Why Build a Hollow Wooden Surfboard? Wooden long boards are coming back in style and with the prices so high it would be easy for the hobby surfer to be left on shore without a long board to paddle out on. Many surfers are surprised to hear the a wooden longboard can be made for $100 in materials and the material can be purchased at local home improvement stores.
Though they are slightly complicated to create yourself, it IS absolutely possible for the average wood worker. They look great and have the classic style of the original boards built hundreds of years ago but are much lighter with new materials, new tools available and hollow design not seen in the early longboards.
One of the most notable differences between the old surfboards of the wood longboards of the modern day is the hollow construction or chambered construction. The surfboards can be built longer and longer without the extra weight. Paddle boards or "SUP" have become much more popular than the early models in the 60's because of the light weight from hollow construction. Foam core longboard surfboards will always be lighter but wooden longboards can come reasonably close in weight and still provide the classic style most surfers and long-boarders want. What makes these boards so light compared to the original longboards built so many years ago? Instead constructing the longboard from solid Koa wood, these boards are built with a hollow core or chambered construction. The inside of the board looks more like a modern airplane wing that a surfboard. Even though the frame weighs less than you would think, when finished with the decking, the board is as strong as or stronger than most foam-core or solid wood boards.
Many surfers like these wooden longboards when compared to mass produced foam-core longboards because of the wow factor of them and the bragging rights in saying that they can build their own longboard surfboard. With regular foam-core surfboards or longboards you can airbrush them with any design imaginable, but these hollow wooden surfboards can be built and designed with beautiful wood inlays and stained designs that are completely original and custom to the builder of the board.
A variety of shades of wood, shapes and designs are available and limited only to the long-board builder. When making your own board, wood is also much easier and much more forgiving to work with than the foam boards. Some kits are available on the internet for wooden hollow boards but after shipping costs and shipping time many people may choose to just build a longboard using plans that are available for instant download. Your friends will be impressed with your home made surfboard when you show them how to build wooden longboard with full size plans.
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