14 footer - everyday river board

[BoothPacific]

I'm making a 14' race style board for everyday paddling on the river.  14'L  30"W  7"T in the nose, and a slight recessed deck.  1 1/2" nose rocker, 1" in the tail.  flat bottom and boxed rails.  This is the 5th board I've made.  1.5# eps with a glue line.  This is going to be my first attempt at glassing a board myself.  I am almost ready to glass and I haven't decided which resin or how much or weight cloth I am going to use.  I'm leaning toward double 4 deck and bottom with a patch where you stand using Resin Research 2000 with fast hardener.  I'm stoked on the shape but am hoping i don't screw it up with the glass.

[Dwight (DW)]

I use half fast, half slow hardener laminating my 14 footers. It gives me the perfect working time to mix two batches of resin and get it spread, squeegeed dry, laps stuck. I don't try to mix one batch. It's just too big a tub. Mixing two smaller batches is easier.

All fast hardener is a disaster on a 14 foot board for the weekend warrior.  Maybe for a pro you could use all fast, but it's not worth it, since you're not a production shop trying to make more money by getting it done faster.

Think about it like this. Would a pro try to lam two 7 ft boards with one pour of FAST?

The rap against using slow hardener is drainage off the rail. I've not had that problem using half fast/half slow mixed.

I use this resin http://greenroomboardco.com/. They are local for me. Gel time is shown as 45 minutes with half fast/half slow. Gel time is 20 minutes with all fast.

[BoothPacific]

i was planning on doing exactly what you said. Two or more smaller batches instead of one big one.  I have had experience doing ding repair including some fairly extensive deck re-lams and putting broken boards back together so I am not a total rookie.  My main concern is the weather.  I need the space, I am using to make this board, back and it is cold outside.  I can heat my space but getting over 70 degrees might be tough.  More like a consistent 65.  I figured that would buy me some time and not have the rail drainage problem.  I am trying to build a post-cure box out of cardboard.  14 feet creates all sorts of issues at every level.  'cept I'll be stoked when I get it on the water.  I appreciate the feedback.

Do you think double 4oz top and bottom with a 4 oz foot patch is enough with a stringerless 1.5# eps blank 5" thick?  i am not worried about durability, I am worried about stiffness.

[Dwight (DW)]

The weakest construction I have tried was 2 layers 6 bottom and 3 on the deck with carbon tape on rails. It was 1 lb foam. The board vibrated in chop. I've since done everything in full carbon top and bottom plus 4 oz E. The boards are solid and even the nose doesn't vibrate at all in rough chop.

You should expect vibrations without carbon or stringer

[BoothPacific]

I was thinking about carbon but I think I can get away without it.  I paddle on a little river with hardly any chop.  I might learn the hard way.  I looked at your photos on your blog.  Nice work.  and thank you for taking your time to pass along what you have learned.  I can tell by the rocker on your boards that we paddle in very different conditions.  I'm trying to get as close to 1" of nose rocker as possible.  The biggest chop I deal with is the wake from another SUP board.

[BoothPacific]

finished the shape and glassed the deck last night.

[Yohan1973]

BoothPacific, you've got some serious shaping skill. I like it! What are your preferred tools?

[delfosUP]

Hi BoothPacific!! I am looking to buy a EPS Blanks for a 14' race board, from where I can get??