Beyond the Rectangle. Surfmats.

[ULTIMATS]

Just thinking about doing a surfmat with a difference...
I know it sounds like heresy but maybe make a perimeter frame that hold the mat,.
It would make it easier to control the mat, also somewhere to put in a few plugs and fins. Just something different. Im not thinking of making the frame with foam and glass, more like a laminated ply.
Going to make a few drawings and then consider the best way forward with this build.
Anyone had or have any ideas about mat design beyond the rectangle...?

[Karlos]

Blue on one side, red on the other (reversible!); inflatable canvas & with ropes to hang on to when you're hurtling through all the swimmers in the flags.

If I see one like that in the next couple of years I'll know where to come looking for my cut of the action Ultimats...

[ULTIMATS]

Should the rope be nylon or natural ?

[Karlos]

Probably nylon. It'll last longer that way, especially if the mat ends up buried down the back of the shed. A puncture kit wouldn't be a bad idea either.

[ULTIMATS]

The standard mat material is around 70 denier which is a very lightweight grade of fabric, Im thinking of using Hypalon, the same as on the clubbie inflatable boats. Heavier but indestructable.

[otway1949]

Try Krypt mats from Lennox and Fourth Gear Flyers for the States both good space age fabric.
Mat surfing is already alive and well, even the genuine surfoplane is available. log into this
http://magictowelride.blogspot.com.au/
Surfing flat out

Even our very own topic already
http://forum.realsurf.com/forum/viewtop ... =9&t=18911

[Cuttlefish]

Just thinking about doing a surfmat with a difference...
I know it sounds like heresy but maybe make a perimeter frame that hold the mat,.
It would make it easier to control the mat, also somewhere to put in a few plugs and fins. Just something different. Im not thinking of making the frame with foam and glass, more like a laminated ply.
Going to make a few drawings and then consider the best way forward with this build.
Anyone had or have any ideas about mat design beyond the rectangle...?

Do a search on Swaylocks.
Surfoils who posts on here has done a stack of experimentation with the framed concept already and documented it with loads of pics on Swaylocks.

[SURFFOILS]

Good to see a new idea and get some different ideas and comments. The other mat designs were good but this ones a cracker !

[alakaboo]

One of the key advantages of a mat for me would be the ability to ride in the flags, assume having a rigid outer would put a kybosh on that idea.

[ULTIMATS]

Alakaboo, there might be some disadvantages to the new design but also some great new benefits. I'm keen to hear comments and advice so please let me know what's important for you.
If you like to chat more intensively about [email protected]

Regards, Brett.

[alakaboo]

Hey Brett, I don't ride a mat so I don't have any real feedback.
I do have a couple of the original surfoplanes and they were made out of pretty tough stuff and have a couple of moulded handles on the front that make them easier to duckdive.

[ULTIMATS]

Alakaboo, i had a few of those things too, man they were heavy, or maybe i was just a skinny grom ! Thanksfor the tip about handles and duck diving. I think there's a short list of things that every surfcraft needs to be....

Functional, includes simplicity of use, ergonomic and safety.

Beautiful.

Fun.

Maybe there's more....

Karlos brought up a few good ideas too, he mentioned a rope to hang on to, echoing your idea about handles and he mentioned puncture repairs.
The idea of the perimeter frame would provide something to hang on to for total control, duck-diving and provides protection during use and storage.
A mat with a puncture is usually abandoned to the shed so I'm thinking about making a mat that's more user friendly.
It's not going to be a traditional 'mat' but if its easier to use,
if I can get more out of it and I'm having more fun,
then labels don't matter.

This was my last effort, it's an EPS / epoxy deck with twin pontoons. The hard deck made it ride more like a boogie.



Here's two working drawings showing the FCS plug placement, the frame itself is 1.5 inch wide.



With any paper planshape or outline I brush it with resin and cut it out so its an accurate shape to work with.



I'll transfer the design to the ply sheets tomorrow.

[ULTIMATS]

The ply didnt get delivered, tomorrow i hope.
The idea behind the mat with a perimeter rail is to take advantage of the speed derived from a flexible hull on the flat runs and to use the functional control that comes with any rail that rides in a steep wall. On traditional mat videos you see the riders drag their inside hand in the wave to create a similar drag.
The rail effect will allow the mat to hold solid in the tube and carve full rail bottom turns and cutties.
The FCS plugs are so I can experiment with different fins like The Knubster and The Middle Finger to maximise drive.

[godsavetheking]

If you're thinking about alternative fabrics, my inflatable kayaks are made from a fabric similar to hypalon called nitrilon and there are no issues with puncture resistance - I've owned them for 10 years with no repairs. My boats inflate to a max 3psi; good quality hypalon ones run to 4.3 which feels ridiculously rigid and might be overkill for a mat

Nitrilon seems to be a fair bit cheaper than hypalon as well. You can buy sheets of it (as well as hypalon and their pvc fabric mirasol) from this shop http://www.boatpark.eu/service-accesori ... v=41&sort=

[ULTIMATS]

Godsavethequeen, That's an excellent suggestion, I did try the lighter Denier material from 70 on up and while its soft and light its just looking for a sharp rock or something pointy in the back of the car to jag itself on. So I went right up to Hypalon, which is stiffer but its also bulletproof in the surf, you don't need to worry about it. Mats are great but getting a small rip can ruin your whole day instantly.
The frame makes the shape and any inflation is just to fill in the curve, its possible to have almost no inflation but still hold the shape. I will have to find a pressure gauge so I can check the levels now that you've brought it up, thanks.
Nitrilon looks like a better fabric than Hypalon. I will look into sourcing it here in Australia, do you know if you have to glue or weld Nitrilon ?
I've spoken to a few suppliers who are sending me material samples to test.
I'll show you what I get.
Got the ply...


For $25 its 2440 X 1220 and I should get about 6 frames out of it.

Started on the cutouts.

[godsavetheking]

Yeah you glue nitrilon rather than weld it. The single part glue that the manufacturer (gumotex) supplies in its repair kits is adequate for patching but not strong enough for anything else. The best glue that I have found is this one http://www.ibsparts.co.uk/adhesives-cur ... -glue.html.

Gumotex has got some sort of tie-up with the NZ inflatables manufacturer Incept http://www.incept.co.nz, so they might be your best starting point. Boatpark, the shop in the Czech Republic that I posted the link to would probably ship to Australia, but it's worth dropping them an email first. A guy called Pavel Lichtag is the main contact and speaks pretty good English.

Re inflation: 3 psi feels like a ripe grapefruit, 4.3 psi is so rigid that you can barely push it in. If you're thinking of running high pressures in hot temperatures, fitting some pressure relief valves may be an idea http://www.boatpark.eu/over-pressure-va ... tex-z2278/ as they give you that peace of mind that it's not going to explode. (Apparently this is particularly important if you're using an i-beam type construction)

[ULTIMATS]

Godsavethequeen, I'd prefer to glue than weld but its got to be a 100% solid chemical bond. I had a look for those materials in Australia but no good.
I've got some samples coming from local companies so I'll see if there's anything suitable there and then follow your links.
I'm looking for a more reliable fabric than 70 Denier nylon ripstop. A range of colours or something funky would be cool too.
When the grey board was inflated it was definitely less firm than a ripe grapefruit but it needs to be filled or the air 'runs' to which ever end is higher.

[godsavetheking]

Yeah, I see what you're saying. Grabner, an Austrian firm who make arguably the best inflatable kayaks, use exclusively hypalon and bond them using what they call 'heat-vulcanisation' http://www.grabner-sports.at/QUALITY-IN ... .html?&L=2.

I'm not sure if Gumotex uses the same process - these pics http://www.nafukovacilode.cz/jak-se-vyr ... ovaci-lode show some of their manufacturing stages and I don't particularly see a heating machine anywhere. What I can say though is that that I've used that Bostik 2-part to glue on a fin patch to one of my boats which I occasionally use for wave surfing. There must be some fairly substantial lateral forces involved (you can do rudimentary bottom turns, cut backs and floaters) yet the patch has stuck completely firm. I've had a fin failure but no issues with the patch

Unless I'm getting completely confused, this place http://www.brierleymarine.com.au/rubberSheets.php seems to have a decent selection of different rubber sheeting in various thicknesses, including nitrile ones (Nitrilon is just dupont's trade name I think) starting at 1.5mm