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Tyrant 6'1 strapless version - lots of heel dents?

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Created by omg > 9 months ago, 19 Jul 2012
omg
276 posts
19 Jul 2012 4:35AM
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Hi guys,

I used to ride and still own the 2011 Tyrant 6'1 and loved it so much that bought the 2012 version but found it heavish and switched it to the strapless version which is verrrry light but also gets dents really easily.

So I know that SS reckons that it shouldnt be used for jumping although Patrick Rebstock (hopefully spelling is correct) jumps them all the time and also breaks them (I saw one from TDZ's video). Anyways, I noticed that even when the board is on the floor and then stepping on it, it will get a heel dent by doing so. I weigh 78kg.

So should I put one layer of glass under the front foot or not? I will be using this board for strapless airs, and there will be some heavier impacts as I grab the board during the jumps and so on. I just like the feeling of the lightness and responsiveness of the board, it's amazing, and I would assume the extra layer of glass under foot wouldnt destroy the board, but what's your take on it? I believe the same heel dent "feature" is happening with the BWS's boards?

Thanks and good winds!

radman4
678 posts
19 Jul 2012 6:40AM
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An extra layer of glass won't help much,my boards are triple layer 6oz on the top decks and on my strapped board i jump it just like my tt ,board is heel dented but is still solid as in the dent,you would have to reinforce under the glass and would add more weight,it's a bit of a tradeoff strength for weight,although any board is gonna heel dent with my 95kg landing on it constantly from a great height,haven't managed to break one yet though

CarlBevo
NSW, 609 posts
19 Jul 2012 1:14PM
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If you can get used to it try using deck grip under your front foot, feels rank for 1 or 2 sessions but you soon learn to love it, i would never use wax for kite surfing again and more and more crew are crossong over to full deckgrip.

No bare patches no waxing before each session = less hassell for the same if not better grip.

The deck grip will take some punishment out of hard landings but heel dents are just something you have to live with - with all boards if you want to do big airs/jumps on a surfboard, unless you want a heavy dog of a board with little performance.

As Radman said with strength the trade off will always be performance and weight, its been seen over and over again in the surfing industry.



omg
276 posts
19 Jul 2012 5:15PM
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thanks. Yeh I assumed when I bought the board that it's not the same durability as the normal structure, but it was much lighter and therefore weaker than what I expected. It's now like a normal fragile surfboard.

So therefore I was thinking about putting an extra layer of glass under the front foot. The front foot pad you mentioned is great, I have been using them since the beginning of my strapless career, and like them a lot. I only use wax for the grab area and I need to add that once in every 10-20 sets.

Would I ruin the board's qualities by putting a stripes of thin glass under the front heels or the structure?

COL
NSW, 550 posts
19 Jul 2012 9:54PM
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So you did end up exchanging for the strapless version. I didn't realise there was that much difference. An extra layer of glass in a localised area is going to make no difference re performance, minimal weight penalty. But it also may not provide too much benefit? I don't know how they've reduced the weight? lower density core? Thinner balsa layer? Lighter glass layup? Maybe omitted the glass under the balsa alltogether. It would be interesting to hear from someone in the know? Carl?
cheers
Col
BTW I was for a time using booties to ensure enough grip, but deck grip is the best all round solution.

omg
276 posts
20 Jul 2012 2:14PM
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about the construction:

I can tell that the area just in front of the back leg pad is soft, you can make a dent with your thumb even when not pressing too hard. The area of the front foot is fortunately a bit more solid so there is some difference in structure along the board.

Anyhow, I pushed really hard with my thumb on the front foot area and managed to make a smallish dent as well. Therefore I was thinking about that I will add a 40x10 cm stripe of glass on both sides where my heels would be when riding and landing from a jump. Then I put a deck pad over the front foot area. The only downside of the deck pad is that it hides part of the beautiful board.

radman4
678 posts
20 Jul 2012 3:57PM
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Man that sounds soft I would def reinforce and use a double density deck pad ,prob would of been better off with the heavy duty version

CarlBevo
NSW, 609 posts
21 Jul 2012 9:05PM
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The front pad area has a layer of divincell to strengthen the board but minimize weight, if you look hard you can see a darker area that's the divincell . I had a proto with full divincell deck but it did add some unwanted weight for the strapless version so they went with the footpad.

richswing
WA, 724 posts
21 Jul 2012 11:25PM
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I had an idea a while back to strengthen boards, rigid layer sandwitch ed between to layers of high density foam to make up deck pads that you stick down as per usual.

The problem is finding something light enough which is strong enough to distribute the force over a larger area - only thing i can think of is carbon fibre or kevlar or some plastic.

Fibre glass would work with a bit more weight.

I have some 2mm cork sheet arriving shortly to make deck pads for my SUP and kite boards, may try it with that.

Rich

vendeavours
VIC, 361 posts
22 Jul 2012 10:24PM
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I am trying on my boards 15mm rear and front traction pads which will be made up with 2x layers, hard and normal pad.I hope this may help but i asume strapless ridding 15mm would not be suitable? I have a sample pad and looks good but soon will have new pads and hope it helps

omg
276 posts
23 Jul 2012 3:49PM
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Hi,

15mm is to mind way too much for the pad.

Update on the board: I laminated under the front foot pad strips of glass and went riding. I was out yesterday and no sign of dents. I didn't land too hard, but so far so good.

Riding wise, the board is a bit more locked in feeling and more hesitant to turn compared to 2011 version. I guess it's partly due to 2012's lower tail rocker. I really digged the 2011 due to its looseness.

taxi
QLD, 416 posts
9 Aug 2012 9:09AM
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OMG l would add a extra layer of glass right across the whole deck for added strength if you intend to pop little airs , mine has multiple stress fractures in front of back and front foot and am having it repaired...

omg
276 posts
9 Aug 2012 2:23PM
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thanks for the feedback Taxi.

I did put glass under the front foot pad, but didn't put on any in front of back foot pad.

One question; how do they repair the deck in your case? Do they take off the glass from front to back foot or just laminate more glass on top of the damaged areas?

Thanks!

taxi
QLD, 416 posts
10 Aug 2012 8:32AM
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I think there laying two extra layers of 4oz glass straight on top ...

default
WA, 1255 posts
10 Aug 2012 11:52AM
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CarlBevo said...

If you can get used to it try using deck grip under your front foot, feels rank for 1 or 2 sessions but you soon learn to love it, i would never use wax for kite surfing again and more and more crew are crossong over to full deckgrip.


Hey Carl, where are you getting your front foot deckgrip?

CarlBevo
NSW, 609 posts
10 Aug 2012 7:50PM
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default said...

CarlBevo said...

If you can get used to it try using deck grip under your front foot, feels rank for 1 or 2 sessions but you soon learn to love it, i would never use wax for kite surfing again and more and more crew are crossong over to full deckgrip.


Hey Carl, where are you getting your front foot deckgrip?



I look for longboard or sup grip it's pretty exy most of the time but if you look around you can find some reasonable priced stuff some places sell it off the role you normally have to cut it to fit

taxi
QLD, 416 posts
12 Aug 2012 6:27PM
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By the way I'm not happy with the slingshot warranty,30days,that's it, other wise tough tittys, unlike north I've been told you snap'm and they will replace it,please let me know if I am wrong about this...

CarlBevo
NSW, 609 posts
12 Aug 2012 9:50PM
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Hi taxi

I feel your pain snapping or creasing a board is always sh!tty and I will try explain some things about the strapless tyrant - its a performance board and with performance as you would well know it comes at a sacrifice and that is always strength. The strapped tyrants / celeritas are a different construction and much tougher. You just like me have probably snapped surfboards in 1 foot surf but taken a multitude of 10 footers on the head and worse and not snapped or creased a board, its the roll of the dice

Surfboards just don't have the longevity that twin tips do thats probably why its only 30 days I know SS twin tips hold a one year warranty I would be surprised if any kiteboards company would replace a snapped surfboard unless there was a clear construction falt, just like your local shaper wouldn't warranty a surfboard you snapped or creased the second you walk out the door you would of felt the difference of the tyrant to any kiteboard the second you picked it up it feels exactly like a surfboard not a heavy pig. That's why it rode better than any production kiteboard on the market with their straps removed.

taxi
QLD, 416 posts
13 Aug 2012 9:41AM
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That's a valid point but to happen so soon,bad luck I suppose....

Jedibrad
NSW, 526 posts
13 Aug 2012 10:44AM
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For reinforcing the front foot area i wait till the heel dints are in and put some 6oz pads there then 2x4oz over the whole mid section of the board. I squew the weave so its more like divincell, and most importantly use epoxy resin.



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