Fixing Things Outside the Garage

Yesterday evening repair jobs.  I placed some of the solid paint marker on Kalani's ART999

In some spots I had to place 2 coats.

I also got asked by Ken to fix a beater longboard... ugh...

I pulled the cracked fin box, sanded a bunch of areas where a patch is needed (to keep the water out), and then filled the fin box void with new foam.

Wing Foiling Board Progress - Monday

I wanted to get some more work done on the wing foiling board - but I needed to get some errands done as well.  I mowed the lawn, pulled a bunch of weeds, helped La with the hedge trimming, and chipped off some of the old paint on the roof rack door latches (same as the rear set I did last month).  In between all that I did route out the slot for the handle I'm placing on the bottom of the wing foiling board, and set it in with epoxy (mixed with milled fibers).

It set nicely but as I was checking on it, it was exotherming pretty healthily.  I kept checking on it - and it didn't burn through - but the handle was pretty hot.

And after thinking about the glassing schedule and the footstrap inserts, I'm settling on no footstraps on this one and different layers on each side.  The bottom deck will get a carbon layer, topped with a layer of innegra, a carbon patch over the fin boxes, and all capped with fiberglass.  The innegra is supposed to be white, so I should cover up the carbon layer.  The top deck will get 2 layers of innegra and a cap sheet of fiberglass.  With the stringer in place, I shouldn't lose any energy as the bottom carbon will stiffen up the board.  I'm hopeful the innegra is as bulletproof as I've been reading - and that it isn't too hard to work with.

Sunday Progress

I took a planer to the bottom deck to level out the high points (like the patched area where I knocked out a piece with the straight router bit, and another where the excess resin bubbled out from under the block).  Pretty harmless.  After that I marked the lines where the boxes needed to go and proceeded to cut.

I took my time getting things set up - having had messed up almost ever board before (nevermind I was able to salvage them all - I'm trying to get to the point where I make flawless cuts) I wanted to do this one correctly.  I shimmed the low end and made sure both ends were equally spaced.  Then I placed the box on top of the template and measured that distance.  With the top to bottom distance, I set up the router to make that deep of a cut.  After both cuts, I did notice one thing - I had flipped the shims and the slight height difference actually showed in the boxes when I had them set in place - so I still had to make a salvage (if ever so slight - I'll take this as a win!!!!).

I set the boxes and got them taped off.  I am still pondering/researching the glassing schedule... I've got to figure out what to put where - carbon sheets/tape, fiberglass (on top - th.is one is easiest), and 2oz innegra.  The innegra is the new layer to consider.  Looking online, the innegra seems to be a bulletproof layer - but you can't sand it.  I'll get it figured out tomorrow (so I can keep this going) - bottom deck, then when that is cured flip and route out slots for dcell inserts (I keep thinking I should place imbedded footstrap inserts in - more control at some point and for jumping).  Or I could just use stick ons...

Wing Foiling Board Work - Saturday

I woke up early on Saturday and got some work done on the Wing Foiling Board. 

I started with sealing/filling the top deck.  4.9 ounces of epoxy and a bunch of aerosil. 

Next I used 5.6 ounces of epoxy (and more aerosil) and sealed/filled the bottom deck.

Lastly I used some excess innegra netting to line the bottom of the reinforcement block slots, then I mixed 4.9 ounces of epoxy with 10 "scoops" of milled fibers and set the blocks.  I didn't burn out the blocks this time, so that in itself is a victory.

I'll grind/sand down the high spots and then route out the slots for the finboxes, set those in place and then go to work on setting the foot strap inserts into the top deck (or I can settle on the stick on inserts... still debating).

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).

Foilboard Getting Closer

Got of lot of things done this weekend.  Helped out some plant people, got the yard work done, rearranged the garage to make better use of the space, and got some work done on the foil board conversion and foil.

The donor board is a light wind kiteboard I made a while back.  I've used it a few times over the years, but as I have been getting the hydrofoil built, I figured doing the conversion would be the quickest way to getting everything wet.  I still have to do a light sand to knock down any high points, tape up all three boxes (middle one is for a tall fin in kiting mode - but it'll need to be taped up again), apply a cap sheet of carbon and fiberglass, and then clean up around the box slots.  All said and done - I should be able to get the foil and the board in the water this coming weekend.  I still think I am too heavy for this foil - I'll start work on another with larger wings soon after this one is done.  not to mention I have two blanks waiting to be carved and a bunch of foam billets also waiting to be transformed into science experiments (literally - upcoming Lacy Veach Day of Discovery).

I opted to not use divynicell blocks in this board as the flanges are pretty wide and should be able to distribute the forces better than a straight chinook box would.  But just to be sure, I did put a slice of carbon fiber beneath the box.  For future reference, I used 1.75 ounces of epoxy for each of these longboard boxes.

Also - you can see the stack of reinforcement blocks I trimmed up.  I've got enough reinforcement blocks to make a total of five boards capable of supporting a foil or some mix with mast tracks and foils (I am starting to think about shaping a windsurf foil board that would double as a SUP foil board).

Lastly - since I didn't take any pictures this weekend of the surf, I'll just mention the sessions here.  Dawn Patrol on Saturday morning.  Fun waves but for some reason they were hard to catch.  Got some decent rides regardless.  Sunday evening glass off session.  I changed out the Greenough 4C 9.5" fin for a 9" Josh Faberow Flex - I love the new combo!  I can feel the fin flex when I turn and it has the right amount of hold.  The GL Flex 8.5" had the flex I wanted, but the size was a hair on the small side, especially when I needed to do a hard bottom turn - this Josh Faberow is perfect for my weight and surfing.