Kind of a dumb question, but I would like to know. If an EPS shortboard has been sitting around for a couple of years and has yellowed a bit, is it still going to be a durable as it was when it was first shaped? I assume the wear and tear will be about the same? Thanks!!
No such thing as a dumb question.
I t is usually the resin that yellows first.
It will depend on what resin was used, what glassing schedule was used, and how often it was surfed before it was left.
As for EPS in shortboards maybe Greg can help you out.
But with surf club racing boards some that are ten years old still feel pretty good except for the resin becoming a little bit brittle.
If they were left unused out of the sun for a year or so I think you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between that and a brand new one.
Regards
Daren
Check it for any signs of delamination.
All of my epoxy glassed boards have yellowed and one board has greened in a few places where I repaired it. They’re still strong and I think that epoxy tends to yellow over time naturally.
Thanks all!!
Epoxy will break down under UV - even with the additives “UV Blockers” that can be put into epoxy. Those additives are at best marginally effective compared to a clear coat of PU (like a clear coat on a yacht).
We use/sell epoxies for boat building and other composite parts. Of course the #1 way to protect the epoxy is pigmented paint ; but when someone wants a clear finish with epoxy, that is how we do it on a boat (if you want it to last).
Boards will not spend all day, everyday in the sun. Even if they did, their expected usable lifetime is not as long a boat - so its not as critical I suppose to protect the epoxy. But if you did want your epoxy laminate to last much longer, the clear LPU (linear polyurethane) is the way to go.
At a University of Florida Alumni contest last year, someone brought out one of Greg Loehr’s boards from around 1987. He provided our team rider’s boards for a good price during that time. We had some folks from the Brevard County area attending univ. that rode his boards before. Yeah, it was a bit yellow, but not a bit of delam or brittleness to it. It had well worn spots in the foot traffic areas, but it rode just fine. I was impressed. It must of have been one of his good early batches.