Topics

1

Gear Talk / Inflatable SUP

« on: March 24, 2024, 11:49:40 PM »

Well I finally bit the bullet and bought an inflatable. To paddle more than 300m offshore in France you need a board over 3m long or a double chambered inflatable. The second hand market is crazy here.
 So a Redwood 14 ft board came up. Expo model that had been used at a boat show. Sold by the company with normal guarantee still.
 It has the second chamber on the bow so adds volume. It also has a rounded bottom at the front. They say V, it's more rounded. The nose also stays out of the water. Just under 10kgs.
 It is for my wife mainly. We have done 1 paddle so far. It slips along nicely and she found it much easier to paddle than a heavy glass board. Easy to get on and off the car. Doesn't matter if you bump it around. So I would say a winner for her.
 I took it for a quick paddle and was pleasantly surprised. Cruising along is fine. Once you put some power into the strokes you can feel the flex. Has a very low top speed and even paddling harder it doesn't really go faster. Will do a long paddle soon.
 For the price and ease of use it's good.

2

Random / West System

« on: November 29, 2022, 11:22:14 PM »

https://www.westsystem.com/gbi-history/

3

The Shape Shack / Vac bagging

« on: November 17, 2022, 03:27:27 PM »

Too stop highjacking the other thread.
 Maybe start a thread and get some numbers. I wasted so much money and time. All good learning.  But if someone said in the beginning make sure you use a gauge and don't go over ? Pressure. Very little pressure and use more epoxy to compensate for the breather and peel ply. I could have saved a lot of time and money.
 
 

4

Sessions / Back on the water

« on: November 13, 2022, 08:52:57 AM »

Been too long. Not a great pic but in Italy for the next 4-5 months for work. Looking forward to exploring a new place.

5

General Discussion / Someone's living the dream

« on: July 21, 2022, 02:22:38 PM »

This guy turns up in his 46 ft catamaran and is wing foiling off the back within 10 mins. Sitting start off the back of the boat. Didn't even get his hair wet.

6

The Shape Shack / Longer foil boxes

« on: April 10, 2022, 11:32:26 PM »

 I was dreaming of buying some kit again last night and then remembered I have no money and don't even get out on my SUP these days. Can't complain though.
 On this forum and others people are saying they would like longer boxes for various reasons. I was looking at inflatable boards and they have a plate setup. Why not use this system on hard boards as well? Then you could make them as long as you want.
 This would spread the load more. You could still have HD foam pillars etc.
 I know people have done carbon tracks but not really a plate system like on inflatables.
 You can buy sheets of carbon plate made up already. Cut some rectangles to make the boxes that you glue under the plate. I think you can even buy U shape carbon.This will massively stiffen the plate as well. You could glass over the boxes to be sure. Set the plate into HD foam. Then use a router to make the 2 slots. Glue the  block into the bottom of the board with pillars if you want. Then carbon patches over the lot and laminate as normal.
 Not sure weight wise how it would compare? Maybe it has already been tried.

7

The Shape Shack / Foil drive

« on: February 27, 2022, 10:12:31 PM »

How about this as a foil drive. There are lots of different set ups. The good thing is the battery is in the housing so all the weight is low and no wires. They say it has a cut off. I guess when it comes out of the water it stops. So perfect. Would the smaller 500w motor be enough. This you can run with 1 battery. The bigger 1000w motor looks like it needs 2 batteries.
 Looks like making something to clamp it too the foil that atattches to the front of the housing would be pretty straight forward.
https://www.scubajet.com/shop/accessories/scubajet-pro-overwater-kit/#/

8

Sessions / Got my Woody out !

« on: February 05, 2022, 11:09:42 PM »

Its been a while since I've had this board out and it was a lovely calm day. Out to the islands with the wife again. Coffee and a walk. Its so nice just to get out there and forget about everything. Its packed in the summer and boats everywhere. Then even on a beautiful warm day in the winter there is hardly anybody.
 We got stopped by the police and luckily had PFDs on. I had a torch and tow line but she didn't. They weren't too worried about that. Then one of the police says to my wife, "how long is that board"? Oh around 11ft, I can't remember, just over I think. I say. No it has to be 3.5m or 11ft6. To go more than 300m of the shore. Anyhow they let us carry on. They did turn back some people on inflatables with no PFD.
 Board build!! I'll probably just buy her an inflatable. Needs to be double chamber.

9

Flatwater and Touring / Mr Wobbly

« on: January 22, 2022, 06:54:12 AM »

Took the F one out today. Was seriously wobbly at the beginning. OK after a while. Again those high sides give the board amazing secondary stability.
 There was a guy leaving with a SIC Atlantis 14x24 just as I arrived. Took a quick pic before he left.
 So nice to get out on the water on a beautiful day.

10

SUP General / Went for a paddle

« on: January 14, 2022, 06:31:34 AM »

It was so good to get out on the water. Paddled out to the islands and had a picnic with my wife. It was great.

11

The Shape Shack / Wing foil board build

« on: September 01, 2021, 10:33:10 PM »

A company here in France is doing wing board blanks now so I might have a go at making one. Any thoughts on this design? Its going to be about 200 euros delivered. Probably about 450-500 euros in total for the build so not cheap. Thats all carbon.
https://www.atuacores.com/surfshop/modeles-foils/1765-wingfoilgstyle-atuacores.html

12

General Discussion / Remote control rescue bouy

« on: July 12, 2021, 12:50:02 AM »

I know some people were looking into something like this for foiling.
 Obviously not powerful enough to pull someone up on a foil but the tech is there and maybe you could turbo charge it?
https://www.rescuesonic.com.sg/

13

General Discussion / Skateboards ??

« on: June 24, 2021, 10:20:05 PM »

Its a stand up thing!
 Been making some skateboards again. The SUPs are too much work and take up too much time.
 Using cork as the core. Some carbon,flax or glass in there. I have loads of wood left so might as well use it.
 Might make some balance boards as well. Made some ages ago and gave them to friends.

14

Sessions / Relaxing cruise

« on: June 14, 2021, 12:03:08 AM »

Went for a relaxing paddle with the wife. Took a thermos of coffee and went out to the islands. Great morning. With kids and work etc a quiet moment like this is awsome. We always say we should do it more!
 Haven't been paddling much lately.

15

Sessions / Secondary stability

« on: April 25, 2021, 12:47:05 PM »

Something weird going on yesterday. Some current pushing me and just a bit of chop and I struggled for about 15 mins. Then got out of it. Managed to catch this on vid. The secondary stability of this board is great.