Construction · Cold-water build
Vacuum-bagged S-glass and cold-water blank density
Water temperature changes the surfer more than it changes the board, and that is exactly why a Monterey Bay board is built differently from a tropical one.
01What 52°F does to the rider
Foam does not care that the ocean is cold. The person standing on it does. A rider in a 5/4mm suit weighs more, bends less, and loads the rails harder, then stays out longer in bigger, more powerful water. That is the load the laminate has to answer.
A tropical reef board is built for a lighter, looser rider in warm, thin-breaking waves, often with a minimal glass schedule that keeps it light and lively. Put a thick-suited rider on that laminate and the deck compresses under the front foot within a season.
02Blank density: EPS and polyurethane
We shape mostly on stringered expanded polystyrene at 2.0 pounds per cubic foot, laminated with epoxy resin. EPS is lighter, floats the board higher, and in our hands returns from flex with a lively snap. Polyester resin dissolves it, which is why EPS always goes with epoxy.
Arctic-style polyurethane blanks run heavier, roughly 2.5 to 3 pounds per cubic foot, and take polyester or epoxy. They have a damped, planted feel that some riders prefer in choppy, fast water. We shape both, and we tell you honestly which suits your weight and your wave.
03S-glass, 4 oz and 6 oz
S-glass is a higher-strength fiberglass, roughly a third stronger than standard E-glass in tensile terms and tougher before it fails. We use it in a deck schedule of 6 oz laid first for impact resistance, finished with 4 oz over it, and a single 4 oz layer on the bottom with wrapped rail laps.
That puts the weight exactly where the front foot lands and the knee hits the deck on a duck dive, and keeps the rest of the board light.
04Why we vacuum-bag
After the wet laminate is laid up, the board goes into a bag and a pump pulls roughly 20 to 25 inches of mercury. Atmospheric pressure then presses the cloth evenly against the foam while surplus resin is drawn off into a breather layer. A hand squeegee leaves soft spots and heavy spots. The bag does not.
The result is a resin-lean, uniform laminate that carries more strength for its weight, and flex that is the same from rail to rail.
05Carbon tail patches
Back-foot pressure lands on a few square inches of deck. We lay a carbon patch there, wrapped over the tail edge. Carbon is stiff and has a very high modulus, so the patch resists denting and returns the tail with a quick snap exactly where you push off a turn.
We place it for the rider rather than by default. A lighter surfer in a 3/2mm may not need it at all.
06Flex memory, matched to you
Flex memory is the board bending under load and coming back to shape. Too stiff and the board chatters. Too soft and it goes dead. We choose the glass schedule, patches, and blank from your weight, your suit, and the wave you chase, which is why those numbers matter on the order card.
Rinse it, keep it out of a parked car, and it will outlast most wetsuits.
07Weight against durability
Every laminate is a trade. Another layer of glass buys dent resistance and costs weight, and weight costs you speed in a paddle that already fights a thick suit. Our schedules aim for the lightest board that will survive a winter of hard use at your weight, not the lightest board that will survive the showroom.
If you surf rocky points such as Steamer Lane, where a loose board can meet rock, tell us. We can add a layer on the rails and the nose and still keep the board well under the weight of a production equivalent.
| Blank | Density | Resin | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stringered EPS | 2.0 lb/ft³ | Epoxy | Light, lively return |
| Arctic-style PU | 2.5–3 lb/ft³ | Polyester or epoxy | Damped, planted |
- Deck schedule
- 6 oz + 4 oz S-glass
- Bag vacuum
- 20–25 inHg
- Tail patch
- Carbon, rider-specific