Just what the chipper ordered…
Hey chip
I am currently making a 7’6" thruster
I have a thread on it called “journey of a 7-6 big guy tri”
I only started it last week and have only a few pics up at the moment
Did some work on it over easter but I am having troubles with my computer so I can’t update just yet
Get on it as soon as I can
hi Reverb !
I hope you don’t mind mate, but I really think this shot deserves to be taken from the resources, and posted here on the forum , too …
nice work , f m / reverb !!
cheers ,
ben
…well, thanks Chip…
…the owner is just stoked with this board…5 8" X 19 (2.5 down) X 2 3/8 flat to double concave to flat bottom.
made this one in the fall… modern “fish”/thruster board for small but punchy beach break days.
Pay no attention to the man behind the shades…
Hi Chip. This is the one I made this summer 6’-3" x 18 3/4" x 2 1/4" EPS Epoxy. My second board.
It is very sensitive to the sweet spot. If I’m on it it the board goes off and I feel ready (at 44!) to go pro (yeah right!). If I’m off the sweet spot I feel like a total kook- the board is squirrely and has no drive.
It’s the first time I’ve used a stomp pad. I put it on because I’m starting to get a bunion on the inside of my right (back) foot. I thought it’d help but the problem is the sweet spot seems to be in front of the pad so I never stand on it anyways. Oh well, at least it makes for a good place to stick my knee/shin when I duck dive,
cool swirly…
What are the specs for that board?
What kind of bottom?
What blank did you use?
I think the nose was under 11" and the tail was 14". The wide point was about 4" behind center. I tried to put the wide point where I imagined my front foot would be. It has a slight single concave starting about one third back going into doubles through the fins, to flat after the rear fin ( no more than 1/8" of concave). 5 1/2" nose rocker, 2" tail rocker, pretty much left the rocker the blank came with (Greg Loehr’s).
I used a 2lb EPS blank from Segway Composites in So. Cal. They were great. Ken actually drove out to deliver the blank ( twice! the first one was the wrong thickness). I imagine their business is booming right now so he probably wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. Anyways, great guy, great customer service. Great product.
I used Fast n Final spackle to seal.
Resin Research Epoxy 6oz on the bottom, 6oz, 4oz + 4oz deck patch on the deck. Super strong and still lighter than shop poly boards. I’ve been surfing it since December and there’s barely a hint of a depression under my knee, whereas my poly boards would have been toast by now.
The swirl tint came out different than I imagined. You can kind of see where I poured it. Next time I’d pour it in one big blob in the middle and then spread it out. Epoxy tinting is a little tricky.
Oh, and the fins were FCS k-flex (soft) that Kokua procured for me at a healthy discount (thanks Kokua). I’m not sure I like them though. I’m going to try swapping to fiberglass to see the difference.
Hope that helps.
here’s my first 1# EPS board i’ve started working on. i still need to fill some chunks of foam in that are missing… but its my first try, and im experimenting. hopefully i’ll get it worked into something decent enough to glass… its a fun experience.
pretty crappy so far…
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Is anyone here currently making a thruster ?
cheers ,
ben
Aloha Ben
Just making this 7’11" big guy board. Thought you would particularly enjoy the “artistic” photo.
thanks Bill !
…uv lighting ?
ben
Aloha Ben
Not this time. Just Photo Shop and plenty of cool overspray in my Airbrush room.
I don’t remember if I posted this one before. This is the UV lights at work and a little bit of Photoshop. Sorry if it is redundant
I know you asked about tri fins and this green one is a single fin, but…
she’s worth seeing again , for sure !
thanks for that [is she your wife ? she’s very pretty]
ben
she’s worth seeing again , for sure !
thanks for that [is she your wife ? she’s very pretty]
Aloha Ben
The board Ben… the board… focus on the board…!
That was Pro Surfer, Hiromi Suitt. Wife of, hot surfer, Spencer Suitt who has been my main man in the retail dept for 9 years…
Sadly I am losing him this month. Happily, he is taking over Marty Thomas’ job as Rip Curl Rep for Hawaii! Marty was one of my team riders back in the 80s along with young North Shore bucks, Ricky Irons, and Scott Ostrander. Marty is moving to California to take on the job of Marketing Head at Rip Curl USA.
This would be Wendy my wife of 30+ years. Surfer, Sailer, Collector, Business Partner, and best Mom in the whole world to my 2 daughters. My best friend!
Catch ya around
okay , I’m “focussed” now …
cheers for the info , Bill !
Poor Marty Thomas ! I hope he doesn’t miss hawaii too much [I’m sure he WILL , though]
that’s a great shot by the uv lights !
geez , it’s unreal for you that your wife is your best friend too, I reckon !
cheers ,
ben
Just in the process of finishing a 7ft Bigboy thruster.
I have attached some pics taken with my sht phone camera which screws the perspective a little. The tail is no way as large as it looks and the front is not as pinched as it apears but it give an idea of what I have been working on.
Real photos when it is complete.
hi bill b!
the funny thingn is that in a mag down under there was an advertisment for a key-lock system with a sexy girl holding one of your boards with a pink spray.
the boards look nice, and the ad girls.
cheers mate!
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… no, I am serious !
And , they are probably ‘everywhere’ because they are boards that work well.
ben
allright Benny back to the dvd player, Glass Love followed by The Sprout and a healthy dose of Morning of the Earth and Fantasea for you matey!
the “t” word is a naughty one!
don’t worry joshy boy ,
by the time you are in your 40s you “may” have grown out of your single fin obsession [hopefully , anyway !]…
if not , I know some good thruster and twinny and quad counsellors I can recommend !
cheers
ben
Quote:
hi bill b!
the funny thingn is that in a mag down under there was an advertisment for a key-lock system with a sexy girl holding one of your boards with a pink spray.
the boards look nice, and the ad girls.
cheers mate!
Aloha Josh
Would that have been by chance an ad for a Bicycle Surfboard Rack instead of a Lock?
Maybe this one…? Of Angela, Daughter #2 and Carver Surf Racks on an Electra Pink Fink at Haleiwa Beach
