Installing Handle Mounts for a Stand Up Paddle Surfboard at Wet Feet Hawaii – Part 1 – Video
Wet Feet’s Clarke takes us through the process of installing handle mounts on a stand up paddle surfboard. It’s worth it once you have those handles installed on your board. It will be much easier to carry, plus, it can be used as a grip to grab on to while in the water.
(click thumbnail to launch video)
Evan: So we’re looking at a demo board, right?
Clarke: This is a demo board and what we’re going to do is we’re gong to continue to set it up with all the various accessories that are available. So people we can demonstrate exactly what’s available for stand ups. So, what we’re going to do now next is we’re to put the after-market handles on, which is a popular option. Handles are great both for just basically carrying and lifting of the board and also some people like to put their kids on the front of the board.
Evan: Where are you going to put the handles then?
Clarke: So what we’re going to do today, for our purposes, is we’re going to put the handles in the center point to carry the boards; to help in carrying this large object. So the first thing to do is we want to find the center point and we can do that very simply, the process of elimination – right about here.
Evan: So you’re just grabbing it and try to find where it balances?
Clarke: Yeah, exactly. Ok, so it’s going to go basically just right pretty much in the thickest part of the deck pad.
Evan: I like your professional level.
Clarke: Yeah, this is a very technical instrument, hard to find – you have to special order these.
Evan: So what we have here is – these are two inserts and then you have the handles, right?
Clarke: Right, exactly. The threaded inserts originally developed for kite boarding. So they have an industrial adhesive on the backside, it’s super strong.
Evan: And you haven’t had any problems with the thing falling off?
Clarke: If you have an extra heavy board, the board is really big and you want handles, what we do also, in addition to the adhesive it comes with the pads, is we epoxy the outer area of the pad, which really…
Evan: But you can epoxy it later then?
Clarke: You can epoxy it later. It’s easier if you do it all in one shot, when you’re initially putting them on.
Evan: You’re not going to epoxy it right now though?
Clarke: I’m not going to epoxy these because the board isn’t that heavy so it’s quite adequate just like this. The main thing with these pads too is that you want to put them on the part of the deck that is flat because they are very stiff; they don’t bend so you cannot put them out on a rail where they might come off. So what we’re going to do is we’re going to inset them right in to the deck pad and we’re just going to cut out the deck pad here and then insert them.
Evan Leong: Just putting tape to mark it?
Clarke: Yeah. Ok, we’re going to make sure we get this square with our precise…
Evan: Where did you put the center of balance? Was the center of balance in the middle of these two things or…?
Clarke: Right. Basically you want to have the center of balance right in the middle and you’re handles are going to go in here. They’re going about 7 ½ to 8 inches apart.
Evan: Ok.
Clarke: Something like that. Another option you can do is…
Evan: The cool thing is that the handle is flexible, you can be off a little bit and it still works.
Clarke: Yeah, sure.
Evan: But the ideal width is going to be, is to give it how much play on the handle?
Clarke: Basically, you don’t want the handle flappen around a lot. You don’t want your feet getting hung underneath it. You just want enough room so you can get your hand underneath comfortably. Another option with this is you can either set the handles on one spot or you can move one pad slightly forward so you have a little slight adjustability…
Evan: Oh, ok.
Clarke: …in how the handle is centerd.
Evan: Because there’s two holes.
Clarke: Right. What I’m going to do is I’m going to center it. That’s seven and a half inches here and here.
Evan: So from this hole to the far hole, 7 and a half inches.
Clarke: Right, exactly. The tape just gives me a guideline of hot to cut out the pad
Evan: Are you worried about at all if you cut the pad that you’re going to cut into the board?
Clarke: No, no. Basically you can cut through most of the way of the pad and then just peel it out without any problem. Ok, now here comes our instrument. Just make sure that thee two handles are going to be lined up even, ok? It actually looks pretty spot on right there. That looks good.
Evan: As long as its straight going across.
Clarke: Right, yes. Exactly. So 7 ½ inches again from one threaded puka all the way to the other, far side. 7-and-a-half. Ok, there we go. I would be lost without this.
Clarke: Ok, so you can take this off.
Installing Handle Mounts for a Stand Up Paddle Surfboard at Wet Feet Hawaii - Part 1 [5:36m]: Download
Installing Handle Mounts for a Stand Up Paddle Surfboard at Wet Feet Hawaii - Part 1 [5:38m]: Download
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