Surfing with Kids (part 1: mod your longboard)

I have two daughters and I'm excited to get them surfing. Last summer when I was in Hawaii I saw a mother and her two kids catching some waves with a rescue surfboard. The rescue board had hand straps at the top and on the sides, which allowed the kids to hold on while they were on their stomach riding a wave. The straps also allowed them to easily hang on to the sides while they were floating in the water.

I had a couple of extra longboards that I thought would be easy enough to add some straps to, but it took me a year and a half to get around to it. I was getting ready to send these boards off to Hawaii where they will live as I don't expect them to do much surfing around here in the cold shark infested waters. Sharks are also an issue in Hawaii, but it seems that Tiger sharks in clear water are a bit smarter than Great Whites in murky waters. I also think that since the Tiger sharks are primarily looking for other fish and not seals, we look less like their targets.

Step 1 What you'll need

A longboard or any surfboard you want to add straps to.

Resin

G02-0125 - 3 Pint Kit Resin Research Epoxy 2000 w/ 2100 fast Hardener

Windsurfing foot strap plugs. These ones come with washers and screws.

R65-5491 - Single Post Foot Strap Insert, Northwest Surf Products

Drill with a one inch hole drill bit.

1" nylon webbing. I bought mine at REI.

Comments

[robinrdpro]

Great instructable!
Another way to make a small hole in nylon fabric or webbing is to heat the end of a nail and push it through the webbing, melting a small hole which seals its own edges. Make sure you hold the heated nail with pliers so you don't burn your fingers! To heat the nail you can use a torch, or gas flame on the stove, etc...

[pdotec]

Use a soldering iron to melt a hole thru the webbing. 

[Kiteman]

Nice idea.

My boys fancy the idea of surfing, but that's the North Sea out there. They have to wait until they can afford their own holiday to Hawaii.

[CamWaite]

i went to guernsey this summer the surf was great there for a first timer like me(i'm 14)

[Chard]

i was recently at teesside university and surfed at saltburn a fair bit. if you get the day right (look at this site for week long predictions) it provides decent waves. there is also a hire shop and school on the beach front and the beachbreak waves are perfect to learn/progress on!

message me if u want any more info on surfing the north sea :)

p.s. get a wetsuit. i went in feb without a hood or gloves and didnt last very long. noot a good idea for the littleuns!

[ll.13]

Isle of Wight.... fantastic place!

[omnibot]

Indeed!

[Chard]

check out a documentary called sharkwater. it will make you love sharks! did you know your more likely to be killed by a soda vending machine!

[lebowski]

You're more likely to get killed by a lot of things than a shark. But I'd rather not get bitten by the man. I have been in the water during an attack here in Northern California. I was surfing in the same pack as the guy who got attacked, but had paddled to the next peak about 30 minutes before it happened. My buddy and I were the last people in the water, since we didn't see the attack. By the time we were paddling in, the rest of the crew and the victim were already on the beach. If the waves are good, you don't think about it, but when you are waiting a long time between sets, sometimes it's hard not to think about it.

[Chard]

fair point! surfers are definately a target as the shape and paddling motion resembles that of an injured seal. that said i still love sharks and have swam with reef sharks and even a hammerhead in the bahamas (see pic)! that said im with you and i definately wouldnt risk having my kids (if i had kids) in the water with them!

[avatard]

nice

[GorillazMiko]

Really cool job, I like it! I wish I had a longboard...