I’m with Benny1. Let him get some surf experience on a longboard and he’ll soon be down to 250 and a lot less danger to everyone else in the water.
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Yes Carbon was a requirement. The hollow part came in when I was told a Carbon exterior would heat up an EPS blank to the point of delamination.
How important is weight? Durability? Does it have to be all carbon, or can it have carbon combined with other (visible) details? Is he trying to match other toys? Why does he want something so exotic, considering he hasn’t even spent much time on a board it yet? Where is he going to use this board? Is this something he’ll use a couple times then hang it on a wall?
If he’s in Northern California carbon won’t create heat problems except for a few days a year… and then only if you leave the board in the sun and out of the water. You could always put a plug in it to let the board breath.
I think I’ve made more hollow carbon boards than anyone else in this forum. What I can tell you is it’s hard… and expensive… and it takes some pretty serious calculating to get it right… and it’s expensive… and the bigger the board, the more problems you have… and it’s expensive…
If it must be hollow, go with the way Paul or Roy do it - in wood - then glass over it with carbon fiber. Or you can do a compsand with carbon on the outer layer. That would be cool.
You know there are other exotic materials out there too. If you’re ever in San Clemente, go check out the Brewer gun that’s glassed with aluminum infused fiberglass at Icons of Surf. That thing is bitchen, and you don’t have the heat issues.
Also you may want to teach this guy that he’ll look way cooler if he doesn’t go overboard with the fancy stuff. If he’s got the most blinging board out there, and he can’t ride it, he’ll just look like a kook. If he doesn’t know that, you should make it your responsibility to let him know. The best way to look cool, is to be cool.
Yes and thank you for bringing this up, I am well aware of the potential hazard of such a large board under such inexperienced feet out in the line-up. I dont think riding waves is the idea here for him. Maybe cowells at ankle high.
But, it would be used like going for a walk out on the water.
-s
Thanks, and all good questions (not all I know the answers to), the carbon was his idea for a stronger lighter alternative.
I have gotten alot out of this thread so far. I am definately going to suggest something a bit smaller. And
I now feel like I have better solid options to present him. Thanks again for everyone’s time and input.
-s
Here’s the reality of it. You do not need to do the acetone wash out. In some other thread in here I mentioned building an 8’10’x21"x6" thick carbon mat/S2 sailboard that weighed 10 lbs. I used .5 lb. EPS to “form the air”. This was in 1984.
Yes I know you are talking about/seeking a 15’ board. My point is the EPS is basically air unless you use a 2 lb. or higher density…why would you?
If I did this board, I would use no more than 1.5 lb density at the very most and glue up either wood or PVC stringers in it. I could make the thing as long and as wide as you want…I could make the thing for KING KONG if he wanted one!!
I did some mold stuff for hollow speedboards in the 80’s…it’s overrated, believe me. Yeah I know, I’m rocking some peoples’ boats here but too bad. Leave the core in there because it’s 98% air anyway. The I Beam stringers will be the only internal weight but I think they are worthwhile. My 6" thick sailboard didn’t have a stringer…the greatest deterrent to breakage is thickness. This is ASTM stuff…I’m sure Engineer Bill or someone will write in to discount me on this, but all I’m citing here is the thickness over a given span with X amount of load bearing on it, okay. Let’s leave it at that.
So to answer your quest…sure I could do it and for a lot less than these other approaches. To be honest, I could use the pocket change for Paris next month.
And as far as suggesting the guy get a quiver and learn to surf instead of what he wants to do, well hell’s bells, he wants what he wants so just be a humble technician and stoke the guy out.
Do I have credentials? Well you could ask Dick Brewer if he called me at home one Sunday when he was in Santa Barbara and borrowed my shaping room to shape a sailboard for his nephew. He loved my setup and I was happy to glass the board.
P.S. By the way God doesn’t carry cash, he has a “follow up” man.
ok now we are getting somewhere…
carbon is not really a stronger lighter alternative…
hollow carbon will require more carbon and resin and be heavier than a compsand board
going back to the hollowing idea… if you are talking about making the skins strong enough to remove the core, then who cares if it delams. you can think of it as an interior mold that just stays with the board. It would add much weigh.
For the weight… do a compsand with balsa skins and rails… it will look way cool. Could put in some contrasting wood to give a fake stringer look as well.
if he is looking for open water stand up paddle then look to the open water standup paddle design and don’t design it to surf… you’ll get a much more stable platform and for that use, I’d say he will be much happier. You also don’t have to worry about setting him loose in a line up… One of the biggest differences is much lower entry rocker so it will glide much nicer.
If it is for open water paddeling then 15’ might be reasonable.
You might consider checking out or talking to some of the guys who shape paddleboards (I’m talking about the traditional, open-ocean paddling variety here, not the stand-up kind). Many of the unlimited boards (14 foot and over) are epoxy blanks and are wrapped partially or entirely in carbon. Some are even slightly cored (read: hollowed out) to decrease the weight. They feature a valve that can be opened manually when the board is not in use to allow it to breathe and not overheat.
My 18 footer is wrapped completely in carbon. I keep it in a bag with the valve open when I’m not using it to keep it out of the sun and heat. This particular board is going on 2.5 years now with no delam problems, etc. and I probably use it 2-4 times per week. My previous 18 footer only had carbon on the bottom so I didn’t keep it in a bag, but it had no delam problems or heat damage either.
I would recommend looking up Joe Bark Paddleboards on the internet. He’s been at it a long time, and a lot of people think his paddleboards are the best. He’s very experienced at working with carbon and epoxy, he’s a talented shaper (surfboards and paddleboards) and I think he’s even been making some stand-up boards for long distance paddling. Could be your guy. Good luck.
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I did some mold stuff for hollow speedboards in the 80's........it's overrated, believe me. Yeah I know, I'm rocking some peoples' boats here but too bad.
You’re not rocking my boat… I totally agree.
In case others don’t know it… Lauren Yater lists Bruce (DeadShaper) as one of his main influences.
open invite to this Northern California Mysto man
to try and sink my twelve foot rendition.
we can mold it and pop off a set
and rib it up at pauls house.
retro fiting ribs?
cold mold some balsa sheets
on top the carbon.
whaddlit weigh vacum man?
twelveteen pounts?
phone me up I’ll get him a kamaainna room at the resort…
…ambrose…
Tandem boards are monsters, there’s plenty of 'em around, one could be ready to go right now, for learning to surf right now, and learning what you really need after some first hand practice on a board that approximates current desires, no giant project with special needs, costs, time. Then, as the learn how to surf portion of the deal is moving down the road, money bags will be lot more savvy about what’s really needed. If you could find a giant tandem with exaggerated nose scoop to rent out, a heavy beginner will be too stoked, us begginers love nose scoop 
Slater likes exaggerated nose scoop too !
.
What about one of these? it’s got quite a good nose scoop and plenty of float
Plus a blazer and boater is probably more flattering for the larger gentleman than a wetsuit?
This chap isn’t really properly attired, it’s just not cricket!
I can start to see how SUPs can be so physical, punting is a real workout.
(used without permission)
Well no problem! I can do it! Here are the stats; $12,598.50 plus tax fob. Calif. Carbon fiber to the dimensions you quoted. Hollow with drain plug. Six month delivery time. One half total coast to begin construction. This is not a glib joke or put on. Just the simple facts. HD McDing
Oh and by the way board comes complete with fin and paddle.
Is that a Merrick?
After some thought
with all the input I’ve gotten here, I am going for EPS as light as we can get away with glassed in carbon. something more like 14’.
Then if we are happy or want to take it further, revisit the hollow option.
-s
OK! So I’ll throw in a leash and acouple of bars of Sex wax. McDing
chas,if nothing else comes of this thread
it will have inspired some serious applied mindfull
boards in the 15 foot range.
the gestation period should be 3 to six months.
with paul cleaning out the shop
and my mind racing and Mc ding
not being glib or facitious
you have fathered quite an epoch.
the hollow 15 epoch.
that is just after the
cobra chiptracene epoch
in the underground board
design timeline
…ambrose…
OK! So I guess Bull$#!t walks and money talks. I quoted my price (unlike the rest of you “wannabees”) and will either do the work on Maui where I live or fly to the Mainland and do it there. Soooo tell me about it.
you mean you didn’t start it yet?
if’n this guy was serious
he coulda had any boat yard do it for that price.
the ten renditions gestating in the swaylox labs
will likely go un paid
or unfinished
but no no never unridden.
red bluff,stocton,orland.redding ,burney falls,
mono lake…
northern california is home to many a fledgling conciousness
maybe the environ
of mr three hundred pounds
is not conducive to actualy surfing.
maybe this rhetiric question is not to be taken seriously
…ambrose…