RealSurf Surfers' Forum

OK, this may take a while to come to fruition, but a build has at least commenced.

'R-TAK' because it is my derivative of the late, great Donald Takayama's Scorpion design (well that was the starting point).

As some will know, I have been riding a 7' Takayama Scorpion (when not on the JD) and it is a good all-round board for some git of my age, flexibility and skill. For those that don't know they look like this… think shortboard tail, longboard nose, very flat entry rocker with longboard style concave. Think they are flat through the guts then just a vee through the tail.
Mine is the Surftech build so decidedly floaty, which can be good and bad. Good in that you get most things you paddle for, bad in that you get pasted a fair bit duck diving. Anyway, a good travelling board and of late been riding it fairly exclusively as a quad, in spite of box/FCS configuration. It's quad set-up, whilst not measured, I would call more rail-based than the McKee formula I would normally look to.

That said, it's a good board and has been ridden in a variety of waves and conditions only limited by the jockey. However, I have had the feeling I could get away with something similar and smaller, since the JD is a tad over 6'3".

It has been well over a year since I sniffed resin and felt it time to get back to it. I have started with a Surfblank's 'pink' density, the lightest in their extensive range. It's light because their is more air, we know what that means - softer. Primarily used I would think for competition style boards. I have used one before and compressed the deck fairly quickly, but wasn't surprised or disappointed.

The idea is to build this a little differently too minimise the deck compression, but more on that as it unfolds.

So, taking the Takayama as a starting point and having ridden a few pintails before, pintail it will remain. The nose is where the major change will occur, not because the Tak doesn't work, I just don't think I need it and I certainly don't noseride.

This will also be my first foray using the AKU SHAPER software for machining, I have used the software quite a bit to produce spin templates and the like but that is all. That took me to here, which is now quite removed from the Takayama… the pointy end is the tail. 6'9" x a lot x a little.
As a result of the now pulled in nose, the nose rocker is also more shortboard-like but still low.

Machining has been very quickly and efficiently performed by Howie at Akurate Industries Mona Vale and he matched up the profile for the best blank and rocker fit. http://www.chpsurfboards.com.au/?page_id=26

I'll post a photo of the machined board next.

Sorry for the long preamble. Hope the FF doesn't visit…

Hey Ric
I've got some boards made with Surfblanks Pink. Some have held up well, some have been brutalised.
Might be worth a chat with Huie, he learnt a lot about how to get the best out of it from having a look under the hood of one of mine when it came back for some TLC.
I've got his number if you don't.

also FYI, your thread/model title when read phonetically means "yes, thank-you" in casual Swedish.

If you shifted the wide point forward a bit, and made it a diamond pin rather than pintail, you'd have one of my favourite boards.
Though it was 9'1"

alakaboo wrote:Hey Ric
I've got some boards made with Surfblanks Pink. Some have held up well, some have been brutalised.
Might be worth a chat with Huie, he learnt a lot about how to get the best out of it from having a look under the hood of one of mine when it came back for some TLC.
I've got his number if you don't.

also FYI, your thread/model title when read phonetically means "yes, thank-you" in casual Swedish.

Stay tuned, alakaboo, this is not going to be a standard build in spite of the PU start. Have had guidance from Mr H in the past, some will be implemented here.

The 'pink' in this feels quite sturdy but I'm not squeezing it either. Last one was garnished with epoxy and quadraxial, and a splash of carbon. Didn't hold up too well.

Given it was from a 6'11" FF blank a lot of foam has been taken off the bottom, so I won't be dancing on there.

"yes, thank-you", works for me, I'll take that as an omen in the absence of a casual Swede.

Some clues here, Ric
http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/new-bu ... ing?page=2

Got another one with wood skins, 3+ years old and looking great.
Huie mentioned some inconsistencies in the foam from blank to blank. If you've got a good one, they're unreal.

I'll be a casual Swede by the latter part of next year, I can act as a proxy for this build.

thats a coincidence - i just printed out a template for one i'm making for a guy today.

mines 6'0 x 21 x 2 5/8

alakaboo wrote:Some clues here, Ric
http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/new-bu ... ing?page=2

Got another one with wood skins, 3+ years old and looking great.
Huie mentioned some inconsistencies in the foam from blank to blank. If you've got a good one, they're unreal.

I'll be a casual Swede by the latter part of next year, I can act as a proxy for this build.

Thanks 'boo, haven't followed Sways for a while, don't think I need the extra confusion.

Huie's a bloody master… he gave me some Innegra tips early in the piece, but have been out of the building loop for a while.

Have used 2oz Innegra a couple of times before in various guises, from full blown laminations to just patches. Good stuff, but a bit of a pain to work with due to sanding as most know.

Won't be using cork, intention is H80 Divinycell, and some 2oz Innegra + perhaps some other 'stuff' in conjunction with Kinetix epoxy.

wingnut2443 wrote: I packed her bags ... to what address do I post her?

No fixed address… the fairy dust can settle somewhere else.

I can see potential problems. Don't try, don't know.

It will be a protracted affair this build with xmas 'n' all.

wingnut2443 wrote:She's can spend Xmas with Matticus ... he built her a new home (shed / bay)

Ah yes, The Blue Room

Good stuff rick

Cut… sorry about the sketchy background.

Yeah Ric, I know what you mean about Sways. I mainly go on there when I get a new board, to see if Huie has posted some pics or some details of how it's built.

ric_vidal wrote:Have used 2oz Innegra a couple of times before in various guises, from full blown laminations to just patches. Good stuff, but a bit of a pain to work with due to sanding as most know.
Won't be using cork, intention is H80 Divinycell, and some 2oz Innegra + perhaps some other 'stuff' in conjunction with Kinetix epoxy.

They all sound like interesting words, Ric.
I've got NFI what you're talking about

The damage Huie described in that link was from an (unintentional) air drop on a 6-8ft wave...some of these 'new' materials are pretty strong.

Must say as my first experience with my own pre-shape I'm pretty happy. It's not perfect but then most blanks aren't.

Hardest thing with 'puter vs doing by hand is trying to visualise where everything is going to fall and by how much… like just how thick is that rail really? Getting something to 100% size on-screen is hardly something you can wrap your hand around.

You get so used to doing things by feel and a set methodology, and all of a sudden it's gone.

First observation, the rails on this board are finer than I anticipated, not so much I think it is a problem and ultimately I think it will be a good given I'm adding more to the board by way of a skin. Also, given more recent experience with my JD, they could a real key. Time will tell.

Real dimensions according to Mr AKU:
6' 9 1/8" x 20 1/2" x 2 5/16" thickness will be + skin
T: 13 15/16" - rocker 2 1/4"
N: 15 1/4" - rocker 4"
Volume: 34.91 + skin

Liking the look o fthe shape Ric. Could be on the money for a few differrent lenghts too.

Progress will grind to a bit of a halt whilst I frolic in the sand and water up the coast a bit.

I'm not overly concerned about the volume as it falls well within what I consider my parameters + that 1/16", believe it or not, will add a fair bit. Someone can do the maths as I'm not adjusting the file to find out.

Difference will also be going back to PU foam as everything I ride now is skinned EPS. Proof will be in the riding.

Wingy, this is the reality, or thereabouts, of the rail (mid-spline), if it previews at actual size on your computer…

Love the outline ric, save the file will ya? haha. Lookin good for hollower waves but still keeping some foam.

And the other vital piece of information… current weight = 1.36078 kg (pre-finished shape)

I know just the place for that board RV.