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built your own equipment?


hbrew

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Has anyone on this forum built a kneeboard, wakeboard, or waterski? I would love to know more about the process.

I used to build all of my water skis. Of course that was 30 years ago in high school. I used the wood shop to build several jigs that were variations of the Connelly Hook. We tried all different kinds of hardwoods and designs. It was a lot of fun. You basically hand laminated the thin strips that were wet and glued. You placed the boards into the jig and clamped everything tight for a couple days. We then cut them to shape, finish sanded everything, applied a resin type finish and installed the hardware

The skis lasted several years. Those were the good old days.

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This is a little off topic but I have one of those old wooden Connelly Hooks. Not sure what year it is but I haven't had just the right opportunity to try it yet. Maybe that will happen this year... eager to see how it goes :unsure:

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this isn't exactly building one. but one time i took the trucks off of a skateboard and tried to use it as a wakeskate. it didn't work very well.

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I built a wakeskate about 5 years ago with a foam core and carbon shell.

What kind of foam did you use? Do you have any pics?

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Has anyone on this forum built a kneeboard, wakeboard, or waterski? I would love to know more about the process.

I used to build all of my water skis. Of course that was 30 years ago in high school. I used the wood shop to build several jigs that were variations of the Connelly Hook. We tried all different kinds of hardwoods and designs. It was a lot of fun. You basically hand laminated the thin strips that were wet and glued. You placed the boards into the jig and clamped everything tight for a couple days. We then cut them to shape, finish sanded everything, applied a resin type finish and installed the hardware

The skis lasted several years. Those were the good old days.

Yes to have all the time in the world again, what I wouldn't give for that!

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I'm convinced that the equipment you use is AT LEAST 50% of the experience.

Ever go from crappy equipment to good? Or from the good stuff you're used to to crappy?

People will ride with me and say, 'I've tried to board before, but couldn't get up.' Come to find out they were using a Walmart board and were being pulled behind a 1970 era jet boat with a 454 in it, using a slalom rope. Strap a good board, nice bindings and solid handle with a static line, pulled behind an inboard from a tower - does the trick every time.

My dad used to have an old woody slalom. Man that thing was heavy. He'd bring it out when the water was choppy and cut through anything.

I'd think the experience of making something would be fun, but riding it would be something else.

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as our season starts to wind down now Cry.gif i am going to start mucking around with some gear. the main one building my own hardshell boots. wall mart $40 special style bolt them to HO plates and bobs your uncle... if i like the feel i think i will get the goodes Thumbup.gif i would like to release if need be.

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I am actually making a skimboard for my year and a half son. There is an article in this month's waterski magazine on making your own ski. Not very detailed and pretty discouraging.

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I'm convinced that the equipment you use is AT LEAST 50% of the experience.

Ever go from crappy equipment to good? Or from the good stuff you're used to to crappy?

People will ride with me and say, 'I've tried to board before, but couldn't get up.' Come to find out they were using a Walmart board and were being pulled behind a 1970 era jet boat with a 454 in it, using a slalom rope. Strap a good board, nice bindings and solid handle with a static line, pulled behind an inboard from a tower - does the trick every time.

My dad used to have an old woody slalom. Man that thing was heavy. He'd bring it out when the water was choppy and cut through anything.

I'd think the experience of making something would be fun, but riding it would be something else.

I can appreciate that, I've come to be a big believer in quality equipment (IME, a good boat driver is more important than the equipment that you're using, but that's a whole 'nother discussion). But I don't think that's the point here. I've rebuilt skis in the past. Why? Because there was a certain sentimental value there & because I enjoyed it. Could I have gone out & bought something a lot better? Sure, & eventually I did. But the experience was as much of it as going out & using it. Growing up we tried to ski anything we laid our eyes on - 2x4s, round pieces of plywood (much harder than it sounds), couches, picnic tables & most recently some cousins actually got an old refrigerator out behind their boat & skied it (yes, it floats). So trying to make something to ski is part of the challenge. It's been a long time since I've personally done something like that & I kind of miss it.

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Resin over a 1/2 inch plywood round (3-4 ft diam) and bring along a resin chair....makes for a nice ride until you hit a wake or two. Biggrin.gif

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