Lets go back to poly’s and find out who might be the top four blank suppliers in this area. I questioned four professional every day shapers, not a wanna be in the bunch. Rusty, Rick Hammond, Hoy Runnels and Mike Russo. What I found out shocked me. The first credible blank co. that tried to save the day was Walker Foam, they had been around for as long as Clark and may have even been partners for a time. Anyhow after attempting
the impossible, Walker Foam suffered some quality lapses and dropped the ball a bit. It was a noble mission on their part but they ended up going under, from what I heard.
Just Foam, was a fairly new upstart foam co. at that time. I think they bit off more than what was chewable and didn't make my list.
Back to my panel of shapers who made it very clear that from a shapers stand point the new foam produced by Ice 9 and King Mac has proved to be superior to
the old Clark Foam.
Ice 9, high performance qualities= lightness and best compression strength. It’s creamy coloring may be its only downfall if any. I recommend this pick for your short board needs.
King Mac, excellent service, coloring and shape ability. Not completely perfect but try it I think you’ll like it. Mikey does.
U.S. Blanks, is my third pick they seem to have some know how and money behind them. Some of us get the feeling that Clark is only a phone call away. Selection and good service would be their attributes. Lower compression strengths may be the only reason for my number three rating.
Blair Foam, is my panels final forth pick. Personally I don’t know much about this foam, but my prestigious panel sticks by the Blair Foam Projects high rating.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Surfboard Foam: The Problems
Dear Surfboard purchasing public,
How are you? I hope your doing well, Personally I must say I’ve missed you. Its been since early December a few years back on that fateful day when the foam died. I kind of felt like I had to withdraw, step back and see what surfing's great minds had in store for us. Industrious anything to make a buck people got creative. Lets try and make newer, safer, better and friendlier foam. Some of them came up with fairly descent foam. But didn’t have the know how to finish their product.We can’t really laminate a blank when resin is leaking all the way through it. A couple of entrepreneurs with uppity credentials, like aeronautical engineers went poor quick. They tried and tried and never could produce anything close to a decent blank. Easier said than done. For a couple of years these guys had me convinced that Grubby Clark must have been an absolute genius.
Reintroducing Styrofoam and epoxy, lighter more Eco friendly. More likely to blow up, take on water, melt down or cause major allergic reactions to certain human beings. Not enough flex is another problem. Don’t worry research has shown that if we weaken the epoxy by over sanding it we can provide greater over all flexibility which equals increased ride ability. But that non positive grabby feeling might still remain.
How about these composite boards, man do they look cool. Years ago when I worked for Hi Tech Sailboards we vacuum bagged, skinned and structurally strengthened cores with high density foams. The strongest = lightest known materials were used on every board we hand made. They were lightweight, state of the art flying machines. In most cases after one years use they retained absolutely no resale value.
Molded surfboards should take up only a small space in the surf shop. The beginner boards and buoys section. Some where within the area labeled, for kooks only. Oh yeah there a pretty good deal for the sellout pro or label owner who feels a need to pad his wallet. Molded sailboards are another animal all together. No flex, no problem. To light, just right. Guaranteed against defects for a year or your money back. And they put us custom sailboard builders all but out of business. Only a small contingent of the old faithful wind surfers remain loyal to polyester. On the other hand surfboards have a life uniquely all their own and its completely about flex. To much or not enough and a surfboard will become lethargic or unresponsive. Forever, will the molded surfboard be taking up room in our landfills. Please if you own one pass it on to the next kook.
Solutions coming soon....
How are you? I hope your doing well, Personally I must say I’ve missed you. Its been since early December a few years back on that fateful day when the foam died. I kind of felt like I had to withdraw, step back and see what surfing's great minds had in store for us. Industrious anything to make a buck people got creative. Lets try and make newer, safer, better and friendlier foam. Some of them came up with fairly descent foam. But didn’t have the know how to finish their product.We can’t really laminate a blank when resin is leaking all the way through it. A couple of entrepreneurs with uppity credentials, like aeronautical engineers went poor quick. They tried and tried and never could produce anything close to a decent blank. Easier said than done. For a couple of years these guys had me convinced that Grubby Clark must have been an absolute genius.
Reintroducing Styrofoam and epoxy, lighter more Eco friendly. More likely to blow up, take on water, melt down or cause major allergic reactions to certain human beings. Not enough flex is another problem. Don’t worry research has shown that if we weaken the epoxy by over sanding it we can provide greater over all flexibility which equals increased ride ability. But that non positive grabby feeling might still remain.
How about these composite boards, man do they look cool. Years ago when I worked for Hi Tech Sailboards we vacuum bagged, skinned and structurally strengthened cores with high density foams. The strongest = lightest known materials were used on every board we hand made. They were lightweight, state of the art flying machines. In most cases after one years use they retained absolutely no resale value.
Molded surfboards should take up only a small space in the surf shop. The beginner boards and buoys section. Some where within the area labeled, for kooks only. Oh yeah there a pretty good deal for the sellout pro or label owner who feels a need to pad his wallet. Molded sailboards are another animal all together. No flex, no problem. To light, just right. Guaranteed against defects for a year or your money back. And they put us custom sailboard builders all but out of business. Only a small contingent of the old faithful wind surfers remain loyal to polyester. On the other hand surfboards have a life uniquely all their own and its completely about flex. To much or not enough and a surfboard will become lethargic or unresponsive. Forever, will the molded surfboard be taking up room in our landfills. Please if you own one pass it on to the next kook.
Solutions coming soon....
My Pictures
Backside at
Sungold Point 1982Backside at Sungold Point
1970South Mission Jetty 1972:1st wsa card
My son Todd showing off my blackball busting 5 foot soft board.My book the Southern CaliforniaBeach and Surf discriptionary.
My daughter Lauren showing off the prototype soft surfboard I designed in the 90's.
About the Author
Overview:
I started surfing at age 9, while growing up in San Diego, California. I became a team rider for Gordon & Smith Surfboards at age 16. Surfed competitively through out the 70's and 80's. I have worked in the Surf Industry for over 30 years, starting with G & S and now presently work for Rusty Surfboards. This blog is a way for me to share my experiences and knowledge of the surfing industry. Both in lifestyle and surfboard construction. Also it keeps me from getting too bored during recovery from my recent heart attack. Emails to TMAzing@gmail.comm
Michael V Anderson’s (M. Azing) Resume:
Custom Surfboards by Gordon and Smith, owner Larry Gordon
-This being the first job on my resume definitely requires a bit more attention than the rest. From the Late Seventies to the mid Eighties Gordon & Smith is where I cut my teeth learning the trade. Paul Bordieri, Skip Frye, Mike Eaton, Hoy Runnels, Sam Cody, Hank Warner, G3, TSG, TC, Robin Prodonivich, Glen Vitalis and the Boeche brothers became my first guides through the dust and fume filled factory.
-Boards Glassed= G&S, Mark Richards, Eaton, Barnfield and some of the Windsurfer brands were other types of boards we built there during that time frame.
-Jobs= I started as a laborer and worked up to assistant manager for Star Systems, which was our house fin system at the time. Then finished up as power sander when the end of an era came and this great factory closed its doors.
-Memory= Mike Anderson, team rider 1969, shaper Skip Frye.
Steve Seabold’s, owner Steve Seabold
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Byrne, Shroft, Aloha, Murphy and Seabold surfboards
-Memory= Steve’s bathroom was a working commode sitting directly in the middle of his laminating room.
Island Scene, Louis or Lucho
-Job= power sander
-Boards glassed= Angulo Sailboards, Island Scene and Rusty
-Memories= Sub standard dust collection unit and something about cattle drives
San Diego Surf Shop 1975, owner Glen Horn
-Job= salesman
-Boards sold= Matrix Surfboards
-Memories= Joe Roper, borrowing cups of ice from the food stand to cool down his hot batches. -Practicing Bulls eyes with Glen
Surf Shop 1987
Wind an Sea beach & Surf, owners Eric (Bird) Huffman and Ernie Higgins
-Job= salesman
-Boards sold= Rusty, Frye, Hynson and Channel Islands Surfboards
-Memories= During that time I had just finished a little book , the So. California Beach and Surf Discriptionary it was my humorous attempt at letting tourists know how us surfer types got to communicating like we did. I self published and promoted it. The Discriptionary was carried in Walden Books, B Dalton, and Upstart Crow to name a few places. Other than I learned a lot, it turned out to be a total disaster, Bummer man.
Gordon and Smith Inc., owner Larry Gordon
-Jobs= shipping & receiving, quality control supervisor
-Boards shaped= G&S, Hi Tech sailboards
-Memories= instead of giving me a raise, Brad Woods gave me a title
Nectar Factory, owner Bobby Larson
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, Nectar and G&S surfboards.
-Memory= The wide eyed night crew.
Pacific Surf Glass, owner Harlan Patterson
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Minard, Frye, G&S, South Coast, Rusty, and Murphy.
-Memories= sanding the Endless Summer II poster boards
Pacific Sailboards, owner Bobby Larson
-Jobs= sanding, routing & plugging, QC
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, Choice, Brewer, Weber, Fish Sticks and Zanadu Surfboards
-Memories= Lance, changing the polarity on Hoys vacuum collection unit.
North Pacific Composites, owner Jeff Hammer
-Jobs= sanding, routing & plugging and rub out.
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, North Pacific Surfboards, Northwest Surfboards, Local Motion, Gerry Lopez Surfboards and some assorted composite sailboards.
Memory= G III’s smoked steelhead
Waterlines Unlimited, owner Ernie Higgins
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Murphy, G&S, Rusty, Hamilton, Velzey, Tudor, Swift Movement, Iron Cross and assorted beer boards
-Memory= Hearing the story about the sander I replaced, pissing in PK’s boots
Kane Garden, owners Stu Kenson and Harlan Patterson
-Job= production manager
-Boards Glassed= SK, KG, Third World Exotic and Rawson surfboards
-Memory= Larmo from Hair mo sticking it out till the bitter end.
Rusty Surfboards, owner Rusty Priesendorfer
-Job= sander
-Board Glassed= R dots
I started surfing at age 9, while growing up in San Diego, California. I became a team rider for Gordon & Smith Surfboards at age 16. Surfed competitively through out the 70's and 80's. I have worked in the Surf Industry for over 30 years, starting with G & S and now presently work for Rusty Surfboards. This blog is a way for me to share my experiences and knowledge of the surfing industry. Both in lifestyle and surfboard construction. Also it keeps me from getting too bored during recovery from my recent heart attack. Emails to TMAzing@gmail.comm
Michael V Anderson’s (M. Azing) Resume:
Custom Surfboards by Gordon and Smith, owner Larry Gordon
-This being the first job on my resume definitely requires a bit more attention than the rest. From the Late Seventies to the mid Eighties Gordon & Smith is where I cut my teeth learning the trade. Paul Bordieri, Skip Frye, Mike Eaton, Hoy Runnels, Sam Cody, Hank Warner, G3, TSG, TC, Robin Prodonivich, Glen Vitalis and the Boeche brothers became my first guides through the dust and fume filled factory.
-Boards Glassed= G&S, Mark Richards, Eaton, Barnfield and some of the Windsurfer brands were other types of boards we built there during that time frame.
-Jobs= I started as a laborer and worked up to assistant manager for Star Systems, which was our house fin system at the time. Then finished up as power sander when the end of an era came and this great factory closed its doors.
-Memory= Mike Anderson, team rider 1969, shaper Skip Frye.
Steve Seabold’s, owner Steve Seabold
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Byrne, Shroft, Aloha, Murphy and Seabold surfboards
-Memory= Steve’s bathroom was a working commode sitting directly in the middle of his laminating room.
Island Scene, Louis or Lucho
-Job= power sander
-Boards glassed= Angulo Sailboards, Island Scene and Rusty
-Memories= Sub standard dust collection unit and something about cattle drives
San Diego Surf Shop 1975, owner Glen Horn
-Job= salesman
-Boards sold= Matrix Surfboards
-Memories= Joe Roper, borrowing cups of ice from the food stand to cool down his hot batches. -Practicing Bulls eyes with Glen
Surf Shop 1987
Wind an Sea beach & Surf, owners Eric (Bird) Huffman and Ernie Higgins
-Job= salesman
-Boards sold= Rusty, Frye, Hynson and Channel Islands Surfboards
-Memories= During that time I had just finished a little book , the So. California Beach and Surf Discriptionary it was my humorous attempt at letting tourists know how us surfer types got to communicating like we did. I self published and promoted it. The Discriptionary was carried in Walden Books, B Dalton, and Upstart Crow to name a few places. Other than I learned a lot, it turned out to be a total disaster, Bummer man.
Gordon and Smith Inc., owner Larry Gordon
-Jobs= shipping & receiving, quality control supervisor
-Boards shaped= G&S, Hi Tech sailboards
-Memories= instead of giving me a raise, Brad Woods gave me a title
Nectar Factory, owner Bobby Larson
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, Nectar and G&S surfboards.
-Memory= The wide eyed night crew.
Pacific Surf Glass, owner Harlan Patterson
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Minard, Frye, G&S, South Coast, Rusty, and Murphy.
-Memories= sanding the Endless Summer II poster boards
Pacific Sailboards, owner Bobby Larson
-Jobs= sanding, routing & plugging, QC
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, Choice, Brewer, Weber, Fish Sticks and Zanadu Surfboards
-Memories= Lance, changing the polarity on Hoys vacuum collection unit.
North Pacific Composites, owner Jeff Hammer
-Jobs= sanding, routing & plugging and rub out.
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, North Pacific Surfboards, Northwest Surfboards, Local Motion, Gerry Lopez Surfboards and some assorted composite sailboards.
Memory= G III’s smoked steelhead
Waterlines Unlimited, owner Ernie Higgins
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Murphy, G&S, Rusty, Hamilton, Velzey, Tudor, Swift Movement, Iron Cross and assorted beer boards
-Memory= Hearing the story about the sander I replaced, pissing in PK’s boots
Kane Garden, owners Stu Kenson and Harlan Patterson
-Job= production manager
-Boards Glassed= SK, KG, Third World Exotic and Rawson surfboards
-Memory= Larmo from Hair mo sticking it out till the bitter end.
Rusty Surfboards, owner Rusty Priesendorfer
-Job= sander
-Board Glassed= R dots
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