Help with my dimensions

[PonoBill]

I've built a lot of molded hollow parts for race cars, which is considered to be a challenge in composites--I didn't do it at the professional level, but good amateur quality. I think getting a decent lap or smoothing a curved bit on a foam surfboard to be much harder. The steps seem quite simple when you read about them, but when the glass goes on it generally goes all to hell, and everything you do to fix it makes three problems elsewhere. Sometimes I feel like Pooh Bear with his head stuck in a honey jar, only the honey is going to go off in a few minutes.

I've made several pieces of interesting modern art--17 feet of carbon fiber and fiberglass yanked off a board before it kicks completely, wadded up and tossed in the driveway to smolder. Probably $400 in materials, but I never wanted to do that math.

[surfcowboy]

Pono, I had one of those at about 8' long. I wish I'd preserved it better. Here in LA I could have sold it at a gallery.

[SlatchJim]

I wonder if you have an option to find a sup that someone has trashed that you could strip of glass, do a bit of shaping, and reglass it.  You might save some money, build something of value, and give yourself a training ground on a budget.  One man's trash could be another man's treasure, with a good glass job.

[PonoBill]

That's such a bitch. I have an F18 you could do that to--you can have it for free.

[Pierre]

Thanks again. Maybe I will look into doing a stitch and glue or strip built paddle board. At 17 or 18 ft it's gonna be heavy though. CLC has the 14ft kaholo kit but I already ride a 14x27 Tahoe zypher. I really want to see what a SUP the length of a sea kayak has to offer.

2 years ago I built  18- footer plywood board, stich  and glue, i also built a 14' in 2010 ad  12'6'' in 2011... all boards work awesome.
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,27459.msg286333.html#msg286333
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,7938.msg70027.html#msg70027
it is possible to reach a good weight if taking care. building such is very similar to many kayaks,for 18' flt water a widened kayak shape ( abt 25-26" wide) may fit, more narrow on nose and less rocker as mine. poplar plywood can be curved (slightly) on 2- dimensions. 3 mm thickness. a very light glass is a good idea.
https://www.facebook.com/Hi.fun.hydroworks/
a friend built a carbon 18-footer...3-d shaped blank, other style ( visible on facebook site)
Good luck and enjoy! if more advices needed ask, would be a pleasure...

another link ( only in french sorry) with some speed shape examples...:http://paddlespot.net/download/les_carenes_de_SUP_race.pdf

[NorthJerzSurfer]

The problem is that you look at a video of Jimmy Lewis or Storm glassing a board and it looks so easy. But stuff like the tint job Jimmy did on a recent video with all the effort it takes to stir cream into your coffee is nearly impossible. Not just hard, fucking impossible. Jimmy glassed his first board in the ninth grade in 1965. What you're looking at is 50 years of practice. YoYo Ma makes playing cello look simple too.

awesome quote.

[surfcowboy]

I've rehabbed a few boards for friends. Way more trouble than it's worth in the end. The price of the cut foam isn't much more if you're anywhere near a shaping machine. (I know a lot aren't.)

I like the wood idea. Stay on that but building a foam and glass board is really fun so do it someday.

[SUPflorida]

I started to respond with some step by step instructions to get you started down the right path..,one paragraph in I realized that it if virtually impossible to transfer this kind of knowledge...the videos by good board builders will give a glimpse of what goes on..,but like most thing in life watching someone else do something is completely different than actual experience.
I built a Soap Box Derby car with a fiberglass shell at 13....my first surfboard at 14...I will be 64 this August...very very few of the years in between have I not built multiple things out of glass/composites. All the way up to 86' patrol boat prototypes.
Wish I could do the "Vulcan mind melt" and give you what your asking for but it doesn't work that way.

Probably the best advice I can pass on is something my dad told me early on..." never do yourself what you can pay someone else to do when they can do it better and cheaper than you can".

If you make over $15 an hour at your job...even if you have the skill /tools/facilities/material sources to build your dream board...you will be better off spending your time earning overtime on the job your good at, and letting the pro board builder do what he does best. By the time you buy your materials at retail and factor in your time you will spend more money with a high probability of ending up with a lesser product...

Remember this...even if the build goes perfect you can still end up with a dog design wise. The reality is the customers of expierenced shapers have paid for his learning curve .... "THEY" paid for him to figure out what does and doesn't work. Do you have the time & money to invest in 100 boards to get it dialed in like they have? Unless someone is giving you the money to experiment with it's all coming out of your pocket.

If you want to master shaping and gassing SUP's for the learning experience go for it. Just put on your reality glass on before diving in...sanding fiberglass for hours is not the  "spiritual journey" many you would like you to believe.

Building an 18' SUP is more like building a boat than a board. Inconsistencies in shape that would be nearly unnoticeable on a 9' wave board will scream at you with something that long.

The very best of luck whatever path you choose.

[PonoBill]

There's a reason I've never built a board that I can buy. I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid.

I'm inspired by SupUK's investment in time and money to build exactly what he wants, and at the same time I realize I don't want to make that investment. I don't have that discipline and focus. I'd have to live to be 150 to get there.