kiwi big boy kneeboard

What works & what doesn't and in what type of conditions. Got a "secret" only you and your shaper know???? Post it here... we can keep it quiet ;-)

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karuhi
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kiwi big boy kneeboard

Post by karuhi »

Hello everyone, NZ'r in mid 40's living in the far north of new zealand on the west coast (warm end). Got back into my surfing in the last couple of years, with the kids learning (stoked) I've made myself a few timber skinned eps and a couple of hollow boards, And have just finished an xxl paipo from glass and foam. Been wondering for awhile about my next project and i've been thinking about a kneeboard. i thought it would be pretty cool to make a board from each of the surfing stables - stand up, prone and .... in between - kneeboard. I'm a fat bastard -6'3" gut and built like a brick s*&^ house. re learning to surf has been an adventure. Fast loosing gut. Amazing how the inches go when you're trying to paddle out through the west coast mush line! I haven't seen a kneeboard for decades, when i was a wee grom we had a couple of cripples in the line up but they are well gone. Kneeboarders where i live are an endangered if not extinct species! I may yet at least try to make and surf one!
So i need some help on a design for a board. I'm surfing point, beach and bommies, mainly in the overhead to one and a half overhead size (does that measurement count in kneelos speak? - better double it when on knees!) Need that boogie to get me going, but it does get bigger - much bigger. Anyway design wise i haven't a clue, like i said i haven't other than the web, seen a kneeboard for decades. Board will be eps - and i don't know as yet if i'll timber skin it or glass. I usually design on aku and then drive down to auckland and get it cut, but i have just hand shaped a pretty complicated contoured paipo. I know its not the purest way using aku, but I'm only building for myself and it gets me a board. I don't know what the etiquette is for asking if anyone has a basic aku brd file - And sorry if if i upset. but I'll ask anyway if someone has a file they are willing to share or one i can modify to bat fastard proportions then I'd be very appreciative. cheers - Justin justingee@xtra.co.nz
crox
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Post by crox »

File sent. This is the board being ridden - album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=29005

Regards

Chris
"All we are saying, is give knees a chance"
karuhi
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Post by karuhi »

Hi Chris, thank you very much, I've got it and just had a look, surprisingly not as different from a standup board as what i thought. just wide. how is this board finned ? i have a spare set of probox fin boxes and a set of hanalei quad fins was going to use these on the knee board - although its not essential. fins wise i have even less of an idea of placement cant toe etc etc. just been dredging through the design forum looking for size ideas in the big fellas threads. cheers - Justin
crox
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Post by crox »

Hello Justin. It's a three fin....fronts are set at 17" & rear 8 5/8" I think...will check.
A couple more shots of Rich surfing the board -

album_showpage.php?pic_id=29007&full=true

album_showpage.php?full=true&pic_id=30045
"All we are saying, is give knees a chance"
karuhi
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Post by karuhi »

thanks for that Chris, great pics by the way - and a great wave.
I'm really looking forward to this project, and been having a little play with the aku file and playing with dimensions.
does anyone out there have any ideas of dimensions? from dredging through the forums at other big fella boards i get an idea of 6' - 6'6" and 23-25" wide. seems a hell of a size and width but i'm pretty sure that if a little guy can swing around a 5'8" board then i can turn something bigger, it has to come down to proportions of rider = board size. i made a 24 1/2" wide simmons style standup board and with size 14 feet i have no problem with it. i think the whole SUP thing has changed a few perceptions of board size and what can work. i don't know if I'm on the right track with kneeboards though ....
with such a width would it be a good idea to "wing" the tail to help bring down the tail size and area? give me your thoughts please guys. cheers - Justin.
karuhi
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Post by karuhi »

wow - 105 views and only a comment from one guy. come on you all out there! everyone has some help to give or at least an opinion. one kneeboard may encourage more to have a go. i have two guys that had forgotten about kneelos and are interested in having a go in my tiny little area. all good - Justin.
HOOPER
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Post by HOOPER »

have a look at my boards in the board section I,m 120 kgs the message me I can give you some feed back I live at the mount if you are ever down this way u can try them cheers hoops
crox
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Post by crox »

I would say don't stretch it more than 6' 2" x 24" x 3" & dont fatten the rails up too much but dome the deck to increase float.
"All we are saying, is give knees a chance"
karuhi
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Post by karuhi »

thanks crox and hooper (message sent)
to some of our wise ones and shapers out there, i now have two designs one from crox - cheers dude. and another from a mate who makes timber skinned boards and has a design for a board that another guy has used as a kneeboard. i'd like someone to give me an idea on nose and tail rocker. the timber board has full length concave running into a hydro hull like big concave at the moment it has 4 9/16" nose rocker and 3" of tail. i'm okay with the nose rocker but wondering if the tail rocker is to much - especially when you're 120kg. ideas please
micko
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Post by micko »

3" is way too much tail rocker, will lack drive and you'll massive fins to stop the tail sliding out. I'm 100kg and ride eps compsands from 5'4" through 5'8". My current favourite is 5'7" x 22.5" x 2.25" tail rocker of 1.5" with single into double concave and flat out the tail. I ride rail centric quads.
karuhi
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Post by karuhi »

thanks micko, thats as i thought i've now reduced it right down, i was going to stay out at about 6'2" though and around 24" - bit of a boat i realise. my timber boards aren't really compsand (sort of) yes i'm using a vac setup but this board will probably be 5mm deck planks and 4mm bottom. with a 20-25mm solid rail build using paulownia or jap cedar. thanks for the help - justin
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