Gladiator Surf Racks

[Mrwick 65]

Nice little off-season project Rhunt!  Looks great!  I truly respect someone who takes the time to build projects like this on their own!

[RhuntIII 555]

Finally got a board on the racks. There was a little wiggle during a vigorous shake that I was not sure about. I need to water test soon.

[InfinitySurf 302]

Awesome!!

[DrNate 426]

It shakes the whole tower for sure.  Water test definitely needed.  I wonder if the whole bracket was a little shorter if there would be less play in it

[RhuntIII 555]

11 hours ago, DrNate said:

It shakes the whole tower for sure.  Water test definitely needed.  I wonder if the whole bracket was a little shorter if there would be less play in it

Probably so but using the hinge fitting set the height, I could not go any shorter.

[Getssum 10]

On 3/5/2018 at 6:29 PM, RhuntIII said:

Probably so but using the hinge fitting set the height, I could not go any shorter.

Now that you have your angles set, I'm wondering if you could lower it by going to a custom piece that is the same angle as the hinge fitting.

I wonder at which point the play is coming in. IMHO it is hard sometimes to get the knob screws as tight as you can with a tool.

Also wonder if you flipped the board if it'd make any difference as the bungee/strap would be more at a curve vs the sharper edge of the rail.

All in all, great work and you are at the final tweaking stages!

[RhuntIII 555]

The water test went great. I didn't even notice the racks shaking, I mean the whole tower shook while under way. I'm good with the height @Getssum It made it real easy to use the zippers on the bimini and the longboard was up and out of the way when entering and exiting the back of the boat. 

I'm not sure what you mean by, "flipped the board?" This is how I have always carried my boards on the vehicles. The play seemed to be from the way I widened the racks with the flat metal and not the hinges, those are tight. 

Thanks for compliment and your opinion, seriously it's good to get feedback and bounce ideas off one another.

[Nick213 583]

Nice @RhuntIII glad to hear everything is working great!

[Getssum 10]

By "Flipped the board I meant put riding surface down, as the bottom rails on the boards that touch the water are typically more rounded than the top deck. Glad to see it is all working out though!

 

[RhuntIII 555]

7 hours ago, Getssum said:

By "Flipped the board I meant put riding surface down, as the bottom rails on the boards that touch the water are typically more rounded than the top deck. Glad to see it is all working out though!

 

Coming into wakesurfing being a "real surfer" we transported our boards this way to keep the wax from melting in the direct sunlight. When I see boards carried in any other fashion than upside down and fins forward it looks wrong to me. I like the way the boards hang off the back, less board up front to catch the upwind too.

[Jlagos 23]

Never understood fins forward. I always thought it would put alot of pressure on the fins to try and twist the board so the point turns front forward. Is it meant to catch a board on a tie down strap if not secured down properly?

[RhuntIII 555]

On 4/11/2018 at 10:27 PM, Jlagos said:

Never understood fins forward. I always thought it would put alot of pressure on the fins to try and twist the board so the point turns front forward. Is it meant to catch a board on a tie down strap if not secured down properly?

This is how we carried boards on our cars and trucks over 20 years ago and the elders before me. I assumed it was because of the updraft from driving. More of the board was hanging off the back this way and the straps were pretty close to the riders stance, not sure if that matters. But most importantly the boards were transported upside down to keep the wax from melting in the sun. Old School surfing habits I guess. 

[RhuntIII 555]

Did I just write the same thing twice!? I have never experienced any type fin twisting or cracks around the fin boxes. Some board twisting when it was a helluva cross wind. 

[DrNate 426]

I grew up Ocean Surfing too but always transported boards upside down due to the wax thing but always nose first.  To each his own