Forums > Kitesurfing General

What would you like to see in a strapless freestyle board

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Created by Mark _australia > 9 months ago, 8 Feb 2020
Mark _australia
WA, 22090 posts
8 Feb 2020 2:05AM
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Design brief:

5'1" x 18" - fairly conventional rocker - channeled
Thruster
Experiemental / try something new.....

What isn't being done / offered now and might work? (with the exception of construction method)

simon78
NSW, 115 posts
8 Feb 2020 10:24AM
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Is anyone trying to make a board that performs ok with or without fins. Put fins in for waves and take them out for mucking around and learning new tricks in flat water?

CH3MTR4IL5
WA, 747 posts
8 Feb 2020 7:59PM
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cos you asked for experimental...4'6" x 20", twin fins. I'd be wooping all the way down the coast!

U make it i'll buy it

KPSS Used
NSW, 372 posts
Site Sponsor
9 Feb 2020 11:21AM
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Mark _australia said..
Design brief:

5'1" x 18" - fairly conventional rocker - channeled
Thruster
Experiemental / try something new.....

What isn't being done / offered now and might work? (with the exception of construction method)


This is a pretty good board IMO, its 5'1" x 18 and 24.9ltrs suits smaller waves up to 1.5 head high. I'm riding it with the M size Quobbas although recently got size L Quobbas and have been using it with size M centre fin and size L on the sides and will try the reverse when it stops raining enough and we have wind.
Epoxy over glass and carbon on a poly core.







vendeavours
VIC, 361 posts
9 Feb 2020 1:40PM
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Mark _australia said..
Design brief:

5'1" x 18" - fairly conventional rocker - channeled
Thruster
Experiemental / try something new.....

What isn't being done / offered now and might work? (with the exception of construction method)


Looks like your on it Flatter rocker , straighter rail and thin rail , low volume Your sizing would probably be 22 Lts and stiff fins

cauncy
WA, 8407 posts
9 Feb 2020 2:42PM
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Straps

Kite2Surf
16 posts
9 Feb 2020 3:49PM
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The white board is my Stoney custom kiteboard approx 1 year old - 5'3" X 17.75", above it is my 6 month old shortboard 5'11" X 19.75". From riding both, I'd go the swallow tail, channels and a square nose on a 5'1" X 18" kiteboard, carbon strips under the heels.

I'm sure Stoney can build you something you'd enjoy!

Mark _australia
WA, 22090 posts
9 Feb 2020 7:04PM
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^^^ Lovely boards but I think you've got me all wrong

I'm building it...


It will certainly be as many have suggested above ........ channel, swallow, blunt nose, flatter rocker, thin blah blah ........... but I'm looking for very different ideas. Customer is looking to experiment a bit.


So far, Chemtrails..... I'm liking that idea as very short = low swing weight = rotates nice. Wider gets the volume back and pops nice. After this one I may well do just that. Will PM you



mazdon
1196 posts
9 Feb 2020 7:23PM
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Assymetrical - Longer on the preferred toe side
see ryan Burch or the Lovelace ones, rabbit foot I think

i would like like to find one with that big scooped out concave to ride strapless and finless on mushy days, but able to also throw in a twin or thruster set if there's proper swell

looking forward to seeing your work!!

beefarmer
WA, 328 posts
9 Feb 2020 7:23PM
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Strapless>?... then minimise the weight.

Before you splash out on an experimental peice of custom made loungeroom wall art, try buying a cheap 2nd hand kids shortboard.

especially for the overpowered conditions we get up here in the midwest so often.

you might only get 5 or 6 surfs on it before it breaks, but it will be worth it.

I'm currently riding a paper thin 5'8" i bought for $70. Probably put $50 worth of resin over all the dings it had though :) . Its now my favourite board, somehow its survived a whole season and i'm questioning why i ever used anything else. Going back to a heavy overglassed typical kiteboard is like.... horrible. No thanks

Im dreading the day it snaps... which will probably be tomorrow :(

edit... you beat me to the reply button mark - if your building it all good - but seriously try someithing super light weight if you havent yet.

Peahi
VIC, 1467 posts
9 Feb 2020 11:45PM
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lightweight is good except this happens




beefarmer
WA, 328 posts
9 Feb 2020 10:28PM
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yeah i had a lovely tomo SB... lasted 2 seasons but shes dead now. well worth the $400 2nd hand price though. its an challenging comprimise - if your investing the time and effort to build a custom you dont want to snap it straight away.

but its just so much better when theyre light weight. i reakon cheap surfboards are the best bang for your buck. plus you get 4 or 5 boards for the price of a new kiteboard so can try different things. its working for me so far.

anyway back on topic of the OP - 5'1 is crazy short. im looking forward to seeing it

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
10 Feb 2020 8:45AM
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Grip ridge along deck edge.

vendeavours
VIC, 361 posts
10 Feb 2020 11:48AM
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Do not get some of these posts Mark brief is Strapless freestyle Not wave boards ?? Which are heavy thick rails blah blah But saying that I did do bagged/ vacuum carbon Cut off nose board /planning hull/ thin rail / grab rail for waves But-this baby just won't s to jump at 1.8 kg 5'2 x18" X 2" and sick pop and also using Quobba medium fins

Surfer62
1357 posts
10 Feb 2020 9:40AM
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Peahi said..
lightweight is good except this happens





Was that the kite FST consttuction or standard tomo ?

AUS126
NSW, 192 posts
10 Feb 2020 3:47PM
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Can someone please explain the attraction to short wide tail boards aside from freestyle? Aren't they bouncy? And how do you control them at speed in a decent surf? I've always found wide tails mean I can't control the board - it's more like it's controlling me.

vendeavours
VIC, 361 posts
10 Feb 2020 5:38PM
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AUS126 said..
Can someone please explain the attraction to short wide tail boards aside from freestyle? Aren't they bouncy? And how do you control them at speed in a decent surf? I've always found wide tails mean I can't control the board - it's more like it's controlling me.


Yes I agree I have kited a lot of short wide tails Production boards which are great in light wind and small swell But get them in over 25 kn and bigger swell Yes need I lot of input or fn out of control But I have noticed two things kiters using boards that have too much volume or thickness in rail to there weight or just bad design in surface area in width of board and width of tail etc , Each Kiter has there own preference to high volume and low volume Kiting but for me low volume I do not sit on top of chop and be bounced around I slice through pushing my rail into water/wave and I also have small tail area just at my back foot for control of bottom and top turns I do not need big volume/ size due to surface area and planning hull

I am 80 Kg and use 5'2"x18"x2"
22lts board

AUS126
NSW, 192 posts
10 Feb 2020 6:51PM
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Thank you vendeavours. I'm with you. I love the way you have managed to keep the sides parallel / straightish but still have a small tail with those steps. Helps if the boards not too wide I guess. Nice job.

CJ2478
NSW, 482 posts
10 Feb 2020 7:24PM
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AUS126 said..
Can someone please explain the attraction to short wide tail boards aside from freestyle? Aren't they bouncy? And how do you control them at speed in a decent surf? I've always found wide tails mean I can't control the board - it's more like it's controlling me.


Not really. You have to have thin rails and you can engage your edges better. And strapless allows your to get your feet in just the right spots.
this is something that I will email to the shaping machine. 5' x 18" x 2" 20.5L.

When the board is light, short and as symmetrical front and back as possible it just sticks to your feet in the air.

beefarmer
WA, 328 posts
10 Feb 2020 9:26PM
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vendeavours said..
Do not get some of these posts Mark brief is Strapless freestyle Not wave boards ?? Which are heavy thick rails blah blah But saying that I did do bagged/ vacuum carbon Cut off nose board /planning hull/ thin rail / grab rail for waves But-this baby just won't s to jump at 1.8 kg 5'2 x18" X 2" and sick pop and also using Quobba medium fins



Oh yeah freestyle righto my bad...

you proably want heavy strong boards for that

vendeavours
VIC, 361 posts
11 Feb 2020 12:55PM
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CJ2478 said..

AUS126 said..
Can someone please explain the attraction to short wide tail boards aside from freestyle? Aren't they bouncy? And how do you control them at speed in a decent surf? I've always found wide tails mean I can't control the board - it's more like it's controlling me.



Not really. You have to have thin rails and you can engage your edges better. And strapless allows your to get your feet in just the right spots.
this is something that I will email to the shaping machine. 5' x 18" x 2" 20.5L.

When the board is light, short and as symmetrical front and back as possible it just sticks to your feet in the air.


Nice ' look the goods for freestyle and love the size and so agree with your comments Thin the better engage the edge

bjw
NSW, 3568 posts
11 Feb 2020 4:08PM
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Ive found that the parralel rail can hinder loading the board to pop. If the tail is too wide, it's hard to load.

No nose is fun in small waves and reduces injury.

Too much width in the nose just adds weight or helps if you are paddling into waves. When you ride it sits out of the water.

In saying that, there is a good medium. Smook get it, Warner gets it. But a lot of big brands seem to me made for market trend, not performance.

omg
276 posts
11 Feb 2020 6:25PM
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I'd say look at Airton's freestyle specific board Pro Voke, the one he used at the KOTA:
www.duotonesports.com/kiteboarding/boards/surfboards/pro-voke/

I don't have it but seems to tick many boxes outline wise. I just don't get it why it's "so" thick (like all kitesurfboards). Currently my boards are more in the 1-1,5" range, which helps them flex well and the water feel is better. You do notice it when riding truly flexing boards against mass production stiff ones. Wide nose helps the boards to get airborne well.

shred
WA, 54 posts
11 Feb 2020 11:43PM
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This board is the ultimate fun machine. If you're over 85kg try it's big brother the Duke.
oceanrodeo.com/product/jester/?v=7516fd43adaa

bjw
NSW, 3568 posts
12 Feb 2020 8:14AM
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omg said..

I don't have it but seems to tick many boxes outline wise. I just don't get it why it's "so" thick (like all kitesurfboards). Currently my boards are more in the 1-1,5" range, which helps them flex well and the water feel is better. You do notice it when riding truly flexing boards against mass production stiff ones. Wide nose helps the boards to get airborne well.


Can you attach a photo or 2 of your boards. Ive not seen anything that thin.

Peahi
VIC, 1467 posts
12 Feb 2020 9:34AM
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Surfer62 said..

Peahi said..
lightweight is good except this happens





Was that the kite FST consttuction or standard tomo ?


Standard construction... I knew it would snap sooner or later especially with a poor repair in the deck but for $200-odd has been the best fun board, and not my first or last.

A mate has offered to fix it but I imagine would be much heavier and lose its mojo.

Surfer62
1357 posts
12 Feb 2020 6:39AM
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Peahi said..

Surfer62 said..


Peahi said..
lightweight is good except this happens





Was that the kite FST consttuction or standard tomo ?



Standard construction... I knew it would snap sooner or later especially with a poor repair in the deck but for $200-odd has been the best fun board, and not my first or last.

A mate has offered to fix it but I imagine would be much heavier and lose its mojo.


Thanks P, I've got the fst

Plummet
4862 posts
12 Feb 2020 1:36PM
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Straps.

AUS126
NSW, 192 posts
12 Feb 2020 7:16PM
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Lots of good info here. I'm not much chop at strapless freestyle but if I was going down the strapless freestyle specific surfboard path, I'd also be keen on low aspect fins. They would have to make some of those tricks easier.

Mark _australia
WA, 22090 posts
14 Feb 2020 8:19PM
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Plummet said..
Straps.


Customer does not want straps.

smook
VIC, 196 posts
15 Feb 2020 1:03PM
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Mark _australia said..

Plummet said..
Straps.



Customer does not want straps.


40% of my orders is with the option for strap inserts on all board designs And also on cut off nose board Which I recommend with out



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"What would you like to see in a strapless freestyle board" started by Mark _australia