Clearwood VLZ 14*23

 


I was not able to budget for a new board this year so I decided to build my own. I found that Clearwood boards had an actual race board available so I ordered the frame kit in Dec 2017. It took a bit to get to me and had some shipping damage so Randy of Clearwood sent more parts free of charge.


I had to build a flat table to build the kit so I started with this which took a full weekend. After test fitting the the kit's ribs I decided that I wanted a little more deck in front of the balance point so I modified the frame to have another 10 inches of forward deck. This added another weekend to the build.

I was originally going to build the kit out of Cedar as it is easy to find but after a lot of research and calls to local exotic wood providers I found some Palownia. It took me some time to get to the supplier but it is a lot of work to actually put the frame together and make sure it is strait so I went to work doing that.

Well it took months to cut, router, plane, fit and glue the hundreds of strips needed to build the board but I finally finished it.

The board is only 23 inches wide with a very sharp bow and a tail of 12.5 inches wide. The bottom starts as a slight V to the mid point which reduces down to flat at the balance point and then starts to be a reverse V all the way to the rear where it becomes a channel.

I figured that it would be a little unstable so I decided to fit a forward ventral fin box.

On the top I fitted many options it has 2 FCS mounts and each one has a leash plug so that anything I put there will have a mount for the strap. I also fitted two venting leash plugs at each end of the deck and a manual vent as well. Lastly I installed 4 leash plugs on the deck for a bungee strap system.

The pad is a cork pad from Solace and a kick pad from Wave Tribe.

The first ride was great and I found that this is not just a flat water board with the ventral installed. I had a lot of people that came out to see the board and the wind had been going all day so there was 1 foot waves. I started to go into them and quickly found I was at 5.5MPH into the wind and waves. The sharp front was cutting the waves like they did not exist and the board was flying. I then decided that I should see what side waves were like and again it was not bad.
I then turned around for the small downbreezer and found that the board was catching waves and instead of hitting the wave in front it cut through and caught the next wave. I was having a blast and then it got even better as a huge boat had gone by and produced 4 foot wakes. I turned, caught and surfed the waves with ease. The board has some rocker so it is not bad when you get back a little.

Overall I am very happy with the board. It is a little heavy at 39Lbs with all access and fin but it is bombproof. Also there is almost no secondary stability so you have to stay alert and the ventral is an advised accessory.

The speed is very good and I am now at 5.6-8mph average in waves and winds and around 5.8-6.3mph in flat. On my JL Rail 26.5 in the same conditions I am at least .6mph slower.











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