Building a Carbon Fiber Ripsurf

We’re back with entertaining Friday videos to share with you, and there is no better place to start than in our own Narwhal Labs makerspace where the team put a good old boatbuilding practice to good use: vacuum bagging. Using epoxy resin, carbon fiber, maple veneers, and a purpose-built mold, the team created a deck that combined the strength of epoxy and carbon fiber with the design that they hoped would allow the board to articulate like the “Ripsurf” they were imitating.  The Narwhal Team was answering a challenge posed by pro skateboarder, Ricky Glaser from Braille Skateboarding, who asked for an indestructible version of the board that he could try to…well, break! It’s a crazy build that made it all the way to Ricky who had a blast putting it through his not-so-gentle paces.

Catch today’s video of the week to check out the build which includes woodworking, CNC work, and even welding when Andrew bends some trucks to mount the casters. After that, it’s off the laser cutter to engrave some crispy graphics on the bottom of the deck and do some finishing with Halcyon Marine Varnish. It was a super fun and challenging project for the team who might have to take another stab at it in the near future.  You can go and watch the Braille Team as they receive the gift and then take the deck through the paces at their HQ in California. Enjoy another installment of the Video of the Week from TotalBoat and Narwhal Labs.