YPC

Shaping the POD ........

The POD is mostly viewed as a component that houses part of the running gear (Motor and drive shaft) and weight to self right the board.....this is true. However !.....the POD can also be designed to play an integral part in 'how the board rides'

Placing the motor as deep in the pod as possible helps lower the CG and reduces the prop-shaft 'thrust line' angle which intern reduces the inclination of bow-rise....

By now you would have watched the 'explanation video' discussing the bigger pod's effects on the ride and you would have seen the POD's results working in the surf video's.

The POD is really the only part of the Board 'in' the water so its shape clearly will effect the ride - Lift - roll - turning - attitude.

Try not to 'oversize' the POD......its a game of Calculated Guess work until you get it right....remember you can always add size onto the POD after you have built the board - BIT - you cant take size away...I now have templates of the POD shape and size I find works well for this board, to ensure I hit the mark every time.

Bro

YPC

Deck Laminated - decal area pre whetted out to ensure good saturation.

NOTE - the wife's Credit Card in the second Photo - makes for a great squeegee and reduced debt at month end.........LOL

bricedenice

hello dom,

you shape very fast ! do you use epoxy or polyster ?

what is the size of the pod: length, width and height.

i want to build a new rc custom next time.

YPC

Howzit Brice.....thanks for pulling in...........

Knowing what shape I want and having the templates makes it that much quicker......oh yes ! and having done it a few time.......LOL
..currently I am using Polyester clear laminating resin....6 oz cloth over polyurethane 80 kg/cube high density foam

The Pod is 320 long - 80 mm wide - 30 mm high (un-glassed)

Custom is the way to Go !

Bro !

YPC

Glassing the pod on....

Precise accuracy is all important here when glassing the pod onto the board, as the POD is effectively the boards keel (center line)l - the part that is 'in the water'.......if the pod is skew - the board will run skew - measure then measure again !!!!

I use 'hot glue' to tack the pod in place before glassing. Run tape around the perimeter about 10mm out to keep the joint neat and consistent

The POD is also the most vulnerable part of the board as it takes the most impact -regularly hitting kelp and any other objects in the water. I use 3 layers of 6 ounce cloth when glassing the pod on. At the front end, rather than 'stretching the glass' over the shape, I prefer to cut and lap the glass at the front, to build up the strength to effectively 5 layers of glass.

When layering the second layer of glass, place the woven pattern of the cloth at 45 digress to the first layers pattern - this will add to the overall strength of the pod.

When I get to hollowing the pod out - I leave foam in the front end to aid with its overall strength.

Be sure that their are no small air bubbles in the joint - use the tip of your finger and run it around the perimeter to push all the air bubbles out.

Once the glass is semi dry - use a sharp blade and trim the glass around the pod about 8mm out. Sand the joint smooth only once the glass has completely cured ( next day)

You can see the Wrapped glass from the deck layer around the rails which will be sanded once the resin has cured well (24 hrs)

bearcave

No worries Bro into it as we type..... havin trouble finding resin suppliers that will sell me stufffor under100+ boards but lol.

Inow havea basic shape similar to BarrEls and yours mainly because it is similar to my kyo but way different regarding the width point.....thinkin a cana inspired tail and.......well its a mission as a newbie first one will be a basket case anyway so lets see what happens

Little steps at a time should get me happeneing for the future boards and way looking forward to a no leak deck and hopefully many other little things i think could be changed for the better.

btw i stuck some relevent stuff on RCU including a very sick aeroplane..... thinkin a Bro kit with everything in the box is a great idea.

Latest info all good Bro........... bc

YPC

Finishing the pod and applying the filler coat.....

Once the laminating resin has cured well (24hrs) sand all the surfaces smooth - starting with a 40 grit - then a 60 grit.

To fill the back end of the Pod ( drive shaft housing exit - I use a quick set epoxy mixed with 'cotton flox' ( fiber shavings) to give it added strength.

Once that is complete and squared of neatly - I mix up some resin to coat both sides of the board ( filer coat) filling in the cloth pattern - overlaps and rough sanding.

Allow this coat to dry thoroughly ( a day or two) - do plenty of 'other work' on the board in the meantime.

YPC

Creating the Housing !!!.......

Planning time !..........before you start carving out the Housing - MAKE SURE ! that all the required running gear components 'will fit'

Personally - I don't like a 'big housing' - the more perimeter you have around the hatch cover, the more bolt down studs you need - I also feel that a big housing cover detracts from the look of the board.

Lay all the components out on a piece of paper placed on the deck and plot the shape around it....then make a template....

Whilst doing that- figure the best position for each components to achieve your desired CG ( I run a CG around 40% from the tail)

Once you have the correct size and template ..........mark the housing out 'very accurately' to the center line of the board.

Start by rough cutting slightly inside of the line - remove the fiber layer - carefully carve out the foam - neaten up the perimeter to the marked line - ensure square /neat /smooth housing walls so that the fiber glass can bond to the walls effectively.

I don't cut the foam out of the pod 'just yet'- first I glass the inside of the housing .


The last picture is of the PIN line a ran around this board which needs to be done 'before' the filler coat - tried something different - to look like a rope mold......

YPC

Glassing the inside of the Housing !!!.............

How you glass the inside of the housing is the 'key' to the housings overall strength.

The base of the housing and pod carries all the weight of the running components and any added lead- so if it is not bonded properly to the side walls 'it will' start pulling away from the foam at the bottom. When the board is surfing - jumping - landing - as the board is pushed upward by the water - so the weight tends to travel downward ( opposite reaction)- placing a large amount of force on the hull within the housing - it needs to be strong 'well glassed structurally'.
With the added layer 'inside', bonded to the side walls - the housing's bottom surface is now 3 layers thick - with the added structural strength of the Pod's peripheral joint running through the center - its a very strong area all round.

I do this glassing process part before I cut out the pods foam, as it is easier and neater for me. Make sure that your cloth fits snug and accurately inside the housing - pre-cut your lap joints around the walls in any of the radius's to ensure that their will not be any air pockets beneath the cloth. Wet out the deck area first and then spend good time whetting out the cloth onto the walls of the housing. Make sure that when you wet the walls out, that you wet just over the edges, so that you create a good bond to the deck edge and that you can trim the cloth of neatly once it has semi cured.

Make sure that in the corner where the deck and wall meet - all air bubbles are pressed out.

When you trim the edges - don't sand it down 'until' the flow coat has been applied and dried.

YPC

Cleaning out the Pod and 'flow coating' the housing !!!...........

Once the resin in the housing compartment has cured, it's time to remove the foam from the POD.
As with creating the housing - simply rough cut the fiber glass within the perimeter of the POD's lines - leaving at least 15 mm of width both front and back, to ensure the hull strength.
Remove the fiber glass layer and carve out all the foam - With my boards, I leave a portion of the foam in the very front (nose) of the POD to add to the strength, as this is a vulnerable area and takes most of the impact when in the water -from kelp - debris - sand - stones - etc

The depth of the POD (30 mm) will allow me to fit the motor deep down into it, lowering the vertical CG and reducing the props thrust angle.

Once I have cleaned out all the foam - sanded and neatened up all the edges - I apply a coat of white 'Flow Coat' (wax infused Gel coat) to the inner surfaces of the pod and housing to neaten it all up.

The rough brushed on 'filler coat' on the boards surface will still be sanded down once it has cured well - then to be finished with 'Hot Coat' which will bring the final product to a gloss surface once sanded and polished.

bearcave

Great info Bro please don't delete anything i'm not takin notes hoping your how to stuff will always be here on the RCU....?  

Anyway i cant enlarge the pics espec the tail of the pod in post 32 to see more....... my eyes are bad i need to see more.... bc

YPC

Howzit BC....pleasure mate !

Cant 'all be work'...... a man needs a break !!!

I had two great sessions this weekend -Lisa-Marie filmed this morning session down at Long Beach.
Had to surf the spot to the left of the main peak, known as Boneyards ( plenty of Rocks and Kelp) - had a great session !
Strong side shore wind driving up the wave face.

This was a nerve wrecking session - it was quite far out (camera on full zoom)trying to stay away from the shallow rocks at the end of each ride (at the bottom of the frame) was a constant challenge as well as surfing through the kelp ridden water 'with a plastic prop'.........LOL

Enjoyed the bigger face waves - good length of ride on some - 3:10 - 3:27 was a classic (a good 17 seconds)
Had some fun surfing in the shore break when I came in.....this board handles the big and small - tight hollow really well....

Nothing broken........Phew.!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI_tyysaZGM Some 'moments in time' the last picture is my favorite !!!!.......LOL

Picture #4 really demonstrates the boards authentic 'lean' as I am pulling a bottom turn around the white water....

YPC

Thanks for the great encouragement Guys !......one week in - '820 views and a 5 Star Rating'
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/foru...smode_1/tt.htm
I do hope that this thread helps each person in some special way to achieve realizing their ********.........please PM me for more info should you need it - or e-mail me at [email protected] !

Creating the 'Deflection Rim' around the housing lid.....& making the housing Lid....!!!

I no longer 'mold' my housing lid to a curved deck profile on the board. I find it easier and more practical to keep the deck area over the housing 'flat' so that I can layup the housing cover on a flat surface - the other consideration is 'if you damage' or 'lose' the housing cover you will not be able to mold a new one once the housing has been created, as you will need the profiled deck as a template. Keep it Flat ! ( mold the layup on a small sheet of glass using a release agent)

Building a deflection rim around the perimeter of the housing lid helps tremendously in preventing water being able to be forced between the deck and the lid seal.
When penetrating a wave or landing after a big air - the amount of water pressure is immense. Having the rim as a deflector, effectively deflects that pressure away from the seal, eliminating any water intrusion.

YPC

Installing the housing's threaded fix down studs....!!!

This NEEDS to be done just RIGHT !!!!

Don't try to minimize the securing points. The lid needs the adequate fixing points to achieve the 100% required seal and to avoid any flex.

I use 4mm Stainless steel threaded Studs - measuring the full depth of the board + the required portion that needs to protrude, making up for the seal thickness/lid thickness/knurled nut. ( in my case 40mm)

Always soak the studs in a 'de -greaser of sorts' as often they have a oil coating on them which can contaminate the bond.

I drill the hole the same diameter as the stud - using a stopper gauge on the drill bit to ensure I don't drill through the board.( it can happen really quick......LOL)
A wide stopper surface area also helps to ensure that the drilled hole is perpendicular to the flange surface, presenting the studs 'straight'

Ensure that all the holes are accurately marked out 'using the lids holes'. Masking tape keeps the area clean of excess glue.

Once all the holes are drilled - I use a syringe to inject the 'slow setting' epoxy into each hole - forcing the epoxy into the foam to create a good anchorage.
A 12 hour epoxy is great as it allows the epoxy to saturate into the surrounding foam within the drilled hole.

Using small off cuts of silicon tubing on each stud - I set the length of the required protruding portion for each stud.

When placing the stud into the hole - rotate the stud as if you were screwing it into a threaded nut - this will draw it down into the hole whilst coating its threaded area with the epoxy.

Clean up any excess epoxy around the hole and leave the masking tape in place until the epoxy has fully cured.

When cured - remove the silicon tube - remove the masking tape and clean around the threaded area with a sharp blade to remove any small amount of epoxy.

I then drill the 4mm holes in the lid out to 4.5 mm to ensure a easy fit over the Studs.

I use Nylon/Plastic Knurled nuts - work well as they have good surface area and IMO - they look good.......


Pictures from a previous build.

YPC

The Seal !!!

Due to the 'deflection rim' a 3mm X 15mm Neoprene stick down seal works extremely well.

I stick the seal to the lid, as it is easier than trying to work around the protruding threaded studs and when it needs to be replaced, its far easier working on the lid.

YPC

How to figure out your required running Gear - Be Sure !!!

Knowing what size motor and battery combo to run in your board 'is important' and YES !......you can figure it out before you 'purchase the wrong stuff.

It all starts with the 'size' of the board. Unlike any rc boat - a ******** has the added required function of needing to Self Right. Given this requirement, the board needs to weigh a certain weight for this function to be carried out 'automatically'

To describe the automatic Self Righting function in Brief:

When the Board is 'upside down' at 180 degrees, the collective buoyancy of the surfer Dude ( Bro) will rotate the board through the first 90 degrees, so that the board is resting on either one of its side rails. At this point, the weight of the board is all IMPORTANT. If the boards weight is to light - the board will rest on the water surface 'on its rail' - not being able to sink down deep enough to rotate.

For the board to rotate through the second 90 degrees - The board needs to be heavier enough to sink down to just past its center line-nose to tail ( Rotational axis) so that the surfer dude can then initiate further rotation and the submerged side of the board will then surface around the rotational axis - Righting the Board.

So ! - How heavy your boards needs to be to self right- will determine what motor and battery you should be running.

To calculate your boards required weight to self right, I use the basic formula for Buoyancy = Volume (m cubed) X water density (1030 kg)

Remember ! we only need to submerge just more than half of the board.

To calculate the Volume of your Board that needs to be submerged = (length X breadth X thickness) x (estimated surface area of the boards total shape) divided by 2

I'll use my board as an example : (0.71 X 0.21 X 0.03) X ( I estimate the surface area of my board to be 85% of the rectangular dimensions) divided by 2 = 0.0019 m cubed

To calculate the weight required to sink the board 'half way'

Volume X Salt Water Density - 0.0019 X 1030 = 1.95 kg's

So for my board to self right effectively it will need to weigh at least 1.95 kg's to do so. Given this info I can now decide on what motor/battery combo I will run.

You will notice if you play around with the calculation that the 'thickness' of the boards Dims effects the required weight resultant the most....the thicker the board - the more weight you will need to overcome the buoyancy - the bigger the motor and battery will need to be.

Some motor/battery Guidelines relative to the weight of the board .....working around a optimum rpm of 30 000 so that a small prop can be used to reduce rotational torque.

1.5- 1.95 kg's - 3500 kv 2s

2 - 2,5 kg's - 2900 kv 3s

2,5 - 3 kg's - 2200 kv 4s

3 - 3.5 kg's - 1650 kv 5s

3.5 - 4 kg's - 1400 kv 6s

The final weight of my board 'surf ready' is now 2.2 kg's...the extra added weight is for it to perform better on the wave face - especially when it is windy. I average 20 minute run times. Always allow for the probability of adding further weight to your board to improve balance and performance.

Rather over spec than under spec the combo - the harder the motor and battery work - the more Amps you will use = LESS RUN TIME !

bearcave

Bro its not till you actually start to build one that this stuff is important hey...

Dave Reece's radio waves vid helped me with the kyo/nqd scene as does Maui Johns vid now...... even with many hours of research within the forums i'm thinkin you need to have the finished elephant in mind before even starting one cut as one wrong move at the beginning may not be good end of build hey.....

Anyway i'm not just cutting grass between hibernating i've actually made a start even though its hard to get a simple build happening with so many variables that need to be sorted now before cut cut cutting and glassing things wrong place hey.
This new 28' board will be using most stuff i already have (motors esc dude props) and also still just fit in my carry box..... it has many dimensions close to yours but mainly a test to maybe rectify the shortcomings in my kyo/nqd's.

Btw my fav Bro vid was the session between meetings/pants changing....... latest thump test and boneyards vids have now pushed it to equal 2nd...... and just for laughs here is a pic of rough cut board blank i'm hoping to make work..... could be a while but ......lol.

bearcave

YPC

Howzit BC.........well done !!!!.....you have STARTED !.......it will be a journey of great reward.....like you say.......always keep the Goal in sight.
That's what I hope my video's do.....keep the vision burning......its hard to visualize these little guys doing their thing......you have to SEA it to beleive it !!!!........LOL

The size 28' lenght IMO is the right size for so many reasons - It can ride both big and small surf, very comfortably - the truth is for the most of it we only get to ride 2-4 foot face because when its any bigger you have Surfers 'all over it' - the running gear is not that pricey - you can still achieve a good size surfer dude on it at 13" tall - most of the bigger boards only have dudes 1" or 2" taller... then board to dude size ratio becomes out of sink.

I like your Shape !...... don't stop !........lets get those rails dialed in.......glassed both sides.......deck hollowed out &.....&.......&.......&....before you know it......you will have your very own CUSTOM ******** !

If you are going to use a motor over 3000 kv with a 2s set up - you may be on the 'High Load' end of the scale. You would have to go quite slim on th ethickness, even shorter... I would recommend a motor below 3000 kv - 3s set up for the 28"

Keep the thickness 'lean' as close to 30mm as possible - otherwise you will need to weigh in closer to 2.5kg's which starts getting heavy, even for a 3s set up.

Keep the posts coming !!!

YPC

Surf Session !.......cant all be just work !

Howzit Chaps..........I got some work done on the build this morning......... glassed Bro's 3D silhouette core - molded his Head - laid up the housing lid.
I will post more details and pictures of the above process's 'soon'

Just had to hit the beach this afternoon !..........2-3 ft perfect face sets - with a light offshore breeze, tickling the lip...........the occasional pod of dolphins passing through the back line......an absolutely amazing surf session.......certainly made every build so worth it !!!!.

So sorry Lisa-Marie was not with to film any of it.

Bro !

bearcave

Hi Bro.

I think i need to get the bottom shape happening first and have a question regarding rocker shape hope you can add your thoughts.....

Would i be thinkin right that your board has nose rocker from front of pod... fairly flat in the length of the pod.... then a touch of tail rocker from end of pod back...... and are you running any V on the tail?

Any info welcome regards bearcave

YPC

Howzit BC

Kind've as you say it .....its important to achieve a good transfer from rocker to running surface to rocker !.....effectively - its one curved shape.

bearcave

thanks bro... curved but effective like a dolphin hey... bc 

YPC

Hi BC - its the Pod needs to be 'streamlined' line a Dolphin - 'excuse the PUN'...........LOL

Got this one done - now for the hardware and running gear !.......before the Gloss Coat.

YPC

How I make my Bro !............

As most will say........making the Surfer dude can be the hardest part of the build. I have taken the trouble to make a mold for Bro's body and head, to make the process easier - quicker and the look consistent with what I have.

Since doing some initial R&D and realizing the stress points.....Bro's construction has proved to work extremely well.....I am fearless surfing him in any size surf - hitting 'close out' sections flat out, charging at size of white water - not to mention the Big Big Airs !

Bro is constructed by molding a 3D silhouette center core of Glass Fiber and Carbon Fiber, which is rigid in some arrears and flexible in others. Then laminated with 15 mm Black neoprene on either side.
His head is molded in a split flange mold - using Polyurethane 2 part foam and gel coat for the face. Once painted, it is coated with a layer of clear epoxy weighing 7 grams.

Once complete - Bro weighs around 150 grams all in.

YPC

Making the Housing Lid !!!

Use 6 layers of 150 gram chop strand - finished with a layer of woven 6 ounce cloth.
If you place a decal as I did - place it in between the last layer of chop strand and the woven cloth.

I prepare a surface on a piece of Plate Glass - Polish it with release wax and then coat it with a PVA release agent.
Only make the size you need - this using plenty of glass and resin - about 300 ml's to wet it all out.

I mark the profile and center line of the lid on the opposite side of the glass so that I have a reference when whetting the glass out and placing the decal.