Bodyboards discuss (the soft paipo)

[nomastomas]

OK... one out of how many bodyboard producers?

...This is technology is achieved by an AKU shaping machine, using process’ derived from the surfboard industry."

Yes, of course...doing one by hand would be exceptionally labor-intensive. That's the first I've heard of a bodyboard blank being machine cut. I wonder if the entire shape is CNC'd? Marko makes a foam called "iFoam", which is a secret mixture of EPP and EPS foams (said to be used in car bumpers) It is incredibly resilient. I would never attempt to hand-shape a board using iFoam. Finish shaping a machined iFoam blank is hard enough, even with a "high-resolution" cut. I once had an order for a swallow tail shape in iFoam. Aku is unable to cut swallow-tails, so it has to be cut out and finished after machining. Cutting the tail wasn't so difficult but finishing and contouring the wings was. After several unsuccessful attempts with a variety of shaping tools, I finally grabbed my 7" sander and attacked the tail. I finally started to see some results. I use a technique learned from watching my glasser sand surfboard rails; gun the disk, take your finger off the trigger and stroke the area needing sanding. The friction from the abrasion naturally slows the speed of the disk and prevents over-sanding. On one stroke, my timing was a little off and I was still pulling the trigger when the disk hit the spot I was working on, causing the disk to grab and skip across the deck. That would have been close to catastrophic on any other foam. But the errant disk just skipped across the deck without doing any damage. As I said, incredibly resilient.

[krusher74]

OK... one out of how many bodyboard producers?

...This is technology is achieved by an AKU shaping machine, using process’ derived from the surfboard industry."

Yes, of course...doing one by hand would be exceptionally labor-intensive. That's the first I've heard of a bodyboard blank being machine cut. I wonder if the entire shape is CNC'd? Marko makes a foam called "iFoam", which is a secret mixture of EPP and EPS foams (said to be used in car bumpers) It is incredibly resilient. I would never attempt to hand-shape a board using iFoam. Finish shaping a machined iFoam blank is hard enough, even with a "high-resolution" cut. I once had an order for a swallow tail shape in iFoam. Aku is unable to cut swallow-tails, so it has to be cut out and finished after machining. Cutting the tail wasn't so difficult but finishing and contouring the wings was. After several unsuccessful attempts with a variety of shaping tools, I finally grabbed my 7" sander and attacked the tail. I finally started to see some results. I use a technique learned from watching my glasser sand surfboard rails; gun the disk, take your finger off the trigger and stroke the area needing sanding. The friction from the abrasion naturally slows the speed of the disk and prevents over-sanding. On one stroke, my timing was a little off and I was still pulling the trigger when the disk hit the spot I was working on, causing the disk to grab and skip across the deck. That would have been close to catastrophic on any other foam. But the errant disk just skipped across the deck without doing any damage. As I said, incredibly resilient.

Apart from a few custom shapers round the world, 90% plus of the board come out of the nick mezrik (NMD) factory in Java. they make all the major brands boards, and seem to do all the R&D too, so unless they invent something new the boards just stay the same.

They are using the CNC shaping to do the latest quad channel , its funny because if you look at every major brads catalogue this year they all have a "version" of that same quad channel board.

See how many of the same board by "different" companies you can spot https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bodyb ... 34#imgrc=_

[nomastomas]

Great insight, Keith...Well, that pretty much explains the lack of progression in design and the "generic" quality of the industry as a whole.

[GeoffreyLevens]

If iFoam is same or similar to what I bought about 25 years ago, shaped in keels and concave paipo, it has tremendous float and really is bomb proof. Shape it and ride it, no sealing or coating of any sort needed. The outfit I bought the board from has long since vanished by the called it "automobile bumper foam". Extremely light weight too.

[nomastomas]

iFoam is described as a "closed cell" foam that resists intrusion by a liquid (both water and resin) I think water intrusion is a relative thing, with some foams (notably EPS) drawing in liquids more than others. I've shaped probably half a dozen iFoam blanks and I wouldn't attempt to use it in the water without at least a resin sealer coat. A sanded finished iFoam blank has this odd "fuzzy" quality which I believe are pieces of the EPP foam. The other problem is the EPS foam component which is notorious for liquid absorption (note: higher density EPS less susceptible, "pressure-molded" less susceptible; slab-cut, 1.5lb density most susceptible) If the board you described was "molded" (a.k.a pop out) then it probably had a thin skin or crust on the surface which is an artifact of the molding process. All foams created in molds, either from poured chemical mixtures or pressure-ized beads, have crusts. But...a sealed iFoam blank just might work....(wheels turning)

[krusher74]

If iFoam is same or similar to what I bought about 25 years ago, shaped in keels and concave paipo, it has tremendous float and really is bomb proof. Shape it and ride it, no sealing or coating of any sort needed. The outfit I bought the board from has long since vanished by the called it "automobile bumper foam". Extremely light weight too.

On the subject of foam, bodyboards use two different foams PE (polyethylene) cheaper boards which soaks in water. and higher end PP (polypropylene) with is non water absorbent (super cheap boards are EPS expanded polystyrene but the there the sup $50 board that should be totally avoided)

[krusher74]

Some "interesting" ideas here

https://www.riptidemag.com.au/2015/08/1 ... yboarding/

[CHRISPI]

I thought my boards were weird

[SURFFOILS]

Your boards are amazing Chrispi !

[rodndtube]

I see that Webs (aka paddling gloves) were on the list. I love them! And Webs were the best made of the lot. Today's paddling gloves, mostly H2O, have a nice family of warm water (finger tipless) to cooler water versions (thicker mm), but the production quality is very poor and the hand/fingers layout isn't much better. Most also have an advantage in addition to paddling and that is board gripping power and reef/rock protection (but not sea urchins penetration prevention!).

Having said that, I don't use my arms to routinely paddle out to the reefs, mostly just my swim fins/legs. Gloves are not a huge factor for me in catching waves as I rely mostly upon positioning rather than paddling like a longboarder to catch a wave. Gloves do come in handy for those sprints to get outside during ghost sets.