Kiteforum.com

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Well, here she is!

The second prototype.

The igNobel 140 x 46.



http://www.nobilekiteboarding.com/en/XTR

Wanted to try a triple ply, as it’s going to be my high wind, heavy wave board.



Worked like a charm! Had’er out blasting at Oli a week ago in 50 kms winds on a nine and a 14m after the wind settled down a bit.

Never ridden a smaller board and after some getting used to… I likes’er!

Ishyous.

Well, it’s a liddle heavy, coming in at 6.5 kgs.

Triple ply, that’s why. 4 coats of varnish.

Don’t like the pads. If they’re tight, you can’t get out of them and if not, well…

Great idea in concept the Sync’s, but a fail for me. Maybe it’s my small feet? Tried shimming them with some rubber and it didn’t work.

I’m looking for others.

Also, would have, should have, could have, forgot, to glue top two plys and then bevel the edges before gluing them onto the hull. That would have looked nice.

Template didn’t work as well as I’d hoped, which is why you guys haven’t had email back from me. I’ve been reworking the template I used, and will test it again. Getting the tiling right, and taping it together is tricky. Even if you’re off a couple of mils, the eye sees it on a convex curve on the outside edge. Look for the boo-boo.

Fins were too small, first time out, so I made some bigger ones. Haven’t tried it yet, but they’ll be good. The smaller fins, the board was just too greasy on turns, like riding finless.





For you picky SOB’s, the T-Nuts sucked right up into the wood, so there was no drag on them…

I’m 225lbs so I didn’t really notice the weight either. Maybe a little trip to the rest room before the session would have helped?

Or the gym on regular basis…

We’re all drunks and ne’er-do-wells up at Oli, so personal discipline is a problem.

Handle is awesome! No more tiny grips. You GRAB this sucker and it stays grabbed!



Next time, might try two plys, somehow put a rocker in it, (Although I’m not convinced rocker does anything. More on that controversial, deluded rant later.) and fibreglass it.

Will paint it, too. Would like some tips on painting a board.

Might be nice to begin assembling a thread of best practices, or do this on the Google docs for collaboration?

Cost?

A sheet of Home Depot virola $20.

Varnish, screws, t-nuts, bolts, parkay tile glue, handle from spreader, nylon cutting board ≈ $20

Pads $50 on sale.

SweetDoug



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You do realize that the fins are on backwards and the straps are ducked in right? Of course you do, you built it.

Why?

14 pounds? Very heavy. I don't think you will see the same results from the step ups as you would from the Nobile XTR. Must be very stiff.

I think 6.5kg can snap your leg open:(

Retire this board and start using a FG. It's too large risk that other ppl might follow...

Sorry, just my 2 cents.

SweetDoug wrote:We’re all drunks...

High wind board @ 140 x 46cm? OK.
Ducked in straps, reversed fins???
I might have tought about alco

I heard a couple of guys complaining about discomfort of these Cab straps!

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Ough-hhh!

I hang my head in shame. The fins are indeed… Backwards.

Doh!

Here's my excuse. You can see the smaller fins in one picture, that I retired. I quickly put the other's on, and mistakenly put them on "backwards". I never even got out on the board, as I rushed down to Oli to find crappy wind.

Why are they, 'backwards'?

Here's what I'm going to do. I'll turn one side and and ride'er! I want to see the difference.

I'm going to bet that it's not that much. Or, the board will be way more responsive to turning.

The strap issue is this way. Yes, the straps are pointed toe-in, but then again, all other boards are pointed toe-out. I find the rear foot sits far more comfortably, toe in, when I'm sitting back riding, on the rear leg. I just adjust the front foot, the ankle, as there's little pressure on it.

I've riden the commerical boards I have toe out and actually moved the pads, to try out the toe-in idea, and preferred the toe in, style.

So, you guys think she's a bit heavy, eh? Well, how do they, the commericial manufacturers, make'em so much lighter? They need the ply and instead of a 3rd sheet like mine, they add fibreglass. FG is not light.

How heavy is the Nobile? They don't list the weight.

So where is the trade off?

I'm thinking the next board I'll try two plys, and use FG. I don't have a vacuum machine, so I'm thinking a sheet of plastic over it and a rolling pin will squeeze out the excess.

Comments? Any one tried this technique?



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SweetDoug wrote:'

So, you guys think she's a bit heavy, eh? Well, how do they, the commericial manufacturers, make'em so much lighter? They need the ply and instead of a 3rd sheet like mine, they add fibreglass. FG is not light.

V-V

I am aiming to 2.4kg without accessories. And this is with a bamboo.

If using paulownia, my guess would be about 2kg if varnished and more with a topsheet. So, no, big guns are not using a ply wood at all. And FG is only 180-220g/m^2. Carbon the same. Basalt more.

Nobile 666 is about 2.2kg. Most of them list weight, why wouldn't they? It is very good marketing.

Now, weight is not the problem. The moment of inertia is (not being a smart ass here:).

You might be a 100kg guy, but your ankle might snap just like mine (60kg), when one foot slips off the straps and a board rotates...I've seen it. It looks and it is a nasty injury.

For sure this can happen with any board. But if is lighter it's also much safer...Or ride with boots:)

Nice looking board, hows the flex? Two pieces of 6mm ply and the board should be pretty bomb proof,
and little flex. I find 9mm total has just the right amount of flex, but in larger sizes they break, but for me 138X17cm is the sweat size.
Add some fiberglass in your sandwich if you make it thinner, you can change the flex pattern that way.

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No, nothing smart-ass about that inertia issue. It's stuff like that to keep in mind. And with those sync pads, they're a bitch to get your foot out of quickly.

I went with three plys to mimick the Nobile, and it's a good stiff board. I made the Chubby Girl (See thread below) with 2 plys and it was very wibbly. Nice for a big board though. Thought the smaller board, with two ply, might be too wibbly. Maybe not now. It would be a lot lighter with only two plys < ≈25-30%

I think 2 ply, with the second sanded down a bit, and then a covering of fibreglass would be much lighter and at least as stiff.

I did a quick search for Paulownia, and couldn't find anything. I've got a great marine supply store in Toronto, Noah's, but they don't sell it. It's just a plywood isn't it?

Suggestions?

Btw, do you paint then fibreglass or fibreglass then paint?



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You might want to try a board with rocker and a neutral or toed-out stance.
You will be able to keep more of the edge in the water and more equal pressure on your legs.
This gives more control and less fatigue.
You could even use a smaller (therefore lighter) board.
If you want...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia

http://www.woodsurfboardsupply.com/wood_kits.html