I'm thinking of making a nose protector. Have all the parts needed shown in the pics. I will drill a hole in the rubber blocks, insert the blocks over the screw and tighten with the wing nut. I will bore out a shallow wider hole to accombinate the size of the wing nut. What are your thoughts on this?

I would order a surfbent if I where you. I've had some serious crashes and no damage at all.
If not copy the form so to a bigger area of the nose is protected and the force will be distributed over a larger area. I'm pretty sure you will end up denting you deck this way.

1. Leverage: forces on the rubber will be very high. Must distribute over the largest possible area and absorb some or things will break.

2. Mast flex: if you look at how much a mast can bend when landing a back loop, the distance between the mast and the nose does not seem that safe.

Nose protectors actually mounted on the nose of the board avoid or reduce both issues.

I guess to correct my original post, I ment to make a device to protect the nose. Now in those pics, the mast is sitting about 7 inches off the nose. Those rubber blocks are for lift kits on trucks, so they are supper strong with not much give. My worry was if the mast were to come down hard on the blocks, would that crush the deck under the blocks or is the mast track going to prevent that situation from happening? Also I have to put a lot of force on the mast to make it touch the nose. Given the situation on water, would the nose be forced to go under the water when the mast hits those blocks before the mast would hit the nose?

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MagicRide said..
I guess to correct my original post, I ment to make a device to protect the nose. Now in those pics, the mast is sitting about 7 inches off the nose. Those rubber blocks are for lift kits on trucks, so they are supper strong with not much give. My worry was if the mast were to come down hard on the blocks, would that crush the deck under the blocks or is the mast track going to prevent that situation from happening? Also I have to put a lot of force on the mast to make it touch the nose. Given the situation on water, would the nose be forced to go under the water when the mast hits those blocks before the mast would hit the nose?

You run the risk of a) crushing the deck b) levering a mast box straight off the board or c) crushing the extension. You have created a very long lever with a sturdy fulcrum.

Get some NSI nose pads or the equivalent. That's already a pretty robust board. Remember that in a crash, you are trying to disperse the forces, not concentrate them. That's why cars and bike helmets are designed to crumple. The energy has to go somewhere. Also look at the Unifiber mast protector. They work pretty well, too.

Robertos, I'm glad the Surfbent has served you well. I've seen pics of more than a couple torn luff sleeves from them. Be careful.

Are the nose pad protectors thick enough to absorb the mast crashing down?

Should I go for surfbent or nose pad protector?

Both can work, but both can also fail if the fall is hard enough. The safest solution I've seen is Grayson's self-made protector (www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34421). It's big enough to absorb anything. Not sure if the dialer is long enough for this to work, though.

Also, nose repairs are pretty easy, and can be re-done as often as needed, so I would not worry too much.

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boardsurfr said..
Both can work, but both can also fail if the fall is hard enough. The safest solution I've seen is Grayson's self-made protector (www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34421). It's big enough to absorb anything. Not sure if the dialer is long enough for this to work, though.

Also, nose repairs are pretty easy, and can be re-done as often as needed, so I would not worry too much.

Isn't that just deck pad grip that Grayson has used? I could just buy a sheet of that and do the same thing. But is that deck pad really thicker than the nose pad protectors? Would it work to double the nose pads up for more protection?

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MagicRide said..

boardsurfr said..
Both can work, but both can also fail if the fall is hard enough. The safest solution I've seen is Grayson's self-made protector (www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34421). It's big enough to absorb anything. Not sure if the dialer is long enough for this to work, though.

Also, nose repairs are pretty easy, and can be re-done as often as needed, so I would not worry too much.

Isn't that just deck pad grip that Grayson has used? I could just buy a sheet of that and do the same thing. But is that deck pad really thicker than the nose pad protectors? Would it work to double the nose pads up for more protection?

Yeah, that stuff looks a bit thin. You'd do better doubling it or getting the NSI pads. Easy to double with a layer of contact cement.

Don't get over stressed on this. The Dialer is a pretty heavy board and nose dings are remarkably repairable - easy for the first timer. Even if you completely blow through the nose, a bit of foam, a few layers of glass with epoxy and you are back in business. The guys/gals with the 14 lb raceboards are more prone to cracking a nose. And when they do, they just patch and go.

Glue on some pads and go have some fun.

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MagicRide said..
Should I go for surfbent or nose pad protector?

Yes, go for both but a word of caution regarding the Surfbent.

From your pictures it seems you are using a universal with a rubber or nylon tendon -- the tendon will stretch, thus allowing the mast to make potentially heavy contact with the nose.

I bought a Surfbent nose protector and was surprised that the mast still made contact with the nose of the board. I then experimented with the mast to find out why and discovered that when I put weight on the mast, which was resting on the Surfbent, the universal's tendon would stretch, which allowed the contact. I switched to a none rubber tendon (or nylon) universal -- problem solved.

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MagicRide said..
Isn't that just deck pad grip that Grayson has used? I could just buy a sheet of that and do the same thing. But is that deck pad really thicker than the nose pad protectors? Would it work to double the nose pads up for more protection?

Check his mast protector. The thing is huge but light weight. Also helps with water starts (although you need a pretty good light wind waterstart if you're on the right size sail while foiling).

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boardsurfr said..

MagicRide said..
Isn't that just deck pad grip that Grayson has used? I could just buy a sheet of that and do the same thing. But is that deck pad really thicker than the nose pad protectors? Would it work to double the nose pads up for more protection?

Check his mast protector. The thing is huge but light weight. Also helps with water starts (although you need a pretty good light wind waterstart if you're on the right size sail while foiling).

Right. MIssed that. Wouldn't that be a PITA in transitions? I find the Unifiber annoying enough. He's definitely not lacking in protective gear except barefoot. All that protection and he risks kicking the foil. Oh, well.

Anyway, worrying about a custom like a Mike's Lab (the board in the link) is different than the Dialer. I don't imagine the MIke's Lab has a spare ounce on it anywhere.

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Paducah said..

MagicRide said..

boardsurfr said..
Both can work, but both can also fail if the fall is hard enough. The safest solution I've seen is Grayson's self-made protector (www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34421). It's big enough to absorb anything. Not sure if the dialer is long enough for this to work, though.

Also, nose repairs are pretty easy, and can be re-done as often as needed, so I would not worry too much.

Isn't that just deck pad grip that Grayson has used? I could just buy a sheet of that and do the same thing. But is that deck pad really thicker than the nose pad protectors? Would it work to double the nose pads up for more protection?

Yeah, that stuff looks a bit thin. You'd do better doubling it or getting the NSI pads. Easy to double with a layer of contact cement.

Don't get over stressed on this. The Dialer is a pretty heavy board and nose dings are remarkably repairable - easy for the first timer. Even if you completely blow through the nose, a bit of foam, a few layers of glass with epoxy and you are back in business. The guys/gals with the 14 lb raceboards are more prone to cracking a nose. And when they do, they just patch and go.

Glue on some pads and go have some fun.

Sounds good! I guess I'm extra cautious now, because I broke the nose off my Naish Starship in Hood River this last summer when the winds were crazy strong, more than usual. Anyway, I think a little water got in from the crash. I aired it out, turned it upside down to dry. Thought the water was out because it didn't weigh anymore than it did before. So I did a new nose repair and later found that the bottom of the board delaminated in some spots. Must have still been moisture in their.

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MagicRide said..

Sounds good! I guess I'm extra cautious now, because I broke the nose off my Naish Starship in Hood River this last summer when the winds were crazy strong, more than usual. Anyway, I think a little water got in from the crash. I aired it out, turned it upside down to dry. Thought the water was out because it didn't weigh anymore than it did before. So I did a new nose repair and later found that the bottom of the board delaminated in some spots. Must have still been moisture in their.

Did you break it or did beavers get to it? Hard to tell. Seriously, looks like a nice repair. You seem to have all the requisite skills for a career in foiling.
How long was the Naish? I can understand the apprehension. Thanks for sharing the pics.

btw, no, you can't try my board...

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Paducah said..

MagicRide said..

Sounds good! I guess I'm extra cautious now, because I broke the nose off my Naish Starship in Hood River this last summer when the winds were crazy strong, more than usual. Anyway, I think a little water got in from the crash. I aired it out, turned it upside down to dry. Thought the water was out because it didn't weigh anymore than it did before. So I did a new nose repair and later found that the bottom of the board delaminated in some spots. Must have still been moisture in their.

Did you break it or did beavers get to it? Hard to tell. Seriously, looks like a nice repair. You seem to have all the requisite skills for a career in foiling.
How long was the Naish? I can understand the apprehension. Thanks for sharing the pics.

btw, no, you can't try my board...

Thanks! Beavers weren't lucky enough to feast on my board. Haaa! I fell off my board during a tack by the Salman bridge and put my knee threw the port side of the nose. Got in right away, went to Home Depot to get some jb weld and made it water tight. Next day I catapulted and took out the starboard side of the nose. Jb welded it again.

The board is 240cm long I believe and a 2016 model.

Sanded off all the JB Weld when I got home and did a full repair. No added weight to the repair. Still weighs in at 16 pounds for 115L.

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MagicRide said..

Paducah said..

MagicRide said..

Sounds good! I guess I'm extra cautious now, because I broke the nose off my Naish Starship in Hood River this last summer when the winds were crazy strong, more than usual. Anyway, I think a little water got in from the crash. I aired it out, turned it upside down to dry. Thought the water was out because it didn't weigh anymore than it did before. So I did a new nose repair and later found that the bottom of the board delaminated in some spots. Must have still been moisture in their.

Did you break it or did beavers get to it? Hard to tell. Seriously, looks like a nice repair. You seem to have all the requisite skills for a career in foiling.
How long was the Naish? I can understand the apprehension. Thanks for sharing the pics.

btw, no, you can't try my board...

Thanks! Beavers weren't lucky enough to feast on my board. Haaa! I fell off my board during a tack by the Salman bridge and put my knee threw the port side of the nose. Got in right away, went to Home Depot to get some jb weld and made it water tight. Next day I catapulted and took out the starboard side of the nose. Jb welded it again.

The board is 240cm long I believe. No added weight was added after the repair.

Sanded off all the JB Weld when I got home and did a full repair.

Oh my, you do lead interesting life. The Dialer being 10 cm shorter, surprisingly, will make a smaller target than you might imagine. NSI Pads, home brew, maybe some surfbent action. I think you'll be fine with a bit of protection. but don't let it consume you. An older slalom/race board would probably require more attention.

And, still the answer is no, you can't try my board.

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Paducah said..

MagicRide said..

Paducah said..

MagicRide said..

Sounds good! I guess I'm extra cautious now, because I broke the nose off my Naish Starship in Hood River this last summer when the winds were crazy strong, more than usual. Anyway, I think a little water got in from the crash. I aired it out, turned it upside down to dry. Thought the water was out because it didn't weigh anymore than it did before. So I did a new nose repair and later found that the bottom of the board delaminated in some spots. Must have still been moisture in their.

Did you break it or did beavers get to it? Hard to tell. Seriously, looks like a nice repair. You seem to have all the requisite skills for a career in foiling.
How long was the Naish? I can understand the apprehension. Thanks for sharing the pics.

btw, no, you can't try my board...

Thanks! Beavers weren't lucky enough to feast on my board. Haaa! I fell off my board during a tack by the Salman bridge and put my knee threw the port side of the nose. Got in right away, went to Home Depot to get some jb weld and made it water tight. Next day I catapulted and took out the starboard side of the nose. Jb welded it again.

The board is 240cm long I believe. No added weight was added after the repair.

Sanded off all the JB Weld when I got home and did a full repair.

Oh my, you do lead interesting life. The Dialer being 10 cm shorter, surprisingly, will make a smaller target than you might imagine. NSI Pads, home brew, maybe some surfbent action. I think you'll be fine with a bit of protection. but don't let it consume you. An older slalom/race board would probably require more attention.

And, still the answer is no, you can't try my board.

Sounds good!

Try the pool noodle donut around the mast, and/or across the front of the board. Maybe some screws to hold the nose pool noodle with velcro, or glue a split noodle around the front.

I am on my third noodle in a year, still crashing while having fun learning to foil.
Have racked up a $10 bill for noodles, no broken board nose as yet.

Also put a rubber/plastic tube inside the noodle to give a bit more strength.

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oscardog said..
Try the pool noodle donut around the mast, and/or across the front of the board. Maybe some screws to hold the nose pool noodle with velcro, or glue a split noodle around the front.

I am on my third noodle in a year, still crashing while having fun learning to foil.
Have racked up a $10 bill for noodles, no broken board nose as yet.

Also put a rubber/plastic tube inside the noodle to give a bit more strength.

Can you post a picture?

Pool noodle on Exocet with existing pre drilled holes.
sorry for yellow photo, taken at night!

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oscardog said..
Pool noodle on Exocet with existing pre drilled holes.
sorry for yellow photo, taken at night!

I like it!! Are the black bands the Velcro holding the noodle in place? What do you think about putting some contact cement to attach the band to the board? Then wrap the band around the noodle to hold the noodle in place? Do you think that would work?

Yes, bands are velcro, they also get weaker with age and wear, so if you use contact cement, likely will have to repeat to replace the velcro straps. Maybe cement some kind of flat loop to board and thread the velcro through the loop.

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oscardog said..
Yes, bands are velcro, they also get weaker with age and wear, so if you use contact cement, likely will have to repeat to replace the velcro straps. Maybe cement some kind of flat loop to board and thread the velcro through the loop.

This sounds like a great idea!! I have a pool noodle already and positioned it around the deck rails around the nose and it fits perfect. So much protection here. I think I will insert a tube inside the noodle for added support like you recommend. This looks crash proof to me. I love it! Thx! I'll post a pic when finished.

Somewhere I saw a video that shows a pool noodle in the shape of a ring around the mast base. Get a noodle, glue the ends together to form a ring, and just set it on the board. Maybe a little contact cement to keep it from moving around during sailing.

It looks interesting. I have no idea how effective it is at keeping the sail mast off the nose of the board during a catapult. I have not tried it myself.

It's all finished! There is a clear vinyl tube inside the noodle for added protection. The noodle is attached with 4 Velcro straps threaded through 4 bowline knots that are JB Welded to The board. The whole noodle feels very stable and solid on the board. Total weight of the protection is 1 pound

Great work!

I wish you many hours of crash-less foiling.

However, it's good to have the protection in the unlucky event...

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oscardog said..
Great work!

I wish you many hours of crash-less foiling.

However, it's good to have the protection in the unlucky event...

Thanks! And thanks for the idea! Another question? Since the noodle with the tube inside weighs in at 1 pound, is that going to effect me from getting on foil? Or is 1 pound added to the front of the board not going to matter? I could always take the tube out and keep the noodle for less weight if I have problem with lift.

I am unable to tell any weight difference of the board with the pool noodle and tube on or off.

Also weighed the pool noodle and tube. With a semi scientific approach of standing on a digital scale without the pool noodle and tube, then with. The reading was the same, to the decimal place. So I think my combo weighs less than 1/10 of a pound.

Hope this helps.

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MagicRide said..

oscardog said..
Great work!

I wish you many hours of crash-less foiling.

However, it's good to have the protection in the unlucky event...

Thanks! And thanks for the idea! Another question? Since the noodle with the tube inside weighs in at 1 pound, is that going to effect me from getting on foil? Or is 1 pound added to the front of the board not going to matter? I could always take the tube out and keep the noodle for less weight if I have problem with lift.

Push 3 pounds harder with the back foot...

It won't matter. 220 lb guys are getting on foils just fine (think about all the beefy PWA guys racing foils). I doubt a pool noodle would change things noticeably.

You guys are correct!! Just talked to Wyatt earlier and he told me the exact same thing. I won't notice a difference of noodle weight.

I can't wait to get foiling!!! About 1 more month to go, weather permitting and I'm off for my first foiling experience! I just hope I won't have any equipment failure like I'm hearing from several here. I will be on fresh water only and will disassemble the foil after every session.