how to build a surf mat?

Deck and hull skins done. Time to join them together with a few tabs around the perimeter.

Remember this is the inside of the mat that you see now.

When it comes to joining material the best tension is none.

Close to 100 handmade mats now and it's clear that building the best mats is more than just sticking things together, it's about the materials, the glues, planning, preparation, even how you approach the build.

Know your design, your tools, your self and move forward with purpose. Have confidence in yourself.

Here's the 105 I-beams or posts that I use to connect the deck to the hull, they form a very light and flexible system inside the surf mat.

With 105 different points to design with I can plot and create all the bottom contours - Single into double concaves,  concave into Vee, even asymmetrical, whatever. It's created innovation into surfmat design becuase I can customise surf mats into a thousand different designs. Just takes a bit more brain power to work out all the number so the curves and concaves are smooth.

 When it's at low inflation it's flexible but when you grip the corners it fills out to create the contours.

And then turn the mat inside out so all that architecture is on the inside.

This is sooooo ingenius:

Glad you dropped in John,   We've got 2 weeks of school holidays here so I'm hanging with my sons and then I'll start your mat. Gives me 2 weeks to do some minor R & D too.   I'll make yours and then stop hogging this thread.

This photo clearly demonstrates some far out creativity unseen in what might be called the world of normalcy...

Connecting the flexible posts to the deck side. 

 ( Second pic is from the inside of the inflated mat. You can see the strips are perfectly straight, perfectly aligned.)

Then pop in an inflation valve.

Then reinforce the perimeter with a vinyl edge strip. The strip completely changes the rail shape, instead of an inflated curve it becomes a peaked rail that allows the water to shear of with absolutely minimal drag.

Keep it coming......i think this thread is absolutely brilliant !!!...Im hopeing to try this soon myself.

Cheers

Spx

One thing I dont get though is how you glue the top layer on?...i.e what's the sequence? do you work from one end to the other in a "reverse peel" fashion?

Spx

Both techniques work, if you attach the deck and hull skins back to back, connect the strips to one side and then do the "reverse peel" to slowly turn the mat right side in and then attach each row of strips as you go.

On the other hand if you do the strips or I-beams from the inside to the outside as Monkstar said and then seal the perimeter.

There's another way with both sides being one piece and wrapping it around and sealing the ends. I'll do it that way next for Johns mat.

Just a few pics of the finished mat and it's differences.

Tapered and rounded outline.

Tapered thickness. Front 4.5"  Tail 3.5".

Ultralight clear vinyl front hull insert.

Peaked rails.

105 internal strips that create a hull that looks and feels like a Flat Bed of Bubbles . 

3 different weight materials... 120 deck / 70 hull / 30 clear insert.

You know you want to pull into a tube on it !!

I gave it away but had to promise to make another mat to get this one back. .

Thanks for the props guys, I've never seen anyone else do surf mat design like this but I hope the pro makers try my designs because they do work.

Especially the tapered/ rounded outline or plan shape. John Mellors surf mat is next so I'll do a completely clear model for him. Here's a pic that shows why all performance surf mats should be pulled in at the tail.

Just loving this, Surffoils. Brilliant. 

All the best

Thanks Greg.

I'll do John Mellors mat now, it's a much simpler design, easy to build and bulletproof becuase there's less glueing.

Pic 1/.  I have my designs on pieces of ply so I lay the vinyl over the design and mark with a pen where everything goes like the connecting strips and the apex of the rails and the overall dimensions. I've used tape so you can see where the positions are.

Pic 2/.  Then cut out the single piece that going to be the top, bottom and rails. And the connecting strips. There's 45 of them for this mat.

Pic 3/. And here's all the pieces ready to glue.

Pic 4/. At the end when you fold the sides over to create the top, the strips align with the positions on the bottom. Then you seal the ends and it's done. I'm timing how long it takes to build this one. This is 36 minutes.

Amazing work surffoils! Those clear mats are so rad!

Has anybody in the US found a good glue to use? 

Hi Josh, here's the stuff I use , it's from the US so should be easy to get for you. You must use the primer as well, it's clheap and you can get the primer from any hardware store.

 The internal structure is what gives the mat it's inflated shape, it could be beams / strips / wires but whatever you use it needs to be accurately done.

This mat has only 45 internal strips connecting the deck and hull.

They start as 1 inch wide flat strips, then define the height (4 inches) and make a folded tab at both ends to glue to the skins. To create the folded tabs, I use a warm iron. The vinyl is a thermoplastic so fold it, heat and hold and when it cools the fold is sharp and permanent.

Glue the tabs to both skins as accurately as you can and when you're done it's almost finished.

total time 2.5 hours.

Pic 1/ sealed the sides folded over onto the deck.

Pic 2/ Glued in inflation valve.

Pic 3/ Sealing the ends you can go 3 ways....Just glue the two flat pieces together.

Pic 4/  Same as 1, and then fold over onto itself. Really strong technique.

Pic 5/ Fold the ends inside the mat, looks cool, no flap.

This is by far the most comprehensive demonstration on mat construction ever... anywhere.  I don't think it's a topic that has even been considered for mass consumption. 

Incredible!

Can you put a leash on it? Or is that not appropriate?

All the best

Greg, I think I've gone way past what's considered 'appropriate' on a Surfmat.

But I could do almost anything requested. For the leash I'd probably add something to the outside rather than punch a hole in it somewhere.

I've done the 2nd sealing technique on the front and the 3rd at the back. The only difference with sealing the ends is that the middle will pull in and create a concave on the sides.

3.5 hours build time so far.

 And it's done. 4 hours build time.

Not a traditional mat, but John seemed fascinated by the other clear mat so he can have his own one now.

All the construction marking were on the outside so I'll clean it up, test that it's airtight over a few days and then take it down for a ceremonial baptism at my local beach and then post it off.

John, your surfmat is guaranteed airtight and ready to go.

I gave it a quick baptism in the shore here in Australia, then asked my teenage son to gently roll and wrap it and then he says he didn't wipe it dry so it will arrive with Australian sea salt as a garnish !

Should've put a leash loop on it because it kinda blends in with the wave foam. Hope you don't lose it  !

Hi Brett - Thanks so much!  Can't wait to try it!!!

Johns got his mat and I've built another one.

 200/70 D, curved outline, tapered thickness, flat deck/ curved tail rocker, staggered I-beams, variable rail radius.

Just the standard stuff.

Next one will be something really different.

Did a few in 2015, tapered mats with a thinner tail width.

Triple weight mat with clear hull.

Extra heavy yellow river rafting mat.

Thanks so much for sharing your exploration into the build side of surf mats. I've been mating for a little over 5yrs, and wasn't exactly sure what was going on inside my new favorite surfcraft.

Very interesting read, thanks again...

SMAD, That's great that you've enjoyed the thread. I whip up a new mat design now and then so if you've got an idea or want more mat build info, just ask.