How to Construct Plywood Kiteboards

A kiteboard is like a surfboard that uses a kite to windsurf. Designing and making a plywood kiteboard allows you to create the board any shape or size you wish. Unlike manufactured boards, these boards are custom made to fit your body and are much less expensive to make than to buy. Plywood kiteboards are durable and sturdy.

Things You'll Need

  • Pen
  • Paper
  • Measuring tape
  • 3/4-inch marine-grade plywood
  • 2 sawhorses
  • Saw
  • Sandpaper
  • Drill
  • 4 galvanized bolts and nuts
  • Epoxy
  • Paintbrush
  • Rag
  • Closed-cell foam sheet
  • Scissors
  • Rubber cement
  • 2 straps
  • Eye bolt
  • Polypropylene rope with clip
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw a design for the board's shape. Kiteboards are available in an array of shapes and sizes. Kiteboards commonly range from 54 inches to 64 inches long and are 16 inches wide. Scale your drawing down to fit on a sheet of paper. Normally, a scale is used whereby 1 inch equals 1 foot.

    • 2

      Set up the sawhorses and lay the plywood flat on top of them. Sketch the design of the kiteboard on the plywood either freehand or by using a projector. With freehand drawing, you mark the shape of the board on the wood and use a measuring tape to ensure the dimensions are correct. When using a projector, you scan the picture into a computer and use the projector to make it larger.

    • 3

      Cut the outline out of the plywood with a saw. Cut in the direction of the grain and sand down the edges until they are smooth.

    • 4

      Remove the board from the sawhorses and lay it flat on the floor. Stand on the board as you would if you were using it, and mark the location of your feet. Stand at least 1 1/2 inches from each edge.

    • 5

      Put the board back on the sawhorses and drill holes 1 inch from the outside and inside edge of each foot. Each foot has a hole on each side, making four holes total. Paint a coat of epoxy over the entire board. Let the board sit overnight to let the epoxy dry.

    • 6

      Remove any uneven or rough parts of the epoxy with sandpaper and use rags to remove any dust. If you are going to paint the board or add decals, now is the time to do that. Coat the board with epoxy again and allow the epoxy to dry.

    • 7

      Measure your feet and create foot pads with the closed-cell foam. A foot pad can be a simple square, a circle or any design, such as a flower or giant foot. Draw the foot pad design on the foam sheet, and cut the design out.

    • 8

      Cover the underside of the foot pad with rubber cement and press it onto the board where the foot pad should be. Measure the foot from the outside edge across the middle of the foot toward the inside leg. Cut two straps, each to that measurement plus 4 inches; 2 inches of strap will go on either side of your foot. Many common items can be used as foot straps, such as seat belts, tie-down straps or backpack straps.

    • 9

      Slide bolts through each drilled holes. These bolts are run through the foot pad and strap. Place a nut on the end of the bolt and tighten it as much as possible.

    • 10

      Screw the eye bolt to the board about 2 inches from the end. Eye bolts are threaded like a screw on one end. Attach the rope to the eye bolt and place the clip on the other end of the rope. This rope is attached to you while you are boarding so that the board is not lost in a big wave.