A Buttboard or a Classic Luge is Streetluge in it's raw, original form.

CLASSIC LUGE/BUTTBOARDING

Classic Luge started when skateboarders began lying down on their boards trying to get to the bottom of a hill the fastest way possible. Slowly this evolved into Streetluge when the boards were lowered, made of alloys and composites and extra trucks & wheels were added.
Wether it was riding home from work in the european alps or the original downhill races at Signal Hill in California where all forms of riding were explored, what began as long boards, slowly grew in length with the board extended out beyond the front trucks to support the back of the riders legs whilst lying down.
This is a very recognisable feature of a Classic Luge

Nothing beats riding a Buttboard in a Pack!

Unlike Streetluge which has alot of flexibility within the rules that govern it, Classic luge has very specific rules that ensure the classic form of luge is preserved keeping a level playing feild when it comes to competing.

Some of the worlds best braking into Forests Elbow at the 2009 World Championships
A Classic Luge is constructed of laminated timber and is restricted to a wheel size of 70mm. It has small hand rails running along the bottom side of the board and has a limited ride height also.
Classic Luge is the cheapest way to get into luge and will develop the key skills essential to becoming a competent rider.
Whilst there are manufacturers of Classic Luges such as Blackkross, Sparks Buttboards, SC8, Sakamoto & PCLuge, It is a very rewarding exercise to build your own board.

CONSTRUCTION

This is just a simple way to create your very own Buttboard so that you can master the art of Luge

STEP 1.

You will need to get some laminated timber (Ply Wood) from your local Wood Supplier or Hardware Store. This will need to be no larger than 30.5cm wide by 121.9cm long

The biggest issue is strength. It is important that the timber that you use is strong enough to support your weight.
The easiest way is to use an industrial Ply. This is usually available 18mm's thick, but anywhere from 16mm to 19mm is acceptable. This still may not be strong enough to support you so you may need to build it with a Stringer to strengthen your board. A Stringer is a thin strip of ply that is glued onto the board and will run along the underside of the board from the back truck to the front truck.
Some boards are built without a stringer. This is done by using thinner sheets of Ply approximately 3 to 4mm thick. Using an Epoxy Glue, 3 to 4 of these sheets are glued together, and then with even pressure are left to set.
Using this method you are also able to put a concave in the board. The concave runs from the tail of the board to the front giving the board added strength. However this would involve the use of a press that can apply pressure in the desired shape.
STEP 2.
Once you have your Timber (30.5cm by 121.9cm) you will need to mark a centre line from front to back and draw the shape of your finished board ready to be cut. The centre line will make positioning the trucks easier as well as allow you to design the shape evenly on both sides of the board.

You will need to mark your truck position. starting at the back of the board, come in 2.5cm. This is where your back truck holes will sit. 92cm from the back will be your front trucks. It is easiest to mark the truck holes using the actual truck base plates. The front trucks can be placed further forwards but it is not recomended to place them any closer to the back trucks. This will cause your board to tip forwards when you try to push off.
Your board can be any shape you like within the above dimensions (30.5cm by 121.9cm). It is recomended that the front of the board is left wide to support your butt and legs.
These are just a few Board shapes you may like to use, or design your own
STEP 3.
Using a drill, preferably a Drill Press, drill the truck holes.
STEP 4.
You will now need to cut out the shape of your board. This can be done with a Jigsaw or a Bandsaw.
STEP 5.
Your board needs to be sanded so that there are no rough surfaces, no sharp corners and no risk of splintering.
STEP 5.
Your board can now be painted or at least sealed to prevent moisture getting into your board.
STEP 6.
Handrails need to be added to the underside of the board. these can either be made from a plastic chopping board, ply wood or by using old skool skateboard rails.
STEP 7.
The trucks can be mounted and a thin layer of padding or grip added to the top if desired.
STEP 8.
Using all the recomended safety gear get out and have the time of your life on your new board

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The BASIC PREMISE is that any rider should be able to put together a competitive board from skateboard shop supplies for about $200 US Dollars complete. A rider may spend more on a board if they wish, however, advancements, which require a higher investment to be competitive, will be banned.

Competitors are required to ride in the supine (lying on back) position with their feet forward.

  1. DECK: Must be made of laminated wood. The deck may have molded features such as a kick tail, but must be one piece. It may be any shape within the size limits. Nothing may be added to the deck except for the following:

 

1. Foam padding to the top.

2. Non-aerodynamic stiffeners to the bottom.

3. Skateboard-type grip rails underneath.

  1. WEIGHT: The complete board must not exceed six point five kilograms (6.5kg / 14.3lbs). This rule will be strictly enforced. A 0.5kg allowance will be given for variances in the accuracy of scales.
  1. LENGTH: One hundred twenty-five centimeters (125cm / 48") maximum.
  1. WIDTH: Three hundred five millimeters (305mm / 12") maximum.
  1. TRUCKS: The trucks must be lean steer activated. They must be commercially available* skateboard trucks. Rolling axles are allowed. They must not exceed three hundred five millimeters (305mm / 12") wide, as measured from the outside edge of the axles. The board must use exactly two (2) trucks. The axles cannot protrude past the edge of the wheel.
  1. BEARINGS: Standard 608 type skateboard bearings only. SKF 608 Bearing Specifications: Bore 8mm (0.3150"), OD Race 22mm (0.8661"), Width 7mm (0.2756")
  1. WHEELS: 70mm maximum skateboard wheels only. They must be commercially available*. The board must use exactly four (4) wheels.
  1. RIDE HEIGHT: A minimum ride height of eight centimeters (8cm / 3 1/8") is required. This is the lowest part of the board from the ground and includes rails, stiffeners, bolts, nuts, etc. It does not include the trucks or the truck mounting hardware.
  1. BRAKES: All braking must be accomplished using the riders' feet. No mechanical braking devices are allowed.
  1. NUMBER AREA: All riders are required to have their IGSA assigned Street Luge number located on their helmet or a bib. Helmet numbers must be placed on both sides and visible in the riding position. Bib numbers must be placed on both the front and back. Numbers must be a minimum of seven point six centimeters (7.6cm / 3") tall. The number area and number must be of contrasting colors and be highly visible from six meters away (6m / 20'). Some promoters may issues a bib or bib panel with a number other then your IGSA assigned number. In this case the event number supercedes your IGSA assigned number. (For number assignment see section XVIII. A)

*Commercially available means the product must have been distributed to at least 24 people outside the company.