Super-floaty float and ride board build.

A few years ago i made a big float and ride board. I built it with 28kg/m-3 eps, lots of glass/carbon, and scavenged fin boxes/mast track and strap plugs. It sailed really well, and did exactly what i wanted it to do, but weighed way, way too much, then started taking in water firstly from the rear strap plugs, which i fixed, but also from the mast track, which i didn't notice until the board became noticibly heavier during (it's final) session. Before i retired it, i had altered it to an elevated wing swallowtail, and it loosened it up considerably. It 'surfed' really nicely, and got me sessions when only the wing foils and 2 others were out (on a kona and wind-sup).






My idea for the latest build was to make a much lighter version, and use a vac bag/sandwich construction, to hopefully get to around 10kg.
The conditions i would use the board were float and ride in shifty beach breaks, so the thick nose and over all volume would help getting out either without falling, or could uphaul quickly. (if too little wind for water-starting) the previous board had been great for this, but the weight had excluded lots of beaches with a long walk to them!
I got a second hand vac off ebay, and practised on a veneer surfboard build, so far so good. Using eps 70 (15 kg) I hotwired the rocker, (same as my Goya 118) templated, and shaped the bottom, with vee/double concaveas as normal, vacced 3mm pvc on the bottom with 4oz glass and a carbon tape between the front of the fins and front of the mast track. This went well.
At this point, i glued in some blocks of pvc foam to shape in the 'elevated' wings and swallow tail, so that the deck pvc would lap onto it from the deck, as it was an easy way to solve an otherwise tricky problem.
I shaped the deck and bottom rails, put in high density foam for the mast track, then did it again after exotherm melted some foam! (always, always use slow hardener!) then vacced the deck with 4/5 oz carbon between the back strap and front of mast box, and 1x 4oz all over then 3mm pvc.
I had a few problems here, on 1 rail, the vac film tucked itself under the pvc! The following day, i had to break away some of the pvc, and I replaced this with micro-baloon filler, which was a bit of a bodge, but couldn't think of another way to rescue it!






Fin boxes and strap inserts went in, (I intend to try it as a surfy twin, so am making some big lok box fins at 2 degree toe in) and i glassed it with 2 layers 4 oz all over the bottom ( and triple fin patches) and full 4oz deck, with second and third layers to the front of the mast track, and carbon patches under my feet, and over the mast track. I had foolishly ordered the glass too narrow to allow for a decent lap, so got some 10 cm 6 oz tape, and did the rails after sanding with this, as an extra lap.
Lots of tinted micro balloon filler, lots of sanding, sugar/epoxy deck, orange spray, and 2 coats of 2k lacquer over the rest.
Overall, i think the board is pretty ugly, but despite the screw ups, comes in at pretty well 10kg.
I know it is a bit rough, but Looking forward to trying it, but have learned a huge amount, so as always, Thanks to everyone on the forum who gave advice!
I will do a ride report and show the fins when i've made them, unless it is awful, then I will be silent for a while!

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Grantmac said..
I'm always interested in float and ride designs that are easier to uphaul and still turn in the straps unlike a lot of WindSUPs.
What are the dimensions and volume?

It's 232x 72, and thinking about 135L plus. (i forgot to weigh it before vac bagging and glassing)

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Mark _australia said..
I like your idea same as mine

Cylinder of CO2 next to the bench so when it all goes wrong you turn on the tap and run.

Yes, well overdue for a tidy up! at least no comments on the state of my grass........ yet! haha just started a tidy, and saw that the cylinder is (was) oxygen.... would save having to tidy if i turned that on! (it's empty, but got it for a vac reservoir but never used it)

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Grantmac said..
How do you find getting that width to turn? Looks like fairly parallel rails as well.

the old one turned surprisingly well, as long as it wasn't going too fast! i often took my foot out of the rear strap though. also plenty of vee through the tail.
Might be test day tomorrow.....

I managed to get 2 sessions on the beast, and I'm happy. I sailed at 2 locations, both of which have a long walk/lots of steps, and it was ok to carry all gear in 1 go.
The first session was a challenge.... i ripped my wetsuit putting it on (or made a rip far worse) which in the uk in November isn't fun! the waves were waist to chest and ok, but the wind was all over the place 0-15 knots, swinging wildly in direction due to the cliffs. The board felt a bit stiff to turn, and i felt i had put the front fin boxes too far back. I could easily uphaul until the cord attaching it to the boom came undone! I also snapped a batten.
Today was the second session, at Gwithian (uk wavesailing spot) similar sized waves, and more consistent, but light wind. I had put the rear fins way further forward, and was surprised how well such a big board could turn. I still think the front fins are too far back, and am in the process of making some bigger surfy twin fins with the fin tab further back, so the fins sit further forward in the boxes.I will try the board as a twin when done.
I doubt the board will plane well if at all, but i suspected that, and it isn't what i had intended it for. Once i have played around with fins, I am sure i'll really like the board, and it will get me sailing and waveriding in conditions i wouldn't have bothered with before!