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Visibility of low-volume strapless board

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merl
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Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby merl » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:13 pm

I've got a low volume board that I ride strapless. It sits so low in the water it can be very hard to see - especially when looking towards the light. I'm sure it would be fine with a couple of brightly coloured footstraps, but strapless it is pretty much invisible in some conditions.

I thought about putting something on the nose (it is around 140cm so has plenty of nose). A rubber duck might be good but I have no idea how to make it stick!

Any suggestions?

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby Mossy 757 » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:35 pm

Spray paint it a dayglo color?

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby geokite » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:51 pm

I like the duck idea. Adhesive backed velcro, on the board and on the duck. If your lines hook the duck, duck comes off.
But then you gotta look for the duck.

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby jumptheshark » Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:01 am

Legit issue.

Struggled with both viz and buoyancy when going to low volume foil board.

Went with double thick bright green full deck pad. Worked out well.

Also generally just improved at keeping track of it since the big explosion phase of the learning curve.

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:19 am

Yes, impossible to find your board when it sits "in" the water surface, and as there is usally a bit of small chop it gets out of sight, and colours dont work if a flat board :roll:

I use a Rubber Duck - a hole in the bottom, a big washer or similar inside the duck, and then a screw through the deck with a washer/nut on the bottom :D

On a normal board, I would simply use a countersunk screw in a small plastic plate or painted/laquered plywood and stick it to the nose of the board with dual adhesive or contact cement (can be removed easily later) :thumb:

When you stick it like this, it can take some abuse when you hit it in crashes - which it would not if you try to glue or tape it - wont work...



It has to stick quite well even for a normal start, the board sinks deep :wink:

Rubberduck2.jpg



Yihaaaa!

Rubberduck3.jpg



10-4 RubberDuck Hero6 on a stick

Rubberduck.jpg

I have bought a bigger duck too, but havent used it yet as it works fine with the duckling above :rollgrin:

You learn to know where it is though, as said, so dont really need a big duck.

8) PF

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby foilholio » Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:20 pm

Is it a Duotone Duck?

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Peter_Frank
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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:14 pm

foilholio wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:20 pm
Is it a Duotone Duck?

I think it is a Yellow(s)tone Duck :naughty:

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby junebug » Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:12 am

Peter_Frank wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:19 am
Yes, impossible to find your board when it sits "in" the water surface, and as there is usally a bit of small chop it gets out of sight, and colours dont work if a flat board :roll:

I use a Rubber Duck - a hole in the bottom, a big washer or similar inside the duck, and then a screw through the deck with a washer/nut on the bottom :D

On a normal board, I would simply use a countersunk screw in a small plastic plate or painted/laquered plywood and stick it to the nose of the board with dual adhesive or contact cement (can be removed easily later) :thumb:

When you stick it like this, it can take some abuse when you hit it in crashes - which it would not if you try to glue or tape it - wont work...



It has to stick quite well even for a normal start, the board sinks deep :wink:


Rubberduck2.jpg




Yihaaaa!


Rubberduck3.jpg




10-4 RubberDuck Hero6 on a stick


Rubberduck.jpg


I have bought a bigger duck too, but havent used it yet as it works fine with the duckling above :rollgrin:

You learn to know where it is though, as said, so dont really need a big duck.

8) PF
:lol:

I love it!

merl
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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby merl » Sun Dec 02, 2018 3:04 pm

The solution I went with is cheap and simple but makes a real difference. You can buy a gopro float (designed to stick on the back of a camera housing so that the whole camera doesn't sink). If you get one from aliexpress or ebay it costs just a few dollars and comes with a 3m sticky pad.
IMG_2641.JPG

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Re: Visibility of low-volume strapless board

Postby Flyboy » Sun Dec 02, 2018 5:42 pm

Just don't use the ducky during hunting season.


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