Foam alternative...

Use this area to post info on new boards or looking for a new shape. Not a design forum though...

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Don
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Foam alternative...

Post by Don »

With the shapers looking at alternatives to foam, one person has been on a quest long before the Clark debacle to use sustainable resources to build boards.

His name is Danny Hess. He's a well respected waterman here in San Francisco and for the past 5 years he's been refining his techniques with various woods, cores, stringers, etc.

I got to know Danny from surfing OB over the last 12 years and he's a genuine craftsman. I can vouch for his attention to detail as he remodeled our house last year and we're thrilled with the results.

When it came time to put his website together I jumped on the chance and we're swapping time for boards.

Really? A wood Kneeboard? 6'0 x 23 x 2.5 = 7lbs! Not bad!

Yep. My order is in for 2 boards and when he gets back from a month in the Mentawais he's got a backlog from quite a few orders. His site has been featured on surfline.com and surfermag.com and a host of others.

Danny is a stoked guy in general and is a long time supporter of kneeriders in the water at OB. It'll be an interesting ride next fall, that's for sure!

Here's his website:
hesssurboards.com

Here's a pic of his fish:
Attachments
OB Fish...
OB Fish...
OB Fish Top...
OB Fish Top...
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Post by skansand »

now don..............a 7 ib wood board????....is this REALLY all wood??? or eps core with a thin skin vacuum bagged on???....balsa????....ive been looking at agave lately.......i like the looks of agave better as it looks like the marble of woods..mixed colors ya know///so has he tried it???
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Post by Don »

He is using an EPS frame... here's an excerpt from his concepts page...

Wood: Each board is built using Amapola, Cork and Poplar. Danny prefers to work with Amapola and Poplar because of their high tensile strength to weight ratio.

Perimeter Frame: Each perimeter frame is constructed using a system of molds and templates, which creates the board's rail outline, foil, and rocker.

Interior EPS Frame: The interior EPS frame is installed within the perimeter frame and shaped to create the deck and bottom contours.

Wood Skin for Deck and Bottom: The wood skin bonds the EPS and perimeter frame to create a strong, unified structure.

Epoxy Glassing Schedule: The boards are glassed using Resin Research Epoxy and a single layer of 4 oz. S-cloth on the deck and bottom.



The Perimeter Stringer:

- Each surfboard is engineered to provide a specific and predictable amount of flex/ return spring projection along the perimeter stringer/ rail line



- The perimeter stringer eliminates the twisting characteristics that can be found in foam center stringer surfboards in which speed and forward projection are lost


- Moves the controlled flex of the surfboard from the center of the board to the rail line which creates a more efficient and responsive transfer of energy from the surfer, to the surfboard, to the wave


- Transfers the weight of the surfboard to the perimeter which creates a more positive rail to rail feeling


- Boards have enhanced projection due to the return flex characteristics of Poplar and Amapola wood under tension
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Post by ScottMac »

..
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Post by Don »

I'm sure Danny can get the canard fin setups. He said something about switching over to something else right before he left. You can email him at danny@hesssurfboards.com and he'll respond when he gets back (June 2nd?)

The OB fish is what the footboarders are riding. I'm going to probably try something clsoer to what I'm riding now with the fins up and the tail will be a rounded square tail. Bottom shape will be double concave I think. Schiff rides double concaves and they work well for him. This is really just testing the limits as wood has a lot of flex in it according to Danny.

I'll report back the results but honestly don't expect to get the board into much surf until Sept or Oct.

Drool... Spring and Summer are such long seasons up here!
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Hess

Post by frankfqr »

One of the few business cards I picked up at the recent fish fry. He's got some nice lines, beautiful product, excellent craftmanship.
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Post by KenM »

Don, you really don't expect us to believe your going to wait that long to take that board out once you get it it do you? :lol:
Ska, I've got a 6'0" agave fish it weighs 14 pounds! The Hess boards are heavier than a standard board but still much lighter than agave.
Scott, Rainbow Fin Company in Aptos will make you the fins your looking for.
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Post by ScottMac »

...
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Post by KenM »

Scott, made in the US of A. :wink:
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Post by Don »

Ken,

Not my choice my friend! OB doesn't offer us much in the summer... I'll be looking to test pilot in the fall. Sure I'll surf garbage in the off-season (most of us do... some more than others :shock: ) but for judging a boards true character I'll reserve judgement until Fall.

The weight factor is one of the most attractive features. Surfing waves like the one in the header on this site is where you probably wouldn't mind a little more weight. Again, I'm a die hard Parkes rider and this is a step into the unknown. I do know there are times when certain conditions allow you to be a little more flexible. Just stepping outside the box.

Cheers,

D
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agave

Post by skansand »

i read on swaylocks it takes about as year to totally dry out but when it does a whole stock will "fall like a toothpick" when a undried one will "fall like a tree"...it seems its reasonably lighter then balsa and balsa is definitly lighter then poplar.....but i did see a 5'10 balsa/eps that weighed 14 pounds.....it must have to do with the thickness of planks your layying up.....
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Post by KenM »

Don, I was just kidding about the wait. It's always more fun to uncork a new board in really good surf. A friend of mine has a 6'2" like the one in the picture, they look even better up close. I'm sure it will fly. Ken
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Post by tomway »

Hi Don, and all. Those who fequent the swaylocks website will probably have been as stunned as I over Daniel Hess' boards for a few years now. They're beautiful. There's been quite a following of hollow wooden boards using various other construction techniques too. Waiting with anticipation to hear early reports of how your board goes.

One question. Do you think there are any considerations/problems to take into account in the construction of a hollow-wooden kneeboard that may differ from a H.W. footboard? I'm wondering particularly about deck strength and the forces exerted by the small area of knees in comparison to the relatively gentle pressure of large feet, even through deck pads. There's a reason for the question, I'm just starting my first HW kneeboard (my second HW board) and am worried I might be overlooking something.
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Post by Don »

tomaway,

I don't see any real issues with the deck strength for kneeboards. I'll work with Danny on the frame to see if there may be any tweaks we can do for the critical area under the knees. I'm used to foam which does "dent" a bit under the pads which creates noticeable pocket for each knee. I don't expect the wood to do this so it will be different. I've ridden crowned decks and don't like the feel as much so I'll be trying to go as flat as possible on the surface.

T minus 60 days I'd say!

Cheers,

Don
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Post by Jon Manss »

Hi Don and Dan
I like what I see,but have an issue with the outline for a kneeboard. It looks very parallel midway which may work for a stand up, but would a more round profile help the low center position of a kneeboarder better?
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