Author Topic: straight tail mod and track placement ?  (Read 3054 times)

burchas

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straight tail mod and track placement ?
« on: September 20, 2021, 11:18:40 AM »
I've been doing a lot of light wind wing foiling and I couldn't help noticing my tail literally sucks. To a point I really wouldn't mind taking a saw to the board and cut the tail clean.
The only thing stopping me right now is mast track position uncertainty. Capping the board after the cut should be fairly easy but if I have to re-install the tracks it's just not worth it for me.

The board is a Kalama E2 inspired shape with a lot less chines and more planing surface. 6'3" x 28.5 @129L (see pics). The Kick tail starts at 12" modified to a 5'3" straight tail board.

 Currently the mast is all the way to the back and that works best for me. Winging I more comfortable standing a bit forward off mast position.
 My 10" Tracks are 1.5" forward from the kick. Can I get away with this mod without changing the mast tracks position?
in progress...

Dwight (DW)

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2021, 11:31:28 AM »
You’d be better off gluing foam to the tail. Shaping it, then glassing over the addition.

Cutting the tail off completely would throw volume distribution way off.

You could trim a little off the back when you scab on the new foam making it straight.

Try to guess how much foam you added, then trim that amount off the back end to balance it out.

Dontsink

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2021, 11:43:37 AM »
That is a bit of a radical,irreversible mod.

I would get some thick EVA foam ,shape it to the right wedge angle and glue it on.Easy to refine the new tail shape to smaller surface if it feels to stiff to pump etc..
Getting a perfect angle on thick&wide EVA foam is not that easy, many ways to skin this cat.
I used a homemade router sled and it came out pretty much perfect.
The foam came from one of those gym tatamis that fit together like a puzzle.Standard contact glue has held on just fine for six months ,lots of use.

See pics here :
https://mega.nz/folder/ce4HEQZD#vZ8qI-9JVnqVBJpuDUlA9g

PonoBill

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2021, 09:26:46 PM »
Don'tsink's EVA foam will last a lot longer, but simpler yet, glue on some closed-cell foam and hotwire it flat. that's what I did for my test mule board. I didn't want anything even semi-permanent so I used 3M spray glue, but you could use gorilla glue and it would last a long time. I used blue foam, it's basically a closed cell version of EPS. I can't remember what they call it, maybe XPS. Anyway, it's cheap, won't pick up water, and since that area isn't really structural there's not much reason to glass over it. I made a simple U-shaped sled that held the nichrome wire at the height I wanted, and just slid it along the bench to cut it off. It will eventually get ratty, but so what.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2021, 09:32:46 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

burchas

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2021, 06:52:12 AM »
That is a bit of a radical,irreversible mod.

Every now and again the PonoBill in me can not be tamed ;D

I do like your idea though, simple enough. I'll probably do that with a combination of what Bill suggested as I have enough closed cell HD foam lying around.
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Dontsink

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2021, 07:07:51 AM »
Yes,use it if you have it.
I just used what foam i had lying around,plus i have wanted a router sled setup for ages but kept putting off the build.

burchas

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2021, 07:23:53 AM »
But just for the sake of common knowledge, if I was to entertain the original idea of cutting the board at the kick I'm wondering how it would change the board dynamics, where the
tracks are now at 1.5 of the tail. 10" tracks don't leave much room to play with but given the mast position is all the way to the back and my sweet spot on the board which is
forward to the mast ( see pics ) I'm thinking it maybe doable.

As for volume distribution per DW, with said sweet spot and the fact that I'm giving up 13L of volume I think it might be manageable by moving my entire setup couple of inches forward?
Any thoughts? Did some tried that? ( I'm  looking at you Pono) I'm sure DW tried that working on his straight tail progression but I don't expect him to give away trade secrets.
in progress...

jondrums

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2021, 09:26:16 AM »
Maybe cut half the tail off, add a little foam to shape the bottom into the straight tail and reglass.  Seems really reasonable to add the closed cell foam and play with shapes first.   Made me think that maybe the monocote (so?) I used to use as a kid on my airplane models would be good to go over the foam and make the surface smooth. 

Dontsink

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2021, 10:52:55 AM »
I did put a layer of adhesive vinyl on mine,to make it faster :)
The kind they use for lettering on commercial vans and such,but it did not stick for  long,the foam is dense but not rigid or perfectly flat like metal or glass.
Maybe the monocote would work.

Solent Foiler

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2021, 11:01:52 AM »
Did you wrap the whole foam block to the board, or did you just stick the vinyl to the foam itself? I'd have thought the adhesion to the board would be much better than the foam on its own?
I'm 5'10", 66kg riding:
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Dontsink

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2021, 11:24:48 AM »
Just the top,i am all thumbs when working with autoadhesive films and doing all those corners was daunting.I do not know if it is worth the effort anyway.Little gain and very fragile result.It tears easily on foam.

If you are your own shaper i would try the blue foam for testing and then decide if it merits cutting the tail open to reshape and reglass.

PonoBill

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2021, 02:12:54 PM »
YOu could get the new long tracks from Chinook. Route the old ones out and add six inches of slot to the front. I doubt the PVC block extends that far, so you'd have to do something about that. That reminds me, Mark Raaphorst wants me to pick up some of those before I come back to Maui. I doubt he'll actually use them. they're a bit heavier than standard tracks. Mark is allergic to heavy except when he's building a downwind board for me (the bugger).
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

jondrums

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2021, 06:02:22 PM »
anyone know if armstrong is selling their long carbon tracks?  probably not, and if so probably for a fortune

burchas

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2021, 09:12:28 PM »
Just got confirmation that the location of the tracks would be way off after the cut by at least 5". So I can put this thing to rest and be happy with a stick-on foam block. Yay
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PonoBill

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Re: straight tail mod and track placement ?
« Reply #14 on: September 21, 2021, 09:24:36 PM »
anyone know if Armstrong is selling their long carbon tracks?  probably not, and if so probably for a fortune
It would be hard to make a better track than Chinook. Maybe you could carve one out of titanium, but other than that...
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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