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Bodyboard Design.

• maltese vulcan
  October 2009
  I love all things to do with BB design, I've made a few boards and I dig working out what works and what other people think about design.
  Wheres the best part of this forum to get a design thread going ? I want to talk about the new Science boards
  and channels
  and materials
  and future shapes
  and deck contours
  and....
  Anyone else keen ??

Bodyboarding 2,898 views

8 Replies

• craigtrilivas
  October 2009
  Heckyes go for it
• maltese vulcan
  October 2009
  Guys, thanks for you emails and PM's, who'd a thought I'd get such a response with my first post.
  Is this the right place for this thread ??? I dont want to drop in in the wrong spot !
  First of all, Ive made bodyboards from styrofoam, solid wood, ply, aluminium, fibreglass and epoxy but not from the standard materials because they are harder to get (but not impossible.)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  And Ive made maybe a hundred surfboards or more.
  
  
  
  
  
• Jmo
  October 2009
  Hey man, some of those boards look insane!
  
  I've been planning on building a hydrofoil bodyboard for ages, very similar to the 2nd picture you posted there, I am just way lazier than you obviously. The goal was to try develop a better board for tow boogie in big waves where handling the bumps in the face and getting speed down the line are a problem. Although on difference is that I think I would have placed the both foils further back; the front one underneath the elbow and the back one right at the tail. The basic reasoning for that was based on centre of gravity of a rider that has weight distribued between hips and front elbow.
  
  Can you tell me how that board rode or towed behind a boat? Did you try it in waves? Where are you located?
  
  Man this shit gets me amped...
  
  Jmo
• maltese vulcan
  October 2009
  Jmo, glad you mentioned hydrofoil boards, I didnt get the time to show these ones of mine, they work in the surf or behind a boat, so tow-in will work.
  And some other ideas Ive been working on.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As far as I remember the details to help you build a foil, a foil needs enough area and speed to lift a certain weight. Bigger waves give bigger speeds so the bigger the wave the smaller the area of the foil needed. On standard beach waves from .5m face and up you can lift 80 kgs with an area of 250 sq in and the best shape is an oval, it gives an easy intro to lift and a calm release off the back curve. Hydrofoils are quite stable and they lift easily.
  If you want any more information just ask.
  I'm in Australia. I did a big series of posts on hydrofoil BBs but I cant remember what forum ??
• doclach
  October 2009

  Quote:
  I'm in Australia. I did a big series of posts on hydrofoil BBs but I cant remember what forum ??

  
  Hi Brett,
  
  it is in the Riptide forum in the thread you started here in July '08.
  
  http://www.riptidemag.com.au/forum/view ... d332d54d8b
  
  the hydrofoil post begin on pages 8/9
• maltese vulcan
  October 2009
  Hi doc, fancy seeing you here !
  I thought Id drop in over here and see if theres any people who are really interested in design like me. I didnt run into anyone doing what Im doing through the Riptide forum but maybe there is here. Its great how you can mingle across the world and look for ideas and get advice.
  Thanks for the link, it was either on Rippy or Foilforum or Swaylocks or rodntube or....
  Most days I cant remember where I put the car keys either.
  Regards, Brett.
• Jmo
  October 2009
  Brett,
  
  I'm amazed at the amount of prototypes you have going there, some pretty way out designs too.
  If you are amped to give me some technical advice that could help me skip a few phases of testing/prototyping, then I would be stoked. You could PM me or we could discuss it here for the other guys to read...
  Likewise if you have a design you think will work in monster waves then send me specs and I will test it and send you the pics of them in action...
  
  My interest lies in pure functionality rather than just novelty. Bodyboards just aren't that stable at high speeds, on top of the fact that the riding position isn't well suited to big waves either. We've been towing into waves up to and possibly bigger than 20ft and anything bigger than around 12ft at these outer reefs you are screaming along on the very edge of acceptable board control, let alone the actual towing part when the wind kicks up a small chop.
  
  I reckon a decent hydrofoil board will smooth out the tow in process, and give better speed and control down the line. I'm not sure whos going to guinea pig the thing in the big stuff but it would be epic to iron out some of the issues we've come up against.
  
  I have a few boards available for prototyping, and based on your images it looks like aluminium or fibrglass foils. I have a aerospace engineer buddy who offered to help design the foil layout, shape, span, chord etc but if you have tried and tested designs then it would be good to see what they look like. Or even, just giving us an analysis of your images and how all those boards performed differently would be wicked!
  
  Amped...
  Jmo
• maltese vulcan
  October 2009
  Jmo, thanks for the reply, Im comfortable to discuss design here, but I may reserve some details if they relate to the boards Im currently working on. But hey, lets have a discussion and hopefully other people will chime in with some ideas or questions or comments.
  Where do you want to start ?
  Have a look at my blog about some boards Im hoping to produce, its not an ongoing commercial venture, its just a hobby, but the idea is to bring out a limited edition of the best bodyboard designs I make. I get a fair few requests for boards so the plan is to make a new board for myself, test it, and then copy it exactly ( through a moulding process) and sell 50 of them and then move on to the next design.
  You know , 50 Universal Wave Rippers, then 50 Tube Racers, then 50 Big Sky Boards,then 50 Rhino Chasers ( big wave board)
  
  
  http://stormbodyboards.blogspot.com

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