Garage Works - 6/24/2025

I came home late and wanted to get out to the beach to get some of this swell - 

So I measured and drilled out the holes for the plugs, then packed for the FD session.

And when I got back I set the plugs in place with epoxy.  0.7 ounces with aerosil for both plugs.

Tomorrow will definitely be sanding and clear coat spray.

Garage Works - 2/9/2025

I got through pretty much all the sanding today.

Here's the bottom deck -

And the top.  When sanding the top, I found a few voids - I kinda expect a few when I do think laminate layers (or innegra).

I figured I should go ahead and fill the voids while installing the plugs.

And here's the work I'll be sanding down tomorrow.  Two plugs and a few fills - should go pretty quick.

After that, I'll open up the tracks and fair in the cuts.  If I have time tomorrow - I'll pick up some of the 2K clear coat and get that sprayed on.

Then I just have to wait for the WMFG deck pad to get in and No.40 will be finished!

Next up - Norm's Code 1130S repair, replacing the tracks on No.32, and converting an older prone board into a modern Foil Drive board.

Garage Works - 12/10/2024

And to keep progress going in the right direction, I drilled the holes for the plugs and got them epoxied into place this evening.

Leash plug - orange on orange.  I've never done that before.

And the vent plug is under the weight.  That's so it wouldn't float on top of the epoxy.

Tomorrow I should be able to sand the plugs down, then sand the entire board, and maybe even get the clear coat sprayed onto the board.

I've still got some sanding to do, but this board is going to end up being on the heavier side of the spectrum.  That is partly due to the footstrap inserts.  And it is also due to the multiple fill coats I put on the board.  But in the end this will be a strong board that will last a long time.

I do like the momentum the additional weight produces.

Watching the board emerge during these last few steps in a build are pretty exciting.

Garage Works - 10/13/2024

Yesterday I got to spend a lot of time in the garage.

First up was sanding No.38

And sanding.  And more sanding.  I got the board through 40-80-120-180-220-320 grits.

Then I went ahead and got the vent and leash plugs installed.  I played with some different foot pad configurations - gotta let those settle out (too many variations).

Then I worked on these two - Kalani's new to him Drifter 72 and No.33

After Kalani brought this board home, he found a soft spot.  I filled it with milled fibers/epoxy, placed a small patch over the open ding, then placed this bigger cap patch.  Today I'll sand off the excess, place a fill coat and this one should be good.

This toe bar had come loose on No.33

I used rubber cement and it's as good as new.

It's amazing what happens when you get used to something and then it suddenly isn't there - I use the tactile feedback to know my front foot is at the sweet spot.

Today I'll sand down the plugs on No.38, give it a wash down to get the sanding dust off and spray a wear coat on it.  No.38 is going to be wicked good!!!!

Garage Works - 6/30/2024

I got a lot done in the garage today.

First up was sanding No.37.  Here's the top deck all sanded.

And here's the bottom deck all sanded and the tracks routed out

And the vent and leash plugs installed (plus a little epoxy to add material to some thin spots).

I just need to sand down the plugs, clean up the new epoxy spots then spray clear coat.  I'm trying to work out the deck pad layout.  That's another couple of days of work (about two hours a day because of drying and adhesive sticking time).

I also broke out No.19 to get a repair that was sitting under duct tape fixed properly.  There's been a few people hinting at wanting to learn - I figure I can sell off my old stuff (GoFoil and Takuma, and the bigger Reedins) if I can get them through the learning curve.  And Nick uses this board when he comes to Oahu.

It just really needed a little sanding and a patch of 4 ounce fiberglass.

Then I addressed the multiple harnesses I have in the garage.  The wing harness has seen better days and I have a T9 that has just been sitting there - so I transferred all the modifications over from the T8 to the T9.

I also put the new kiting hook on the Pyro that I had sitting around.

These have been with me for a long time - letting go of things like this is like saying goodbye to an old friend.  Thanks for covering my ass for all these sessions -

Garage Works - 5/19/2024

I've actually been doing work in the garage, but not documenting it.  I got the Spitfire 840 all patched up and I've been sanding No.36 a little bit a t a time.

Moving forward, I decided to start the repairs on the Cabrinha H800.  I used the glazing putty to fill the deeper scratches.  Here I am sanding them down. 

Then I used the solid paint pen to get the gaps as close to the surrounding areas.  It took a few iterations, but it's better than 95% now.  I also put a Donaldson trailing edge on the foil.

I didn't sand beyond 320 because I had errands to run - but I got through the hard part.

And talking about hard parts - I got through the rough sanding on No.36 today.

Here's the bottom deck - 

And the top deck.

After dinner, I drilled in the holes for the plugs and got them epoxied in.

I used the extra epoxy to put one more thin fill coat on the board and close up a few known issue spots (unruly innegra, some shallow fish eyes, and a couple of holes near a foot strap insert).

Tomorrow I'll sand this fill coat and the vent and leash plugs.  I'll also open up the mast tracks.  If I have it in me, I'll also try to get through the other sanding grits (80-120-180-220-320-400).  That shouldn't take too long - but there is also some surf out there still...

Garage Works - 1/23/2024

Yesterday I received the Evolution Cedrus Wind mast that I ordered back in November.

This thing looks SICK!!!

And yes - I am an early adopter!!!

Tomorrow there will be suitable conditions to get this mast wet and ridden hard!

Also yesterday, I finally figured out how to tie these ringed leashes.  I plan on using these to hook my wing leashes onto so they hook metal to metal.

And today, I drilled out the holes for the leash plug, the vent and two 1-hole foot strap inserts (to be used as a top deck handle).

Tomorrow the SW winds will be up - I am looking forward to winging with the Evolution Cedrus Wind mast!!!!

Garage Works - 12/11/2023

Sanding day in the garage.

The longest grit was the 40 - I wanted to get everything as level as possible.

Here is No.33 all through the 40 grit

And here it is after the 220 grit (after 40-80-120-180-220)

Unfortunately there were some spots that needed a little touch up.

And since I was applying spot touch ups, I figured I should go ahead an install the leash plugs.  First up were the two for the Foil Drive cable coming off the stern.

I mixed in milled fibers to give the setup some extra strength.

And I didn't take a picture of this, but I installed the tail leash plug as well (after the rest of the epoxy had hardened - which wasn't that long since I used Fast hardener).

Tomorrow I'll grind open the leash plugs and do a quick sanding of the patched spots.  After that I can spray clear coat on the bottom deck.  A day or so after that, I can place the traction strips on the bottom deck.

I'm still contemplating the deck pad setup and I have to place the Foil Drive battery box mounting tabs/velcro in place as well.

I'll take my time with these last steps... the winds are forecasted to return (so more winging and less Foil Driving for now).

Garage Works - 9/8/2023

Today I started out on the bottom deck by filling some of the low spots with straight epoxy.

After that hardened - I addressed the top deck and the 2 plugs.  For future reference - 0.70 ounces works for both plugs (I wasted 1.4 ounces of epoxy...)

Tomorrow is sanding the touchup spots and the plugs.  Then I'll spray the clear coat on and figure out the deck pad layout.  That'll get me 24 hours for the adhesive to cure before anointing No.32 on Sunday when the winds pick back up!!!!

Garage Works - 4/26/2023

I got home and broke out the sander.  I got the excess epoxy sanded off from around the plugs I installed on No.30.

There were some pin holes from air bubbles that got entrained in the plug fills.  I filled those and will sand those flat tomorrow.

I also sanded the excess fill coat off No.31

It didn't go as fast as I thought it would - but I did get it done.  I also drilled out the holes for the vent and leash plug.  Before I headed out to the beach, I got the leash plug installed (that gave plenty of time for the epoxy to harden while the board was vertical).

Post foiling session I got the vent plug installed and I placed some epoxy on a few low spots I found while sanding the top deck.

Tomorrow I will go through the sanding regime, label the boards, maybe place a few paint accent marks, then spray clear coat.  If I can get that far, these boards will be ready to take to the ocean this weekend!!!

Garage Works - 4/25/2023

This work was actually from yesterday - I got the final fill coat on the bottom deck of No.31

The epoxy hardened nicely.  I'll sand this tomorrow.

This is what I worked on today - sanding the excess fill off of No.30

I was also able to drill the holes for the plugs and got two leash cups and one vent epoxied in.

This sanding job came out nice - 

Here is a picture of the plugs all set in.

I'll go through the final sanding on this one tomorrow 

Garage Works - 1/19/2023

I picked up Noe from school on the way home - and the surf didn't seem like it was really worth the drive (and the short amount of sunlight left) - so I opted to do the rough grit sanding today.  I got through both the top and bottom decks - this sanding job wasn't too bad (it pays to laminate and fill properly from the get go).

I had enough sunlight left that I went ahead and drilled out and installed the leash plug and vent.

In this shot you can see the asymmetry pretty clearly.  This was just before I installed the plugs.

Tomorrow will be more sanding - yeah.

Getting Real Close to Done on No.28

Yesterday after work I got through the sanding regime - all the way to 400 and 600 wet sanding.

Realistically, this one was not that bad to sand.

This afternoon I drilled out the hole for the leash plug and I carved out a couple of spots I felt could be better.  Then I filled the questionable spots and installed the leash plug.  I placed one final touch up coat of epoxy and I'm done for the day.

Of note - if your shaper isn't cleaning all the inserts (finboxes, leash plugs, handles, footstrap inserts, etc) with acetone, or rough sanding the parts before installing, the mold release will hamper the epoxy bonding and you risk failure.  I used acetone on the parts for this board (good to go!)

Tomorrow evening (cause in the afternoon I'll be winging) I'll sand down the leash plug, touch up the spots I placed epoxy this evening, then apply the clear coat.  I'll let the clear coat sit for a day, but I'll at least try to get the deck pad cut out.  If I can get that far, I'll apply the deck pad and let that sit for a little bit.  Thursday the wind is supposed to start nuking and it'll stay up for over a week - 

Garage Works - 10/12/2022

I needed to be home today in case Noe needed a ride to music practice this evening (and frankly I needed the rest from the non-stop fun sized surf we've been having - similar to the rest my tendons are getting from the lack of wind).

That gave me some time to get the final fill coats on No.26 and No.27

I got both the top and bottom "final" fill coats on this evening (hot garage makes for quick set up times on the epoxy placements).

And I also got the leash plugs installed.  I only have to sand the excess epoxy off these two boards, go through the sanding grits, spray on the clear coat, get the rear foot deck pads on and wait for the right day to take these out for their anointing!!!

Both of these are test boards for whether the square rail/flat tail will produce better takeoff results compared to the current industry standard of beveled rails and tails.

These are considerably shorter than what I normally ride, and they are thinner also - will probably take a different riding pattern to work these (later takeoffs. or more chip ins).

These should definitely be wet this weekend.