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My Plywood Kiteboards

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zeppelin
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Postby zeppelin » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:17 pm

Nice boards. I have riden plywood boards few times. They are nice for lightwind, but I didn`t liked that they were heavy.

RPatrick
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Postby RPatrick » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:01 pm

Thank you !

As a beginner I felt like I really could not go wrong with these. For learning and light wind the big wide one should be great. The smaller one may or may not be good, but when building one it is not that much extra effort to build a second one. I'm thinking next year I'll buy a lighter production board with fins and see what that is all about.

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CharlestonKiter
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Postby CharlestonKiter » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:41 pm

Patrick, those really do look nice. Im working on my first plywood right now, much the same shape as yours, 145x45.5. Was wondering how to paint the board as i didnt want to do it before i put Spar on as i was worried it wouldnt soak in right on top of paint. Ill have to try that marine paint you used. Did it come in any other colors than white? Do you wet sand it afterwards or does it just come out shiny?

RPatrick
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Postby RPatrick » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:02 am

Hello CharlestonKiter,

The type of paint I used is a high gloss marine topside paint. After it dries it looks very nice and glossy. The particular brand I used only comes in either black or white, however, there are other brands that offer a lot more colors that probably look just as good. This link is to the paint I used but you can check out the other types of marine paint they offer too. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... oryId%7E34

As far as application goes, the paint is definitely the last thing you want to put on. If you are going this route, don't use varnish. The paint that you buy will have instructions on how to prepare the surface for application on bare wood. Most say to use some type of sealer and/or primer first, then sand, then apply the topcoat. One thing about the paint I used was that it was supposed to be thinned before application, which I did not do. The paint went on really thick and was mushy (not good) for a few days. I thought I ruined the finish but after a week all was good. If you want a great paint job definitely follow the instructions on the can and be ready to allow for proper drying times.

Hope that helps !

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CharlestonKiter
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Postby CharlestonKiter » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:37 am

Alright, thanks for the link. If epoxy is what i should use first instead of Spar thats fine, have a ton of the stuff that i use on boats/cars, which will help keep my cost down instead of having to buy Spar. Since this is my first board i figure ill ride it first to make sure i like it before i put paint on it since the stuff is kind of pricy. Did you have any paint left over after 2 boards?

RPatrick
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Postby RPatrick » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:08 am

I bought a quart of the paint for around $20 and used about half of it.

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Postby Halomon » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:08 am

Hi RPatrick; have been following your progress and saw the pictures you posted. Nice job for a first time build. Betcha learned a lot. Can you handle some constructive critique? This might help on some future builds.
You might start with some curve in your outline template; most modern boards have a little. Add a little more rocker; helps negotiate chop better; 1/2, 3/4, 1" of rocker is good; more if you prefer. Fins make it easier to learn and go up wind. I have seen only one finless board ever, and that was a one off specialty. 99% of kiteboards have em!! The footstrap/ handle combo looks sweet. Your chosen stance looks narrow; most production boards are 20- 24" center to center depending on the brand, rider prefrence and/or options to change the width.
These comments/critiques were in know way made to make you feel less than happy about your build. You have accomplished more than most kiters will ever do about building their own gear. As you learn to kite and ride your boards more and more, their strengths and weaknesses will bear themselves out and you will think about how to improve them and make em better. Then you might consider some of the ideas offered here and go "aha!!" That's what I gotta do!!! Keep thinking, building and kiting....cheers

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CharlestonKiter
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Postby CharlestonKiter » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:42 am

Hmm, $20 isnt too bad but i still think ill wait to use the paint as well as the epoxy until ive refined the board once or twice. Using fairly cheap 1/2" oak plywood for my first 1 or 2 boards. Once i get the shape the way i want it ill spring for some 3/8" birch. I would agree with what Halomon said about fins, will make it much easier to learn on. Ive only ridden a handful of time myself, and one of which was on a board without fins. I actualy like the "loose" feel of the board but was a lot harder to control as a beginner than if it had had fins. Since the board im trying to make will be my lightwind board im probably going to go with .75" fins. On my regular board(shown in the pic im including) ive got full 2" fins to help hold the board. You can actualy get some pretty cheap fins off ebay. Possibly not the very best on the market but will work fine on a homemade model, going to try and buy mine there. Anyway, have included a pic of the board im making, version 1.0. Ill post pics on this thread as i progress, would be glad to get advice from the more experienced builders here. Try and guess which one i made and which one i bought.


Image[/i]

p.s. Did you use threaded inserts and then bolt the pads down or did you just use screws?
p.s.s. Where in TX are you, im moving out to Austin in Oct?

RPatrick
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Postby RPatrick » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:00 am

Hello Halomon,

Thank you for your insightful post. I sure did learn a lot and definitely consider this a starting point to grow from.

Your points are valid concerns. I thought through those very things during the build and was not completely sure which way to go with them. Your suggestions are very welcome. I saw this build as a "plain vanilla" design that would be useful right now and help me to understand the nuances at a later date.

Regarding the template, I weigh 200 lbs and am in an area that usually sees 15 - 20 mph winds on windy days. I was concerned about cutting off too much area using a bigger curve. This was a try and see decision.

There is some amount of debate amongst builders over a couple of your points. Regarding the rocker, it was my understanding that 3/8 inch plywood would flex enough and develop enough natural rocker to work well. About the fins, there are people out there that will testify finless is better. I decided to leave them off since it made the build easier and was something I wanted to try out. When I can ride well I'll try a board with fins and check it out.

The footpads feel as good as they look. I stood on them before I mounted them and they feel like a very comfortable pair of running shoes.

I was wondering about the stance width of production boards. To determine my footpad mounting orientation I hopped up and down, bending my knees after landing. I moved my feet further apart and then closer together until I found the most natural and comfortable position. I did think that perhaps the most comfortable position is not the best position for riding in, but it is another try and see type thing. The measurement from the center of the pads is 20" , so the stance is indeed on the narrow side.

I'll keep your suggestions in mind as I ponder what improvements should be made as I learn to ride !

take care,

RPatrick

RPatrick
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Postby RPatrick » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:14 am

Hey CharlestonKiter,

I used T-nuts to mount the pads.

Image

I live in the Dallas / Fort Worth area by the way.


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