Retyped without permission:
Friday, December 23, 2005
INTEREST IN MAKING SURFBOARDS SWELLS
Westside cities have stake in industry formerly dominated by Clark Foam
By GRANT BINIASZ
WESTSIDE WEEKLY
Ken Ebert is meeting panic with plastic.
“I’ve had people call me in tears,” said Ebert, president of the plastics club at Cerritos College. “They didn’t know what they were going to do. We have to let people know there are alternatives.”
Ebert is one of a growing number in the surfboard industry who, with the surprising closure of foam-core supplier Clark Foam, are thinking outside the polyurethane box of traditional surfboard composition and embracing new materials.
He organizes instructional surfboard-building workshops at Cerritos College. The most recent, on Saturday, brought concerned industry experts from across the state. Many fear Clark’s shutdown will dramatically reduce the supply of polyurethane blanks used for making surfboards.
Ebert, owner of Segway Composites, has been at the forefront of the new school, selling surfboard blanks made out of extruded polystyrene (EPS) for the last six months.
He’s not out of place at Cerritos College.
“We really have a good following of enthusiastic students,” said Terry Price, who teaches manufacturing, plastics and composites. “A lot of them are surfers, shapers or glassers. They want to make surfboards.”
Cerritos College is the only community college in the state to offer full degree and certificate programs in plastics and composites. Price is interested to see how changes in the surfboard industry will affect his program.
The first surfboard workshop he held in May drew 65 people. Following the closure of Clark Foam earlier this month, the workshop drew 145 people. Price and Ebert plan to hold more workshops, at least one a quarter. “Interest has swelled,” said Price. “Everyone is very much attentive to what alternative materials we can use.”
Rich Harbour, 62, of Harbour Surfboards in Seal Beach has been using traditional materials to shape surfboards for 47 years. He came to the workshop early with a list of questions.
“If you buy a surfboard and have a problem with it, I know what caused it and I know how to fix it,” said Harbour. “With the EPS boards, I’ve made a few, but not as many as the 28,000 polyester boards I have out there. Those are questions that need to be answered.”
Industry experts such as Harbour believe the market will eventually stabilize and shapers will find other sources of polyurethane blanks.
“When we finally figure this out, the public will get a stronger, lighter surfboard,” Harbour said. “Right now everyone is freaking out, but it will turn out better in the end.”
CONTACT US: or (714) 445-6695