Sanding the fin

I attacked the fin with 180grit. It will get a final sand when I'm ready for the glass!

Roughing the fin

I laminated the fin using hardwood & 19mm ply. In this shot the fin is rough shaped via the electric plane.

Awaiting the fin & glass job

The nose has been blended, the total board sanded with 320 grit. All to happen now is shape the fin, final sand & glass job! The 316 stainless steel bung assembly has also been fitted. I'm quite happy with the overall shape considering if one was to cast their mind back to the 40's - 50's period, designs of surf craft were still in early stages. It was only between the late 50's and early 1960's when longboards took more of a identifiable shape. The only modernising that took place was to decrease the overall width by 60mm. This will assist me with wrapping my arm around the board when I carry it! (I have short arms and it will be heavy).

Nose Block

With the rails shaped, the tail block fitted, it was time to fit the nose block.

Tail Block

After fixing both top & bottom decks I laminated the tail block, fixed it to the tail, shaped and blended it ready for a final sand.

The Top Deck

The top deck skin glued on viewed from underneath.

Fixing the top deck

After building up the rails I had enough meat to allow me to glue down the top deck.

Main Frame Construction

After a winter of research I concluded that the typical Okanui Longboard of the late 40's & early 50's consisted of the following;

* Almost no rocker.

* Minimum 10 ft in length.

* Nose mounted bung assembly.

* large "D" type fin.

* Laminated nose & tail blocks.

*Either a tooth-pick style shape or a more parallel construction with bull nose.