School Project Designing a Wakeboard/Wakeskate

[Hockeypluck]

I am in an engineering course at my high school, and my senior project requires me to build an innovative product that isnt currently on the market. Since a major passion of mine is wakeboarding, I decided to relate my project to this. So, I am in the process of designing a wakeboard and a wakeskate all in one. I will complete the entire design process all the way from idea sketches to the real thing and maybe even put a patent on it. It will feature a removable mid section to adjust between a wakeboard and wakeskate.

The main reason I am posting this is because I have no experience in designing a wakeboard or wakeskate. So, if anyone out there has any experiance, tips, tricks, etc. that can help me I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

[Wakebrad]

This sounds like a good academic exercise but I wouldn't get your hopes up trying to build something usable or worthy of a patent.

A wakeboard or skate that was not all one piece almost certainly wouldn't have the correct flex patterns to get good pop. The contour of the bottom of the board are made for different purposes. Wakeskates are generally very flat so they can be flicked around on top of the water without getting caught up. Wakeboards usually have more features to improve control and edging. Also edges are different. Wakeboards generally have sharp edges to cut. Wakeskates have more rounded edges so it can slide easier.

Those are pretty difficult challenges to overcome to make something usable.

Something I just thought of that might be a better idea would be to have adjustable fins. You could have fins that can be raised or lowered without taking them off the board. They would sink into the bottom of the board if you wanted to go "finless."

A few people have built some decent wakeboards and wakeskates on this board. Do a search and you should be able to find some info.

[Hockeypluck]

Cool...thanks a lot