The Next Project - 4'10" Prone Foilboard

With Marlon's longboard all finished, I've been trying to figure out the template for my next board.  This one is going to be a stripped down windsurfing board and it'll end up becoming a 4'10" prone foilboard.

Here are the templates I've come up with so far.

I printed this one out already, but it isn't really growing on me.

This second one is Marlon's pick.

This is the one that growing on me.  I'll print them out and lay them on to the donor board (Naish Wave 87L Windsurfing board I got for free) to get a better feel for them before committing to a template.

Getting Ready for Number 2

Thinking about making a second foil -

Larger front wing (since I can only get the first one to rise above 50% of the time), and shorter mast (total of 24" inclusive of mounting plate and fuselage) so I don't hit the bottom.  For comparison I've got this wing on top of a Slingshot Infinity 76cm front wing (got this through a deal with an old friend).

The feedback on this foil setup has been positive.  The dimensions of the modified kit components are very similar to this one - but while I'm building up the kit, I'll be using this one in the surf.  Looking forward to comparing them all!

Next Up

I'm preparing to make the next hydrofoil.  This one will have bolt on wings so I can experiment.  Here I just finished measuring out the locations of where the holes will be drilled out for the plugs and reinforcements.

I'll also use the alignment dowels to make the upright strut assembly easier.  These are definitely better for surfing - the reef rubs are hardly noticeable compared to the Go Foils.

Plugging Holes

After I drilled them out - today Marlon and I got the plugs (vent and leash) set into both boards.

I had over estimated how much epoxy we needed and had too much leftover - until I remembered I had some other holes to fill.  Looks like I'm getting started on the new two hydrofoils...

Getting a Slow Start

My predictions of having the foil boards glassed by this weekend were flat out wrong.  I didn't even touch this project over the past week.  Instead I did carve out two wider front wings and three masts for a foil kit I'm mailing out (this one is yours Charlie), and a second surfing foil that will have bolt on wings.

I finished sanding these parts this afternoon.

In my defense, I did switch jobs recently and have been moving offices and getting acclimated to my new work environment.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.  I did manage to switch out the router bit on the big router - so tomorrow morning I can route out the reinforcement block voids.  I also cut out some carbon fiber to drop in the voids of one of the boards (need to dig out the other carbon sheets I have), and added the glassing rack uprights to my shaping racks - I'll post pictures of these tomorrow as I'm glassing (YES I AM GOING TO FINALLY START GLASSING THESE BOARDS).  Should be a full day tomorrow...

Bigger Wings

I decided that my next hydrofoil will have a bigger front wing - so here I am knocking a couple out.  The process starts with drawing out the template.

Then it is just patience - cut once, sand in so it is symmetric, grind down the excess - slowly.

This was yesterday evening.  I'll start work on this again later today, but looking at these pictures I am reminded I have two blanks to prepare for glassing... ah the project list -

More Closer Pics

Being this close to the finish line, I feel compelled to get these two projects completed.  After work yesterday, I got the boxes covered up, protective cover laminated and the box slots cleaned up.

I also got the fill coat applied on to the foil.  I still have to sand off the excess fill and paint the foil, but that should not take too long. 

We should be able to try this thing out by the weekend for sure.

More Sanding - More Filling - More Sanding...

I'm getting so close now... but there is still more sanding, so I can do more filling (void spaces on the fiberglass weave), which will then require more sanding.

I'll stick my neck out here and say "but it'll be worth all this time and effort when we get up on the foil while surfing".  I'm pretty sure Marlon will - but I'm thinking I'm going to need a bigger set of wings to develop the lift necessary to fly my extra ballast around.

I'm thinking I may be able to finish everything up (just modifying a board) and have this thing get wet next weekend...

Rear Wing is On

It has been super hot here the last few days - so hot that I did not want to do any epoxy work knowing I'd have very little working time.  Once the sun started getting low, the kids and I got the rear wing on the surf foil yesterday evening.

There is still work to be done before this goes into the water - sanding, filling in pukas along these last two joints, sanding that work down, applying a fill coat of epoxy, sanding that down, and spray painting it flat black.  I also have to modify the light wind kiteboard with the tracks.  If I'm diligent, all this should actually be done before next weekend...  For now, I'll just sit in the glow of knowing this got built and it looks halfway decent.

Front Wing is On

Got the front wing mounted before the sun set today.

0.7 ounces of epoxy and 5 spoons of milled fibers.  Wasn't quite enough mix to pack the back void, but we'll mix more tomorrow for the rear wing - which is smaller, so we'll have more to fill the void and fair it in.

So here is where I deviated from the Clearwater Hydrofoil instructions - Marlon and I choose to attach each wing separately instead of in a single step.  Less time pressure to get everything glassed up (we're using Fiberglass Hawaii Two Part Slow - but with the Ewa Beach heat in the garage, the slow starts to cure very quickly - even faster than fast in normal temperatures)

This was actually pretty easy.  Three layers of 4 ounce cloth on each side with a single 4 ounce piece bridging the span.

Looks pretty straight and square.

Tomorrow will be a light sanding on this joint, then shifting over to the rear wing.  The glass is already cut for tomorrow's work (on top of the wing to the left of the picture).  It's coming together and taking our time has produced great results so far.  Up next since this project is getting close - shaping the two foil boards...

Mast to Fuselage Join

We got the mast-mounting plate assembly attached to the fuselage on Saturday.  Constantly checking for vertical alignment, but the results look good.

In theory, this was supposed to be the hardest part of the assembly.  I'll clean up the joint this afternoon when I get home from work (it's Monday - the weekend got away from me since these pictures were from Saturday...).  Then we'll see if we can get the wings epoxied on to the fuselage.

Garage Works - September 13, 2018

Got the board shaping racks put together.  Still need to cut up some carpet and tack it on, get the sand/buckets and do a little sanding.  The two blanks are sitting and waiting for these to get finished.

I got the fiberglass squares cut out for the mast-fuselage joint.  The table is setup for the epoxy work - will try and get this part done soon.

I've Been Looking for this for YEARS!!!

I have finally found the holy grail of shaping accessories - a 10" jigsaw blade!!!

Just look at it!  It is magnificent!!! 

It makes a normal blade seem like a toothpick!!!

Cutting out a blank was fine with a regular jigsaw as long as the blank thickness wasn't over 2.75" or so.  Even then, chances were you would have to make some passes with a hand saw.  

As I've gotten older, I prefer my boards to have meat on them so that meant I'd have to cut the templated blank with a hand saw.  That's fine, but it takes time and it is challenging to keep the blade straight up and down as you cut curved lines over long distances.  This is a 5.5" thick blank and this blade changes everything...

No issues at all - I wish this was available 10 years ago...

Both blanks were trimmed in 20 minutes - that is start to complete finish including cleanup -  unbelievable!  I know these days with CNC routers and CAD this is not really relevant, but for garage hand building this greatly speeds up the process by enhancing the consistency up front.  Not having to correct cut errors through the entire shaping process is big.  Mahalo nui loa Bosch or whoever thought this blade needed to come to market!!!