Thanks for visiting the epoxy surf blog. Two days ago Clark Foam closed it's factory and the surfboards industry is in turmoil. I created this blog as a discussion forum for new options, including the use of new core materials and epoxy resin. I have been using epoxy sandwich windsurf boards since the mid 80's and epoxy surfboards since they were first introduced and became convinced that epoxy is not only stronger and more durable but also has superior performance to conventional poyester surfboards. The biggest downside of production boards is that they cannot be customized. The surfer/ shapers are crucial to the development of new designs, developing and incrementally improving shapes. I am very concerned that with a blank shortage this process will slow down and many shapers will suffer.
A couple of years ago I talked to a glasser that was glassing a board without a respirator in the middle of a crowded ASR show. He was using epoxy resin with very little volatile compounds, which was just one of the many advantages. It seemed to me like this was the future of custom board production but it still has not taken hold. I guess shapers and glassers were comfortable with the traditional clark foam/ poly resin construction process and saw no reason to change. Now it's a matter of survival to take a more serious look at alternative materials. Does anyone have more information of this production process?
I have been involved in introducing production epoxy surfboards to the Hawaii surf market through Blue Planet Surf Shop in Honolulu and as the Boardworks distributor for Hawaii and more recently introducing Rock Solid Surfboards shaped by Chuck Andrus and manufactured in Brazil. I'm hoping this blog will become a forum for information on new production techniques that will help keep the surfboard industry progessinve and creative. If you have any questions or information on surfboard manufacturing or ideas, tips, etc, please post it here!
Mahalo!
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| Epoxy Surf: Blue Planet Team at the 2015 M2O race with Carbon/ Epoxy SUP race boards preparing to cross the 32 mile Molokai to Oahu channel. |
