I have an older Southpoint and want to install a handhole. I would like a "how to" and where to purchase the hand hole insert.
I have been making and retrofitting my own hand grips. I mak a male mould with shaped polystyrine covered in melted and smoothed wax (smooth with the edge of a hot knife), wrap it in about 6 layers of 4oz cloth with pigmented epoxy (polyester resin would be OK too). When hardened dig out foam and wax, sand off till smmoth and all traces of wax removed. Trace out bottom of handle on deck, cut hole in deck glass with Stanly knife cut out enough internal foam to allow the hand grip to sit flush and fix in with thickened epoxy (polyester resin cannot be used for this but use Araldite epoxy if you dont want to buy boardmaking epoxy).
You can also buy hand grips from Shapers.com.au these are good, but heavier and deeper (hold more water) than my home made versions. These can be put in with epoxy and are easy to fit (trace around base of handle, cut deck with Stanly knife, cut out foam and fix in with thickened epoxy, sand down to deck level)
They also sell gortex breather vents and it might be worth adding one of these as well (use the same method as above, but make sure you dont get epoxy on base of breather).
Hope this helps
Bill
It would be easier to use those stick on tabs with a webbing handle. Apparently they are super strong. This way you don't comprimise the strenghth or the watertight integrity of the board.
Hey Cragius
Good point the stick on webbing handles are good too.
I've used them, but found sticky pad let go after a while. I scraped off the sticky and re attached the pads with epoxy and they stayed on.
I actually prefer webbing handle as you can holde the paddle and board in one hand and use the uther to hold the nose or tail in windy conditions.
Bill
