I was recently approached by a guy that wants me to shape some SUP’s in a conventional way; not wood, not composite, not hollow. I figure I can do it, but could use some input into design and materials. He’s adamant about this being a “completely-made-in-the-U.S.A.” endeavor. His idea is to have something long and very wide for buoyancy and stability. He’s talking 40 to 48 inches in width, 4" thick and something around 12’ to 15’ in length. He wants to make a bunch and lease them out to summer rental venders at various lake, river and water areas for vacationers and tourists to rent daily or hourly rates. But that’s his deal. My end will be to shape them and and send them out for glassing. I was thinking EPS foam and epoxy. Your input and ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you surfteach; Don’t worry I wont let myself get burned. I appreciate your words of caution. I intend to do all the research that you have suggested. I already told him that I won’t put up any of my own money but that I will put in some time looking into the costs. I also told him that he will have to pay for materials and labor costs in advance (blanks, glassing etc.) I will research the cost for materials, glassing charges. I told him that it’s not going to be cheap. Keep in mind he’s not doing this to sell them, he wants to lease them to rental vendors. He has told me that he has contacts along those lines, but that’s his business. I’d like to get your input as well as others on what materials and methods I should use, so I can research the costs. If he decides to move forward with the project, then I will iron out a contract in writing for my handling and shaping fees.
Those would be way, way too big for folks to paddle around on. Most people could get up and feel comfortable paddling around on something like a Liquid Shredder soft-top (12’x31.5"x4.8")–having taken my retirement age mother out on one, she was up and zipping around within a few minutes. They are also relatively easy to turn, and most average adults could carry a child or dog on board with them, no problem. Plus, anything longer becomes pretty difficult to carry and transport.
I laud your customer for wanting a made in the US product…however there’s a good reason why rental fleets are made up of soft-tops and surftech boards rather than conventionally glassed EPS/epoxy–they are pretty durable and not overly burdensome to repIace or repair as needed. I’m not sure your customer really has a good sense of what he is up against when considering rentals. Some friend of mine run a mobile flatwater SUP rental for about 3 months a year in upstate NY. Their fleet was predominantly the Liquid Shredders I previously mentioned, as well as Riviera (surftech style) 11.6’s. Their discovery this summer was that customers totally thrash rental boards and they ended up selling their fleet at the end of the season. Even the Liquid Shredders were waterlogged and delamming by the end of the season, and the Rivieras had cracks etc.
For a rental board, durability, rather than performance, should be key. Super bomber glass jobs, high density foam…just imagine customers dragging their boards across the parking lot to the water, or dropping it on the dock, or running into the beach. Your customer’s investment only makes sense if he can keep the boards in the water all season…if they need repair, not so good.
With a little more research, your customer is going to learn the way to go, is made in the USA plastic SUPs being knocked out by several kayak companies and retailing for $500 each. One factory is in Buffalo.
The local rental operation here, has already gone this way. All the epoxy EPS boards did not hold up to constant rental abuse.
But if you end up doing it, 34 wide is max for the big wide SUPs on the market. Anything wider and you can’t paddle straight. The paddle must be vertical when you stroke, if you want to paddle straight!
