There's nothing wrong with single skin builds.If they last 2 seasons then my goal has been reached as I'll have a new build ready to go. They are fast to build and are cheap.

This is a 4,9"x 29
2 layer 6 oz S glass + patches +Vector carbon netting.
clear epoxy
2.0 eps foam 1/8 wood stringer
Deep tuttle
Simple like a surfboard

Awesome work ![]()
There's nothing wrong with single skin builds.If they last 2 seasons then my goal has been reached as I'll have a new build ready to go. They are fast to build and are cheap.

You use those half straps much? On my lightwind board I am front strap only currently. I think I move my back foot around too much in lightwind to commit to any particular strap position, also I don't want the strap getting in the way. But those half straps do take up less space
On my medium to highwind board i am full back center strap
I like the half straps as it gives me a place to wedge my foot as I'm driving upwind. Then off the wind they don't get in the way with the rear foot dance. Everything I'm doing is by seat of my pants experiment so in my eyes nothing is right or wrong. The only thing I know for a fact is time on the water is the most important factor in the equation.
Gwarn,
What fails on them? Not like the nose is going to get hit....
They get dented and dinged from the rough launching locations that I sail out of as I focus my efforts on protecting the foil from getting dinged so the boards suffer.
There's nothing wrong with single skin builds.If they last 2 seasons then my goal has been reached as I'll have a new build ready to go. They are fast to build and are cheap.

You use those half straps much? On my lightwind board I am front strap only currently. I think I move my back foot around too much in lightwind to commit to any particular strap position, also I don't want the strap getting in the way. But those half straps do take up less space
On my medium to highwind board i am full back center strap
I like the half straps as it gives me a place to wedge my foot as I'm driving upwind. Then off the wind they don't get in the way with the rear foot dance. Everything I'm doing is by seat of my pants experiment so in my eyes nothing is right or wrong. The only thing I know for a fact is time on the water is the most important factor in the equation.
I think I am gonna try some
Holly S*** Gwarn! That launch site is brutal! You know a brother wants it if he will launch there! Reapect!
Hi Gwarn,
I'm find your boards beautiful and KISS (Keep It Simple). I have a few questions:
- do you vacuum bag, or do you build without bagging ?
- is the Vector carbon netting a "nice to have" or a significant part of the overall design and board structure ?
- is the 1/8 wood stringer a "nice to have" or a significant part of the overall design and board structure ?
- do you have some specific preparation of the EPS before laminating (to reduce epoxy impregnation) ?
All other information and advice about you build process welcomed !
I turn around the idea of building my board and try to remove road blocks on my way (like time needed as it may be the limiting factor), specific tooling, steps that could be skipped while maintaining the key performances.
JMF
Gwarn,
What fails on them? Not like the nose is going to get hit....
They get dented and dinged from the rough launching locations that I sail out of as I focus my efforts on protecting the foil from getting dinged so the boards suffer.
Aiuto! The pipes at Treasure Island! The ultimate test for self flagellation!!!!!!
Gwarn,
What fails on them? Not like the nose is going to get hit....
They get dented and dinged from the rough launching locations that I sail out of as I focus my efforts on protecting the foil from getting dinged so the boards suffer.
a good place to get out. The wave is small for this coast. it is better when the wave is 2-3 m. With such a wave, it is better to go out for a ride. The coast with no stones present?
Around $1500. Not all the cost is in that one board, I am still using tools and some materials. It is for the process not the product.
Here is one method that makes sense
www.alaljojo.com/
Is that a wooden skin build? Like www.grainsurfboards.com/ ? I've had plans for a mini malibu for years but never got around to it. I'd be interested in knowing if a wood strip windsurf board would hold up to the stresses of the sport. I've built a couple of wooden boats and may be interested in making a foil board.
No, the alaljojo is compsite cored panels top and bottom with CNC milled foam rails that the end user glasses together. The concept is not much different than the wood surf board methods. The composite panels are stiffer than wood so less stiffners are needed. The have a mold for the top and bottom panels, the magic is that it ships flat so shipping is reasonable and with everything cnc cut and molded at the factory it is pretty easy to build. If I wanted a 87 liter freestyle board I would be all over this.
The alaljojo is a great idea, but the cost is not too great. Even with the welcoming discount the kit is 1900 euro (with no discount it is 2350), plus 300 euros shipment to California. It costs more than a Custom Flikka ...
Around $1500. Not all the cost is in that one board, I am still using tools and some materials. It is for the process not the product.
Here is one method that makes sense
www.alaljojo.com/
Is that a wooden skin build? Like www.grainsurfboards.com/ ? I've had plans for a mini malibu for years but never got around to it. I'd be interested in knowing if a wood strip windsurf board would hold up to the stresses of the sport. I've built a couple of wooden boats and may be interested in making a foil board.
No, the alaljojo is compsite cored panels top and bottom with CNC milled foam rails that the end user glasses together. The concept is not much different than the wood surf board methods. The composite panels are stiffer than wood so less stiffners are needed. The have a mold for the top and bottom panels, the magic is that it ships flat so shipping is reasonable and with everything cnc cut and molded at the factory it is pretty easy to build. If I wanted a 87 liter freestyle board I would be all over this.
The alaljojo is a great idea, but the cost is not too great. Even with the welcoming discount the kit is 1900 euro (with no discount it is 2350), plus 300 euros shipment to California. It costs more than a Custom Flikka ...
Exactly. It needs to be half that price. Which I don't think is unreasonable at all given its CNC'd panels with zero hand shaping. In essence flat pack furniture.
They get dented and dinged from the rough launching locations that I sail out of as I focus my efforts on protecting the foil from getting dinged so the boards suffer.
Wow! The question is, how long will your gear hold up in those conditions?
utcminusfour Just super impressed with your, and other's builds here! What did you use for deck grip?
Hi Gwarn,
I'm find your boards beautiful and KISS (Keep It Simple). I have a few questions:
- do you vacuum bag, or do you build without bagging ?
- is the Vector carbon netting a "nice to have" or a significant part of the overall design and board structure ?
- is the 1/8 wood stringer a "nice to have" or a significant part of the overall design and board structure ?
- do you have some specific preparation of the EPS before laminating (to reduce epoxy impregnation) ?
All other information and advice about you build process welcomed !
I turn around the idea of building my board and try to remove road blocks on my way (like time needed as it may be the limiting factor), specific tooling, steps that could be skipped while maintaining the key performances.
JMF
Thanks
At least for the first two prototypes this build sheet will work. I now have 17 sessions on this board and the deck is dented all up which I expected. The test was to see if the small board will work for my style of riding (Yes it does) as I have no way to see or demo anything like this here in the SF bay area. I'll be lucky if it lasts the rest of the season before it starts taking on water( I'm hard on my board and sails). I'm currently shaping its replacement now and will use a stronger sandwich layup with corcell foam with a carbon layup using bags( more consumables$$ ).
As far as the stringer I feel the benefit is worth the weight as it give you a backbone to lock the boxes to. The places I foil have a lot of sea life and debris in the water that you can't see I hit a lot of things hard so a locked in foil is critical for safety and not to lose my foil $$ so yes the stringer is significant and the blanks are easy to get with them installed for me( Marko SUP blanks) .
I don't do anything to the EPS before glassing 1) Saw the outline 2) power planner 3) screen it 4) flexpad blue softie with 120 grit www.flexpadusa.com/8-inch-sanding-pads/8-inch-blue-softie-flexpad 5) install boxes and plugs 6) glass and hot coat 7)router out boxes, drill plugs and install pad 8) hit the water
The vector netting just looks cool and is cheap.





Thanks Gwarn for all your feedback. So this works well for prototyping, but may not fiot for final design and long during board. Maybe I'm less tough on my board and this could fit.
Overall I like this simplicity that allows for experiments :-)
JMF
Gwarn, this is a great aproach!
Thumbs up for prototyping! Plus, this board does look great.
Can you give more info on what conditions you use the board in? Rider weight? Sail size? Is it freeride you do?
I'm thinking about building a foil board next winter adn am currently foiling on a slalom board (Exocet RS 5.5.) i can imagine that quite a few are interested in how userfriendly such a compct board is.
Cheers,
Sven
Gwarn, this is a great aproach!
Thumbs up for prototyping! Plus, this board does look great.
Can you give more info on what conditions you use the board in? Rider weight? Sail size? Is it freeride you do?
I'm thinking about building a foil board next winter adn am currently foiling on a slalom board (Exocet RS 5.5.) i can imagine that quite a few are interested in how userfriendly such a compct board is.
Cheers,
Sven
I now have 16 days on this board in the last 3 weeks in winds from 16-28 knot in open waters of the San Francisco bay and delta with rolling windswell and chop. I'm heavyweight at 90-95 kilos sailing on a 4.1 or 3.8 Ezzy Taka power freeriding is my style.
Yesterday I got back on the ss105 and was shocked on how large it felt. My first observation was that the widest point of the board is to far forward ( the middle of the mast track) which causes the rail to hit the water and dig in while carving. On the 4'9" the wide point is at the front straps so when it touches down during a carve it doesn't hang like the 105 it just bounces back up because of the volume at that point is thick.
Waterstarting is easy it's getting the speed up so you can fly that takes time to master but after a couple of days no big deal the next board will be 6" shorter as there is no need to have anything in front of the mastrack. To be comfortable riding the CHUBBY boards you must like being powered up as it take some grunt to get it flying (which was already my style).
I hope this help
Any thoughts on a double stringer that would sandwich the mast and foil boxes? Its been a design concept I've had on my mind.
Would make salvaging those components pretty easy as well.
Other than under the feet are there other areas they fail?
Any thoughts on a double stringer that would sandwich the mast and foil boxes? Its been a design concept I've had on my mind.
Would make salvaging those components pretty easy as well.
Other than under the feet are there other areas they fail?
The double stringer idea will work it's just more work=time that's why I just used the old school style wood strips on the sides of the boxes my worries are from impacts not side to side as much. still can't hurt. Yes the deck under your feet is only place that needs hard foam under it as your front foot is never out of the strap.
This was a repair on a ss105 with a soft deck also added a new deep tuttle.

utcminusfour Just super impressed with your, and other's builds here! What did you use for deck grip?
anit slip additive for floor paint from Lowes!
Gwarn, this is a great aproach!
Thumbs up for prototyping! Plus, this board does look great.
Can you give more info on what conditions you use the board in? Rider weight? Sail size? Is it freeride you do?
I'm thinking about building a foil board next winter adn am currently foiling on a slalom board (Exocet RS 5.5.) i can imagine that quite a few are interested in how userfriendly such a compct board is.
Cheers,
Sven
Here's a quick little video of the chubby board waterstarting in the wind conditions i use it in.