Can this be wakesurfed?

[NICKYPOO]

I think that light switch has been photographed with more prototypes than Burt Rutan.

[Timmy!]

I think that light switch has been photographed with more prototypes than Burt Rutan.

LOL!
Jeff, make a carbon lightswitch cover while you're at it.

Nice work on the board!

[Surfdad]

@ Timmy and Nickypoo - can you imagine Judy's reaction?! No sweetie, CARBON FIBER it's in Better Homes and Gardens. I'll bet I could mold it and make one. Oh man you can't do that Timmy! Now I'll be obsessed!

@ Nickypoo, yeah the weight issue can be a problem in even the slightest breeze. James seems to like the 5 pound weight range, ready to ride. It's always easier to ADD a layer of fabric and resin than to reduce weight. I'm still trying to get a handle on the structure/stiffness and longevity.

Hopefully I posted the picture of the glass-on fins. It's a Doug Haute shape. Futures F4 4 3/8" high and "about" the same base. It's a clear resin transfer molded and I think is super light. I'll glue 'em on as a twin.

I am excited about this "potential". It could still very well come out as junk. I've made more junk than anything else If I can get it to survive an aerial and NOT turn like it's 1 foot long, I think it might be great fun to ride!

[Surfdad]

Oh and Thanks Timmy! and Nickypoo I appreciate the kind words and you guys following along.

[Timmy!]

I can't get enough of the builds! Someday I will break down and start doing all of this stuff on my own but first I should probably ride a real board so I know what I am looking for in one

Oh yeah...
http://www.carbonfiberfilm.com/blog/...n-fiber-vinyl/
How cool does that look????

[Surfdad]

There is no denying that CF has a good look. So that's a vinyl! That's ingenious, I'll bet someone is making a ton off that.

Building your own board is a blast and amazingly enough, most anything you make will ride really well.

[Timmy!]

That film is pretty cool, we used it on my buddy's speaker box and it almost looks real.

[Surfdad]

Does it stick down well? I'd think only the corners would be a problem That is so cool!

[Timmy!]

It sticks really well! It's weird stuff, you can pull it off and it's all wrinkled up and then you can put it back on and hit it with a heat gun and it's all good again.

[jbort]

I'm havin a blast with this thread.....kinda like the weekly reality show w new board design/build drama with thrilling vids. I know ...its whacky but its slow time. Surfdad keep on it man.

[Surfdad]

Thrilling vids?!?! Folks are watching and thinking: is this going to snap and stab him in the jugular! Thanks for the encouragement Jim.

I didn't mean to ignore your one set of questions Nick. The board will be a second gen Flyboy bottom and rocker, but so will the deck side, albiet the concave will be a convex on the deck. I doubt that is an optimum design! But it does point out some changes in design that happen when you start switching materials. Normal ocean boards have that max thickness around the front foot'ish. Well this board will have max thickness...ummm everywhere? I guess. Very similar to a skimmer. Skimmers are normally flat on the bottom, this will have a pretty significant concave and, of course, domed deck.

The rails should be quite easy to sink, causing those abrupt turns you think. I'm not sure how that affects the angle of attack of the fins. I have an idea, but it won't be borne out until I get it finished and in the water. My thought is that ability to turn abruptly would cause a normal fin orientation to fail mid turn. Like the rails can overpower the fins ability to hold.

Who knows how that will ride! I'm looking forward to the learning process, though.

[NICKYPOO]

You're not ignoring me.

I see your fin+rail=stall problem. What's your game plane if the board is too quick? Softer rails? Move the fins back? Kinda stuck with glue on fins. Just out of curiosity, can they be cut and remounted?

I like having a uniform thickness to my board(s). It gives a lower center of gravity. I feel it also gives more leverage. It's a better angle of attack for your foot. They don't make convex skate decks for a reason.

We could be on the verge of surfboard construction revolution. I, for one, am a little excited.

[Surfdad]

Thanks Nick.

Yeah the glass on's can be ground off and repositioned, in fact they are designed to "pop off" and not ruin a surfboard (and some same keep repair shops in business)

I'm not sure what to do about that stall issue, I think it will be trial and error starting with softer rails, then maybe repositioning the fins. Can I rely on your aeroplane knowledge? It's going to be some serious testing!

Every change in design seems to impact OTHER parts of design!!!!

There are some composite board nmanufacturers that have concave deck mostly in Australia and I think Nick W brought some of that back here to the states. I've not ever ridden anything like that, but it's doable. Are you a big skater? It would be good to understand the principles.

I foamed the honeycomb - holy crap that was a pain. The foam developed a light skin almost immediately and wouldn't FORCE into the cells, so I had to squeegee it as soon as it hit the air working it down the length of the board!

[Surfdad]

Light switch picture, just because it's fun

[Surfdad]

My fins arrived! The little hex stuff inside the fins is coremat! Who'd have guessed!

I found some pictures of a concave deck surfboard. Leaves the rails pretty full, but does offer whatever the attributes of a skateboard are.