Very few race boards here in Australia to even look at, let alone buy without ordering in. So was wondering about converting an early epoxy windsurfer into a kite race board? It would require cutting, filling in and perhaps flattening the underside.
Would this be a complete waste of time or better off starting with a large surfboard foam blank and chopping it down.
Any ideas please?

I think the short answer is no.
Now that folks have taken to racing with very specific objectives (go fast) its interesting to see many design features found in windsurfers (and boats and planes and cars) applied to kites.

yet, i'm at a loss to think of a single windsurfer component or dimension that is not significantly different when used for kiting.
i.e. length, width, volume, thickness, fin size, fin placement .


maybe the rocker and footstraps ?


i think as a first go, you would make more progress converting a sheet of plywood into a race board. but thats just me.

in the end, i bet you could make anything work.
good, fast, cheap...pick any two.

regards,
-bill

Foot straps and I think that OR uses a full tuttle box for fins.

It would not be worth the effort, probably.
It would be unlikely to get a result that was efficient and comparable to a "real" one.
Basically you would be getting a blank with the deck and part of the bottom already laminated, everything else would need changes/reshaping/repair, all of which would add weight.
It would be much easier to start form scratch with a good blank.
A kite race board has more in common with a surfboard than with a windsurfer.

Yep, a friend did it and placed middle of the pack in the Cabrinha Race Series in SF.

He cut down an old JP board to about 6' (that should take out the nasty tail rocker).

probably easier to convert a door (actual house door) then a windsurfer

I can't understand anyone who tries to convert one board to another. You invest money, work and in the end you stil end up with only one board.
One thing is keeping the concept and doing some changes, the other is converting it to a totaly diferent board.
You will get better results and with much less effort building it from scratch!

you guys have no imagination.

just finished my race board, had an old slalom board checked the rocker of my old kite race board referenced where that sat on the w/s board and cut appropriately. so that i had more rocker flat than the smaller board

i wanted far more thickness and volume so kept the thickness the same as when it was a w/s board, four new fin boxes, new strap inserts, re shape the rails at the front for what i wanted to try out, seal teh front and back and hey presto., about 180 long 50 wide with a tail of 48, goes in fuck all wind and can be ridden flat rather than on the rail, less drag and points very high , yep it was a bit of work but far more satisfying than just buying one, you learn a shit load while you are doing it, pics will be along later if an when i ever get round to painting it as currently it is the most ghetto nasty looking board ever, but it is mine and i love it!

Why not try the windsurfer as is before hacking it to bits?
Use a small kite maybe.

not true!..if you cut the windsurfer in half, which is kinda of what kite race board look like you end up with two kite race boards! one with a flat entry for smooth conditions, and the other with a more lifted nose for chop. both will have nice flat tail rockers