Simplest ply board=no fins=stepped rail?

[adamdw]

Hi, I'm looking to create a simple but effective first-time plywood board (both making it and using it)

Bearing in mind I'm 75kilos/165lbs, will be doing this in 12mm/half inch marine ply and no glassing or anything else, pure wood.

I want to keep it simple therefore no fins. (This is realistic right?)

So, would a stepped rail really help in the tracking and edging?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[zfennell]

this is for you.

http://www.mit.edu/people/robot/zp/zeroprestige.html

-bill

[adamdw]

Thanks I saw that and it's really useful as well as being a superbly written site but it doesn't talk about the stepped rail ie whether, from a plan view, it should have a niche cut in there.

Any ideas, do the advantages in terms of tracking, grip outweigh any braking effect it may have from disrupting the flow of water out the back?

[zfennell]

hi,
if i understand you correctly, i'm not aware of anyone using steps along the rails.
although many have used steps at the tips/ends to allow the flow to exit cleanly with less drag.
that feature is usually found with flip tips to keep the front from pearling.

the step in the back will release flow before the flip creates drag.
the step in the front is out of the water until you make a mistake, then the flip helps recover, (maybe)

most rail profiles are either rounded for grip/drag or sharp for cleaner release.

if tracking and edging are your goals i would concentrate mostly on outline and rocker for design parameters.
no worries though.
based on what i've seen and done, everything works.
some day i may be wrong, but its only plywood.
a few minutes with a hand plane will fix it


if i'm totally missing your point, let me know.
-bill

[Halomon]

Most riders world wide use boards with fins on them to aid in edging hard. It's really not that difficult to put fins on a board. Maybe if you are a hot rider and you want a one-off board for some special times then I can the point. But if you are still in the beginner stages of kiteboarding you are making a steep learning curve even steeper and harder by riding a finless board. This is just one opinion. I hope you follow your instincts and have fun.