Sunday 17 February 2013

WOODEN-STUFF


Well the French eco-socio bug that's flying around has had the better of me - and I'm pleased to be making the first of 3 new kitesurf boards. I've been reviewing the way I can make a difference. The first is an Alaia styled wooden board: paulownia wood, super light, super strong & I've managed to track down a supplier not far from Montpellier. No huge shipping cost in an attempt to be more green - that would be contradictory for sure.

Unfortunately it won't be totally 'nasty substance' free due to the fact that Kitesurfing puts a greater pressure on your board than regular surfing, so a layer of glass fibre is a prerequisite if you want your board to stand up to the rigours of kiting - I think...

I'm planning on making two hollow-chamber paulownia regular surf styled boards also, the second one for Kitefoiling. Hopefully they will prove to be a real buzz to ride and I'm looking forward to getting the boards moved forward relatively quickly. Thanks to Miquel for the materials and friendly advice - these surf styled boards will not require glass fibre due to them being thicker and more sturdy so they should be totally Eco - just a couple of coats of Yacht varnish to keep them watertight. Although the stresses on a foil board may make me reflect on that to make sure that the foil does not push through the board and everything falls apart out to sea!

So, Eco is really cool as far as I'm concerned; I don't recall how many boards I've bought, sold, broken and then they've finished at the tip making a contribution to the growing mass of consumer waste. The problem of waste that's mighty difficult to break down and get rid of, in an ecologically sound way is a growing threat to each and everyone of us. I'm doing my little bit and if we can all do a little then maybe we can begin to crack some of the issues that will have dramatic effects on future generations. Wooden boards will last a lifetime, can be modified or will break down in the natural environment - or on the flip side you can fuel the barbecue with the wood - mind you that would be a bitter pill to have to swallow after spending a good deal of time shaping the god damned boards ;-)

Rock 'n' Roll Radio for the 2013 Kite Boardz Project via 'Wooden-Stuff'.



Concave hull - ease of ride and some directional stability, I hope.

Alaia with logo - ready for 4oz glass and epoxy.