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Plywood paipo with a bodyboard shape

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 6:59 am
by zensuni
Hi there,
This is a short video of a nice small session, using a plywood paipo with a shape based on a 42' bodyboard.
The test is positive, at least for small waves, the board being big (I would normally use a 40' or 41' bodyboard), it is fast and easy to catch waves with.
I can do cutbacks just like I would on a bodyboard. Of course, being made of wood, and being flat, it is a bit faster.
I didn't try but it is probably possible to drop knee on it. The superman stance works quite good on it, especially when the wave has some push.
https://youtu.be/I1_-LVLZRmc

Re: Plywood paipo with a bodyboard shape

Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:35 am
by zensuni
Another video of the same board:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsMpssHrLwA

I wanted this board to be a good fit for small days, but as someone said in the youtube comments, when the wave slows down the nose generates a lot of front spray, pushing too much water, no good I guess. So, I 'd say the board easily catches small waves, but to surf them the nose might be a little too wide, I don't know. Or maybe it needs some rocker !

Re: Plywood paipo with a bodyboard shape

Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 5:14 pm
by zensuni
Hi there, I built another plywood board, still the same bodyboard template, but a this time a little longer (47"). And I rounded the nose corners.
I applied yellow paint and varnish, I am actually quite happy with the way it looks:
paipo.jpg
I had a quick test ride Today. Due to my "no rocker" policy, late take offs can be tricky.
The extra lenght doesn't make catching wave easier, maybe it just push more water.
But, once on track, it is actually faster down the line. Less front sprays. Also I feel like the longer board provides more rail in the water, seems to hold a little better.
So, I still don't know if the extra lenght is good or not, it depends of the kind of waves I guess.
Here is the video of one wave I catched :
https://youtu.be/75whNNuUPBc

Re: Plywood paipo with a bodyboard shape

Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:58 pm
by Nels
Looks like it went good to me. On my plywood paipos, also with no rocker, I found easiest entry was to catch the wave early, much earlier than on a bodyboard. As to spray, yes, mine also put spray out but it always was out to the sides or off the more open rail. Never into my face, for instance, which can be a hassle with handboards or mini-paipos.

Watching this sort of makes me want to try a longer board...maybe in the new yea.

Nels

Re: Plywood paipo with a bodyboard shape

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2017 3:48 pm
by zensuni
Nels wrote: Watching this sort of makes me want to try a longer board...maybe in the new yea.

Nels
Then maybe you should ;)
Another interresting shape I have tried is the english belly board, narrow and long, it has kind of a bodysurf feeling because the board is narrower than you, yet its lenght allows long glides, works great in gentle peeling waves like this:
https://youtu.be/sWiZBOoAkgE