alternative to aluminum for racks?

(extremeisaac) · (extremeisaac) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 09-01-2005, 12:17 AM

is aluminum the only way to go?

I was thinking 1" thick plexiglass might look decent? any reason to stick to aluminum racks?

(boarditup) · (boarditup) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 09-01-2005, 7:46 AM

Plexiglass was tried several times - aluminum or SS was the result. Just not durable enough with the bouncing of the boards.

(extremeisaac) · (extremeisaac) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 09-01-2005, 9:05 AM

what about acrylic?

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 09-01-2005, 9:59 AM

There are a couple Nylon offerrings on the market including Skylon's plastic 4 wakeboard rack that goes on a pole (I used to have one). The nylon racks work fine, they just don't have that "bling" quality that most people like about the polished aluminum racks. Plex is too brittle, I wouldn't trust it. Remember when the rack breaks the board hits the boat or it's passengers.

(boarditup) · (boarditup) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 09-01-2005, 9:59 AM

Same thing. Does not tolerate the flex and bounce cycle well. A fiberglass rack would work, but why? You need something that can tolerate the flex.

(kikitlo) · (kikitlo) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 09-01-2005, 11:44 AM

I tried to make my own out of Delrin, and that failed. Driving around in the chop with a single board and it broke clean off. Go with Alum or SS