Anyone filled the handle in the bottom of your board?
I was wondering if it would help earlier take off. Seems odd that we have lots of fancy bottom contours and release edges and don't mention the handle in the middle of the board

Yep, first time I just put tape over it, now I have put two pieces of foam so that I can still just get my fingers on the edge of the handle to pick it up, I also put foam strips in the us box, keeps the nuts in place too!, and I felt I was getting up earlier, also if I time the take off to catch a gust and try to drive down a bit of swell it really helps to pop out when the wind is super light (I think it helps only prob is if you completely cover the handle you can't use it anymore haha)

I have a Patrik AIO board, one of the features is no handle hole because Patrik makes a big deal about how bad the hole is for performance. Instead it has a small 'fin' just in front of the mast. Another feature of the board is US boxes and a Tuttle box so there is still a load of holes in the bottom of the board!
Have always been happy enough getting it going but coming in through heavy shorebreak I have wished for a proper handle hole many times!

Yes, I', more and more convinced that the bottom handle is a stupid idea. It is only useful to carry the board for a short distance and a relatively easy entry/exit of the water. In those situations you might as well lift the kit by the front wing/mast connection. If there's to much going on (shorebreak (!) ) you just risk to break fingers.

Best would probably be no holes or gaps in the bottom, just a deep tuttle box. Problem is you'll need to find the foils that match that fixed position. Would save the drag of the mastplate as well.

Interesting thought to fill it with low density closed cell foam with a split down the middle.

I'm using board skinny enough I don't really miss the handle though.

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nimo1972 said..
Seems odd that we have lots of fancy bottom contours and release edges and don't mention the handle in the middle of the board

hmmm...this kind of thing can drive me crazy...if it does actually make a difference...do we know that?

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SpokeyDoke said..
hmmm...this kind of thing can drive me crazy...if it does actually make a difference...do we know that?

The Quobba founder, Glenn Miller, wrote me some time ago that basically nothing makes a lot of difference in the 4mm layer of water close to the hull. (if your hull is properly sanded, not glossy). So the handle should not make a difference. Just as open fin boxes does not make any difference. Water fills them anyways.

He wrote:

"Quobba now know from CFD analysis and in-surf testing that 'surface drag' is the most drag that holds back speed on a surfboard.
Surface drag occurs along "the lower part of the fin", where water travelling just above the surface of the surfboard is really slow moving and sticky!
In this respect, our CFD analysis shows that up to a height of say 4 mm off the board (that's above the fiberglass bottom surface), is very turbulent and slow and really needs to be avoided at all costs.. if we can!!.
Therefore, we 'lifted' our 'Shifter' fin above that turbulent, slow moving water flow that is say from board level to say 4 mm high."

Just take a good surf sticker and cover it up.

I taped over the hole, can't tell the difference.

I'd rather have the handle to carry my board.

Why would you delete the most practical design item in a board.

I have SUP board without a bottom handle and its a bastard to carry.

Note that you could also fill the deck handle on SUPs to gain the 200g of water that fill it if you go this way :-)

Bought a Sunova Casey sup for winging, no bottom handle. Used it a couple of times, it now has a bottom handle.

The speeds we go it would make no difference. The bottom handle is very practical.

The FCS1 inserts in the Patrik foil boards are good idea. Mount a nubster fin as handle.... or don't. Either way its not draggy.

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Mark _australia said..
The FCS1 inserts in the Patrik foil boards are good idea. Mount a nubster fin as handle.... or don't. Either way it's not draggy.

I like that Patrik has thought about reducing the drag and if he ever brings a V2 to market like the one Bastian Escofet is riding I will definitely be interested.
But there are two downsides of the nubster handle. As I said before it's not the most practical thing to get a grip of in shorebreak and I have developed carrying it over my shoulder however the small fin digs into my shoulder and pinches it between fin and foil mast.
TBH I think I would drop the Tuttle Box (although it goes OK with my AFS W95 winging) and put a proper handle in. Same drag less hassle

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nimo1972 said..
Anyone filled the handle in the bottom of your board?
I was wondering if it would help earlier take off. Seems odd that we have lots of fancy bottom contours and release edges and don't mention the handle in the middle of the board

Yes, on my Fanatic TE 75L I filled the bottom handle with that expanding foam stuff that comes in a spray can. Trimmed it off flat. I notice easier take off with smaller foils when I'm seeking higher board speed over the water surface. To carry this big board I hold the front of the mast instead. Nose tilts down a little but no problem.

I don't see any similarity between static water filling fin-tracks and the fast moving water getting over these gaping huge handle holes.

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hilly said..
The speeds we go it would make no difference. The bottom handle is very practical.

Whatever happened to the LiftSup handle?
supthinktank.com/liftsup
It is flush with the board with only a small hole to pull the handle out.

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makesurf said..

hilly said..
The speeds we go it would make no difference. The bottom handle is very practical.

Whatever happened to the LiftSup handle?
supthinktank.com/liftsup
It is flush with the board with only a small hole to pull the handle out.

I had one made no difference to planing and was a pain to use. No demand so disappeared.

Are you considering foiling.or just planning!?
very handy on big boards, on narrow near 20" wide you can grab the board under your arm.