For my small boards I use Gaboon marine ply with the west epoxy system.
(no carbon or high density foam),
Works quite well, the rails are tricky thou.
Boards weigh 5-6kgs.

Fred said............
The airex 63.80 in contrast is a very soft and formable foam with high impact resistance. On wider boards I use it only at the rails, nose and tail, because its lacking stiffness, especially in higher temperatures.

Hi Fred,
great idea, corecell on the flats and airex around the corners....you've just helped make my boards less expensive

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great idea, corecell on the flats and airex around the corners....you've just helped make my boards less expensive

Hi Mike,

Where in N.Z do you source your board building materials?
Any pictures of your machines?

cheers, Michael

Gidday Ice,
I get corecell from Gurit in Akl , they also have 12k flat tow carbon at the best price I can find.
Herex and Airex from Hi Modulus but exp....do you know any alternative suppliers?
I use Nuplex resin (price much more friendly than West) and never any problems.
I built most of the speed boards with 125gr glass/60gr kevlar/glass layup and this works well. I figure they are so narrow they have good stiffness anyway so don't need much carbon. They all have a carbon stringer up the centre to hold the rocker line.The slalom boards get expensive though ,being so much wider and needing fancier layups to keep them stiff enough.
Pics are SP2, 3 and 4 (48cm,48 and 45) going more pin tail and wider nose with each update, getting very carbonartesque with the volume distribution.
I like Chris's ideas re hydro lift at the tail as the speed rises and from what I felt with my experiments he's right on.
The shot of two boards is SP4 (45cm/68lit) and SP5 (41.5cm/63 lit) haven't had wind to use the 41 yet, waiting for Linfield or SP trip !
Stepped tail is modded 9 foot Styro, now 8 foot,works great, goes way faster and much better control in chop.Planes up early but feels just like the speed boards off the wind.Good mod for any old unused slalom board.
Last shot is happy punter after first 40+ run.

nice speed boards and they look well built

I love the Styrotech mod.... much more elegant than my hatchet job.

Tena koutou, Tena korua, Tena koe, Kia ora Te Hau

Good looking speed machines, like the progression of your boards.
Scored some of that 12k 200g carbon, nice price too.
Thanks for putting me onto that 12K carbon, very thin so should have high strength to weight ratio.

Would like to score some of Fred's "80g/m2 non crimp carbon" but likely quite pricey if we could find some in N.Z.

For resin there is Adhesive Technologies "ADR246" which is formulated to improve the properties of carbon, have you used this goo? Think it is more expensive than West, soon will find out the damage.

For the conditions we get here at Lynfield doubt that I can push my current wave/ slalom rocker boards much faster than the low 40's. So desperately need some new speed machines that are in the pipeline.

Just completed the CAD drawings & about to build a 52cm/86 liter speed machine.

Think you would have better chance of achieving great speeds by visiting Sandy Point, for Lynfield to work you need tides, time of the day, wind direction & wind strength to line up. Yesterday in Auckland, 40 knot wind.
But every other condition was wrong; early morning tide, tide was very small & westerly wind that blows straight down the speed run.

cheers, michael

Appreciate all you fellows posting your board build projects on Seabreeze.

I've had trouble with 12k/200g wetting it out, this stuff had some sort of coating over one side, don't know if that was the cause.

Hi Decrep,
yes, the 12k is odd to wet out.
I wet it out by rolling the fabric out on a polythene lined table, use loads of resin then squeegie out the excess resin back into the container.
Roll the wet fabric onto a cardboard tube to transfer to the job.
The 12k does seem to use a lot of resin though.
I imagine if wetting out onto the blank it could be difficult.

Ice....I am using a modified Alex Aguera rocker line. Seems to work well.
I keep finding this rocker line in all sorts of fast boards.Nothing new under the sun. You're welcome to the data if you like.

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I've had trouble with 12k/200g wetting it out, this stuff had some sort of coating over one side, don't know if that was the cause.

Hi Decrepit,
Thanks for pointing that out, been while since my last board build due to the CNC machine build that's finally complete.
By looking at the 12K carbon it has has super fine strains that will make it tricky extremely for full wet out, i will have to watch that one.

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Ice....I am using a modified Alex Aguera rocker line. Seems to work well.
I keep finding this rocker line in all sorts of fast boards.Nothing new under the sun. You're welcome to the data if you like.

Hi Te Hau,
I've already CNC cut the rocker profile jig & CNC cut the rocker profile on the EPS, anyway send the data & I will compare with the CAD files I have. Can send you back a CAD file showing the overlay of the 2 rockers, if they are different?.

cheers, Michael

Hi Ice,
what's your email address?