: Thanks very much for everyones input. Making female moulds would be great if
: my friends were the same weight and experience level (they're not), we
: could make half a dozen and have a ball! And making a male foam mould to
: an exact CAD designed shape might be almost as time consuming as
: stripping. The tried and true methods are indeed usually the best but we
: still gotta think outside the square. I dont think hot air bubbles would
: be a problem if the craft was painted white, especially where I live -
: exceptionally hot is 30 dgrees C. "Why not S&G" is a very good
: question, my original concern was the compromise in hull speed, but unless
: I'm aiming for a placing in a race the difference might not be enough to
: worry about. Maybe balsa would be a nice light easily shaped wood for a
: strip surfski.

I think I'd hunt down some clear white cedar, very light, and make the strips quite thin, perhaps 3/16", then use single 4 oz. skins, will be strong enough to use, might have to double the cloth where you sit and at the foot well and the rudder location. Will also be fairly fragile, but most skis are anyway.
If you're very careful with the cloth/resin application I'd bet you would be within 5 lbs. or so over a racing ski's weight. It's kinda hard to match single skin carbon for strength vs. weigh.

Bill H.