Beyond the Rectangle. Surfmats.

[ULTIMATS]

Glue in the inflation tube..



And glue up the I-beams to the deck.

[SURFFOILS]

May I say good work old chap !

[ULTIMATS]

All the internal work is done, its exacting and it gives you time to consider how the various pieces combine to create the final shape.









Probably about 10 hours of work all up with the frame being the most time consuming element.





Almost finished, just need to glue the deck skin to the top of the rail and wrap it around, then its time to catch a few waves !

[ULTIMATS]

Finished, ready for a few waves tomorrow if we get any in Sydney.



I just need to trim the edges around the deck.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Woop!

Well done Brett!

Would love to hear how it goes

[ULTIMATS]

Thanks Captain !
I was heading out for a surf on it just now but a combo of high tide and the strong Westerly has created Negative swell in Sydney....sigh...
Nice day for a swim tho.

[SURFFOILS]

Alright, enough of playing games, lets go for an invisible surfmat....
This is the clear hull showing the glue and I beam positions...



I was going to do clear I beams but the bloody thing was near invisible so Ive done coloured material I beams.



Glued them on and rolled out the air bubbles.








It will be amazing to look thru the mat and see the water flow underneath.

[SURFFOILS]

Here's the finished Invisible Mat..


Took it out today at Freshwater in Sydney, nice enough beach waves up to head high...











Needs deck grip or wax but I don't want to ruin the view into the wave underneath.

[MrMik]

How was the view? Worth forgoing the wax for it?

[SURFFOILS]

Its the best view Ive seen for a while in the surf.
When you're waiting for a wave its like looking through a mask into the water, especially today with so much sun and clear water.
And then when you take off it gets really turbulent, the flow flashes back and forth especially in trim. But on bottom turns it gets clearer and smoother and you can , briefly, see the water charging along the length of the mat.
I tried doing all sorts of tricks to get a better view, like stalling but I got nailed for my efforts.
I will need wax or grip strips next time because its like trying to ride a frisky seal !

[SURFFOILS]

Dunno what's happenings my photobucket pics, they seem to disappear for no reason !
After the Invisible Mat....






I thought about totally moving away from The Rectangle, pulling the nose in and putting on a swallow tail. Based on this paipo design.



Cut out the top and bottom skins with a scalpel and a steady hand...





And taper the Internal beams to thin out the nose bouyancy.



And use a divergent pattern to alter the roll across the mat, it also retains the pliable front pontoons and then converts them into a flatter hull thru the middle.





Now its a matter of putting them all together. The shorter I-beams (blue) are a heavier material giving a straighter rocker out the back of the mat.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Have you surfed the semi-ridgid mat yet Brett?

I'd love to have a go of that see-through mat sometime if thats alright?

[SURFFOILS]

Hi Al, yes Ive ridden the one with the fins and the clear one, they're both trippy to ride because they're both a unique craft. The first one is probably a bit too stiff but its fast because of the air and handles really accurately.
The clear mat is just a blast because you look down and then are trying to figure out the flow patterns and direction and then you get belted by the lip for not paying attention. It would be great on a wave at Noosa or somewhere that peels along.
Anytime you're interested you can pick it up.
I'm still working on the hydrofoils too.

[alakaboo]

Would be good to see the pics that are missing?

Try a dropknee bodyboard shape perhaps, with a rounded nose?

[SURFFOILS]

Alakaboo, there's my blog that's got a lot more pics but even some there disappear.......
http://ultimatsau.blogspot.com.au
It's like Snapchat design...
Yeah I didmt think of a DK planshape, Ive got a few more ideas to try so I'll incorporate the DK into one of them, thanks.

[alakaboo]

Cool.
Is the coreflute to replace the ply?
It'll be good for stiffness but it buckles if bent the wrong way. Might be good for the I-beams but probably not for the frame.
You can get better stuff than that in your pics, with smaller air spaces and in a white plastic. They have it in the hardware store.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Thanks Brett!

I just had a thought, when the time comes when you won't be too fussed if the yellow bottomed finned surfmat hybrid goes conk, can I borrow it and try stand-up surfing on it?

Looks like a mini-simmons hybrid I saw someone surfing at The Pass, Byron

[SURFFOILS]

Cool.
Is the coreflute to replace the ply?
It'll be good for stiffness but it buckles if bent the wrong way. Might be good for the I-beams but probably not for the frame.
You can get better stuff than that in your pics, with smaller air spaces and in a white plastic. They have it in the hardware store.

Yes the corflutes to replace the ply because its lighter, waterproof and easier to work with. I did some tests with glueing 3 layers together. One layer snapped at 10 kgs, 3 layers didn't break even with 50 kgs. So 3 layers will probably be strong enough to use as the frame but when a mat inflates the mat shrinks in width by about 2 inches. So unless the frame is rigid like the ply, then it's going to need to bend too.
Al, come on over and you can take them all for a surf. The finned one is being repaired due to me....