Building the 6'6" Gang Buster. Roy Stuarts Parallel Profile construction method.

I'll dig through the picture files and post some. I think I just have before and after shaping pics. Give me a call and I can talk you through in ten minutes what it would take me an hour to write.

 

Ok here we go.

 

Pic

pics of rails

 

Pics

pics of rails

 

Pics

Pictures of rails

 

Actually it's my standard 4 layer parallel profile method, not a variant.

 

A nice looking concave Steve. The weight isn't a problem in itself provided that it doesn't reduce the buoyancy too much. With paulownia I can get a 12 foot board at 24 pounds if I want to go light.

How thick is your planking?

 

Hey Roy,

Is there an ideal weight to length ratio you go for? I didn't put to much thought into controlling the weight during my build.

 

Some boards (like the Dragon 13'9" ) I like heavier and some lighter. If the design is good then weight isn't an issue unless it reduces the buoyancy too much, so it is related to board volume. I don't use a length to weight ratio. I've gone up to 70 pounds on the Dragon, and it handles everything I took it out in including triple overhead ledging reef waves, but it isn't for the faint of heart. The Dragon I built last year could have been made down to about 35 pounds but I beefed it up to 50. For boards up to 12 feet there's no harm in going as light as you can though.

Malibu type shapes are very sensitive to weight changes because of the imbalance of the aft turning position, more balanced designs with a more central riding position handle weight better.

If you want to go light a 1/4" deck and bottom with lightweight cloth under the deck ( I use nylon) with 3/8" frames at 4 inch centres and less rail blocking inside the board is the way to go. I've been using paulownia which makes life easy in this respect, but have used heavier woods in the past. Denser woods can be used with lighter scantlings ( thickness etc) but this does require accurate work.

How much does your ten footer weigh?

 

My 10 weighs in at 44 pounds. The only time I notice the weight is the carry from the car to the ocean. By the way I have been passing it around to friends lately and I get rave reviews. They absolutely love the board and the way it rides. The most recent holder reports 75 yard rides. Not bad for the surf out here latley. Also the board grabs more attention than a beached whale. My buddy says people see the board while driving by, stop get out and walk to the beach and ask " Holy **** is that a Roy Stuart surfboard!". Very cool!

 

That's a nice sort of weight, I'm glad that she's riding well.

 

Sorry Charles I was replying to you, I just absent mindedly typed 'Steve'.

What sort of cedar are you using?

 

Shaping the rails was one of the most exciting part of the build for me. It's when it starts to look like a surfboard.

I bet the guys at grain surf would get a kick out of seeing your board. Do you plan on showing them?

 

Hi Charles the board will lighten up quite a bit when the rails are shaped.