Board #13

8'7" Hollow Balsa Surfboard

August '06

Since I finished Board #12, and gave it to a new home back on the island of it's origin, I need a replacement for it...

Again, I wanted a board light in weight for travel and hiking into remote spots...

The size that I kept coming back to was a mid 8' board with a pulled nose, a rolled bottom and a narrow planshape...

With those parameters I started Board # 13....

(above) All of my boards start with a gluing form planshape...

This one was a shortened version of Board #12, which was a shortened version of Board #9...

(above) The stringer was traced and shortened from board #12...

1/8" mahogany plywood cut by hand with a utility knife...

The cross ribs were done the same way...

(above) Jumping ahead a bit, here's the frame fine tuned and ready for the skins..

The frame only weighed 2#...

(above) This is the top skin...

I can only get 5' balsa lumber locally (60 miles away)...

So instead of having a bunch of butt joint seams , I laid the 1/4" balsa about 60 degrees to the stringer...

The inside is glassed with 4 oz E-cloth...

The carbon fiber strips are placed between where the cross ribs are..

I added a strip along the stringer for extra strength without a lot of weight gain...

(above) The bottom skin is glued to the frame and the deck skin is ready to be attached...

(above) This shows how the CF strips supplement the ribs in the areas most prone to stress...

(above) Here's the fin box reinforcement...

(above) A single layer of CF is all around the box...

The balsa strips are spring clamed into the wet epoxy / CF to compact and consolidate those elements...

The back rectangle is where the "through-the-fin-box" leash attachment hole will be...

(above) Maybe overkill, but not a bad place for it...

(above) The inside of the nose...

Note the wood removed from the stringer where the vent will eventually be...

(above) Ready for the top...

(above) I have the rails masking taped to make for easy adhesive clean-up after the deck is on...

Notice the balsa strips added along the top of the stringed and cross ribs...

They weigh next to nothing but really stiffen those frame members nicely...

I also used balsa for the router guide strips to define the rail profile...

(above)  Polyurethane construction adhesive is on the frame where the deck skin will contact...

(above) Break out the spring clamps...

(above) Again I'm jumping ahead...

I used 1/4" balsa strips and cork for the rails...

These rails have not been shaped at all yet...

(above) Now they are shaped...

But I  don't like how extreme the pin-tail turned out...

Soooooo....

(above)....I trimmed off the pin, added a tail-block and softened the tail...

(above) Mo bettah, eh...???...

(above) You can see the leash cord exit point...

I use a simple brass tarp grommet where the cord exits the deck...

(above) Shaped and tuned...

The weight before rails was 9#...

After rails was 11#...

(above) Ready for glass...

(above) All done...

(above) The strips over the stringer are Red Cedar and Nootka Cypress...

(above) The gloss is sprayed professional quality auto clear coat...

Two coats top and bottom...

Wet sanded between...

(above) You can see the bottom isn't really flat anywhere...

(above) I like the fin box up more than most...

(above) This fin is a Rusty 9"...

 I removed  about 3/4" of the middle rear edge and re-foiled it...

Now, it's got a nice twang to it...

(above) The maker's mark....

Board 13 is in the collection of Bloomingdales, California...

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