I bought a pack of pool tiles for $20. Not sure how durable they'll be but felt real comfortable on first outing today.
They're 20mm thick so I've shaped depressions under the feet and shaped the pads to fit.
And I thought I had an answer to short and wide versus long an narrow today. This board is about 90l, 2.45m long and 55cm wide, my mate was on a much wider shorter board also about 90l he was faster than me once planning but I got on the plane first! Turns out he's 10kg heavier and was using a slightly smaller sail, so doesn't prove anything.
But I do think the longer straight section between fin and mast track helps early planning and improves ability to stay on the plane when wind drops. I didn't detect any negatives, except being a bit harder to gybe, the board gets up on it's tail and trims nicely. This board is also a bit heavier than I normally make them, because I used up the last of my 24kg wave board foam. Can't say I noticed that on the water, but carrying it to the beach was a different matter.
All of this thread invasion, is just to say, I think imax is on the right track.
I used to get the pool tiles from Clark Rubber, but there's no store in Mandurah any more so I got them online.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/253519920492
These aren't pool tiles though, they are called "camping, gym mat" so they are thicker and softer, fantastically comfortable ride. But for a standard board with no foot depressions built in they'd be too thick.
Easier to look for 1cm thick tiles.
They do shape well with a right angle grinder, and cut with an electric jig saw. I use a "v" cutter in a router to shape the non slip grooves.
I used just the one tile for the board.
Deck sandwich stuck on .
I like the colors , pitty its going to be covered up . Kinda looks funky in a earthly muesli way .
Select to expand quotedecrepit said..
Maybe you can paint the deck to match?
Its got me thinking....
I don't why more boards aren't orange or yellow..they are the complimentary colours to the blue water so they really zing when on the water.
Making foot strap plugs , big ones . 16 mm x 41 mm x 86 mm long . lots of options because im not exactly sure where the straps should be .
At a cost of weight , 340 gm for 8.
I could shorten the 41 mm depth to 31 mm . It would save 25 % weight . I do like the idea that if i strip a thread i can just use a longer screw .
Bloody over-engineering again , thats why my boards are heavier than normal . Oh well , so am i .
1 mm step in middle so they will hold on a bit more , not that that is going to be a problem because ill be glassing over them .
Hi IMAX, you can use a clear epoxy resin which has advantages of no paint but clear filler coat. The last wave board I built with d cell sandwich with kevlar and 4 oz. S glass and carbon kevlar deck patches, double d cell hell patches (makes a hugh difference on slalom boards to sail hard.
Recently have kona wave that have extra layer of foam and its spongy in chop - similar concept to decrepit.
Select to expand quote515 said..
Hi IMAX, you can use a clear epoxy resin which has advantages of no paint but clear filler coat. The last wave board I built with d cell sandwich with kevlar and 4 oz. S glass and carbon kevlar deck patches, double d cell hell patches (makes a hugh difference on slalom boards to sail hard.
Recently have kona wave that have extra layer of foam and its spongy in chop - similar concept to decrepit.
I've done that on my last board . Heavy though , and much harder to finish . Does look good . The cork is a bitch to get looking good . It sucks sooo much resin which i had to saturate to get rid of ugly rising air bubbles . The whole board is done in cork and it cost me about 1.5 kg more resin than it should have . Having said that , it is my favorite board and i dont notice the extra weight when sailing . And its indestructible .
I haven't worked with cork before. Another process but Squeegee bog (thickened epoxy) into the cork before you glass so it doesn't soak as much resin.
Keep up the great work 
Select to expand quote515 said..
I haven't worked with cork before. Another process but Squeegee bog (thickened epoxy) into the cork before you glass so it doesn't soak as much resin.
Keep up the great work
This sounds like good advice and worth trying. I'd experiment with how much Q-cell to add. Too thick and it doesn't stick real well and is harder to spread out. Too thin and a lot of resin will soak in.
Select to expand quotedecrepit said..515 said..
I haven't worked with cork before. Another process but Squeegee bog (thickened epoxy) into the cork before you glass so it doesn't soak as much resin.
Keep up the great work
This sounds like good advice and worth trying. I'd experiment with how much Q-cell to add. Too thick and it doesn't stick real well and is harder to spread out. Too thin and a lot of resin will soak in.
The reason i used cork under the feet is because it does soak resin . Makes for a super strong and hard surface . Cork is porous all the way to the other side . If you hold it up , you can see thousands of tiny light pin holes . Quite crumbly and fragile . Until saturated . I dont think it would be a good medium unless saturated . I only used it because ive got heaps and ill use less glass over it . Ill only use one additional layer of 4 oz under heels . Win some , lose some , probably losing more . Sets like concrete though .
There could be better cork quality but the better and denser the heavier it would get . The stuff used on booms is different , its bonded with rubber and is much tougher , and heavier .
Overall , cork ? Not the best , heavy , fkn tough !
Its hard to tell by the pics that i have gouged foam out under the laminate sideways and down about an inch bigger than the box .
( The stringer is at box depth to support the box ) .
Same with the strap plugs .
Then filled with hard two part expanding foam .
Then will re rout holes for the box and plugs .
A simple way of doing things .
IMAX yes understand cork and resin which was kinda similar to cormat vacuum deck sandwich. I guess I was lucky with cheaper exotic layers at wholesale for myself years ago and now US exchange rates sux so new material costs increase.
Your board build is looking good.
Cheers
Select to expand quoteImax1 said..
Making foot strap plugs , big ones . 16 mm x 41 mm x 86 mm long . lots of options because im not exactly sure where the straps should be .
At a cost of weight , 340 gm for 8.
I could shorten the 41 mm depth to 31 mm . It would save 25 % weight . I do like the idea that if i strip a thread i can just use a longer screw .
Bloody over-engineering again , thats why my boards are heavier than normal . Oh well , so am i .
1 mm step in middle so they will hold on a bit more , not that that is going to be a problem because ill be glassing over them .
Hi Imax,
What material you are using for the inserts? Teflon? how well does epoxy/fiberglass adhere to it?
Select to expand quoteWillyWind said..Imax1 said..
Making foot strap plugs , big ones . 16 mm x 41 mm x 86 mm long . lots of options because im not exactly sure where the straps should be .
At a cost of weight , 340 gm for 8.
I could shorten the 41 mm depth to 31 mm . It would save 25 % weight . I do like the idea that if i strip a thread i can just use a longer screw .
Bloody over-engineering again , thats why my boards are heavier than normal . Oh well , so am i .
1 mm step in middle so they will hold on a bit more , not that that is going to be a problem because ill be glassing over them .
Hi Imax,
What material you are using for the inserts? Teflon? how well does epoxy/fiberglass adhere to it?
Polyethylene. Resin doesn't stick to it . That's why I made an undercut so the resin locks onto it . And ill glass over the top .
Wonderfully neat work throughout. Does Wonder Woman clean up all the dust and glue drops?
I noticed that you used just a few rolls of masking tape and wondered if some form of glad wrap would work. Something like the stuff physios use to wrap ice packs around damaged limbs on footballers.
Foot plugs and mast track in .
Fin box hole ready , also with HD expand foam lining .
Top of fin box also filled with foam .
Marked and excess cut off . Hole stuffed with a bit of foam . Makes it easy to glass over .
Small plates screwed to ends of box . I do this so i can push box down hard and flush to board level .
Its not normal , but i find it makes things easy .
Ready for insertion .
Bottom of box hole taped off flush with deck .
Pour some Q Cell thickened resin in hole .
Push box into hole and all excess resin pours out the top filling all voids . And that was just enough tape to catch it all . I only needed about half as much as i poured .
Wipe up excess , tape square .
Done !
Next , fill fin hole with foam and sand everything perfect ready for glassing.
Looking awesome 
I've never thought of hi density eva but yes great for rails without vacuum.
If you need inspiration for the artwork...
forum.windsurfing.nl/viewtopic.php?f=35&p=7440160#p7440160
In very curious to hear how the EVA holds up to rail dings. It has the potential to be very durable with the right laminate.
I've been thinking about trying for skins for a buttom and in front of mast track skin, then cork under the feet.
Select to expand quoteNelsonFoils said..
If you need inspiration for the artwork...
forum.windsurfing.nl/viewtopic.php?f=35&p=7440160#p7440160
Wow !
Select to expand quoteGrantmac said..
In very curious to hear how the EVA holds up to rail dings. It has the potential to be very durable with the right laminate.
I've been thinking about trying for skins for a buttom and in front of mast track skin, then cork under the feet.
The EVA is great for ding resistance . I use Surfset Flex resin . It's softer than normal resin when warm in a car then goes hard when in water . Great for bumping in and out the car . It's a bit strange to use , about 40 min wet out time then sets to a runny gel . After a couple hours it's still very soft an tacky , which is great for going over the edges of glass with a squeegee and sticking it down .You can lightly touch it in six hours . It takes 48 hours to go hard . First day it sets to a hard gel , then gets glassy on day two.
There is a faster setting version , but I need all the time I can get .
First layer of 4 oz glass with carbon innegra patches under heels over fin box and nose . 12 oz glass patch over mast box , ( so i can see where it is ) .
Will be doing both layers at once 4 + 6 oz on bottom . Then 4 oz patches over foot plugs , 4 oz from in front of mast back and 6 oz over total deck at once.
Its a bit strong in layup as its going to be my all too commonly used light wind basher , so its got to be tough .
Wont bore you with pics on the rest of the glassing .
First it's cork flooring for the deck. Now it's recycled tyres for foot pads.
Getting a start on post-apocalyptic technology are you Imax?
