CKB LIMITED EDITION PROTOTYPES
2012 Kiteboards & Landboards
In 2010-2012  I concentrated on some fun projects, sponsoring a
few riders and also a few repairs and 8 carbon landboard blanks
( for riders to shape their own landboard designs ).
Some details of the fun projects & repairs are described below.
Follow @ckboards for current status reports or
Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/CustomKiteBoard

Click on pic below for link to some 2004-2010 archive pics


2012 Kiteboard Development 
 
Three 130 x 41boards but with differing flex patterns                
The grey one was found to be best  and from video analysis it was
interesting that water pressure release in the form of spray was
directed at the inside of the rear fins deflecting it towards the centre line.
Perhaps the aeration of water at this point was the reason for the
test riders descriptions,,,"easy to plane and get going, fast and it
was buttery over chop, like floating on a cushion of air but with great
upwind ability and pop... better than any other board I have tried."

the white the grey and the black

145 x 45 Low Wind Board

The large area and flatter centre rocker with slight lift at tips should
help in low wind conditions. To be tested.

GENERAL POINTS OF INTEREST

   
To avoid problems with insert pullout I moulded the Stainless Steel
(A4 Grade) inserts into a 6mm thick laminated carbon block this
was cut to size and embedded in the core and lay-up of the skins.

Durasurf was used on the base and Graphite/GF loaded Epoxy
rails cast on the Herex C71 core

   
The prepreg was Aerospace grade (MTM46) which I have not used
before and gives a finer plain weave with less resin content.

3-D shaping of the core and UD Carbon Fibre was used to control
Flex patterns in the 3 boards.

2012 Land board decks
  
I tried some spread tow prepreg to increase stiffness in a  centre box
section area.                                                  
                                                                                    
                                                                                    


6.0mm Cross-section with alternate UD & BD weaves & 0.7mm
Durasurf base. Lower number of voids with the MTM46 resin in the
woven fabric than expected due to 3-4 intermediate vac pull downs
during lay-up.

2010 Land board  LBXX

Using a solid carbon deck of medium flex I incorporated the truck
mounting system into the deck itself.
The Kingpin is Titanium and goes through the deck.
The pivot cup is held in an enlarged thickness tip.
The trucks are Version 001 solid carbon with Titanium stub axles
and about half the weight of commercial ones but still compatible with
the skate mounting system.
The stub axles use shims and a SS circlip set in an annular grove to
locate the bearings with the help of a medium strength retaining
compound to allow bearing replacement. These were originally  developed
to be used on the carbon hubs I made in 2008 with Polymer bearings.
(Version 002 trucks use the locknut and threaded axles to be compatible
with standard bearing fit.)
The grab is solid carbon with a dense EVA foam bonded during the prepreg cure.
( probably could do with an extra layer of less dense foam for more comfort).
The footstraps are EVA foam pads with nylon straps held by a carbon
buckle attached to a Kevlar-DuraSurf strap and carbon L-shaped plate bolted
to the deck with standard 2 cm spacing of M6 SS engineering screws and
nyloc nuts.
The deck is relatively thin and has a thickened spine section which runs into
the truck area to give torsional rigidity.
It is also not as waisted in the centre as other boards I have made.
The deck has a slightly lower COG than those using standard commercial
truck mounting plates with more flex at the tips due to the varying graduated
thickness used in the foot to tip area. Spin rate is high due to reduced mass
of trucks and  stability at high speeds wasn't compromised due to thickened
box section spine.

Tip detail with Carbon/Ti  trucks running on MBS Twistars, T3 tyres and
12mm bearings.  Carbon-Kevlar Footstraps

Feedback reports:  Jon Hayes  2010 CKB Team Rider


26th Sept 2010
"LBXX is standing up very good after initial problem with the trucks, ...
but they're holding up fine, had a light wind session on Saturday and the
board performs amazingly with the pop it delivers, and on Sunday super
powered in 28mph on 13m Venom 2.
The board again performs amazingly, pop is mental when joined with the
big wind conditions, was awesome fun. The board was ridden hard and
stood up well, the deck and tips are showing no signs of weakness, and
the trucks are also standing up fine to some pretty big jumps and kiteloop
transitions so all is well :) also hit 36.6mph on LBXX on Sunday in the big
winds, was good fun, deck performs outstandingly in all areas.."

13th Nov 2010
"... the proto is still holding up fine, riding and looking sweet as
it did when i got it from you new :)"

Jon Hayes 

Prototype 2010 137 x 43 Wakestyle Carbon Board
Object: Increased flex at tips for press type tricks and prevent chop dig-in .
Maintaining rockerline between bindings under load.
Finless with channels for grip on flat landings. Stiff centre tucked rail for
good grip & pop but smooth in transition.
Slidable Stainless steel inserts for flexible binding positions both stance
and boot width.
Full carbon with solid carbon tips  to allow length reduction for customisation.
Graphite/Epoxy rails.


Ronix Cells mounted on slider fixings

Rockerline ( 2.5 inch at tips)

   
Tip detail showing concaves and channels Still needs a bit more work.
Specifically:Avoidance of sharp transition from stiff area to flexible area by
tapering carbon thickness more. Increase of channel depth and re-model of
rail to stabilise edge grip.

Video frame grabs:  Branson Testing at St Annes.

Prototype 2010 Kite Specific Wakeskate
Object: Cheap ( sub 100 GBP) fun board to use up surplus Epoxy Resin and
other material.
Spec:
Size: 118 x 41 cm
Weight 4.5 Kilos
Concave: 3.5 mm at centre tapering flat towards tips
Rail profile radius 3.0 m
Durasurf 0.7mm base with carbon tips
Laminated Marine grade wood & Herex C71 core
Lamination bond: Black pigmented prepreg Epoxy Film
Top surface: Textured Black pigmented Epoxy ( Grip tape or EVA to be added later)

   
Jon Cook giving it a short test.                                                    

Video on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/18271472

    
Prior to edge finish  showing textured Epoxy grip (Grip tape later added)

Cross-section of lay-up with black Epoxy

2011 -  Development of 3-D Concave for top surface

2010  Limited Edition Landboards
LB56 Use of coloured carbon weaves in lay-up

 
Rectangular blank prior to shaping 

LB52 fitted out with MBS components prior to shipment to USA

REPAIRS

Helping out  friends with broken boards I managed to salvage a Cabrinha
Custom  using stepped repair process.

 

 
  Aggressive "testing" of repair by Jake & Branson in Antigua

Saddleworth, Diggle Weather Station and Live Webcam  HERE

Live weather console (needs Java enabled)  HERE