Wind-powered skateboarding
My first effort - the wind-powered skateboard. I bolted a typical windsurfing mast base to the end of the board. A 4.4 meter sail is plenty for light winds. This is also a great way to meet the other kids in the neighborhood.
(Watch the power lines !)
Board: 3/4" thick Baltic Birch - 60"Lx10"W
Trucks: Indy 215's
Wheels: Xtreme Wheelz XT's (with homemade, duct tape hubcaps to keep the sand out)
Close-up front view. I don't get any wheel bite with all that riser height but I do feel too high off the ground.
The general shape is a flat pintail.
I mounted a Chinook mast base on the pintail.
General
Set up as is, the board works very well. I can get to speeds of 20 - 25 mph in a light (7 - 8 knot) wind. A much smaller sail can be rigged on a skateboard due to the low friction of skate wheels and bearings on flat pavement. Jibing is no problem. In fact, its much easier than jibing an actual sailboard in the water.
The XT wheels are great for eating up uneven and cracked pavement but I am looking forward to experimenting with my new Abec 11 Flashbacks (70mm 75A) to lower the center of gravity and increase stability.
Improvements
I am planning on cutting this deck down in size. It is a bit heavy and bulky...maybe a good beginner deck. I recently saw a Jam brand longboard advertised on NCDSA and pictured below. Follow this link and look at the 60" Tuna Sicksty. This would be narrower, sleeker and still plenty big. Also the wider trucks and smaller wheels would be a nice upgrade.
