The motivation for reaching for the milling machine and laminating resin can be very different. Perhaps the old slalom raceboard is to be given a second lease of life for windsurfing - or the wave SUP board is to be pimped up with the inflatable "wing" for the very latest "wingfoiling" trend. The good thing about the construction of our hardboards - basically made of polystyrene, rigid foam, various glass fabrics and laminating resin - is that pretty much anything is possible with a manageable amount of tools.
How it will turn out after the "treatment" - professional shaper Christian Koester ( www.koestersurf.de ) has seen pretty much everything that "self-healers" have tried in their garage at home. "Out of three self-repairs on smashed board noses, two end up with me," the expert jokes, "and it's even more expensive." Anyone who is still motivated now, who has the sweet smell of freshly mixed epoxy resin in their nostrils again when looking at the pictures and who has perhaps already struggled to free their favourite jeans from fibreglass sanding dust in previous projects, may also dare to tackle the "Foilbox" project.
However, if you would prefer to simply pass on the dirt, effort and costs - along with the not inconsiderable risk - you will find the right contact person in your trusted board mechanic. Christian Koester showed us what happens there in his workshop using the example of installing two US boxes in a board that is to be upgraded for wingfoiling (the design is identical for windsurfing). He also shows how the box reinforcement of an older Starboard iSonic looks for windsurfing foiling.
You can find the entire workshop from SURF 10/2020 with a detailed description and illustrations in the PDF download area below:
Topics:
- Tuttle or disc?
- The right position
- Material requirements
- Milling, preparing for installation, gluing, sanding, laminating, filling, sanding, painting
- Reinforcement of a deep-tuttle box for foil
Downloads:
Stephan Gölnitz
Deputy Editor in Chief surf
