Carbon reinforced perimeter stringer

[Surfdad]

Tim Bessell makes a board that utilizes carbon tape on the outside of the perimeter stringers...so I copied him! I just wanted to see how that might work behind the boat.

I laid up the first layer of deck glass and I think the little pinline, from the carbon, next to the stringers looks kind of cool.

[samw]

looks nice

[samw]

surfdad so what will the carbon get you beside strength?

[Surfdad]

Hey Samw,

Wood is a very inconsistent material, not only between pieces, but along the length of a single piece.

With the perimeter stringers, due to having having two pieces, that inconsistency becomes noticable. There is a term in surfing parlance "magic stick" and often it's the combination of materials that have all the attributes right. Wood, when it's right, contributes to that magic...it also is what contributes to the NON-magic.

Carbon is 100% consistent, so part of my hope is that I'll gain some consitentcy using this "hybrid" construction, less emphasis on wood and some emphasis on the carbon.

The OTHER attribute I hope to affect is that wood will, after repeated flex cycles, lose some of it's structural integrity. Carbon / Epoxy on the other hand retains it's structural integrity much longer.

The downside to all of this is knowing how much of what material is the optimum amount. I've reduced the wood to 1/16" and added one layer of 6 oz carbon between the wood and foam rails.

We'll see...right now, testing it by hand, it has incredible flex return, we'll have to get it on the water next week.

[samw]

Surfdad, thanks for the input. I enjoy reading about your builds. Very informative.

Thanks