Evolution Vs Revolution.

I have a lot of new mat ideas, lots of notes and prototypes, I even make small scale mats to test new ideas.. With this new Invisible Mat Ive designed it so its thinner at the nose and fatter at the tail, in tune with that are angled side I-beams so that at the mat gets thicker the rails get fatter. It's also a Tube Mat Design where the deck and hull are one piece joined on the deck instead of having a complete join all the way around like on conventional mats. Here it is with the nose sealed in a regular outline with curved corners. Its kinda hard to see what's going on with all the clear vinyl so here's a pic showing the 2 side I beams on each side and the two short nose beams. Ive got to finish a few internal tricks and then install the inflation valve and put a loop at the nose for a legrope. The mats covered in notations and measurements so I can replicate or alter the design as I wish. It can seem like there's a lot of science but it's all in the name of fun !

Making mats - Tube technique Vs Inside Out.

With a straight sided mat its easy to do a Tube technique construction where the top and bottom are one piece. Instead of two pieces joined with side flaps , it makes a better mat to wrap a single piece and create the form with a single over lapping join on the deck that's stronger than the flap joins. With any mat that doesn't have straight sides,you can still have a No - Flap shape and have any planshape you like by connecting the deck and hull together and then turning the mat inside out. The join around the mat ends up inside the mat giving a smoother look and a better interaction with the wave. For the Inside-Out technique, put the deck and hull together facing each other... Glue the edges together with a 1 inch strip... And then turn it inside - out. All the sides and the nose are sealed, keeping the unique outline exact with the I- beams inside and you've just got to build the tail shape, which for this mat is a bevelled Swallow Tail.

Making Mats --- The Flying Vee - Mat.

Theres always a new way of doing things, new technology, new materials but it all starts with a new idea, a new concept, a different way of looking at things. Ive always seen the mat as a bit of an undiscovered gem, something that almost everyone has had a go on but few linger to plumb the depths of its potential and every time I ride a mat I think , maybe theres more to discover here..especially with the design and then the performance. First up is the obvious outline, why does a mat have to be rectangular ?, it would be the only surfcraft I can (quickly) think of that doesnt have a curved outline, yet the outline dictates so much of a crafts performance. I looked at how some mats are made using a heat welding machine and theres a lot of heating elements and temperature guages connected to a metal heating bar and I guess it would be a lot of work to make 50 different versions to be able to do custom shapes. So maybe the outline of a mat is more about the constraints of the machinery than the physical possibilities. The Flying Vee Mat is just one concept that has brought about a different way of making mats, I wanted to get rid of the flaps around the perimeter of the standard mat, I dont like the way they look, they dont do anything but theyre a product of the heat welding process and no more. But how to remove them without altering the integrity of the mats strength...? Simple, turn the mat inside out. Its amazing it hasn't been done before. Heres the Flying Vee with the i-beams installed on one side.... So with the deck and hull sides against each other, now weld, or glue an inch perimeter around the top and sides. The mechanical difference between this technique and the Flaps Out technique is zero, both are based on "peel strength" but it matters nought whether the bond is outside the mat or inside.

Free Surf Mats !

Ive had a few people ask about buying my mats but I'd rather give them away. I'll make a few, hand them out and you can pass them around or do whatever with them. Here's another Invisible Mat that will find its way into your hands after Ive had a surf on it... Its a a Tube mat where both top and bottom are a single piece of material so there's no side flaps. If you're interested in getting a free mat as they're passed around or having a spare one sent to you, send me your email and I will put you on the list.

The Invisible Mat Strikes Back.

Fantastic sunny day here in Sydney, light off shore winds, around 30 degrees C, and uncrowded. Why not take The Invisible Mat for another surf...? Riding it without traction isn't easy so I stash a wedge of wax in my boardies and give it a few swipes every few waves. Overall the mats surprisingly easy to ride, in part because of the vinyl but it's also surprising because of the clear plastic and how it disappears when you're riding and all you can see is the flowing water all around you. Its cool but a bit freaky.

The Cult Of Greenough.

Mat making is mostly planning and preparation. Here's the I beams in on the bottom skin. I've never seen any artwork on a mat, apart from coloured Vulkem or printed fabric so I'm dong a spray to see how it goes. Tastefully done Sky Blue and Lime Green for that 70's feel when innovation was an everyday occurrence.... Part of Innovation is Experimentation.

Its what's inside that counts !

Now with the skins cut out its time to do the I-beams. The idea is to reduce the volume in the front of the mat. And by placing them in divergent lines it controls the shape across the width of the mat.

Alternative surfmat outlines.

The old rectagular surfmats are fantastic but what if someone did something different ? Part of the art of mat riding is evenly distributing your weight over the mats area to create an even layer of air to ride on, but why not pull in the front of the mat so you only need one arm forward to cover the area ? And why not reduce the area / bouyancy in the tail to reduce slipping on a steep face ? So I'm doing a swallow tail too. First create a paper planshape to transfer to the material. Funny thing about getting the right material, Ive used a few "waterproof" fabrics and I'm sure they are, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are able to handle pressuried air. Best way to cut the fabric...scalpel, and a steady hand.

See thru surf mat.

I'm amazed how easy it is to make a surfmat, there's only 6 pieces, the two main pieces are the deck and hull and they're the same shape, and the 4 I-beams match each other too. Its so easy but maybe I'm not doing it right ?! Here's the finished Invisibe Surfmat.... Glueing is a quick way of putting the pieces together, now I wish I'd made it a more complex design. I always try to do something different in each mat so I can test various ideas or concepts and in this one Ive used tapered I beams at one end and square beams at the other end. I found it to be a very stable and familiar sensation to ride, except for the view of the water surging like a tornado under the mat, its a bit of a maelstrom of many directions and speeds, but a very absorbing sight while trying to stay on the wave. Next time I go out I will take the GoPro to get some pics of the water flow through the mat. But I'm already looking at doing a new mat design. Here's the basic planshape and it will have no edge laps, 4 divergent I-beams and a tapered nose to tail foil.

Wraaaped in plaaaa-stic.

In go the I beams with a thin coat of glue. The margins that I'm glueing together are 1 inch wide, sounds slim but when I did the Materials Testing the fabric always rips apart before the glue gives way. In fact this glue has never failed over 5 years of making mats. First glue, and then roll out any air bubbles, too easy. I'm really going to be able to see the water flow under the mat. I don't think Ive seen anyone make a clear mat before ? There's so many new surf mat design Ideas to explore. For the next Ultimat surf mat I'm experimenting with tapering the I beams to get a different rocker and nose lift. . As well as incorporating a Flexible Front Frame. . And a few other new surf mat design concepts... Stay tuned.