Chop Shop Uni 300

I've been hitting the bottom lately with this Uni 300 rear stabilizer.  Instead of just filling/sanding it, I decided to go ahead and cut the tips down.  At full size, this rear stabilizer has a lot of stability and lift.  Cutting down the tips while keeping the chord width should loosen up the ride without losing the lift (which helps with not having to pump all the time).  Here's the paper template and the outline transferred to the rear stabilizer.

I used a dremel to cut the bulk off.  Then I used the bench sander to get it rough shaped.  Then I used the sander to fair in the cuts so the foil blends in, and to get it close to the finished shape and thickness.

I cut into the core layer - exposing a layer of kevlar.  I'll mix up some epoxy and fill the cuts and scratches.  Then I'll have to sand again to thin everything out.

Not too bad.  I plan on using this rear stabilizer for surfing and ripping turns!

Dialing In the Sanding - Wing Foiling Board

I passed on going to the beach today - the wing foiling board was summoning me to get some sanding done.  I have been thinking about using the Dremel with the ca.rbide grinding wheel to get rid of the innegra bitter ends - well that worked really well.

I got the leash plugs ground/sanded down, and even the bulk of the board.  Tomorrow I'm going to get one more layer of epoxy/aerosil on the the spots that need it (I want to do it while I've got a lot of sunlight), then on Thursday go through the sanding regime (60-120-180-200-320).  I corrected issues with the logos (high points got sanded down - went back over it with posca pens) so the epoxy will cover those adds.

I'm going to measure out the distances where footstraps would go - just so I know for later on when I'm doing things with this board that require them.  I'm still debating if the vent plug is going in the back (where the leash plug would normally go), or somewhere up front (just forward of the deck pad).  Getting close!!!

Cracked SUP Handle

I'm fixing a buddy's (Jimmy) SUP board.  Some water keeps seeping out of the handle area.  Jimmy said it might be the old deck pad, but I kept the board out in the sun at my house to see if I could get more water to come out.  There were salt deposits all along the handle area.

Originally I was going to just lay down a cap sheet with laps over the edge, but with the coverage required, the short space to work in, and the fact that the handle opens inward, I couldn't get the laps to stay down.

I shifted over to using milled fibers to get a slurry.  I had to stay with the board though to make sure the slurry didn't slump back into the box.  Times like this I wish I had fast curing resin.

Today I'll grind down the overage with the grinder, then use the dremmel to trim the inside portions.

Getting Really Close

I've been working on the boards over this past week.  I got the fill coats on the top and bottom on Monday and Tuesday.  I sanded the fill with 40 grit yesterday evening.  And this afternoon I cleaned up the track openings and drilled the holes for the vents and leash plugs.

 

I'll get the plugs epoxied in tomorrow, and sand the boards with 80, 120 and 220 - just a quick hit with each to clean up the scratches.  I am contemplating spraying a top coat of urethane over the boards just to fill in any small voids and even out the top.  So the boards may be ready to get wet this weekend, but our schedule is full so I probably won't get them in the water yet.  I will also look around at a rear foot pad for these (maybe, still thinking about it.  Wax is just fine, but the right pad would make the boards cooler).