ifr you have the photos saved in your ‘my pictures’, or in your ‘my documents’ part of your computer , just click on the photo after clicking on ‘browse’ and ‘upload’ , below …
much easier than the ‘photobucket’ way !
…well , at the moment , anyway [touch wood] , it sure works for me !
Its still early days with testing but the strength of the seam is still based on Peel strength whether the seam is inside or outside.
There are benefits to having the seam inside…
the mat has a sharper, cleaner look,
the outside flap can be abrasive on your forearms when paddling
without the loose skirt around the perimeter I’m feeling better control from the mat.
But there’s other improvements in the mats as well, they all have thinner rails at the nose and fatter at the tail. Need more time surfing to work out why they ride better.
ive got a newly built, best ever foil setup that’s been sitting at the front door for the past month, but Ive been so focused on the mats that it will have to wait.
Once I dive in to a concept there’s so many variations that come to mind that a lot of other projects get pushed onto the back burner. I’m sure that’s the same for a lot of us here.
i still reckon the best inflatable is the hard deck ones I did a few years ago…
Hi Dave, the invisible ones are cool to ride, after a few waves you don’t see the mat and its more like flying above the water, and on the paddle out you can check the fish and reef under you !
I didn’t think the clear mats were a big deal but Ive had about a dozen requests.
Its easy to make whatever shape you like with glue, I get it from a nearby inflatable boat shop and it costs about $5 for glue for each mat.
I was going to build a heat welding setup but for each shape you need a different frame with heating elements , transformers and temp probes. There’s usually a straight line frame and a 90 degree curve frame, so it’s OK if you’re only doing rectangles but I wanted to do more with curved I beams and custom planshapes.
Ive yet to try the new foil but its day will come soon.
Nup, OK, let’s try the ‘Add a new file’ box below…
Well I can post pics now but not arrange them.
The 1st pic is a 44" X 25" clear vinyl “Invisible Mat”, pinched rails for better wave penetration, tapered I - beams.
No. 2 pic is a material mat with internal perimeter flap joins, divergent I - beams, swallow tail.
Pics 3 and 4 are of another invisible Mat, 1.5 in. Nose to 3 in tail thickness., convergent I-beams, increasing rail volume, ‘Tube Body’ construction with a single piece. Swallow tail again.
you think its funny I have an inflatable boat store in my town …?
Within 5 kms,
there’s about 20 boat shops,
about 15 surfboards manufacturers,
10 beer hotels,
and two strip clubs.
The material I use comes from a Marine Fabric Supplier ( on the same road as the boat guy) named Bainbridge International, they have hundreds of different fabrics, I just pick stuff I like and see if it works. About $25 per mat. The glue comes from the boat guy who builds IRB for the local surf rescue guys. Works out about $5 per mat. The inflation valves Ive stolen from my kids discarded toys. Free ! ( or you can pay $20 each offa the 'net) There’s a lot of ways to bond plasticised material together…heat… Ultrasonics…but Glueing is so simple, so quick. And for experimental craft, its a no- brainier for ease of use and economy. If I was doing a commercial enterprise… Well things would be different, but I can put a mat together in a day no problem. I had the best day surfing this inflatable beast today… Crumbling monsters rearing up out the back… Rolling in mechanically to hit the bank, and then pitching up and morphing into head high hollow freight train tubes down the line …!!
You take off on each wave knowing its not going to end well…but hey…
Lurking around a sail loft today, talking about fabric shapes and the guys suggested I use seam seal tape for the surfmats. Love a new idea !
So I’m into the next mat.
100 Denier material, royal blue and orange, and I’ll try the tape, if not as the permanent connector then just as a positioning aid and then finish each join with a line of glue.
Hi Wildy, I would consider standing but it would need some modifications to do that, maybe keep the material hull but add a solid deck. Ive made one of those already but its only 42 inches and it would be a challenge to stand up on. Maybe Cpt Caveman might give that a go …
Personally I’m in the mat groove, learning its subtleties and getting in synch with the craft. But I’m also experimenting with how to get more from beyond a rectangle of fabric. Nose rocker works on a mat but you have to thin the nose out too. The swallow tail is the best because I can use my inside leg to control grip on the face. I don’t know why nobody ever tried all these variations. Funny that Greenough was an innovative and creative guy, he’s handed on a legacy, and then mats just stopped…?
Ben, yes the waves were rolling in at Sth Fresh that day, but none the next day.
Australia, “a land of drought and flooding rains”… Its not summer unless half the damn country is on fire !