 by me (215 lbs, int-adv, waves smaller than legit head high), others by riders of varying sizes/ability-level.

Those are the larger of the two pairs of runners for the True Ames 5-fin bonzer set.

I have had a full 5-set installed by a pro in the past. The runners don’t feel any less solid than on that full 5-set bonzer to me (on land or in when on the board).

3

Doing it the way you are doing it is a good idea with regard to the staggered and whole layers.  Should actually make it easier.

4

I don’t understand why under normal conditions one would wait until after the hotcoat to do glass ons.

5

I don’t understand why anybody would take pride in having a closed mind and no imagination. XD

Board was made (and finished) as finless/single. Finless result was, to me, unsatisfactory. Wanted to get just a little more hold. Experimented.

Result with added runners was too much hold, board would rather flip over than slide, now, but it’s now very satisfactory as low-expectation-session semi-bonzer for crappy, flat-faced waves, and you can still slum-it in low tide, tiny wave, thick kelp situations where trying to ride a “normal” board with fins would be an exercise in futility.

6

Thank you for the comments. I’ve cut the glas around the fin contour. Today after the epoxy was fully cured, I pushed against the runners and it feels super solid. Breaking shouldn’t be an issue I think. The layup seems stiff enough to spread the load wide and prevent delamming of the bottom. (It’s for a relaxed 150lbs surfer, I don’t expect problems.) 

7

Nice fins! I have a small one similar I use as the center fin with Keel sides