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This speedy, hollow surfboard if. nottdat; mot* than a shallow ixitiUxm. Light. sirue.turaliy strong end Ylrtunlly -.inimitable. So groat Is the saidr factor that h racy be uriojitnd ax standard lifesnvine: equipment.
SIZE AND nXA3IING
F\>r a. person of 125 to !W0 lhs, wcieht, the standard-size board Is desirable. This ir. 12ft. lOin. lonfc, hat & uiaximimi width of j2hu and a wiiXUrmun depth of 5 O.'Sln. This model will stand heavy duty In snrf and will neigh from 7<1 to 73 lbs.
Timber will, unfortunately, be rather a problem. The ideal would bo spruce Tor the frames and nuihoKaivy for The plunking. We sueeesfc you tulk the matter over with your local limber merchant and let nun suggest the hose subitltutca he can supply.
1 and; 2 show general details ulld Sizes uf stock. The framework oousiaia of transverse braces or rtbe, s bow and a stem Mode, and stde.t or rails tn hold these parts in place. Pip:. 3. 4 and 6. Two lateral battens ex¬tend tluwn the centre or the train* to form a scat lor the centre scams.
The rite are fastened to the Side rails With headless copper nails, Pig. 4, countersunk and covered w:rh putty. Thi? allows ribs to pull froc from the sides of the board ■■ hp.-i expansion of the decks lakes place alter a few weeks in the water. The expansion ot the docks Amount* to about 3/8in, on each ts:dc. The. rib. therefore, must be free to leave the rail that much. This maV.es !t vrisc Jo omit the deck screws through to the ribs trans¬versely, until expansion bus uuclirred in the water, Other-wtse the screw* may pull loose. However, by deeply cour.tcr-Mtikirig and covering the screws, they will tend to bemd with the expansion uf the decks and not show Iwm the outside of the board, tine to struccursl features, however, the former procedure is recommended.
Sides lake the curve pf the board without steaming. Clomp-, easily bring them into position, The grain of the bow and stem blocks should run with that of Ilia decks. Tlits is important, *>o St allows all part* to swell equally in all directions. Sides are fastened to bow and stern lihicks with 21ii. flat-head brans screw*.
DECKS
IDocltf; (top and bottom'of the board • eon be cui from t piank J3i«. wlde,U4ft, lone and Itn. thick. Uiniu Umber of this width st is necessary w select each plank, very rarefully. Dec&s sliauld be fastened lo Lh<: frame Kith Hat-hcad brass screws spaced 2ln, apart. The centre batten seam and the rail joints art* taped and onsred with marine slue when awemftllng. Screws should be countcrsanV: and the h.ilcs plugged to makr a r.eat Job. Use a Waterproof casein idUe Under the screwhole pluirs. A hole to drain the water Is located near the stem, and each rib is notched no form limber holes on each side of the centre batten. The etern handlers made of A:n
brass tubing tilled with surd and bent so shape 5n a vise. Puckine the tube with sand prevents fluttenine. at the bend. The ends are flattened, Jet Into the stern flush and fastened with screws The bend should extern! about 4UL past the stem.
PHKCAUTION5
Special care must be taken in fitting decks, for instance, the line down the centre battens Is straight bat, due to the convex shape of the lop uad kol-orr. of the board, tho seam edge of the planklns describes an arc. One way to get the proper curve a w> clamp one plank to the frame,
Seavioi: both ends in proper position. This will leave the middle of the plank out of plumb. Now fasten a chalk linn nt both ends of tnr. plnnk nnd snap tt to mark the curve. Without ti form on which to oisemblr; your bo.vrd the dJSnculty of bending dec* and bottom p'.ankhij{ to the frame. tTansverscly._ can be overcome by uving the clamp and caul methxid-' shown in I'm. f>. First you set die damp and drive home a few screws, thvn advance the
clamp and repeat the same operation. It « wall to examine the plank.*; carefully before you clnmp them hi plsce. Look out for surface checks or any irregularity in the grain that might cause the planks to splir; under the presuco Of the clump, or later ciu. when Eezsc:tl:£.
Another thing to watch is the equal spaei:^ of the screws oi:d nails. ITniforjniry in spacing lends to Cqtahsv stresses on loth pUsnSine and framiue fiurtnar tho pcrtort of seasoning.
FINISH
Decoration or the board with scrollwork or designs otter;, an outlet for one's artistic tnlent. Some prefer to Irr.ve their boards plain, cotislderiug the gr=iuinir, of the wood to he sufficient decoration. If you are fortunate enough to secure good planks you enn usually mnteh the grain to form a pleaslnc figure. Ttus should be dene when placing dcc*s in pnsttlon to band-saw to the curve of the board. Waterproof paint may he. used to protect the inside of the hoard, while three coats of spar varnish finish the outside, leaving the bofird rcahy for the water.
An final word to Lituse who are unable to secure the. timber they would Jtke Tor the Job. The desicn of this board is xocd—it has been proved fAst Rnd manoeuvrable. If the worst comes to the worst, file this article away until timber-times are better.
Tc will still be a fiood surfboard in years to come.